LEAP Program Description

Global Solutions Ventures (GSV) – a joint-venture partnership between ZemiTek, LLC and Dexis Consulting Group – is implementing the Long-term Exceptional Technical Assistance Project (LEAP Global), a mechanism originally used by USAID to battle against infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, and pandemic influenza. As of July 1, 2025, LEAP Global transitioned to the U.S. Department of State (DOS). This initiative aims to address the complex human resource challenges faced by national infectious disease programs in the USA-supported countries.

The intervention of this project is to hire and embed technical expert advisors and subject matter experts within government entities. By directly embedding the technical expertise within the national programs, LEAP provides long-term, sustainable lifesaving support to empower host governments to lead and manage key aspects of their infectious disease portfolios and improve coordination between the U.S. Government and the host country.

 

About the Position

The Advisor will support the Ministry of Health in carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) service delivery in full alignment with the new Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives. 

The Senior Health Advisor is a USG–funded position embedded in the joint Government of Lesotho (GoL) – USG Transition Management Unit (TMU), which provides technical leadership to implement the health Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Governments of Lesotho and the United States. As part of the TMU, the Advisor will be co-located with the USG health assistance team at the U.S. Embassy; the Advisor will relocate with USG technical staff to a shared USG-GoL workspace when it is opened. Within the TMU, the Senior Health Advisor will support the carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) service delivery in full alignment with Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives.  The Advisor will work closely with relevant GoL entities, including the Ministry of Health (MOH), as well as the USG foreign assistance team to plan and implement the transformation of USG-funded HIV and related services, staffing, and commodities to sustainable, GoL led and financed programs and systems. The Advisor will play a central role in supporting the transition of HIV/AIDS programs from USG support to full GoL ownership and funding, ensuring continuity of services, sustained health outcomes, and strengthened national systems.

Key responsibilities include providing exceptional technical assistance in health workforce and commodity transition, reinforcing health technical leadership of the Lesotho MOH at the central and district levels, and utilization of data to guide decision making. The Advisor will collaborate closely with the U.S. Department of State team to inform and guide USG assistance transition, ensuring coordinated, cost-effective, and sustainable delivery of lifesaving HIV services in alignment with the bilateral MOU and USG global health priorities.

Overall Objective of Assignment

The Senior Health Advisor will serve as a senior technical advisor on the transformation and transition of HIV services currently supported by the U.S. Government to Lesotho government management and financing. Through the TMU, the Advisor will:

• Support strategic planning, design, implementation, and monitoring of transition plans for facility and community HIV services, including those delivered through USG implementers;
• Assist GoL to identify and address gaps in service coverage and quality and to strengthen key systems - which may involve supporting a range of activities, including human resource planning, efficiency analysis, digital health improvements, health commodity management and critical supply chain interfaces, facilitating new social contracting or subvention models - ensuring that the transition of services occurs in a phased, well-managed manner that safeguards HIV treatment outcomes and epidemic control; and
• Advise the foreign assistance team on the design, prioritization, and course correction of USG investments that support HIV service transformation and transition.

 

 

Responsibilities

 

Support to the Transition Management Unit (100%)

Provide Exceptional Technical Assistance
Transition Strategy and Work-planning: assist to develop, refine, and implement national and sub-national HIV service transformation and transition plans for facility and community-based services currently funded by USG, supporting the TMU to define clear transition objectives, timelines, milestones, and risk mitigation strategies for service continuity of facility and community based services consistent with the MOU implementation plan.
Service Delivery Strengthening: collaborating with government teams and other stakeholders, identify and address gaps in HIV service delivery, optimizing service delivery models to maintain or improve outcomes as financing and management shift to GoL.

