Animal Health Security Specialist, DOS, LEAP Global - Thailand

About the Company

ZemiTek, LLC is a Woman-Owned, SBA-certified 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) based in the Washington, DC metro area. We have a strong record delivering innovative and high-quality solutions. Since 2007, ZemiTek has provided technical assistance, project management, information technology (IT), knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation, training and learning development, and institutional support services.

About the Role

Global Solutions Ventures (GSV) – a joint-venture partnership between ZemiTek, LLC and Dexis Consulting Group – is implementing the Long-term Exceptional Technical Assistance Project (LEAP Global), a mechanism originally used by USAID to battle against infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, and pandemic influenza. As of July 1, 2025, LEAP Global transitioned to the U.S. Department of State (DOS). This initiative aims to address the complex human resource challenges faced by national infectious disease programs in the USA-supported countries.

The Animal Health Security Specialist will support the day-to-day implementation and coordination of animal health security activities between the Regional Strategic Assistance (RSA) Section of the U.S. Embassy in Thailand and the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) in carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) service delivery in full alignment with the new Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives.

The Specialist will focus on two primary areas: (1) supporting Thailand's preparation to serve as the next ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Animal Health and Zoonoses (ACCAHZ) host country, including transition coordination and stakeholder engagement; and (2) providing advisory support for the future development and sustainability of the Regional Field Epidemiology Training Program for Veterinarians (R-FETPV), including its integration with ACCAHZ and regional standardization efforts.

The Specialist will be embedded within DLD and receive day-to-day guidance from DLD and RSA focal points and will support coordination across partners through regular communication, documentation, and tracking of implementation progress.

Responsibilities

Support Thailand's Transition and Preparation as the Next ACCAHZ Host Country

• Provide strategic and technical support to facilitate Thailand's transition into the role of ACCAHZ host country, including coordination of institutional, administrative, and operational preparedness activities.
• Lead and support the drafting, review, negotiation, and finalization of host country agreements, legal instruments, governance documents, and associated administrative frameworks required for ACCAHZ hosting arrangements.
• Develop, refine, and operationalize a comprehensive transition roadmap outlining key milestones, institutional responsibilities, timelines, risk mitigation measures, and implementation priorities for Thailand's assumption of hosting responsibilities.
• Support the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) in convening and coordinating high-level stakeholder consultations, intergovernmental meetings, technical working groups, and cross-sector coordination mechanisms related to ACCAHZ transition planning and host country readiness.
• Conduct technical review and policy analysis of relevant legal frameworks, institutional mandates, regional agreements, operational procedures, and governance mechanisms associated with ACCAHZ host country obligations and ASEAN cooperation frameworks.
• Serve as a focal coordination point with the ACCAHZ Secretariat in Malaysia to facilitate effective transition management, institutional knowledge transfer, continuity planning, and cross-country information exchange between the outgoing and incoming host countries.
• Establish and maintain monitoring and follow-up mechanisms to track implementation progress, manage action items, identify operational bottlenecks, and ensure timely delivery of transition-related outputs and commitments by relevant stakeholders.
• Provide technical inputs and advisory support on governance, institutional strengthening, stakeholder engagement, and operational planning to ensure Thailand's effective assumption of ACCAHZ hosting responsibilities in alignment with regional priorities and organizational mandates.

Provide Advisory Support for R-FETPV Future Development

• Support planning and strategic development activities for the future sustainability of R-FETPV.
• Assist in preparing documentation and conduct strategic assessments to position R-FETPV for financial and structural support from the Thai government and other potential organizations including ACCAHZ.
• Collaborate with R-FETPV leadership to develop regional standardization frameworks for field epidemiology training for veterinarians.
• Support research and preparation of materials related to potential formalization or certification of regional training standards.
• Facilitate coordination between R-FETPV, ACCAHZ, DLD, and other relevant stakeholders to align programs.