Meeting Targets and Achieving Epidemic Control (EpiC) is an eight-year global project funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Started in 2019, the project provides strategic technical assistance (TA) and direct service delivery to break through barriers to 95-95-95 and promote self-reliant management of national HIV programs by improving HIV case-finding, prevention, treatment programming and viral load (VL) suppression among key populations (KPs) and priority populations (PPs). In India, EpiC works to strengthen organizational capacity of local civil society organizations (CSOs) working with key populations and people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Maharashtra and Telangana states. EpiC also supports innovations in sustainable financing which includes providing technical and funding to local CSOs to manage social enterprises for generating revenue to support HIV and other social outcomes. Additionally, EpiC is supporting interventions in HIV adjacent areas including NCD-HIV integration among PLHIV in community and facility settings, promoting engagement of youth living with HIV, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for aging and young people living with HIV, and climate change & HIV.

In line with the NCD integration efforts under the national HIV/AIDS program, the EpiC project in collaboration with the Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS), proposes to accelerate the screening and management of cervical and breast cancer and other NCD including diabetes, and hypertension among women living with HIV (WLHIV) through implementation of facility-based model/s on NCD-HIV integration in New Delhi. For this, EpiC needs to hire a Technical Specialist-NCD-HIV Integration to be based at the FHI 360 Country Office in New Delhi.

Summary of Role

The Technical Specialist, NCD-HIV Integration will provide strategic direction and operational oversight in NCD-HIV integration efforts at the national level under the EpiC project. Reporting to the EpiC India Project Director, the Technical Specialist will be responsible for the development of facility-based model/s on NCD-HIV integration, defining service packages adopting the latest WHO, PEPFAR and NACO guidelines, supporting interventions, and demonstrating results to inform documentation of reports, and technical and policy briefs. The incumbent will be responsible for liaison with relevant state and national level stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the proposed model/s. The Technical Specialist will oversee the implementation of the model and will lead on documentation and programmatic reporting in this area. Additionally, the candidate will be required to technically represent FHI 360 and EpiC at the national level by engaging with key stakeholders involved in the NCD-HIV integration efforts, e.g., NACO, WHO, and other technical assistance (TA) partners.

Detailed Job Description:

• Provide strategic direction and operational oversight in NCD-HIV integration within ongoing EpiC work in India.
• Guide the design of facility-based intervention model/s in NCD-HIV integration with consideration to approaches that can be taken to scale.
• Liaison and work in close collaboration with all relevant national and state level stakeholders and facility-based staff to ensure effective implementation of the proposed model.
• Actively collaborate with key stakeholders at the national level who are involved in the NCD-HIV integration efforts e.g., NACO, WHO and other development partners, and contribute technically to the development of standard operating protocols, training curricula, and other technical assistance, as per need.
• Collaborate with the Technical Advisor – HIV- adjacent areas to develop and adapt self-care modules, tools, training resources, and service packages used in the EpiC projects and tailor these to the newly proposed NCD- HIV integration models.
• Support development of additional technical tools and resources as per need and ensure inclusion of the latest WHO and PEPFAR guidance related to HIV-NCD collaborative activities into the same.
• Identify ways to monitor and evaluate the progress and impact of technical assistance on NCD-HIV integration.
• Keep National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and State AIDS Control Societies (SACS) informed on progress and seek necessary approvals.
• Responsible for documentation and reporting to the donor as per the reporting timeline.
• Contribute to developing knowledge management and academic resources on the subject matters, including policy briefs, peer reviewed papers and publications.
• Define other priorities that can support the growth and scale-up of these initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in public health/social science, preferably MBBS with at least 7-10 years of experience of working in HIV.
• Strong technical working knowledge of NCDs, in the context of HIV and demonstrates experience in implementing intervention models on NCD within HIV programs.
• Vast knowledge on HIV and experience on developing facility-based intervention models, tools, technical guidelines, training resources, service packages related to HIV/NCD/Health.
• Experience of working with PLHIV and populations most affected by HIV is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of cervical and breast cancer – national guidelines is highly desirable
• Familiarity with Indian public health sector, specifically HIV and AIDS, NGOs and CBOs is desirable.
• Demonstrated written, presentation, communication, and organizational skills in English.