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 Senior Lenacapavir Advisor will support the Lesotho Ministry of Health (MOH), the National Drug Service Organization of Lesotho (NDSO), and the bilateral health MOU Transition Management Unit (TMU) in carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) service delivery in full alignment with Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives.  The primary focus of the Advisor will be strategic technical assistance to ensure the successful rollout of the new HIV prevention innovation lencapavir, a twice yearly injectable. The Senior Lenacapavir Advisor will provide short-term, high-level technical leadership in deployment of this new innovation for HIV prevention in Lesotho.

The Senior Technical Lenacapavir Advisor will provide strategic and technical leadership in planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of lenacapavir and related HIV epidemic control activities. The Advisor will:

• Serve as an in-house subject matter expert for lenacapavir, inclusive of leading its integration within antenatal (ANC) services
• Serve as a liaison for the Department of State and USG in technical and policy engagements with Lesotho’s MoH, USG interagency, donors, international partners, and implementers.
  • Provide technical support to host-country MOH, USG interagency, international, and bilateral organizations, and donor agencies to address technical issues and coordinate efforts in implementation of lenacapavir.
  • Support the America First Global Health Strategy (AFGHS) priority of rolling out American innovations and working with the Government of Lesotho to introduce lenacapavir.
• Manage lenacapavir programmatic introduction and strengthen host-country policy development.

Ensure coordinated, real-time uptake of best practices in service delivery approaches for lenacapavir that improve access and uptake of this new innovation

Responsibilities

Program Planning and Implementation

• Lead the development, review, and dissemination of lenacapavir-related policies as required.
• Provide direct technical assistance and programmatic recommendation to scale up lenacapavir at national and subnational levels ensuring best practices are adopted in alignment with Government of Lesotho, AFGHS and broader global health best practices.
• Provide technical and programmatic leadership to strengthen the design, implementation and scale up of lenacapavir across health facilities with a focus on decentralization and task shifting as policy allows.
• Support the marketing and demand creation of lenacapavir by assisting in the convening and advising of the MOH Communications team.
• Advise MOH on integrating lenacapavir within ANC services for targeted scale for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Support related HIV epidemic control planning and implementation activities.

Performance Monitoring and Evaluation

• Monitor and analyze program performance against national indicators, identify performance gaps and barriers. Provide actionable recommendations and corrective strategies to improve patient service delivery and outcomes.
• Liaise with supply chain counterparts and partners responsible for synthesizing and analyzing consumption and stock data to ensure product is positioned within country for highest programmatic impact.
• Facilitate program reviews, service delivery assessments, and data reviews leading to program adjustments to strategies and state and national planning.
• Promote the integration and effective use of lenacapavir data collection within national data systems to strengthen evidence-based decision and system strengthening activities.

Partner Coordination and Knowledge Management

• Coordinate the Government of Lesotho, donors (Global Fund, USG, etc.), and implementers (PSI, CHAI, Wits, etc.) to support technical approaches and health system functionality for the introduction and scale of lenacapavir.
• Support collaboration by facilitating weekly national lenacapavir working group meetings across the Government of Lesotho, donors (Global Fund, USG, etc.), implementers (PSI, CHAI, Wits, etc.), and private sector collaborators (Vodacom, etc.) – including MOH-led communications and marketing efforts.
• Contribute to national out-year planning for lenacapavir, including planning for both Global Fund GC8 and GHSD procurement in 2027, by supporting the development of out-year national demand estimates.
• Promote best practice dissemination and scale-up of effective lenacapavir service delivery models.
• Collaborate with national and subnational stakeholders to strengthen pre-service and in service training curricula, job aids and standard operating procedures that promote lenacapavir implementation.

 

Deliverables :

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.

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.

Monitoring and Evaluation Contributions

• Monthly data reports outlining performance against national indicators.

Other Tasks

• Timely delivery of briefing notes, talking points, and technical inputs as requested by DOS leadership.

 

REPORTING:

The Senior Lenacapavir 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 the U.S. 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, Senior Lenacapavir 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 or local equivalent from an accredited program in Public Health, International Development, Health, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Epidemiology, Biology, Infectious Disease, Medicine, Pharmacy, or immunization.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in HIV in Lesotho or similar contexts.
• Demonstrated expertise in PEPFAR/HIV prevention.
• Minimum 2 years’ direct experience providing strategic direction or managing programs in the field and or with USG with a focus on HIV prevention.
• 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 a the Global Fund, UN agencies, or national-level public sector projects and ensuring compliance with U.S. Government rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of introduction of health innovations.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and team management skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication in English; proficiency in relevant local language(s) is an advantage.
• Good computer skills, including familiarity Microsoft Office programs is preferred.
• Relevant technical experience working in Lesotho and knowledge of local culture is an advantage

Preferred Qualifications 

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