Technical Advisor - One Health at the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET)

The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is a non-profit networking and service alliance of Field Epidemiology (and Laboratory) Training Programs (FELTPs), and other applied epidemiology training programs. AFENET has operations in over 31 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa or the World Health Organisation Africa Region (WHO – AFRO). Established in 2005, AFENET is dedicated to helping Ministries of Health in Africa build strong, effective, sustainable programs and capacity to improve public health systems on the African continent.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Technical Advisor - One Health

Location: Abuja  
Department: ECOWAS Regional Center for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC)
Supervisor: Head of Division - Health Emergency and Disaster Management (HEDM)

Background

• The network’s goal is to strengthen field epidemiology and public health laboratory capacity to contribute effectively to addressing epidemics and other major public health problems in countries where we operate.
• AFENET works to strengthen Epidemiological and disease surveillance capabilities of African countries that are critical to meeting the requirements of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy and the International Health Regulations (IHR)/Joint External Evaluation including strengthening one health collaborative efforts.
• In advancing the cause for a Healthier Africa; AFENET in collaboration with ECOWAS Regional One Health Secretariat including the West African Health Organization (WAHO), the ECOWAS Regional Center for Surveillance and Disease Control, the Regional Animal Health Center and the ECOWAS Department of Environment, seeks to fill the position of Technical Advisor - One Health.

Job Purpose

• The One Health Technical Advisor will work collaboratively with US CDC One Health Office, AFENET, the ECOWAS Regional One health Secretariat and the quadripartite across the 15 ECOWAS member states’ networks to support One health collaborative efforts.
• Primary activities include strengthening surveillance and response efforts to effectively prevent, rapidly detect and respond to current and emerging public health threats, especially at the human animal environment interface, within West Africa.
• The  Technical Advisor will support RCSDC in advancing existing One Health efforts including supporting the implementation of recommendations from the December 2018 ECOWAS Regional One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization (OHZDP) workshop, strategic planning, developing national One Health plans, implementing One Health tools, supporting FAO-UNEP-WHO-WOAH quadripartite global one health agreements and initiatives, and strengthening regional and national disease surveillance systems coordinated and integrated across multiple health sectors.
• The Technical Advisor will organize and support facilitation discussions, workshops, gap analysis and development of materials to advance the regional One Health Coordination mechanism.

Major Duties and Responsibilities
The One Health Technical Advisor will provide support directly to RCSDC in collaboration with
US CDC and AFENET to:

• Support the implementation of the ECOWAS Regional One Health Strategy and the ECOWAS governance manual
• Prepare and implement One Health scoping review in ECOWAS region to strengthen respiratory diseases surveillance mechanism
• Draft the first report of scoping review to strengthen respiratory diseases surveillance mechanisms
• Draft final report of the scoping review
• Draft a costed roadmap for supporting Member States to implement key recommendations to strengthen respiratory diseases surveillance mechanisms across the region in a one health collaborative approach
• Support the organization of the regional workshop to validate the scoping review and develop recommendations to strengthen respiratory disease surveillance mechanisms
• Support the dissemination and implementation of Potential One health solutions (DHIS-2 One Health/Zoonotic Surveillance module, Tripartite Zoonosis Guide (TZG) and the TZG Surveillance and Information Sharing Operational Tool (SIS OT)) in selected west African countries through the facilitation of One Health trainings
• Support ECOWAS organizations and Member States in the implementation of OHZDP recommendations;
• Support Other efforts identified by RCSDC, RAHC and US CDC/AFENET in advancing one health in the region.
• Draft relevant articles for publication on the scoping review and the documentation of overall initiative.

Minimum Qualifications

• A minimum of Master's Degree (e.g, MPH or MSc) with 5 years of experience in Public Health, Epidemiology, Veterinary Science, Health Science, Health Services Research or related Health discipline.

Required Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant practical experience in public health with special emphasis on one health collaboration/coordination, public health surveillance, informatics and health information exchange, and related workforce capacity development at the national, regional or continental-level in any setting, including a governmental agency, academic institution, research organization or a life-sciences company.
• Clear understanding of one health and public health principles on the African continent and fair knowledge of the operations of public health institutions and other ministries that work on one health related issues in the ECOWAS Member States and regions.
• Knowledge of one health and public health surveillance guidelines, frameworks and data capture, reporting and analyses platforms and tools on the continent.
• Knowledge and experience in supporting one health coordination and public health surveillance programmes or other disease intelligence initiatives with government ministries, regional organizations and partners.
• Knowledge of establishing one health coordination mechanisms or integrated one health surveillance in national, regional, or continental settings.
• Knowledge of relevant one health, related public health issues in Africa, and at least 2 years previous experience working in the ECOWAS region.
• Strong technical and scientific writing skills and ability to communicate technical materials to both scientific and lay audiences for policy change.
• Demonstrable experience and in-depth knowledge of operations of the
• WAHO/RCSDC/RAHC, AFENET, US CDC, and National Public Health Institutes is preferred.
• Deep understanding of the WAHO/RCSDC way of working and managing associated relationships with ECOWAS Member States and partners.

Skills and Competencies required:
Functional Skills:

• Excellent diplomatic, representational, interpersonal and communication skills, including experience successfully interacting with stakeholders and decision-makers in technical and other professional settings.
• Mastery of public health and one health principles and practices as they relate to the implementation of public health programmes and service delivery.
• Excellent technical and scientific writing skills, in addition to narrative and financial reporting skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and a proven ability to deliver under tight deadlines and works well under pressure.
• Demonstrated project planning and management skills for organizing, planning and executing public health projects from conception through implementation.
• Skills in translating highly technical information into presentations, briefings and report and funding proposals for both technical and lay audiences.
• Resourceful and skilled at collecting, analysing, and using data to recommend, make and communicate decisions of a technical nature to both scientific and lay audiences.
• Demonstrated ability with regard to computer skills, including excellent word-processing capabilities, proficiency with e-mail, and internet applications, experience in using office software applications such as MS Excel, PowerPoint and Word, and statistical packages such as R, EPIINFO, or STATA.

Personal Abilities:

• Leadership and management abilities
• Ability to work under pressure, stay on track and meet deadlines
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Proven ability to use clear, concise language in correspondence, 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
• Knowledge of results-based management
• Pro-active and solutions oriented
• Language proficiency.

ECOWAS Language Requirement:

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

Benefits
These positions have competitive remuneration

Application Closing Date
28th November, 2022 (5:30 pm - EAT).