Animal Health (AH) AMR Advisor at Management Sciences For Health - MSH

About the role:

The Animal Health (AH) AMR Advisor will be embedded in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and in collaboration with the AMR desk be responsible for supporting the development of AH sector AMR, AMU and plant agriculture surveillance strategies and protocols, active surveillance in farms, veterinary hospitals and the national reference laboratory, integrated surveillance and the strategy for inclusion of private sector data. The Advisor will support the generation, monitoring, collation, and analysis of AMR data, dissemination into the national reporting systems and its use to inform decision making and advocacy for the development of AMR policy. The Advisor will work closely with the national AMR TWG secretariat and the AMR program manager to leverage Fleming Fund resources to enhance AMR reporting system for the animal health sector. S/he will work for improvements and broad collaboration across stakeholders, organizations, agencies, and other entities working within the (One Health) OH sectors.

Interested applicants substantiated as the subject of an investigation for misconduct (abuse, harassment or exploitation) are not eligible to apply.

Responsibilities:

• Provide technical support to the AH sector through the FMAFS and the national AMR TWG secretariat.
• Collaborate with relevant national authorities to support implementation of existing surveillance systems and capacity building of existing laboratories for the diagnosis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), based on identified gaps in the FFCG 2 project.
• Support the development of strategies, frameworks, guidelines, and manuals to support the implementation of AMR programs in farms and veterinary teaching hospitals.
• Support the implementation of the FAO AMR tools (FAO Progressive Management Pathway, FAO Assessment Tool for Laboratories and Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Systems) and flagship Initiatives FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) System.
• Support AMR data monitoring system through the generation, transmission and aggregation of routine surveillance data from sites for analysis, dissemination and decision making.
• Support the generation of AMR/AMU data as evidence for decision making, policy development and advocacy for resource mobilization efforts on AMR.
• Facilitate the operationalization of One Health coordination platforms such as the National and facility AMR Committees by supporting routine meetings and other technical matters of importance to AMR Coordination Committees (AMRCC).
• The AH AMR Advisor will be expected to carry out other duties as assigned to achieve the outcomes desired by our client and needed by the people the project aims to serve.

Qualifications

• Advanced University degree (Master’s or PhD) in Veterinary Medicine, Animal Sciences, Agriculture Sciences, or any other related field; preferably with specialization in microbiology or AMR.
• Five (5) years of relevant experience in animal health project implementation with multi-sectoral coordination and research in Nigeria.
• Minimum of one (1) year of relevant experience in AMR/AMU surveillance and awareness.
• Familiarity and proficiency in animal disease management and AMR activities.
• Experience with AMR surveillance, WHONET, AMRIS, Electronic Laboratory systems, and electronic medical information systems will be an added advantage.
• Experience in organizing and facilitating stakeholder consultative meetings and preparation of reports/ proceedings.
• Demonstrated skill in writing/ and editing of technical/scientific papers and manuscripts, Systematic reviews and technical reports
• Computer proficiency in word processing, databases, and spreadsheets, with advanced skills in at least two of the following programs: GIS, SPSS, Epi Info, Stata, SAS, MS Excel, and MS Access.​
• Strong negotiation, coordination, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Must understand the need for sensitivity to cultural differences and ethical issues surrounding research and surveillance.
• Must be available and to travel on demand.