INTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Open to: Internal Candidates ONLY
Duration of contract: Four (4) Months
Opening Date: 20th May 2026
Closing Date: 27th May 2026
Duty station: Zamfara State
Work Hours: Full-time
Background
The Consequential Geography (CG) Project in Zamfara State is implemented by AFENET through the NSTOP program, with technical and financial support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The project is designed to strengthen routine immunization services, increase vaccine coverage, and reduce the number of zero-dose and under-immunized children across communities in Zamfara State.
The project adopts a community-driven approach by engaging traditional rulers, religious leaders, health workers, and community volunteers to identify, enumerate, vaccinate, and follow up on eligible children using the Optimized Outreach Strategy (OOS). Through this intervention, the project aims to improve community participation, enhance surveillance for vaccine-preventable diseases, strengthen health worker capacity, and contribute to a significant reduction in zero-dose children in the state.
The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) seeks the service of a candidate to fill the position of CG Consultant for the Consequential Geography Project under the National Stop Transmission of Poliomyelitis (NSTOP) program.
Job Title: CG Consultant - Consequential Geography Project in Zamfara State
Terms of reference:
The CG Consultant will primarily be based at the state level and provide technical assistance to AFENET
and the CDC Nigeria country office through participation in:
• Meetings involving state MOH and partners on routine immunization (RI), surveillance, polio, and measles programs.
• Collaborate with AFENET, CDC Nigeria country office, state MOH, and partners in coordinating and providing efficient supervision of all activities to improve RI coverage in high zero-dose areas.
• Coordinating support for walkthrough microplanning and geospatial (digitized) mapping for better estimates of target populations.
• Providing supportive supervision and training to health workers at state and lower levels, GEEKs fellows, and FELTP fellows.
• Implementing activities to update RI work plans and strengthen RI such as Optimized Outreach
Strategy and RI Intensification for improved service delivery.
• Serving as a liaison between relevant programs at the state level, including RI (SERICC), measles, polio (Emergency Operation Center), and VPD surveillance for improved coordination and decision-making.
• Updating and implementing all aspects of the VPD outbreak response plan.
• Participate in updating and improving surveillance activities, including integrated VPD surveillance strengthening activities, preparing surveillance guidelines and tools, training actors involved in VPD surveillance, and providing guidance to the operational level for achieving surveillance performance standards.
• State-level data management for RI, measles, polio, and VPD surveillance.
• SIA management and oversight for VPDs at state and lower levels.
• Ensuring continuous alignment, coordination, and engagement of the FELTP fellows with the
consequential geography initiative at state level.
• Technical support, periodic field visits, and supervision for high-priority local government areas, wards, and settlements to have clear action plans and successful implementation that include:
o Updated micro plans for that identify all eligible target populations, including populations living in security-compromised areas, nomadic communities, refugee camps, IDPs, and other hard-to-reach populations.
o Specific activities to reach all eligible children (security-compromised areas, islands, hard- to-reach, refugee camps, IDPs, cross-border areas/zones, economic migration patterns).
o Specific activities to deliver vaccination services to all the eligible children (Optimized
Outreach Strategy, RI intensification, SIAs, demand creation etc.).
o Specific activities to promote high-quality VPD surveillance among all populations.
• Providing updates and progress reports on all activities to AFENET and CDC Nigeria country office.
• Other duties as assigned, including duties at the national level to support AFENET and CDC Nigeria country office.
Deliverables:
• Successfully work with state MOH and partners to improve RI coverage in high zero-dose areas.
• Successfully coordinate programs at state level with improved planning and decision-making
• Improve VPD surveillance activities.
• Successfully coordinate SIA planning and implementation
• Submit monthly activity reports to AFENET and CDC Nigeria country office and participate in teleconferences as scheduled.
• Report detailing progress in the implementation of the consequential geography initiative for state supported.
• Out- brief with AFENET, CDC Nigeria country office and CDC HQ.
Reporting:
The role holder will be under the direct supervision of the RI National Lead – NSTOP.
Education: Qualifications and Pre-requisites
• First degree in Medicine, veterinary medicine, or other related field.
• Master’s degree in public health, Epidemiology, veterinary epidemiology, or related field.
• Certifications, licenses, or other expertise required.
Required Knowledge and Experience:
• Strong technical knowledge in public health, epidemiology, routine immunization, SIAs, disease outbreak investigation, data collection and management, and data analysis.
• At least 5 years of field experience in vaccine-preventable disease and Nigeria field experience.
• Proficiency in English language. Knowledge of Hausa language is an added advantage.
Skills and Abilities: Announcement
• Skills in Microsoft package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), access, demonstrated analytical skills, ability to communicate orally and in writing.
• Ability to engage in successful interaction, and extensive contact with members of national and local partner organizations.
• Exceptional customer service skills with effective and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and meet deadlines.
• High personal integrity and ability to keep absolute confidentiality.