Job Roles at Resolve to Save Lives

Position Summary

• Lead (Pb) poisoning is a critical public health concern, particularly in communities exposed to artisanal mining, contaminated consumer products, and environmental pollutants. Accurate and timely laboratory testing is central to detecting, managing, and preventing lead exposure and its health consequences. RTSL is supporting the Government of Nigeria in strengthening national and sub-national laboratory systems to provide high-quality Pb testing services in line with national and global best practices.
• RTSL Nigeria is seeking a Laboratory Specialist for its Lead Poisoning Prevention project. The Laboratory Specialist will sit within the Healthy Foods and Environments team of the Cardiovascular Health Program. The role holder would lead the design, implementation, and monitoring of laboratory capacity building activities for Pb testing, including biological, environmental, and consumer product samples. This includes strengthening infrastructure, supporting quality assurance, training laboratory personnel, and establishing referral networks for blood and environmental Pb testing to advance the effort to eliminate lead exposure in Nigeria.

Duration and Location

The Laboratory Specialist is a 12-month Independent Consultant position based in Abuja, Nigeria. The chosen individual will be required to travel to implementation sites within Nigeria as needed.
Contract Deliverables

• Provide technical guidance on laboratory testing for Pb in biological (e.g., blood) and environmental samples (e.g., soil, dust, water, paint, etc.) and consumer goods.
• Lead the needs assessments and gap analyses of laboratories at the national and sub-national levels.
• Advise on the selection, procurement, and maintenance of appropriate laboratory equipment and supplies for lead (Pb) analysis.
• Support the integration of lead (Pb) testing into existing laboratory networks and public health surveillance systems
• Support the development and implementation of training programs for laboratory personnel on Pb testing methodologies (e.g., AAS, ICP-MS, portable XRF).
• Support the development and dissemination of SOPs, job aids, and quality control protocols in testing laboratories
• Support laboratories in establishing internal quality control and participating in external quality assurance schemes
• Monitor compliance with biosafety, data management, and diagnostic standards
• Collaborate with governments, regulatory bodies, professional associations, and international partners to establish referral systems and harmonize laboratory standards.
• Support the development of data reporting tools, dashboards, and performance indicators to improve laboratory result tracking and program evaluation.
• Prepare technical reports, training materials, and documentation to capture best practices and lessons learned.

Contract Management

The Independent Contractor will submit all deliverables to the Senior Technical Advisor, Lead Prevention, who will manage this contract and monitor progress towards deliverables.

Qualifications
Education:

• Advanced degree (Master's or higher) in Medical Laboratory Science, Analytical Chemistry, Environmental Health, or related field.

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in laboratory diagnostics, with at least 2 years in heavy metal testing or environmental health.
• Proven experience in capacity building and training laboratory personnel.
• Familiarity with laboratory quality management systems and accreditation standards (e.g., ISO 15189).

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to clearly convey complex technical information to diverse stakeholders, including government officials, lab personnel, and partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills to build partnerships across agencies, organizations, and cultural contexts.
• Ability to align technical support with broader public health goals and surveillance systems

Other

• Able to travel within Nigeria for lab assessment at the national and sub-national levels or other convenings, as needed

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Position Summary

• RTSL Nigeria is seeking a Legal Advisor to provide legal support for a new lead poisoning prevention project. The Legal Advisor, Lead (Pb) Prevention Program, will prepare legal analyses, mappings, and recommendations to support the development, strengthening, implementation, and/or enforcement of regulations that address lead exposure from a variety of sources. This position will work collaboratively with the Senior Legal Adviser, RTSL Nigeria, and other team members to ensure that the program on lead poisoning at RTSL, Nigeria, takes account of the essential role of laws and regulations in setting standards and enforcement practices.

Duration and Location

• The Legal Advisor, Lead (Pb) Prevention Program is a 12-month Independent Consultant position based in Abuja, Nigeria.

Contract Deliverables

The scope of the work will include, but not be limited to, the following tasks:

• Collect and analyze existing laws and regulations that address sources of lead exposure at federal and, where applicable, state levels.
• Map government bodies legally responsible for implementing, and have enforcement authority to implement, policy and legislative actions relating to lead exposure.
• Map existing initiatives among government bodies, with close coordination with the team, to examine the existing legal framework and where work has been completed.
• Conduct stakeholder consultations and legal interviews with key government agencies, regulatory bodies, and industry actors to gather insights on existing monitoring and enforcement challenges and opportunities for strengthening legal frameworks related to lead (Pb) exposure.
• In close coordination with the STA Legal and under the guidance of the STA Lead Prevention, make strategic recommendations for legal or regulatory changes to reduce lead exposure in Nigeria, highlighting all regulatory options for proceeding.
• Develop legal training materials and support capacity-building workshops for policymakers, regulators, and enforcement agencies to enhance understanding and application of lead-related laws and regulations.
• Track and analyze legislative or regulatory developments at the federal and state levels relevant to lead exposure, environmental and occupational safety, or consumer protection, and provide periodic legal briefs or memos to RTSL and its partners.
• Provide drafting support for relevant legal documents aimed at limiting lead poisoning in Nigeria.
• Support any other activities necessary to ensure the success of the lead poisoning prevention project and contribute to broader cardiovascular health-related legal and regulatory initiatives as may be assigned by RTSL.

Contract Management

• The Independent Contractor will submit all deliverables to the Senior Technical Advisor, Lead Prevention, who will manage this contract and monitor progress towards deliverables.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in law. A master's degree would be an added advantage

Experience

• At least 8 years of work experience as a fully enrolled legal professional
• Experience with legal drafting, ideally related to the formulation of policies, proclamations, and regulations
• Experience working within the Nigerian public sector, ideally on public health
• Experience engaging with legislative or regulatory reform processes at the federal or state level
• Familiarity with Nigeria's environmental and consumer protection frameworks is an advantage

Skills & Abilities

• Understanding of the Nigerian legal structure and functions relating to the legislative framework and processes
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with demonstrated experience documenting and disseminating program accomplishments
• Highly attentive to detail
• Outstanding organizational, stakeholder management and interpersonal skills

Other

• Able to travel within Nigeria for partner meetings or other convenings, as needed
• Understanding of the agencies responsible for policies, regulations and laws relating to lead (Pb) and/or other heavy metals