Animal Health Programme Officer, Regional Animal Health Centre (RAHC) at West African Health Organization (WAHO)

Reference No: FM/TEND/AMI/2020/07/bk/spm/apm
Location: Bamako, Mali
Duration: 1 year contract

Introduction

• ECOWAS, cognizant of the need to equip itself with an adequate tool for the management of animal health actions, established through the Additional Act A/SA.20/02/12, the Regional Animal Health Centre (RAHC) in Bamako in February 2012. The RAHC serves as a specialized technical entity of the Community on animal health issues. In alignment with the “One Health’ approach, the mission assigned to the RAHC complements that of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), the ECO WAS specialized institution in human health created in 1987 and operational since 2000.
• It is in this context that ECOWAS requested and received funding from the World Bank to implement the Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement Project in West Africa (RED1SSE). The main objective of the project. which covers the fifteen ECOWAS States and Mauritania, is to strengthen national and regional inter-sectoral capacity to ensure better collaboration on disease surveillance and epidemic preparedness in West Africa by addressing weaknesses in human and animal health systems that hinder surveillance and effective disease response.
• It is within this framework that WAHO is seeking applications from qualified and experienced individuals for the recruitment of an Animal Health Programme Officer on behalf of the Regional Animal Health Centre (RAHC) in Bamako, Mali.

Roles and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Executive Director of the RAJIC. the Animal Health Programme Officer will as part of his/her main functions and responsibilities, ensure the technical implementation of the RAHC’s activities in the field of Transboundary Animal Diseases (TAOs) and Zoonosis. More specifically, he/she will:

• Improve the animal disease and zoonotic disease notification system in accordance with ECOWAS, OIE and WHO standards;
• Strengthen epidemiological surveillance of Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) and zoonosis through technical and logistical support to national epidemio-surveillance networks;
• Inform Member States on the regional situation and the risk of incursion and/or spread of TADs and zoonosis;
• Promote capacity building of national and regional diagnostic laboratories and monitoring of regional laboratory networks;
• Promote capacity building of national epidemiological units and monitoring of national and regional epidemiological surveillance networks:
• Harmonize national emergency response plans for the control of TADs and zoonotic agents;
• Monitor, evaluate and enforce animal disease and zoonotic control measures (slaughter, vaccination campaigns) to prevent their spread to humans;
• Monitor the sub-regional mechanism for the prevention and control of TAOs and zoonotic diseases in close collaboration with other partners;
• Implement the REDISSE project activities by the RAHC as well as submit quarterly reporting.

Duration, Location and Nature of the Post

• This is a consultant position at the Bamako Regional Animal Health Centre (CSRA/Bamako). The duration of the contract is one (I) year subject to a probationary period of three (3) months. The contract may be renewed during the duration of the project depending on performance and availability of funds.
• The place of employment of the Programme Officer in Animal Health is the headquarters of the RAHC in Bamako. He or she will catty out missions to ECO WAS Member States.
• Duly qualified Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Individuals interested in this notice are invited to express their interest. They will be required to provide information attesting to the qualifications and skills required (cover letter indicating the position, a detailed curriculum vitae, including descriptions of similar assignments and experiences, and copies of supporting documents).
• The required consultant will be selected in accordance with the procedures for selecting individual consultants as set out in the Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers (January 2011 edition, revised version in July 2014) available on the World Bank website.

Qualifications, experience and Skills Required
To be qualified, candidates must meet the following conditions:

• Have a university degree in Veterinary Medicine or any other equivalent degree in veterinary
• Have at least ten (10)years of experience in the mentioned fields:
• Have proven professional experience its national and regional institutions in the field of TAOs and zoonosis;
• A good knowledge of animal health in the ECOWAS region would be an advantage;
• Have a solid knowledge of animal health policies, strategies and legislation in ECOWAS countries;
• Have team leader, trainer and facilitator skills;
• The candidate should be proficient in one language of ECOWAS. Proficiency in a second or third language will be an advantage;
• Satisfy the other competencies mentioned in the terms of reference.