Vital Strategies is an international public health organization. Our programs strengthen public health systems and address the world’s leading causes of illness, injury and death. We currently work in 73 countries, supporting data-driven decision making in government, advancing evidence-based public health policies, and mounting strategic communication campaigns. Vital Strategies’ priorities are driven by the greatest potential to improve and save lives. They include non-communicable disease prevention, tobacco control, road safety, obesity prevention, overdose prevention, environmental health, and vital statistics systems building. Our programs are primarily concentrated in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. Please visit our website at www.vitalstrategies.org to find out more about our work.

Vital Strategies is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) organization. We believe our programs are strengthened when they are developed and supported by individuals with diverse life experiences, whose understanding of social and cultural issues can help make our work and workforce more inclusive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Lead Poisoning Prevention Program:

Vital Strategies is expanding our program that addresses the issue of lead poisoning in low- and middle-income countries. We plan to build upon existing efforts and interest by collaborating with governmental agencies in countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to strengthen health systems and build local expertise in childhood lead exposure to enact sound, cost-effective policies to address exposures.

Job Purpose:

The position of Government Relations Advisor, Africa will facilitate regional exchange and coordinate high-level engagement and partnership building for the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program across multiple countries in Africa. The role will focus on managing and strengthening relationships with key government and program partners, stakeholders, facilitating regional exchanges and strategy development, and ensuring program alignment with countries’ priorities and global objectives. The incumbent will work closely with country teams to support government engagement, partnership building, share updates on implementation progress, and ensure exchange and coordination among government and consortium partners across the regional portfolio. The role will also provide representation at regional events, support policy engagement, and ensure effective collaboration among regional stakeholders and technical partners.

It is preferred that this role be based in Ethiopia, on a full-time hybrid schedule, out of Vital Strategies’ office in Addis Ababa, but we are also open to qualified candidates from Ghana, Rwanda, and Tanzania. The candidate must have authorization to work legally in the respective country at the time of hire. Vital Strategies offers highly competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this position will vary by location, experience and qualifications.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Regional program coordination and strategic vision –

• In coordination with the global team, facilitate regional exchanges and development of regional partnerships and a consistent strategy for government engagement and partnership building in the region;

• Initiate and/or sustain government partnerships with ministries, regulatory bodies, and other national and regional institutions in priority countries;
• Support project launches and startups in new countries within the region, including support for staff recruitment;
• Support country teams in translating strategy into implementation plans, including identification of key capacity gaps to be filled, and government engagement needed to ensure quality and timely delivery of program activities;
• Identify and participate in regional opportunities and events that help elevate lead poisoning on national agendas;
• Promote multisectoral collaboration and partnership-driven approaches to environmental health policy development;

• Manage relationships with regional organizations engaged in lead-related activities, and develop, where appropriate, formal or contractual relationships for discrete programmatic activities in support of the initiative.

Partnership Management –

• Support country teams in managing key government and institutional partners across the region, as well as non-government organizations in relevant sectors;
• Represent Vital Strategies in regional lead poisoning prevention meetings, technical forums, public hearings, and governance bodies in the region;
• Support the development and review of reports, policy briefs, and training materials developed in the region;
• Promote cross-sector dialogues that support the development of integrated, evidence-based public policies;
• Facilitate knowledge exchange across the region;
• Coordinate work with national and international partners, ensuring alignment across local and global strategies;

• Assist with other duties as specified by the supervisor.

Qualifications:

Education & Degree –

• Master’s degree in public health, public policy/Administration, Global Health, international development, environmental health science, or related field.

