Senior Risk Management Officer - Saving Lives and Livelihoods Programme at African Union(AU)

Background Information

• The African Union, established as a unique Pan African continental body, is charged with spearheading Africa’s rapid integration and sustainable development by promoting unity, solidarity, cohesion and cooperation among the peoples of Africa and African States as well as developing a new partnership worldwide.
• Its Headquarters is located in Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia.
  The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) was officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 31, 2017. The Africa CDC is Africa’s first continent-wide public health agency and envisions a safer, healthier, integrated and stronger Africa, where Member States are capable of effectively responding to outbreaks of infectious diseases and other public health threats.
• The agency mission is to strengthen Africa’s public health institutions’ capabilities to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks and other health burdens through an integrated network of continent-wide preparedness and response, surveillance, laboratory, and research programmes. Africa CDC has been at the forefront of the continent’s fight against the pandemic. The agency has set a goal to vaccinate 60 percent the continent’s population before the end of 2024.
• To achieve this ambitious and critical goal, the Africa CDC and the Mastercard Foundation are launching “Saving Lives and Livelihoods,” “partnership for COVID-19 Vaccination in Africa.” The planned Saving Lives and Livelihoods partnership is a unique initiative due to its scope and scale, the critical topics it focuses on, as well as the way it will be governed.

The Role

• The Senior Risk Management Officer will be primarily responsible for identifying any risk in relation to the programme vaccines and developing risk mitigation plans
• The Senior Risk Management officer will be leading the reporting of risk, risk measurement, building capacity of vaccine roll-out programme staff, and controlling risk.

Major Duties and Responsibilities
The Senior Risk Management Officer shall:

• Perform regular risk assessment by analysing current risks affecting the programme and anticipating future risks;
• Develop a registrar of expected risks and regularly maintain the registrar based on new information;
• Develop robust risk mitigation action plans for the identified risks;
• Regular monitoring of Saving Lives, Livelihoods, and Economies teams performance in risk management and propose recommendations to strengthen their practice;
• Support the development of culturally appropriate and acceptable messages for risk communication and advocacy on COVID-19;
• Support capacity of member states and implement partners in risk communication;
• Lead the response to any fallout (e.g., negative press) in the vaccine roll-out programme to keep the reputation of Africa CDC and other involved partners intact;
• Develop and submit regular reports of deliverables and achievements on risk management;
• Represent Africa CDC in a professional manner that creates a positive image and enhances the credibility of the organization; and
• Perform any other duties as requested by the Programme Manager.

Qualifications and skills required

• Master's Degree in Communication, Business Administration, Economics, Public Health, and other fields with 7 years of work experience. The candidate needs to have at least 3 years of experience in risk management position. Or
• Bachelor’s Degree in Communication, Business Administration, Economics, Public Health, and other fields with 10 years of work experience. The candidate needs to have at least 3 years of experience in risk management position.

Required Skills and Competencies
Functional Skills:

• Experience in using and developing risk registrar and mitigation action plans
• Experience in delivering risk measurement and management capacity building programs for diverse stakeholders
• Organizational skills including attention to detail and effective management of tasks
• Deep understanding of the African Union and partner engagements
• Demonstrated computer skills, including excellent word-processing capabilities, proficiency with e-mail and internet applications as well as experience in using office software such as MS PowerPoint, Word, and Excel.

Personal Abilities:

• Analytical and problem-solving abilities
• High ethical standards and an uncompromising sense of integrity
• Ability to build strong relationships internally and with external actors
• Proven ability to use clear, concise language in correspondence as well as creating and adapting content to fit the appropriate audiences for written briefs and reports
• High level of autonomy at work with a profound team spirit
• Ability to work under pressure, with minimal supervision
• Ability to work and thrive in a culturally diverse team
• Adaptive, patient, resourceful, resilient, and flexible.

Language Requirement:

• Applicants must be proficient in at least one of the African Union working languages (English, French, Arabic, Spanish or Portuguese). Knowledge of two or more of African Union working languages would be an added advantage.

Remuneration
Indicative basic salary of US$37,453 (AUP3Step 1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment of US$17,228.38 (46% of basic salary per annum), Housing allowance of US$22,932 per annum, Thus a total of US$77,613.38 per annum plus Gratuity of 15% of Gross salary per annum.