Technical Officer I (Surveillance and RCCE Officer)

Technical Officer I (Surveillance and RCCE Officer)

Job Code: TECH31017

Job Family: Technical   Compensation Band: Band JJ  

Location: Juba, South Sudan

Reports to: Outbreak Response lead

About STRIDES:

The Strengthening Infectious Disease Detection Systems (STRIDES) activity is a critical addition to the United States Government’s global health security response. The STRIDES multidisciplinary team of experts quickly mobilizes to help partner country governments halt outbreaks before they spread. STRIDES also strengthens disease surveillance, laboratory networks, and reporting systems so countries can effectively prevent, detect and respond to emerging infectious diseases with the potential for outbreak.

Job Summary:

 The Surveillance and Risk Communication & Community Engagement (RCCE) will provide technical and operational support to strengthen infectious disease surveillance systems, public health emergency preparedness, and outbreak response activities in South Sudan. The position will support Ministries of Health, National Public Health Institute and implementing partners in enhancing early detection, reporting, verification, investigation, and response to epidemic- and pandemic-prone diseases through integrated surveillance, laboratory coordination, community engagement, and One Health approaches.

The Surveillance and RCCE Officer will support the planning, implementation, coordination, and reporting of Event-Based Surveillance (EBS), Indicator-Based Surveillance (IBS), and Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) activities under the STRIDES South Sudan Program, with a primary focus on strengthening Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) preparedness and broader Global Health Security initiatives.

The Officer will work closely with the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Institute (NPHI),State  and County Health Teams, health facilities, community structures, and implementing partners to strengthen surveillance systems, improve surveillance data collection and reporting, enhance early detection and response to public health events, and address community resistance, misinformation, and other barriers to effective outbreak prevention and response through evidence-based RCCE interventions

Responsibilities

Surveillance Systems Strengthening

• Support the implementation and strengthening of IDSR to ensure timely detection, reporting, investigation, and response to priority diseases and emerging events.
• Coordinate Event-Based Surveillance (EBS), Indicator-Based Surveillance (IBS), and Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) activities to improve early warning and detection of outbreaks at community and facility levels.
• Conduct routine analysis and interpretation of surveillance data to identify disease trends, hotspots, and surveillance gaps.
• Support verification, risk assessment, investigation, and documentation of disease alerts, rumors, and suspected outbreaks in collaboration with surveillance officers and response teams.
• Participate in outbreak investigations by supporting case identification, active case search and epidemiological analysis.
• Monitor priority surveillance indicators, including reporting completeness, timeliness, data quality, alert verification rates, and investigation performance, and recommend corrective actions where necessary.
• Strengthening coordination between surveillance and laboratory systems through specimen collection and shipment while capturing laboratory and epidemiological data.
• Support surveillance activities at Points of Entry (PoE) through coordination with border health authorities to strengthen cross-border surveillance
• Promote the integration of One Health surveillance (human health, animal health, wildlife, and environmental sectors) for detection and response to diseases.
• Prepare high-quality technical reports, donor updates, surveillance performance reports, epidemiological analyses, and documentation of lessons learned and best practices.
• Perform any other surveillance and public health emergency preparedness responsibilities assigned in support of national health security priorities and project objectives.

Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Support the planning, coordination, implementation, and monitoring of preparedness and response activities for EVD), Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs), and other events by strengthening surveillance systems detection and verification, outbreak investigation, active case search, reporting, and response as per IDSR guidelines and IHR (2005).
• Strengthen public health emergency preparedness by supporting surveillance readiness assessments, development of Emergency preparedness plans to enhance outbreak response capacity.

Coordination and Partnership

• Coordinate surveillance and public health emergency preparedness activities with Ministries of Health, NPHI, PHEOC, laboratories, multi-sectoral agencies under one Health approach and partners to strengthen disease surveillance, outbreak detection, reporting, and response.
• Represent the project and actively participate in national and subnational technical working groups, emergency coordination platforms, and partner forums to promote integrated surveillance, laboratory, RCCE, and emergency preparedness activities, strengthen multisectoral collaboration, and ensure alignment with national priorities.

Risk Communication and Community Engagement

• Support the integration of Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) into surveillance systems by strengthening Community-Based Surveillance (CBS), community event detection, rumor identification and verification, social listening, community feedback, and early warning systems to improve timely detection and reporting of public health events.
• Collaborate with community health workers, community volunteers, local leaders, civil society organizations, and RCCE partners to enhance community engagement, build trust, address misinformation and community resistance, and promote timely reporting of priority diseases and public health events in support of outbreak preparedness and response.

Capacity Strengthening

• Support development and revision of surveillance guidelines, SOPs, technical manuals, reporting tools, and training materials.
• Provide technical mentorship, supportive supervision, on-the-job training, and data quality improvement activities for national and subnational surveillance personnel.

Monitoring, Reporting and Knowledge Management

• Analyze and interpret surveillance data to identify disease trends, hotspots, surveillance gaps, and emerging public health risks.
• Prepare high-quality technical reports, epidemiological bulletins, situation reports (SitReps), dashboards, donor reports, presentations, and other knowledge products.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned, innovations, and best practices to improve surveillance performance and project implementation.

Deliverables

• Strengthened integrated surveillance and outbreak preparedness systems at national and subnational levels.
• Improved surveillance data quality, completeness, timeliness, and utilization for decision-making.
• Timely technical reports, surveillance bulletins, SitReps, dashboards, and donor deliverables.
• Updated surveillance guidelines, SOPs, training materials, and technical tools.
• Enhanced multisectoral coordination and strengthened integration of surveillance, laboratory, One Health, and RCCE activities.
• Enhanced EVD and Public Health Emergency Preparedness:
• Evidence-Based RCCE Interventions Implemented
• Improved Coordination, Data Use, and Performance Reporting

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in, Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Informatics,Global Health and Communication /Social Marketing, Health Promotion, International Health or a related field from a recognized institution.
• Master’s degree in public health, Field Epidemiology, Health Informatics and Communication / Health Promotion, International Health, Social marketing or a related discipline will be an added advantage. substantial relevant experience will be considered an added advantage.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience in disease surveillance, data management and in field epidemiology and the implementation of public health surveillance, outbreak investigation, community health, or risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) in an outbreak or public health emergency context would be preferred. Knowledge of IBS, EBS and community-based disease surveillance systems. Proven experience in training and facilitation skills
• Experience in conducting preparedness and surveillance assessments, improving surveillance data quality, supporting rapid response teams, and developing surveillance guidelines, tools, training materials, and standard operating procedures.
• Demonstrated experience working in a non-governmental Organization (NGO), Ministry of Health, National Public Health Institutes, UN agencies and other partners, and producing high-quality technical reports and surveillance information products.

Typical Physical Demands:

• Typical office environment.
• Ability to spend long hours looking at computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
• Ability to lift/move up to 5 lbs.

Technology to be Used:

• Practical experience using DHIS2, EWARS/EWARN, IDSR reporting systems, Microsoft Excel, Power BI, GIS/QGIS, KoboToolbox, ODK, R, STATA, SPSS, or similar analytical platforms.

Travel Requirements:

• Willingness and ability to travel to high-risk counties, border areas, points of entry, health facilities, and community sites to support preparedness assessments, training, mentoring, and surveillance strengthening.
• Must be willing and able to travel throughout all states and administrative areas of South Sudan to support surveillance, preparedness, outbreak investigations, and emergency response activities without geographical restrictions.

Languages

• Excellent written and spoken English is required; knowledge of Arabic or local South Sudanese languages is an added advantage.
• 10% - 40% (frequent field travel to county-level and community sites)

How to Apply:

FHI 360 has a competitive compensation package. Interested candidates may apply by visiting www.fhi360.org/careers and uploading their Curriculum Vitae (CV)/Resume, Copies of Certificates and Names and Addresses of three (3) referees.

FHI 360 is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Closing Date: 15 September 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

The expected hiring salary range for this role is USD 18,000 - 24,000 for annual basic salary.  When determining an offer amount, FHI 360 factors in multiple considerations, including but not limited to: relevant years of experience and education possessed by the applicant, internal equity, market pay,  and budget. For internal candidates, salary placement will also follow FHI 360’s current promotional increase guidelines.

This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.

FHI 360 is an equal opportunity employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.

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