Senior Technical Officer for Diagnostics Access (AfCDC) at the African Union (AU)

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). We are an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Technical Officer for Diagnostics Access (AfCDC)

Requisition ID: 2410
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Job Grade: P3 Step 5
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Division: Laboratory Diagnostics
Reports to: Director, Center for Laboratory Diagnostics and Systems
Directorate/Department : Center for laboratory Diagnostics and Systems
AU Organ: Africa CDC

Purpose of Job

• The expansion of clinical and public health laboratory systems to support clinical care, disease surveillance, and outbreak response is one of the technical pillars of the Africa CDC.
• The Centre of Laboratory Diagnostics and Systems of Africa CDC is leading the continental effort to strengthen laboratory systems and networks in African Union Member States. Access to quality-assured laboratory diagnostic tools especially during an emergency is one of the limiting factors for the provision of laboratory services towards the attainment of universal health coverage.
• The Senior Technical Officer for Diagnostic Access will support the implementation of key initiatives to unlock access challenges to quality diagnostics for Africa's priority diseases.

Main Functions
The Senior Technical Officer for Diagnostic Access generally will be responsible for:

• Coordinating and supporting activities related to accelerating diagnostics access in African Union (AU) Member States (MS) in line with the goals of the Africa Collaborative Initiative to Advance Diagnostics (AFCAD).
• Provide technical support for the implementation of initiatives that will enable all Member States to achieve equitable access to essential diagnostics.
• Support the strengthening of the Africa Biobanking Network, facilitate the evaluation and introduction of new or advanced diagnostics technologies, and support efforts of local manufacturing of diagnostics and regulatory harmonization.
• Provide technical guidance to strengthen laboratory systems to support early warning surveillance and response systems for African Union Member States and facilitate the accelerated implementation of International Health Regulations (2015).

Specific Responsibilities

• Provide coordination support on the implementation of objectives of the Africa Collaborative Initiative to Advance Diagnostics (AFCAD).
• Coordinate all Africa CDC activities related to diagnostics access including supporting biobanking, diagnostics development and evaluation, regulatory approval and harmonization, procurement and global price negotiation, policy adoption and uptake, and post-marketing surveillance.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of the work plan of the Diagnostics Advisory Committee (DAC).
• Engage with members of the DAC and organize regular meetings to discuss the progress towards the execution of the work plan of the DAC.
• Support and supervise the activities of the Africa Biobanking Network and work closely with the biobanking focal person and the biobanking steering committee.
• Work with the Africa Medical Device Forum (AMDF) and the Africa Medicines Regulatory Harmonization Programme (AMRH) of AUDA NEPAD and Africa Medicines Agency to support activities towards regulatory reliance, convergence, and harmonization in the continent.
• To coordinate with the AMDF and AMRH to convene National Regulatory Authorities(NRAs), and Ministries of Health of Member States to facilitate the registration, adoption, and uptake of diagnostics for African priority diseases.
• Coordinate evaluation of diagnostics including diagnostic technologies such as the diagnostics for priority diseases and other diagnostic tests.
• Collaborate with the appropriate units within Africa CDC to support efforts towards local manufacturing of diagnostics in the continent.
• Coordinate the development and dissemination of policy documents and guidelines on the adoption and uptake of diagnostic tests in African countries.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of activities of the Diagnostic Access Division including tracking financial expenditure for the program.
• Coordinate training programs related to diagnostic access.
• Represent the Head of the Division in meetings or discussions on issues related to diagnostics access.
• Support any other duties as assigned by the supervisorPerform any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Master’s in Laboratory Science, Biomedical Sciences, Doctor of Medicine (MD), or related fields, with a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant work experience with at least 3 years of managerial experience.

Or

• Bachelor’s Degree in Laboratory Science, Biomedical Science, or related fields and a minimum of ten (10) years of relevant work experience with at least 3 years of managerial experience.

Required Skills:
Functional skills:

• Demonstrated project planning and management skills for organizing, planning, and executing projects from conception through implementation
• Demonstrable experience in implementing public health projects with a focus on laboratory system strengthening, biobanking, diagnostic evaluation, and regulatory harmonization.
• Demonstrable experience in working with stakeholders involved in laboratory system strengthening, biobanking, diagnostic evaluation, and regulatory harmonization.
• Demonstrable experience and in-depth knowledge of operations of the Africa CDC, Regional Coordinating Centres and National Public Health Institutes, and other African Union agencies like AUDA NEPAD.
• Ability to engage effectively and diplomatically with partners including national governments, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent computer skills, including word-processing capabilities, proficiency with e-mail and internet applications, and experience in using software applications such as MS Excel, PowerPoint and Word

Personal Abilities:

• Strong problem-solving abilities.
• High level of autonomy at work, yet with profound team spirit.
• Ability to work under pressure, with minimal supervision, and in a culturally diverse team.
• Ability to plan and predict potential and emerging barriers.
• Adaptive, patient, resourceful, resilient and flexible.
• Proven ability to use clear, concise language in correspondence including content fit for purpose and audiences when preparing written briefs and reports.  
• Ability to build strong relationships internally and with external stakeholders.

Leadership Competencies:

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

Core Competencies:

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

Functional Competencies:

• Continuous Improvement Orientation
• Drive for Results
• Job Knowledge and information sharing
• Conceptual Thinking.

Footer:
Tenure of Appointment:

• The Appointment will be made on a fixed term contract for a period of one (1) year, of which the first three (3) months will be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract may be renewed for a similar period subject to funding availability, satisfactory performance and agreed deliverables. 

Gender Mainstreaming:

• The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Languages:

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

Remuneration
The salary attached to the position is an annual lump-sum of USD  96,921.34  (P3 Step 5) inclusive of all allowances for internationally recruited staff, and US$ 78,461.08 inclusive of all allowances for locally recruited staff of the African Union Commission.

Application Closing Date
4th November, 2024; 11h59 p.m. EAT.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click Here to Download CV Template (MS Word)

Note

• Only candidates who meet all job requirements and are selected for interviews will be contacted.
• Consideration will be given only to those candidates who have submitted a fully completed online application with a curriculum vitae (CV), an African passport, and the required academic qualifications, such as Diplomas, Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees and any relevant certificate in line with the area of expertise.
• The African Union is an equal opportunity employer, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Candidates from less represented countries within the African Union are strongly encouraged to apply for positions that fit their profiles. These countries include Algeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Sahrawi D.R., Sao Tome and Principe., Seychelles, Somalia and Tunisia.