Regional Technical Advisor – Integrated Innovation Highway- Oromia, Somali and Sidama Regions- Ethiopia

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PATH is a global nonprofit advancing health innovations for the people who need them most. With 50 years of experience, a global team of experts, and trusted partnerships spanning 70+ countries, PATH turns breakthroughs into better health for millions every single year.

PATH combines scientific and public health expertise, implementation experience, innovation, and strong partnerships with governments, communities, civil society, and development partners. In Ethiopia, PATH works closely with the Federal Ministry of Health (MoH), Regional Health Bureaus (RHBs), health facilities, communities, local organizations, and development partners to strengthen health systems and expand access to high-quality, equitable health services.

Project Overview

The Integrated Innovation Highway (IIH) is a Gates Foundation–funded initiative supporting the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and the Ministry of Health to establish a government-owned platform that systematically identifies health system needs, prioritizes innovations, assesses evidence and readiness, and supports the introduction, transition, and scale-up of innovations within the Ethiopian health system.

The IIH promotes an integrated approach across six innovation highways:

• •Medical devices
• •Diagnostics
• •Therapeutics, family planning, and nutrition products
• •Vaccines
• •Technology, including digital health, artificial intelligence (AI), and biotechnology
• •Bundled and systems innovations

Phase 1 will focus on three tracer products across two highways: AI-enabled point-of-care ultrasound (AI-POCUS) under medical devices, and near-point-of-care TB PlusLife and Ebola diagnostics under diagnostics.

The project will work closely with the MoH, RHBs, public health institutes, universities, health facilities, innovators, development partners, and other stakeholders to strengthen innovation governance and establish practical pathways for evaluating, introducing, transitioning, and scaling priority health innovations.

Position Summary

The Regional Technical Advisor will provide technical and operational support for the implementation, assessment, introduction, and transition-to-scale of priority health innovations within the assigned region. The position will serve as the primary regional focal point for IIH implementation, working closely with the respective RHB, zonal and woreda health offices, health facilities, and other regional stakeholders.

The Advisor will translate national IIH priorities into regional implementation plans, facilitate innovation readiness assessments, coordinate implementation activities, strengthen regional capacity, monitor progress, and document evidence and lessons to inform decisions on the sustainable integration and scale-up of health innovations.

Working under the guidance of the IIH Project Director and in close coordination with national technical leads for medical devices, diagnostics, AI and innovation, and monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning, the Advisor will help ensure that IIH interventions respond to regional health priorities, service-delivery needs, and local implementation contexts.

Number of Positions: 3

Regional Assignments:

• •Regional Technical Advisor – Somali Region
• •Regional Technical Advisor – Oromia Region
• •Regional Technical Advisor – Sidama Region

Duty Station: Within the assigned region, with regular travel to health facilities, zonal and woreda health offices, and Addis Ababa as required.

Candidates are to specify their preferred region in their application

Key Responsibilities

1. Regional Implementation Planning and Coordination

• •Support the development, contextualization, and implementation of regional IIH work plans aligned with MoH priorities, regional health strategies, and project objectives.
• •Work with the respective RHB, zonal and woreda health offices, and health facilities to identify priority health system needs and opportunities for introducing and scaling innovations.
• •Coordinate regional implementation activities, ensuring alignment between national technical guidance and regional operational realities.
• •Support the integration of IIH activities into regional health plans, existing coordination mechanisms, and relevant service-delivery platforms.
• •Maintain regular communication with regional counterparts and the national IIH team on implementation progress, challenges, emerging opportunities, and required actions.

2. Innovation Readiness Assessment and Introduction

• •Support regional and facility-level readiness assessments for priority innovations, including AI-POCUS, TB PlusLife, and Ebola diagnostics, as applicable to the approved regional implementation plan.
• •Assess key readiness factors, including infrastructure, equipment, workforce competencies, service-delivery workflows, referral systems, connectivity, data systems, maintenance arrangements, and availability of essential supplies.
• •Work with RHBs and health facilities to identify implementation gaps and develop practical readiness improvement plans.
• •Facilitate the adaptation and application of national guidelines, protocols, standard operating procedures, and implementation tools to regional and facility contexts.
• •Support the identification and prioritization of appropriate health facilities based on disease burden, service-delivery needs, operational readiness, equity, and feasibility.

3. Implementation and Transition-to-Scale Support

• •Provide hands-on technical support to RHBs, zonal and woreda health offices, and selected health facilities during the introduction and implementation of priority innovations.
• •Facilitate the integration of innovations into existing health service-delivery workflows, referral pathways, supervision systems, and routine health information systems.
• •Work with regional authorities and facility leadership to strengthen workforce readiness through training coordination, mentorship, supportive supervision, and competency development.
• •Support operational arrangements for equipment utilization, maintenance, consumables, quality assurance, and technical troubleshooting in collaboration with relevant partners.
• •Identify and address operational bottlenecks affecting the adoption, utilization, continuity, or scale-up of innovations.
• •Support the development and documentation of regional transition-to-scale pathways, including institutional ownership, domestic financing, workforce sustainability, procurement, and long-term maintenance.
• •Promote government ownership and integration of successful approaches into regional systems and routine health services.

4. Technical Support for Priority Innovation Workstreams

• •Support AI-POCUS implementation in coordination with national medical device and AI technical leads, including deployment planning, workforce capacity strengthening, utilization monitoring, and integration into maternal and other relevant health services.
• •Support TB PlusLife and Ebola diagnostic implementation in coordination with national diagnostics technical leads, the MoH, relevant public health institutes, and regional health authorities.
• •Facilitate regional coordination for diagnostic service readiness, specimen referral and transport, testing workflows, quality assurance, infection prevention and control, and linkage to appropriate clinical or public health action, as relevant to each technology.
• •Support assessments of regional requirements for equipment placement, infrastructure, workforce, supplies, maintenance, and data reporting.
• •Ensure regional implementation approaches are consistent with approved national protocols, regulatory requirements, and project technical guidance.
• •Contribute regional perspectives and implementation evidence to IIH innovation governance, learning, and transition-to-scale processes.

5. Government Engagement and Stakeholder Partnership

Establish and maintain productive working relationships wit