Overview

The Surveillance Officer plays a central role in advancing Global Health Security (GHS) priorities at the state level by supporting the implementation and coordination of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR), Event-Based Surveillance (EBS), and Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) in line with International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) core capacities.
This field-based position ensures effective surveillance performance, timely data reporting, outbreak verification, and coordination between government, partners, and communities to strengthen preparedness, detection, and response systems.
In addition, the Surveillance Officer serves as the state-level focal person and frontline ambassador for the Com-WATCH digital platform, leading its deployment, community engagement, and adoption for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and substandard/falsified (SF) antibiotic surveillance.
The officer will design and implement targeted social mobilization, training, and communication campaigns that promote antibiotic verification and reporting as a routine, community-driven practice.
The officer drives awareness, partnerships, and reporting through creative, culturally sensitive engagement with pharmacists, PPMVs, CHWs, professional associations, and other health structures. By bridging formal surveillance systems and community participation, this role ensures that data from health facilities, vendors, and citizens contribute to real-time detection and response.

Responsibilities
Surveillance Systems Strengthening (IBS, EBS, and CBS):

Support implementation and coordination of IDSR, ensuring integration of IBS, EBS, and CBS approaches in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health, NCDC, and LGA surveillance officers.
Facilitate Indicator-Based Surveillance (IBS) through improved data completeness, timeliness, and quality from routine health-facility reporting using DHIS2, SORMAS, and related tools.
Strengthen Event-Based Surveillance (EBS) by supporting the establishment of rumor-log systems, signal detection, verification, and risk-assessment processes for early identification of potential outbreaks.
Expand Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) networks by training and mentoring CHWs, PPMVs, agrovets, and other community informants to detect and report unusual health events.
Integrate surveillance data from multiple sources (IBS, EBS, CBS) into a unified state dashboard for real-time analysis and dissemination.
Participate in outbreak investigations, after-action reviews, simulation exercises, and emergency preparedness planning at the state level.
Work closely with the state’s DSNO & Community Mobiliser to ensure a coordinated approach and consistent messaging to both vendors and the public.

Data Management, Analysis, and Reporting:

Ensure timely collection, validation, and transmission of surveillance data from health facilities, LGAs, and community informants.
Conduct trend analysis and generate summary reports to support decision-making, outbreak alerts, and state health-security performance monitoring.
Support regular data review meetings and contribute to visual dashboards for the State Epidemiologist and GHS coordination teams.
Provide feedback and mentorship to reporting sites to improve data accuracy and responsiveness.

Com-WATCH Implementation and AMR Surveillance:

Lead the state-level rollout and scaling of the Com-WATCH platform for AMR surveillance.
Engage pharmacists, community pharmacies, PPMVs, CHWs, private health facilities, and community structures to institutionalize Com-WATCH use within their daily routines.
Build strong working relationships with professional associations (Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria – PSN, Association of Community Pharmacists – ACPN, NAPPMED, etc.) to promote AMR awareness and stewardship.
Collaborate with regulatory and technical bodies at State and LGA level to promote community-reporting on Com-WATCH and coordinate response actions.
Monitor Com-WATCH data quality, follow up on reported alerts, and ensure integration into broader state surveillance systems.
Conduct live demonstrations of the Com-WATCH app, USSD menu, and chatbot in public settings, guiding potential users through the verification process.
Serve as a trusted source of information, answering questions from community members about AMR, SF antibiotics, and how to use the Com-WATCH platform safely and effectively.
Systematically gather and report on community perceptions, barriers to use, and suggestions for improving the user-friendliness of the public-facing tools.

Social Mobilization and Community Engagement:

Develop and implement innovative demand generation and social marketing strategies to drive public awareness and use of Com-WATCH for antibiotic verification.
Oganize and lead a variety of community-level activities, such as town hall meetings, market square activations, and focus group discussions with key demographics (e.g., women’s groups, youth forums, religious congregations) to promote the project.
Identify and cultivate a network of “Com-WATCH Champions” within the community who can act as advocates and peer mentors for the platform.
Work with the national team to adapt and distribute clear, compelling, and accessible informational materials (e.g., posters, flyers, radio jingles) in English and relevant local languages.
Build relationships with local radio stations, community announcers, and other media channels to disseminate Com-WATCH messaging widely.
Creatively blend digital outreach with traditional community engagement methods to maximize reach and impact.
Collaborate with community leaders, faith-based organizations, local media, schools, and youth/women groups to amplify community messaging.
Identify and support Com-WATCH champions among pharmacists, PPMVs, CHWs, and community networks to sustain advocacy and peer learning.
Foster trust and collaboration across communities, professional groups, and government structures to strengthen surveillance participation and data ownership.

Capacity Building and Supportive Supervision:

Conduct routine supportive supervision to LGAs, health facilities, and community surveillance agents.
Mentor health workers, CHWs, and PPMVs on surveillance reporting standards, outbreak detection, and AMR monitoring.
Facilitate joint supervisory visits with state and LGA surveillance officers to improve data quality and feedback loops.
Document lessons learned, best practices, and innovative approaches to strengthen local surveillance systems.

Coordination, Documentation, and Learning:

Represent Jhpiego in state surveillance coordination meetings, GHS TWGs, and One Health forums.
Prepare and submit weekly, monthly, and quarterly activity and analytical reports.
Contribute to success stories, case studies, and learning briefs showcasing innovations and impact of CBS, EBS, IBS, and Com-WATCH implementation.
Support adaptive learning by sharing insights with Jhpiego’s national GHS team and partners

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in public health, Epidemiology, Pharmacy, Microbiology, or Community Health; a master’s degree is an advantage.
3–5 years of experience in disease surveillance, AMR, or public-health program implementation at state or LGA level.
Proven experience with IDSR, IBS, EBS, or CBS frameworks and collaboration with government health agencies.
Experience working directly with pharmacists, community pharmacies, PPMVs, CHWs, and professional associations.
Familiarity with digital reporting tools such as DHIS2, SORMAS, KoboToolbox, or ODK.
Strong data-management, community-mobilization, and stakeholder-engagement skills.
Fluency in English and local language(s) of the state; willingness to travel extensively.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Excellent facilitation, interpersonal, and communication abilities.
Strong analytical and report-writing skills.
Demonstrated ability to mobilize and coordinate diverse health stakeholders.
Commitment to integrity, accountability, and public-health service.
Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform.
Excellent presentation skills and verbal and written communications skills.
Previous experience working in INGO.
Diplomatic; demonstrate experience in undertaking high-level policy dialogue with different stakeholders – Well-developed written and oral communication skills
Proficiency in word processing, Microsoft Office and data software.
Ability to travel 25% of time.
Nigerian nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

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Surveillance Officer