Principal Technical Officer Public Health Emergency and IHR Core Capacity Development

Principal Technical Officer Public Health Emergency and IHR Core Capacity Development

AU – African Union

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Purpose of Job

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) was officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 31, 2017. 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 programs.

In seeking to achieve this objective and deliver on the mandate of the Africa CDC, the African Union intends to strengthen its capacity by the reinforcement of its organizational structure and expertise. The Africa CDC therefore seeks to recruit a national and citizen of any Member State of the African Union to the position of Principal Technical Officer for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and International Health Regulations (IHR) Core capacity development.

Main Functions

Under the supervision and guidance of the head of Emergency Preparedness and Response Division, the Principal Technical Officer for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and IHR Core Capacity Development will be responsible for leading the program for the health emergency preparedness and providing technical guidance in health emergency preparedness strategies, guidelines, and policy development and implementation in AU Member States, ensuring system improvement for overall decision making by higher management around Public Health Emergency preparedness, leading the IHR core capacity assessment in AU MS, development of IHR score card dashboard through conducting joint external evaluation, coordination of Africa CDC’s contribution, in collaboration with different centers and Division in Africa CDC, in addressing gaps identified in MS. Additionally, the technical officer also will lead and support continental initiatives of pandemic preparedness and response and engage in various preparedness activities to support in hazard mapping, risk assessment and risk ranking among various regions and support the development of hazard atlas for Africa CDC and Continental contingency plans for identified hazards. Finally, it is pertinent that these activity findings be included in action plan for health security, as such the technical officer lead the planning and support member states develop and implement their national action plan for health security.

Specific Responsibilities

The Principal Technical Officer for PHE Preparedness and IHR Core capacity development, shall perform the following major duties and responsibilities:

• Provide guidance on the programmatic implementation of the Division activities;
• Lead the IHR core capacity assessment in collaboration with different centers and Division as well as external partners;
• Leads continental initiatives of pandemic preparedness and response and engages in various preparedness activities including simulation exercises programs, Reviews, JEEs;
• Developing a culture among the key stakeholders in evidence-based decision making and systems thinking;
• Lead the development Africa CDC pandemic prevention, and preparedness strategies;
• Lead the development of Africa CDC multi hazard multisectoral contingency plans;
• Lead the development of the risk ranking and prioritization for various hazards and risks which member states would face;
• Support member states in improving their preparedness for public health emergencies and enhance capabilities by providing guidance on strategic planning, and resource allocation;
• Lead the assessment among member states conducted their preparedness national action plan for health security and support its implementation;
• Focus on developing capacity and sustainable health system and resilience across member states to prepare for the next pandemic;
• Prepare and lead report development for the management stating trends, patterns, and predictions for proactive emergency preparedness using relevant data;
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the Supervisor;
• professional experience with demonstrated involvement in the successful development and management of emergency preparedness and response programs.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Master’s degree in public health or a related field from an accredited academic institution with at least 10 years of relevant professional experience with demonstrated involvement in the successful development and management of emergency preparedness and response programs; or
• Bachelor’s degree in the above fields with at least 12 years of relevant professional experience in related fields.

Required Skills

• Ability to work under pressure, stay on track and meet deadlines;
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities;
• Proven ability to produce precise and intelligible reports and office briefs in line with the requirements of the African Union;
• Able to operate 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;
• Knowledge of results-based management.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Insight;
• Developing Others;
• Change Management;
• Managing Risk.

Core Competencies

• Building Partnership;
• Foster Accountability Culture;
• Learning Orientation;
• Communicating with Influence.

Functional Competencies

• Conceptual thinking;
• Job Knowledge and information sharing;
• Drive for result;
• Continuous Improvement Orientation.

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