Technical Advisor, Lead Poisoning Prevention

Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) is a global health organization that partners locally and globally to create and scale solutions to the world’s deadliest health threats. Millions of people die from preventable health threats. We collaborate to close the gap between proven, life-saving solutions and the people who need them. Since 2017, we’ve worked with governments and other partners in more than 60 countries to save millions of lives. We work toward a future where people live longer, healthier lives, communities flourish, and economies thrive. This is an ambitious vision, and it inspires us and our partners to make progress every day. 

The Cardiovascular Health (CVH) unit at Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) provides technical assistance in developing cardiovascular disease prevention programs to help countries improve their people's heart health. Working with our partners to improve the control of high blood pressure, reduce salt intake, and eliminate trans fats from the global food supply, the CVH team has helped save countless lives from cardiovascular disease.  

Position Summary

RTSL has expanded our cardiovascular health work to incorporate lead poisoning prevention. Lead poisoning negatively affects children and can cause severe and irreversible health effects, including cognitive impairment, behavioral problems, and developmental delays. Recent studies have estimated an enormous burden of cardiovascular disease from lead exposures (as many as 1.5 million deaths annually or more). RTSL is working to prevent lead pollution in high-burden countries, including Nigeria, and is developing a technical package on lead poisoning prevention with the World Health Organization.  

The Technical Advisor, Lead Poisoning Prevention, will support the advancement of RTSL's efforts on lead globally and at the country level. The primary focus of the role will be to support collaboration with the World Health Organization on the development, evaluation, and successful launch of the first global technical package on lead poisoning prevention. The role requires exceptional project and partnership management skills, as well as experience developing technical guidance tools for public health. The Technical Advisor will also support RTSL's lead prevention efforts in Nigeria and the development and expansion of lead prevention efforts in other priority countries.  

The successful candidate will effectively support and coordinate the development of the global lead poisoning prevention technical package, facilitating productive discussions with experts and end-users and translating feedback into actionable technical package updates. Success in this role means confidently engaging and facilitating discussions with senior government and global health stakeholders and ensuring that the technical package and country-level efforts stay on track.

Location and Length of Engagement

This is a remote position open to candidates based in the US and UK. This is a 15-month fixed-term position with the possibility of extension, subject to funding and mutual interest. 

Core Duties and Responsibilities

Technical package  

With input from Senior Technical Advisor: 

• Support the recruitment and management of consultants to develop modules of the technical package. 
• Support the technical review of modules developed by consultants. 
• Develop materials to evaluate the technical package's content with experts and end users, in both virtual and in-person formats. 
• Develop, organize, and lead virtual and in-person feedback sessions with experts and end users and synthesize results to update the technical package. These may include, but are not limited to, conference workshops, regional meetings, and country consultations. 
• Recruit, manage, and solicit feedback from peer reviewers on specific modules of the technical package; synthesize feedback results for incorporation into the technical package. 
• Prepare summaries of evaluations and feedback from peer reviewers and end users to inform the technical package and support efforts to update its modules accordingly. 
• Support the rollout of technical package materials for major events, e.g., the World Health Assembly and International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, by developing and reviewing technical materials. 

Partner coordination

• Support the coordination of the technical package and other country-specific project efforts with external partners, including consortium meetings, partner-to-partner updates, alignment of mutual efforts, and other partnering. 
• Organize and lead coordination meetings, including setting agendas, taking notes, and developing and ensuring follow-ups are completed. 

Lead prevention efforts in selected countries 

• Support the RTSL Nigeria Team and the Senior Technical Advisor to execute efforts to remove lead from cosmetics, including remote technical and data support, as well as in-person support. 
• Support in ensuring alignment of Nigeria's country efforts with those of the global technical package and partners. 
• Support lead implementation efforts in future countries as the lead poisoning prevention work expands. 

Knowledge management and sharing 

• Support and/or develop abstracts and manuscripts, as relevant, from technical package and country efforts. 
• Disseminate and/or present summaries and other key information related to the lead poisoning prevention work to relevant RTSL staff and external partners.  

Fundraising 

• Support the development of additional proposals for lead poisoning prevention efforts, including background research, drafting and review. 

Required Qualifications

Education

• Master's degree in public health, global health, environmental health, or epidemiology  

Experience

• 7+ years of relevant global health or development experience 
• At least 3 years of demonstrated experience in partnering and project or program management, preferably in low- and middle-income countries 
• Experience in environmental health/lead exposure strongly preferred 
• Demonstrated experience in data collection, evaluation design and development, and scientific writing 

Skills & abilities

• Well-developed technical support and guidance capabilities, ideally with experience developing technical tools for public health practice 
• Demonstrated ability to work with end users to identify practical needs and ensure technical guidance is relevant 
• Ability to communicate technical knowledge and expertise in both policy and operational environments 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Skill in another UN language, such as French or Spanish, would be an asset 
• Excellent partner and project management skills, including the ability to engage with senior officials in government and experts 
• Strong analytical and research skills, and the ability to influence 
• High degree of initiative, adaptability, problem-solving skills, and creativity 
• Time-management skills with the ability to work in a deadline-oriented environment, including the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks independently 

Other

• A passion for the mission and values of Resolve to Save Lives  
• Ability to convene for periodic in-person team meetings and to travel internationally up to 25% of the time  

Compensation and Benefits 

Resolve to Save Lives prides itself on cultivating a supportive, connected remote team doing work that matters. We do everything possible to ensure our employees are connected and set up for success. 

The salary range for applicants based in the US is $100,000 to $115,000 annually. The exact offer will be determined by various factors, such as the candidate's skills and experience relative to the requirements of the role. For applicants based outside the US, salaries are set according to national labor rates for the international NGO sector.

In addition to a competitive salary, Resolve to Save Lives provides a generous package of benefits, including: 

• Health insurance for you and your dependents 
• Contributions toward retirement  
• Paid annual leave and sick leave, in addition to public holidays 
• Two paid, week-long organization-wide breaks at mid-year and end-of-year  
• Professional development and home office setup benefits 
• Up-to-date computer equipment 

RTSL believes its 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 encourage applications from and provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, organ donor status, or status as a veteran. Resolve to Save Lives complies with all applicable US EEO laws.