Systems Strengthening for Transition: strengthen government systems to manage HIV service delivery, including support for efficiency analysis and financial planning for HIV programs, human resource planning and role definition, health commodity planning, digital health platform optimization, and integration of HIV services into existing supervision and quality assurance systems, such as the district health management teams.
Subvention support: Provide technical assistance through the TMU on the improvement of subvention mechanisms and other approaches to finance nongovernmental or community-based HIV services.
Capacity strengthening: provide on-the-job training and mentoring to TMU staff and government teams to enhance technical and managerial skills required for the co-management of USG implementers, management of G2G awards, and preparation for fully domestic funding of programming.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Knowledge Management

• Data, Monitoring, and Learning: through the TMU, define and monitor key transition and sustainability indicators, and to conduct routine transition reviews at national and sub national levels, providing expert technical assistance to improve the collection, analysis, and use of data by government stakeholders for decision-making related to transformation and transition of HIV services, with a focus on priority outcome and performance indicators under the MOU.
• Knowledge Management: Facilitate the documentation and dissemination of lessons learned, promising practices, and innovations related to transition of facility and community HIV services, including government-led case studies and policy briefs.
• Field Monitoring and Reporting: Conduct site visits and field assessments (facility, community, and systems) to observe transition implementation, verify programmatic data related to transition, and gather qualitative feedback from clients, providers, and managers, providing timeline written and verbal feedback to TMU leadership and the foreign assistance team. 

Implementation Support

• Program Design, Performance Management, and Oversight: support the TMU team in the development and review of implementer workplans, budgets, and targets to ensure alignment with MOU transition timelines, national transition strategies, and GoL priorities.
• USG Strategic Guidance and Investment Planning: Provide high-level technical guidance to TMU leadership and the foreign assistance team on the design, prioritization, and sequencing of USG investments that support HIV service transformation and transition, including recommendations for course corrections based on performance, risk, and evolving context.

Deliverables :

1. Strategic Reports and Documentation
   Minimum of two high-quality technical briefs per quarter summarizing program achievements, challenges, and recommendations.
   Monthly activity reports submitted to DOS and LEAP highlighting technical assistance provided, key outcomes, and next steps.
2. Stakeholder Engagement Outputs
   Written summaries of at least four key stakeholder meetings per month (MoH, donors, TWG or other working groups, interagency) capturing decisions, action points, and follow-up requirements.
   Quarterly coordination reports analyzing partner alignment and program synergies.
3. Monitoring and Evaluation Contributions
   Collating and synthesizing monthly data reports outlining performance against national or sub-national indicators.
4. Other Tasks
   Timely delivery of briefing notes, talking points, and technical inputs as requested by DOS leadership.

REPORTING:

The Advisor will provide a detailed monthly report to the U.S. Department of State submitted by the 5th day of the following month. Additionally, the Advisor will submit a weekly progress report to U.S. Embassy/Department of State (and participate in weekly calls) to include a short paragraph about main successes for that week. The format for reporting may be adjusted with concurrence from the COR.

SUPERVISION: 
In addition to your LEAP Global supervisors and POCs, the Senior Health Advisor will report to the Foreign Assistance Coordinator and Foreign Assistance Officer and his/her designee and has no formal supervisory responsibility.  Incumbents may also have an onsite manager/supervisor with the coordinating Government of Lesotho ministry, department and or agency who will provide day to day direction defined in the roles and responsibilities above.  

 

 

 

Qualifications

• Master’s degree, medical degree, or local equivalent from an accredited program in Public Health, Medicine, International Development, Health, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Epidemiology, Biology, Infectious Disease, Medicine, Pharmacy, or immunization.
• At least 7 years of progressive experience in HIV in Lesotho or similar contexts.
• Proven leadership in designing, implementing, and evaluating HIV programs at scale.
• Strong experience engaging with Ministry of Health, with or for bilateral or multilateral donors/stakeholders such as the Global Fund, UN agencies, or national-level public sector projects and ensuring compliance with U.S. Government rules and regulations.
• Strong technical understanding of HIV program and related system design, including implementation in facility and community settings, health commodity management, and optimized service delivery approaches.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively with government counterparts, international partners, civil society organizations, and community structures in a cross-cultural environment.
• Strong skills in strategic planning, organizational development, and change management, including the ability to facilitate complex, multi‑stakeholder processes.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze data and programmatic information, identify issues or potential risks (including supply chain–related risks), and propose practical, evidence-based solutions.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, including the ability to produce high-quality reports, briefing papers, presentations, and policy documents.
• Strong organizational, planning, negotiation, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Good computer skills, including familiarity with Microsoft Office programs and basic data analysis or visualization tools.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience with DOS and/or PEPFAR projects is an advantage.
• Experience with DOS-funded public health programs.