Associate, Dengue Program

OverviewThe Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to our mission of saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. We work at the invitation of governments to support them and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems.CHAI was founded in 2002 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with the goal of dramatically reducing the price of life-saving drugs and increasing access to these medicines in the countries with the highest burden of the disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus. Today, along with HIV, we work in conjunction with our partners to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Our work has also expanded into cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, and we work to accelerate the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, reduce maternal and child mortality, combat chronic malnutrition, and increase access to assistive technology. We are investing in horizontal approaches to strengthen health systems through programs in human resources for health, digital health, and health financing. With each new and innovative program, our strategy is grounded in maximizing sustainable impact at scale, ensuring that governments lead the solutions, that programs are designed to scale nationally, and learnings are shared globally.At CHAI, our people are our greatest asset, and none of this work would be possible without their talent, time, dedication, and passion for our mission and values. We are a highly diverse team of enthusiastic individuals across 40 countries with a broad range of skillsets and life experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with the majority of our staff based in program countries. Learn more about our exciting work: CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion, and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture.CHAI LAC OverviewIn 2014, CHAI began working in Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC) to support the Ministries of Health in their goal to eliminate malaria. Since then, CHAI has continuously grown in the region and has worked on multiple projects including Digital Health, Essential Medicines, Medical Oxygen, and more recently dengue; providing support to various countries, including the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, among others.CHAI's Dengue Control Project OverviewAn estimated million dengue cases occur each year, claiming >40,000 lives and imposing a global economic burden of $9-$39 billion. Without intervention, this number will continue to escalate due to warming temperatures and urbanization. To date, dengue control efforts have primarily focused on traditional mosquito control measures, such as treating larval habitats and fogging. However, these approaches will be inadequate to address the mounting dengue. Innovative approaches to combat this escalating threat are urgently required.Wolbachia-based interventions to control dengue and other arboviruses have demonstrated promising efficacy and long-term protection. Certain strains of Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacteria that infects insects, inhibit viral growth in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, demonstrating potential for reducing disease transmission. To unlock the global potential of this technology, there is a need to enhance the cost-efficiency of Wolbachia programs. This will involve the establishment of a comprehensive political, funding, and market ecosystem to facilitate the scale-up of Wolbachia interventions.Position OverviewCHAI is seeking a highly motivated and mission-driven professional to support national efforts to prevent and control dengue, with a particular focus on the introduction of innovative technologies. This position will play a cross-cutting role, supporting project management and technical activities, as well as epidemiological, entomological, and community-level strategies to strengthen the national response. It offers a unique opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team committed to reducing the burden of vector-borne diseases.The selected candidate will work closely with CHAI's country and regional teams to provide strategic, technical, and operational support to the Ministry of Health at local and central levels. Key responsibilities include helping design and implement high-impact strategies for the introduction and scale-up of new tools, supporting the generation and use of evidence, and engaging with stakeholders to ensure community acceptance and integration of interventions into national programs. The role will also include coordinating multisectoral efforts and strengthening collaboration with national and local health authorities.The ideal candidate is proactive, solutions-oriented, and thrives in dynamic, field-based environments. They must demonstrate a strong interest in public health, particularly in vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria. Strong communication, leadership, and partnership management skills are essential, as is the ability to work across sectors and disciplines. Empathy, cultural sensitivity, and a passion for health equity are critical to success in this role.This position will report to the Country Manager and works closely with the regional team. The role is initially based in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and requires spending at least 50% of the time travelling to remote areas with limited infrastructure and health services.ResponsibilitiesStrategy & PlanningSupport MoH (national/subnational) to develop and update the national dengue strategy and subnational operational plans, with a focus on Wolbachia deployment and integration with existing tools.Contribute to site selection and phasing (prioritization criteria, risk maps, operational feasibility).Maintain a deployment readiness checklist (regulatory, ethics, logistics, HR, community, M&E).Serve as CHAI's primary subnational focal point, ensuring alignment between national priorities and local execution.Contribute to technical working groups and participate in coordination with academia, NGOs, and suppliers.Field Implementation & OperationsCoordinate day-to-day implementation strategy with area health teams; track milestones, flag risks, and drive corrective actions.Support procurement & logistics (release materials, traps, lab/field supplies) with CHAI Ops and MoH.Oversee the delivery of trainings, mentorship, and on-the-job coaching for MoH and municipal teams (operations, data use, CE, surveillance) while coordinating the development of job aids, SOPs, and training materials tailored to local needs.Strengthen management and data-to-action practices at district/municipal levels.Community Engagement & Risk CommunicationMap stakeholders and co-design a community engagement plan (leaders, CBOs, schools, municipal authorities).Set up feedback/grievance mechanisms and ensure timely responses.Translate technical concepts (e.g., Wolbachia) into clear materials for communities and decision-makers.Regulatory, Ethics & QualitySupport MoH on regulatory/ethics pathways (vector control, biosafety, environment), including timelines, documents, and submissions.Facilitate tracking of compliance with national guidance and WHO/PAHO recommendations, and escalate issues promptly.Help standardize SOPs and QA/QC for field and lab activities (in coordination with MoH technical leads).Evidence, Surveillance & M&ESet up and maintain monitoring frameworks and dashboards for entomological/epidemiological indicators and operational KPIs.Coordinate routine data collection, quality assurance, and analysis; translate findings into actions.Document lessons learned and contribute to operational research (as appropriate and approved).Budgeting, Grants & ReportingSupport activity-based budgeting, forecasting, and burn-rate tracking for subnational work.Prepare concise progress updates, slide decks, and briefs for regional MoH and internal leadership.QualificationsMaster's degree with a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience, or bachelor's degree with at least 4 years of relevant experience in projects related to community, entomology or public health. Acceptable fields of study include public health, entomology, anthropology, or other health-related disciplines.Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships in a challenging environment.Exceptional problem-solving, organization, including time management.Excellent communication skills, including the ability to create compelling presentations, briefs, and reports.Proven experience in translating analysis into action and supervising execution of activities to meet results.Demonstrated ability to learn technical subjects quickly and communicate complex issues clearly.Ability to work independently and effectively in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment.High levels of proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and internet applications.Capacity to work diplomatically with policymakers and other partners.Fluency in Spanish and English.AdvantagesTechnical expertise in dengue transmission dynamics and interventions, including Wolbachia-based approaches.Experience working remotely with a decentralized team.Experience living and working in Guatemala, Central America, or similar settings.Prior engagement in community mobilization or behaviour change communication projects.jobreference2 #region1