Skills & Abilities –

• Strong government engagement and partnership-building skills, with the ability to establish and sustain relationships with ministries, regulatory bodies, and regional institutions;
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-country initiatives and facilitate regional exchange and collaboration;

• Strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate regional strategy into actionable country-level implementation plans;
• Strong stakeholder management skills across government, NGOs, multilateral agencies, and technical partners;
• Ability to promote and facilitate multisectoral collaboration and policy dialogue;
• Ability to monitor program quality, performance, and outcomes across a regional portfolio;
• Ability to coordinate and engage program stakeholders and other country teams;
• Demonstrated sensitivity in handling confidential information;
• Proven ability to interpret public health data, generate actionable insights, and support policy recommendations;
• Exhibits strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and meet deadlines; demonstrates personal integrity, credibility, and professionalism while taking initiative and making sound, informed decisions in a fast-paced environment;

• Professional oral and written proficiency in English;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively to technical and non-technical audiences, and contribute to an interdisciplinary international team;
• Solid knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook);
• Experience working with a geographically distributed team with demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, communicate clearly and regularly, monitor performance, and inspire, engage, and motivate staff;
• Demonstrated commitment to contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.

Experience:

Required –

• Minimum of eight years of experience in government engagement and public health programming, ideally with experience in health policy, environmental health, and/or global health, especially related to lead poisoning prevention or environmental pollution;
• Experience in representing organizations with governments, international institutions, and senior stakeholder forums;
• Experience managing multi-country programs in Africa;
• Experience working with government agencies, regulatory bodies, and public health facilities;
• Experience with program reporting and monitoring.

Preferred –

• Demonstrated experience in communicating scientific and health information to varied audiences;
• Experience in using project management platforms.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• If hired in Ghana, Rwanda, or Tanzania, the candidate will be hired via Vital Strategies’ Employer of Record on a remote schedule;
• The position will require travel up to 30% of the time to visit operating countries in the region to visit field implementation or attend meetings with partners;
• The candidate needs to be willing to work with colleagues across different time z

• In coordination with the global team, facilitate regional exchanges and development of regional partnerships and a consistent strategy for government engagement and partnership building in the region;
• Initiate and/or sustain government partnerships with ministries, regulatory bodies, and other national and regional institutions in priority countries;
• Support project launches and startups in new countries within the region, including support for staff recruitment;
• Support country teams in translating strategy into implementation plans, including identification of key capacity gaps to be filled, and government engagement needed to ensure quality and timely delivery of program activities;
• Identify and participate in regional opportunities and events that help elevate lead poisoning on national agendas;
• Promote multisectoral collaboration and partnership-driven approaches to environmental health policy development;
• Manage relationships with regional organizations engaged in lead-related activities, and develop, where appropriate, formal or contractual relationships for discrete programmatic activities in support of the initiative.
• Support country teams in managing key government and institutional partners across the region, as well as non-government organizations in relevant sectors;
• Represent Vital Strategies in regional lead poisoning prevention meetings, technical forums, public hearings, and governance bodies in the region;
• Support the development and review of reports, policy briefs, and training materials developed in the region;
• Promote cross-sector dialogues that support the development of integrated, evidence-based public policies;
• Facilitate knowledge exchange across the region;
• Coordinate work with national and international partners, ensuring alignment across local and global strategies;
• Assist with other duties as specified by the supervisor.

• Strong government engagement and partnership-building skills, with the ability to establish and sustain relationships with ministries, regulatory bodies, and regional institutions;
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-country initiatives and facilitate regional exchange and collaboration;
• Strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate regional strategy into actionable country-level implementation plans;
• Strong stakeholder management skills across government, NGOs, multilateral agencies, and technical partners;
• Ability to promote and facilitate multisectoral collaboration and policy dialogue;
• Ability to monitor program quality, performance, and outcomes across a regional portfolio;
• Ability to coordinate and engage program stakeholders and other country teams;
• Demonstrated sensitivity in handling confidential information;
• Proven ability to interpret public health data, generate actionable insights, and support policy recommendations;
• Exhibits strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and meet deadlines; demonstrates personal integrity, credibility, and professionalism while taking initiative and making sound, informed decisions in a fast-paced environment;
• Professional oral and written proficiency in English;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively to technical and non-technical audiences, and contribute to an interdisciplinary international team;
• Solid knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook);
• Experience working with a geographically distributed team with demonstrated ability to work collabor

• Master’s degree in public health, public policy/Administration, Global Health, international development, environmental health science, or related field.