The Senior Technical Specialist - HIV and COVID-19 response is responsible for leading and managing all COVID-19-related program activities under FHI 360 Nepal/EpiC Nepal. The Senior Technical Specialist - HIV and COVID-19 response works closely with the FHI 360 Nepal/EpiC Nepal Program, Technical, Strategic Behavioral Communication (SBC), Strategic Information (SI) and other specialized units including other projects and provides technical assistance to FHI 360 implementing partner agencies, the Government of Nepal and other collaborating partners in a structured, systematic and effective manner to plan, implement and monitor COVID-19 response activities. The Senior Technical Specialist - HIV and COVID-19 response will also provide technical assistance to EpiC Nepal and it’s implementing partner agencies for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide technical leadership and oversight to COVID-19 emergency response and program activities of FHI 360/EpiC Nepal 
• Provide technical assistance to urgently and quickly scale-up COVID-19 testing, capacity building for genomic sequencing in country, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), improve infection prevention and control (IPC), and treatment including effective vents use and O2 therapy for improved treatment outcomes
• Support and facilitate procurement, distribution and tracking of COVID-19-related supplies, materials and equipment
• Support in optimizing HIV treatment, care and support services, and HIV viral load sample collection, transportation and tests to catch-up backlogs from earlier period during COVID-19 pandemic
• Support to mobilize back-up staff support to HIV service sites during COVID-19 pandemic for uninterrupted services in coordination with program unit of EpiC Nepal
• Support and provide coaching and mentoring support, and monitoring of HIV service sites to provide uninterrupted HIV services with following precautionary, preventive and protective measure
• Support in Government of Nepal in COVID-19 vaccination campaign and roll-out at the provincial and local level through development of SBC/IEC materials, community engagement, advocacy, micro-planning and digital campaigns in coordination with SBC unit
• Support in ventilator technical assistance activities to collect ventilators use status tracker from ventilator donated sites, document of ventilator technical assistance activities, support to develop sustainability plan and quality assurance/quality improvement checklist activities, and organize trainings/workshop/meeting
• Support to keep track of COVID-19 status, vaccination situation, and develop support mechanisms of implementing partner agency in coordination with program unit
• Coordinate and support implementing partner agencies on COVID-19 cases tracking and management and provide ongoing supportive supervision and quality assurance
• Support to facilitate sessions on COVID-19 prevention in the trainings conducted by EpiC Nepal and orientation/sensitize implementing partner agencies on COVID-19 infection prevention and control
• Ensure timely completion of all project milestones as defined in the approved workplan and report to EpiC Nepal and USAID on the same through monthly progress reports and routine check-in calls
• Oversee / work with other local EpiC Nepal consultants and staff members to ensure completion of tasks assigned as per their consultancy agreements
• Attend periodic vents technical assistance calls, and support knowledge sharing 
• Perform other related duties as assigned by supervisor, and Country Representative and Project Director