Vital Strategies, which is based in New York City, has been an international public health organization. Our programs strengthen public health systems and address the world’s leading causes of illness, injury and death. We are currently active in 73 countries. Our current work includes supporting data-driven government decision making, advancing evidence-based health policies, and mounting strategic communication campaigns. Vital Strategies’ priorities are driven by the greatest potential to improve and save lives. These include non-communicable diseases prevention, cardiovascular health promotion and tobacco control, as well as obesity prevention, epidemic prevention and epidemic prevention. Vital Strategies also builds vital statistics systems, and conducts research on multi-drug resistant tuberculosis treatments. Our programs are concentrated in low and middle-income countries, cities in Africa, Latin America and Asia, as well as in the Pacific. Please visit our website www.vitalstrategies.orgFind out more about our work.
We believe that programs are more effective when they are developed by and supported with people from diverse backgrounds. Their understanding of cultural and social issues can make our work and workforce more inclusive. We encourage all races, economic, sexual, cultural, and gender expressions of people to apply. As such, we are committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants.
Vital Strategies is committed in helping to prevent the spread COVID-19 and protecting the safety of its employees. All U.S. employees are required to be fully immunized unless the employee requests reasonable accommodation for a disability, religious or other reason.
Vital Strategies offers competitive compensation and extensive benefits. Salary will depend on the local market. Candidates who are located in the U.S. must be eligible to work in the country at the time of hire. Residency is required in New York City and Washington D.C.
Job Purpose
Vital Strategies is seeking an experienced environmental health specialist who has applied expertise in environmental health project management and communication to lead our global prevention program against childhood lead poisoning (Pb). This program works in four countries to: 1) increase the capacity of health systems and professionals to assess and address children’s exposure to lead; 2) work in collaboration with state and national governments to conduct and report on representative lead exposure surveillance; 3) develop and advocate for policies to reduce the introduction of lead into the environment and reduce exposures; and 4) increase public awareness about the sources and risks of lead to children.
The environmental health specialist will work closely alongside program staff from India, Peru, Indonesia, and the Philippines under the technical supervision and technical oversight of Senior Vice President and vice president for Environmental, Climate and Urban Health, based in the United States. The hire will also work with Vital Strategies partners and other technical experts, consultants, civil society partners, and government partners. Vital Strategies will consider applicants from the following countries: India, Indonesia, Singapore, and the United States. Residents of the United States are required to have residency in New York City or Washington D.C.
Duties and Responsibilities
Project Management and Technical Assistance
· Develop and nurture relationships with Ministries of Health, relevant agencies, technical and civil society partners
· Design and implement technically sound public health interventions
· Develop surveillance strategies and plans to assess lead exposure at national and sub-national levels in target countries
· Contribute to the development of survey instruments and other evaluation tools
· Develop monitoring and evaluation plans and indicators of success
· Oversee the work of in-country staff and technical consultants
· Manage project implementation and troubleshoot impediments
· Analyze and interpret findings from lead exposure surveillance efforts and draft and edit technical and lay reports
· Contribute to peer-reviewed publications, blogs, and other thought leadership pieces
· Draft concept notes and contribute to funding proposals
Administration
· Manage pipeline tracking jointly with business development team
· Execute agreements with relevant stakeholders
· Assist in the hiring processes for new staff and consultants
· Develop project budgets and implementation plans; work with our Grant Manager to manage budgets and track expenses against deliverables
· Submit narrative and financial updates and project completion reports
Qualifications:
Education and Degree
· Graduate degree in environmental health sciences, epidemiology, public health, or relevant field of study
Skills and Abilities
· Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to communicate effectively to technical and non-technical audiences, develop partnerships, and contribute to interdisciplinary team
· Demonstrated ability to take initiative, work independently, and make sound, informed decisions
· Demonstrated knowledge and experience with use of environmental health risk, health burden and impact estimation methods and tools, such as Ben MAP or similar
· Biostatistical skills and experience to guide the production of analytic reports for technical and lay audiences
Language Proficiency –
· Languages: English language proficiency is required. A language proficiency in at least one country that implements the program (India, Indonesia, or Philippines) is an asset.
Experience:
Required
• Demonstrated interest and at least five (5) years of experience in environmental health sciences, epidemiology, health policy, and/or program implementation
Preferred –
· Strong quantitative skills in environmental epidemiology, risk assessment or related work
· Familiarity with the hazards of lead, its exposure pathways, and its health impacts
· Prior experience working in collaboration with governmental Health or Environmental Ministries highly desirable, especially in India and/or the Philippines.
· Experience conducting public health surveillance and implementing monitoring and evaluation frameworks highly desirable
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements
Willingness and ability to travel up to 20% of your work time if it is safe to do so, and to work flexible hours to communicate with people in different time zones.