REPORTS TO:  Project Director, Nepal

Project Description:

FHI 360 is seeking a highly qualified and dynamic Nepali citizen for the position of Technical Advisor (Clinical Microbiology) for the Second Fleming Fund Country Grant for Nepal (CG2) to support surveillance of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in Nepal. The grant is funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), under its Fleming Fund Grants Programme, and managed by Mott MacDonald, the Management Agent. This Grant for Nepal will focus on sustaining earlier investments made under the First Fleming Fund Country Grant for Nepal (CG1), strengthening surveillance systems for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), antimicrobial use (AMU), and antimicrobial consumption (AMC) in the human, animal health, environment and food safety sectors through a One Health (OH) approach. This grant will align with the national AMR priorities, policy framework and with the investments made by Government of Nepal (GoN), other donors and stakeholders in this area. This position is subject to successful award of CG2 to FHI 360.

Job Summary / Responsibilities:

The Technical Advisor (Clinical Microbiology) , CG2 will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to increase the level of engagement between clinicians and laboratories to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), provide technical and strategic input into the design and implementation of the clinical microbiology aspects of the grant, that sustainable capacity is built in partners and recipients, that One Health approaches are incorporated into strategies and activities,  ensure appropriate use of technology and skills, and be the technical liaison with external partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise and mentorship to support country technical team, apply and adapt the global guidance to their country context.
• Design and lead activities to support evidence-based policy changes to promote efforts to combat AMR and improve AMU
• Support strategies to improve coordination and governance mechanisms and structures across sectors using a One Health approach
• Develop a clinician engagement programme, to improve communication with and between clinicians, nurses, pharmacist and laboratory staff at surveillance sites; improve sampling and collection of clinical data; and ensure that clinicians are actively involved in the laboratory improvement programme.
• Interact with clinicians to identify gaps in delivery of quality microbiological results and assist infection prevention and control (IPC) teams and stewardship team in utilisation of results.
• Interact with hospital management to provide updates on gains accrued by the Fleming Fund investment and suggest areas of improvement and challenges for utilisation of the microbiology facilities.
• Engage with the Nepal Association of Clinical Microbiologists and develop and implement strategies to enhance the AMR/AMU surveillance programme.
• Engage with the Nepal Medical Association to provide information about the Fleming Fund and promote the involvement of clinicians in the country surveillance programme.
• Lead activities to assess and strengthen laboratories supported by CG2.
• Lead activities to build a sustainable microbiology work force in all sectors supported by CG2
• Provide additional clinical microbiology support and review SOPs, clinical protocols, EQAS, laboratory aids and monitor strategies to enhance laboratory performance and quality 
• Provide technical inputs for initiatives to integrate analysis of laboratory, clinical and prescribing data to support the economic case for investment in bacteriology laboratories
• Provide technical support to enhance quality of data and reporting of AMR into national reporting systems and promote national use of data including policy recommendations
• Lead the development and implementation of an AMU point prevalence survey in hospitals
• Develop innovative ways to engage medical/clinical and veterinary staff in microbiology laboratory improvement programmes and improve communications between the clinicians and laboratory staff
• Oversee CG2 staff to collaborate with partners to conduct a farm-based survey to understand AMU
• Lead and implement activities to strengthen and expand microbiology EQAS in all sectors supported by CG2
• Perform other CG2-related duties as assigned by the Project Director

This job description summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties.