Transition Advisor

Jhpiego is an international, non-profit health organization affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University. For 50 years and in over 155 countries, Jhpiego has worked to prevent the needless deaths of women and their families. In Eswatini Jhpiego is implementing the Reaching Impact Saturation and Epidemic Control (RISE) project. RISE is a multi-country project funded by the U.S. Government to save lives and improve health through integrated, evidence-based approaches to address urgent gaps in lifesaving services. RISE works across all levels of the health system to strengthen the HIV/TB epidemic response, to limit the spread of deadly disease outbreaks through Global Health Security (GHS) programming, and to reduce preventable morbidity and mortality through integrated maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), nutrition, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria services. Since 2019, RISE has supported programs in more than 25 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.  

The Senior Transition Advisor will provide strategic leadership, technical oversight, and coordination for the transition of the RISE HIV program functions, systems, workforce, and services from outgoing USG implementing partners to RISE and ultimately to the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini (GKoE).

The Sr Transition Advisor will serve as the project's lead focal point for sustainability, government ownership, and transition planning, ensuring alignment with the USG and GoKE  Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), America First Global Health Strategy, and broader health sector reform efforts.

Working closely with the Ministry of Health, Department of State Office of Foreign Assistance (DOS OFA), government transition structures, implementing partners, civil society organizations, and RISE technical teams, the Sr Transition Advisor will ensure a coordinated and sustainable transition that maintains service continuity, sustains HIV outcomes, and strengthens national systems.

During project implementation, the Sr Transition Advisor will lead transition readiness assessments, sustainability planning, institutional capacity strengthening, systems integration, risk management, provide inputs into governance and accountability structures and in collaboration with the MERL team, monitor transition milestones across all technical and operational areas of the project.

Responsibilities

1. Strategic Transition Leadership and Governance (20%)

• Lead the adaptation and co-implementation of the MoU transition plan
• Collaborate with the Chief of Party to liaise between RISE, GKoE, DOS representatives, and implementing partners on transition-related issues.
• Represent RISE as part of the Transition Management Unit (TMU), co-locating at least 1/week at the TMU
• Facilitate transition governance structures, technical working groups, and stakeholder review meetings.
• Provide strategic advice to project leadership, DOS and GKoE on transition risks, opportunities, and sustainability priorities.

2. Phase 1: Transition Management (July-September 2026) (20%)

• Coordinate and monitor the seamless transfer of activities, systems, assets, and responsibilities from transitioning implementing partners to RISE.
• Lead and coordinate transition readiness assessments and transitioning activities at all levels
• Conduct operational risk assessments related to workforce, commodities, laboratory systems, data quality to inform planning for service continuity.
• Ensure integrity and completeness of programmatic, financial, and operational handovers.
• Collaborate with HR to support the transition of lay cadres and other technical staff.
• Co-develop and oversee comprehensive transition roadmaps covering service delivery, workforce, laboratory systems, supply chain systems, strategic information, community programs, and operational functions.

3. Phase 2: Transition Management (Oct 2026-Dec 2027) (35%)

• Co-lead development and implementation of the government ownership section in collaboration with the TMU
• Support development and monitoring of government ownership milestones and sustainability benchmarks.
• Support institutionalization of project-supported systems, tools, SOPs, guidelines, training curricula, quality improvement approaches, and monitoring frameworks within GKoE structures.
• Work with Ministry of Health programs to integrate project-supported functions into routine planning and budgeting processes.
• Coordinate with government and DOS counterparts to monitor progress toward full government ownership beyond December 2027.

4. Support co-development and co-implementation of phased transition plans for the transfer of project-supported functions to G2G.

• Conduct joint program capacity assessments and identify gaps requiring technical assistance.
• As requested, strengthen program capacity in program management, leadership, quality improvement, data use, and health systems management.
• Co-develop and oversee capacity strengthening plans for national and regional  government counterparts.
• Work with TMU to plan and prioritize placement of professional cadres in public health facilities. 

5. Financial Sustainability and Public Financial Management (10%)

• Support assessments of financial sustainability within the funding landscape for transitioned services and systems.
• Collaborate with government, DOS, and project leadership to identify financing gaps,  transition costs and mitigate known gaps.
• Support development of government financing plans for workforce, commodities, laboratory systems, strategic information, and community services.

6. Transition Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Risk Management (15%)

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive project specific Transition Monitoring Framework.
• Establish indicators and benchmarks to assess transition readiness, sustainability, and government ownership.
• Develop and maintain a Transition Risk Register and mitigation plans.
• Monitor risks related to service continuity, workforce capacity, commodities, financing, governance, and information systems.
• Produce quarterly transition dashboards and progress reports.

Document lessons learned, best practices, and successful transition models.

Education

• Master's degree in Public Health, Health Economics, Public Administration, Health Systems Management, International Development, Business Administration, or a related field.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in HIV/AIDS programming, health systems strengthening, sustainability planning, transition management, organizational development, or government capacity strengthening.
• Demonstrated experience managing large donor-funded health programs in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Experience supporting donor transition, localization, sustainability, or Government-to-Government initiatives.
• Experience working with Ministries of Health and national HIV programs.
• Demonstrated experience leading organizational or institutional capacity assessments.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships involving government, donors, implementing partners, and civil society organizations.
• Experience working in Eswatini or Southern Africa preferred.
• Experience with USG -funded programs strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of health systems strengthening and sustainability approaches.
• Strong understanding of HIV service delivery systems and health sector governance.
• Knowledge of public financial management, resource mobilization, and government budgeting processes.
• Expertise in change management, transition planning, and organizational development.
• Excellent strategic planning and problem-solving skills.
• Strong analytical and data interpretation capabilities.
• Excellent facilitation, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with senior government officials, donors, and technical partners.
• Experience supporting workforce transition and institutionalization initiatives.
• Experience with health financing and public sector reform initiatives.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a complex and evolving environment.
• Experience developing transition readiness assessments and sustainability scorecards.

Travel Requirements

Up to 30% travel within Eswatini to support transition activities, stakeholder engagement, capacity strengthening, and monitoring visits.

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.

Please apply at www.jhpiego.org/careers

Applicants must submit a single document for upload to include: cover letter, resume, and references. Closing date: 7th July 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis due to the urgency of the appointment

For further information about Jhpiego, visit our website at www.jhpiego.org

Note: The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.

Jhpiego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Jhpiego promotes Affirmative Action for minorities, women, individuals who are disabled, and veterans.

EEO is the Law

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