Panagora seeks a short-term consultant based in Cameroon for the recently awarded USAID Localize Global Health Security (LGHS) Project to support with preparations, meeting arrangements, desk research, and logistics and for an organizational landscape assessment to be conducted during the period of performance.  The consultant will report to the Deputy Project Director, and work in close collaboration with the Technical Director, who are both based in the US and will be in-country to conduct the assessment.

The LGHS project will work with local entities to address prioritized critical health security gaps at the sub-national level. LGHS will do this by establishing and managing a flexible grants program that finances local entities to address subnational gaps in various sectors related to global health security (i.e. Risk Communication, Social Behavior Change, Community Engagement, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), and Community Based Zoonotic Disease Surveillance).

Position Description: The consultant will serve as the in-country focal point and will support a Landscape Assessment team who will be in-country to engage with national and subnational actors and meet with stakeholders that work in global health security (one health). In addition to meeting with stakeholders, the scoping visit will include site visits to government organizations at national and subnational levels, CSOs, community organizations, partners implementing GHS activities, and other local organizations engaged in the selected technical focus areas (i.e. Risk Communication, Social Behavior Change, Community Engagement, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), and Community Based Zoonotic Disease Surveillance)—and begin to inform how a grants-under-contract (GUC) program should be tailored to the specific actors and needs in Cameroon.

The team will seek to better understand the enabling and inhibiting factors for operation of local organizations and reflect what local entities and other stakeholders perceive will best support health security programming at the subnational level, while reaching marginalized communities and most vulnerable populations.  This information will be gathered in context with the geographic landscape of non-state actors (Civil Society Organizations and Private Sector Entities), and the political and enabling environment impacting their work.

The main objectives to be achieved through this landscape analysis include:

• Map the health security landscape in Cameroon, including key actors/stakeholders, political and enabling environment, context-specific gender equality and social inclusion considerations, and other factors impacting health security at the subnational level.
• Investigate health security gaps per JEE, SPAR, and other metrics, in the selected technical focus areas in the targeted subnational regions to identify and validate priorities.
• Identify local organizations working in the GHS space (either specifically on health security, or with applicable capacities in other health areas) and gauge their technical and organizational capacities and proficiencies to implement priority activities.
• Inform the grants program design, objectives, and outreach strategy to reflect specific country needs, actors, and local priorities that will best support systems optimization while reaching marginalized communities and vulnerable populations.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities 

The consultant will provide the following services, which include, but are not limited to the following: 

• Conduct internet/desk research on local organizations
• Use local network to propose relevant stakeholders with whom to meet
• Provide guidance on local norms and protocols for meetings
• Assist in the planning and preparations for capture visits, as required including the arrangement of transport logistics
• Interact professionally with wide range of local stakeholders, from senior government officials to grassroots organizations
• Contact USAID implementing partners, potential local partners organizations, individuals, and other institutions, to set up meetings.
• Manage schedule, ensuring adequate time between meetings and maintaining courteous and professional communications
• Attend in-country or remote meetings with assessment team and document meetings with detailed notes
• Provide guidance on local context and innovative approaches that could enhance LGHS’ impact.
• Compile report using capture team inputs. 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in public health, organizational development, or grants management, Master's degree and a minimum of 8 years of professional experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.  
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Confident with interpersonal and facilitation skills, and ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented setting and remotely.  
• Self-motivated and able to manage time and meet deadlines working independently. 
• Proven ability to work under pressure, and with multiple concurrent demands.  
• Excellent communication skills in French, strong proficiency in English desired. 
• Ability to travel throughout the country.