Senior Technical Officer, Public Health and Research at African Union(AU)

Requisition ID: 844
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Job Grade: P3
Number of Positions: 2
Contract  Type: Regular
Division: Division of Public Health and Research
Reports to: Head of Division,  Public Health and Research
Directorate / Department: Africa CDC

Purpose of Job

• The Senior Technical Officer for the Division of Public Health and Research, Africa CDC will be responsible for providing technical assistance to strengthen the existing NPHIs, support efforts of countries in a process of establishing, and conduct a strong advocacy to establish NPHIs in countries where they don’t have.
• The Senior Technical Officer supports the National Public Health Institutes through developing standard tools, frameworks, strategic plans, providing onsite and online mentorship, and building health workforce capacity of the institutes in collaboration with relevant partners of the Africa CDC.  
• The position is responsible for provision of technical assistance in policy, guidance and standards for the establishment and strengthening of National Public Health Institutes in African Member States for better emergency preparedness and response and informed decision making.  
• Division work is implemented primarily through Africa CDC Regional Integrated Surveillance and Laboratory Networks (RISLNET), and coordinated by Regional Collaborating Centres, and in collaboration with Member States, National Public Health Institutes, WHO and other technical partners to strengthen capacities and enhance efficiencies of existing public health assets in the region.

Main Functions

• Provide technical support in the preparation and implementation of programmes developed out of the Division’s strategic plan.
• Ensure effective coordination and implementation at various levels.
• Liaise with Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and other stakeholders on relevant matters.
• Prepare and develop reports, budget and work programmes related to the functioning of the Division.
• Provide technical support for the development of resource mobilization strategy with stakeholders coordination.
• Manage and supervise employees under his/her supervision with regard to organization and performance evaluation.
• Conduct complex analysis and generate accurate reports in a timely manner for the Division and AU’s internal use.
• Liaise with the various Departments/Units of the Commission for coordination and alignment purposes.
• Prepare budgets for the Division in accordance with relevant frameworks. Support the promotion of the activities of the Division including preparing leaflets, guidelines and fact sheets as may be required.
• Actively contribute in the development of strategies, policies, programmes and plans.

Specific Responsibilities
The Senior Technical Officer shall:

• Provide technical assistance to ensure the vision, mission and guiding values of the Africa CDC are developed, communicated, and implemented by Africa CDC Regional Collaborating Centres (RCC) and implementing partners as appropriate;
• Plan, develop, and implement Division specific policy and programme objectives, strategic plans, annual work plans, activity action plans, resource plans and budgets, staff performance plans necessary to achieve core strategies, outcome-oriented goals, and objectives.  Evaluate and report on progress;
• Provides expert advice and consultation to Member States, RCC’s, NPHI’s, key stakeholders and partners regarding implementation of Africa CDC plans and strategies for the establishment and strengthening of National Public Health Institutes. This work may also involve supporting other strategic initiatives and programmes, e.g., Events Based Surveillance (EBS), strengthening disease monitoring and surveillance and laboratory systems and health information systems, workforce development and other activities through the regional integrated surveillance and laboratory networks (RISLNET);
• Facilitate and coordinate development of standard operating procedures and scientific protocols for strengthening national public health institutes and networks;
• Assist in promoting of collaboration and coordination, and networking among National Public Health Institutes in Africa;
• Facilitate and coordinate development of planning tools and reference guidance and other tools for development of individual research capacity;
• Facilitate workforce capacity development for National Public Health Institutes in Africa;
• Strengthen public health research capacity within public institutions in partnerships with academic institutions in Member States;
• Provide Technical support and mentorship to Member States in the process of developing/strengthening NPHI;
• Works closely with the office of the Head of Management and Administration to ensure all resource requirements for Division activity implementation are communicated, processed and delivered. Facilitates and ensures monitoring and reporting for Division expenditures.
• Facilitate and coordinate, and lead when appropriate, the design of technical proposals/programmes and/or write, contribute and/or review proposals for implementation of agency initiatives, programs and projects;
• Facilitate, coordinate and contribute to the development of briefing notes, strategy documents, guidelines, and standard operating guidelines. Help lead efforts to document results and lessons from projects, in white papers or journal articles. Prepare input for reports, slides, and other materials as required;
• Under the direction of the designated Africa CDC Incident Commander, provides technical services delivery in support of Africa CDC Emergency Response activities as appropriate and assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Master's Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Systems Management or a related health field from an accredited academic institution; with at least seven (7) years relevant professional experience;

OR

• Bachelor's Degree in the above fields with over ten (10) years of relevant professional experience in Public Health, Health Systems Management, or related fields.
• Relevant experience* in setting up new health institutions, developing frameworks, guidelines, protocols, and strategic plans for health programmes.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing surveillance systems, outbreak investigation and response, and workforce development preferably in Africa.
• Clear understanding of health systems on the African continent and fair knowledge of operations of the Ministry of Health in Member States and National Public Health Institutes.
• Experience in workforce capacity development in the area of surveillance, Emergency Operation Center/ Incident Management System, and public health research.
• Knowledge of public health issues in Africa, and at least 7 years previous experience working in Africa.
• Relevant experience is defined as implementing/supporting public health preparedness and response and/or emergency management activities and programmes, epidemiology and/or health sciences research.

Required Skills
Functional Skills:

• Technical expertise and experience in supporting and/or managing complex, public health programmes related to disease prevention and control, epidemiology and surveillance and other health information systems.  
• Familiarity with the administrative and management practices and processes typically employed by public health and other public sector programmes.
• Sound technical writing skills, in addition to narrative and financial reporting skills.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills and a proven ability to deliver under tight deadlines and works well under pressure.
• Excellent skills and abilities applied to translating technical information into presentations, briefings and report and funding proposals for both technical and lay audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to work in a multicultural environment
• Excellent communication (oral and written) and good presentation skills, provide programme consultation and credible response to inquiries.
• Excellent technical and scientific writing skills, in addition to narrative and technical reporting skills.
• Resourceful and skilled at collecting, analyzing and using data to recommend, make and communicate decisions of a technical nature for both technical and lay audiences.
• Excellent computer skills, including office administration and statistical software applications and online digital information systems.

Personal Abilities:

• Ability to work under pressure, stay on track and meet deadlines
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to use clear, concise language in correspondence as well as including content fitting for the purpose and audiences when preparing written briefs and reports
• Ability  to work in a multicultural environment
• High level of autonomy at work, yet with profound team-spirit
• Adaptive, patient, resourceful, resilient and flexible
• Pro-active and solutions-oriented

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Insight
• Developing others
• Change Management.
• Managing Risk.

Core Competencies:

• Building Relationship
• Foster Accountability Culture
• Learning Orientation
• Communicating with Influence

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual thinking
• Job Knowledge and information sharing
• Drive for result
• Continuous improvement orientation

Enure of Appointment:

• The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period.
• Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

Languages:

• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish) and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Remuneration

• Indicative basic salary of US$  37,453.00 (P3 Step1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. PLusaka (44% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 16,819.80 (per annum) , Libreville (48% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 19,530.00 (per annum) , Nairobi  (42% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 18,585.00 (per annum) , 
• Abuja (57% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 24,561.84 (per annum) and 30% of basic salary for locally recruited staff), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.