Senior Technical Officer, PHE Preparedness and IHR Capacity Development 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, PHE Preparedness and IHR Capacity Development

Requisition ID: 1870
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Reports to: Head of Division, Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response
Directorate/Department/Organ: Africa CDC
Division: Preparedness and Response
Job Grade: P3

Purpose of Job

• The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a specialized technical institution of the African Union that supports Member States in their efforts to strengthen their health systems. Africa CDC was officially launched in 31 January 2017, and is guided by the principles of leadership, credibility, ownership, delegated authority, timely dissemination of information, transparency, accountability, and innovation.
• The institution works with all African countries to strengthen the capabilities of their public health institutions for disease surveillance, emergency response, prevention and control, including the capacity to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats. It also serves as a platform for Member States to share and exchange knowledge and lessons from public health interventions.
• Effective public health interventions/actions require an adequately staffed, highly skilled, diverse and interdisciplinary workforce. Given the diminishing ratio of the African Public health workforce to the dual burden of disease on the continent, there is need to strengthen and build capacity of public health workforce in the continent to meet the current responsibilities.
• 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 a Senior Technical Officer Preparedness and IHR Capacity development for Africa CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Division.

Main Functions

• Under direct supervision of the Head of Division at Headquarters, the Senior technical officer Preparedness and IHR Capacity development, will be responsible for carrying out a variety of technical and programs management support activities in the area of public health, preparedness and on capacity development in MS of the international Health Regulations (IHR, 2005). Provide technical assistance to Member States and implementing partners, coordinate regional and international public health actions.

Specific Responsibilities

• The Senior Technical Officer Preparedness and IHR Capacity development, shall perform the following major duties and responsibilities:
• Develop and recommend frameworks for multisectoral regional pandemic preparedness.
• Support in efforts to build pandemic preparedness capacity of Member States.
• Participate in the incident management structure (IMS) during any disease outbreaks or pandemic.
• Work closely with Member States through its NPHI and the Regional Collaborating Centres (RCCs) in particular, in pandemic preparedness within the region.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships and relationship with partners interested in emergency preparedness and response on the continent.
• Develop and strengthen the capacities of the country to monitor, identify (early warning and assessment) to serious crossborder health threats.
• Support the development of emergency response capacities, including Public Health emergency operation centre (PHEOC).
• Support the development, utilization and maintenance of the Africa CDC Hazard and Threat  Atlas Map, for identifying and mapping continental threats and multi
• hazards; and define burden and impacts.
• Develop operational guidelines, tools, and manuals for preparedness capacity building in collaboration with partners on the continent.
• Support the development of contingency plans for high priority risks/specific events, based on strategic risk assessments and resource mapping.
• Provide technical support in simulation exercises on emergency preparedness jointly with Member States and other partners.
• Provide technical support for the conduct of IHR monitoring and evaluation framework activities and the development and revisions of national action plans for health security (NAPHS).
• Provide technical advice and expertise to strengthen country preparedness capacities for public health emergencies at all levels, including workforce development, through the organization of workshops, training programmes and assessments of country performance in liaison with appropriate internal and external stakeholders.
• Performs any other duties/responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience
The Minimum academic requirements are:

• Master’s Degree in Public Health or a related field from an accredited academic institution with at least seven (7) years of relevant professional experience with demonstrated involvement in the successful development and management of emergency preparedness programs,

OR

• Bachelor’s Degree in the above fields with at least ten (10) years of relevant professional experience in the abovementioned related fields.
• At least three years out of total relevant work experience need to be at expert level.

Essential:

• At least 4 years of relevant experience, combined at the national and international levels in supporting implementation of public health emergency management programs and related activities
• Demonstrable experience and knowledge of operations of the Africa CDC and Regional Collaborating Centres.

Desirable:

• Previous experience working in Africa that reflects an indepth knowledge of public health issues and public health workforce in general.
• Understanding of the African Union’s way of working and managing associated relationships with Member States and partners is a valuable asset.
• Experience with engagement and interaction with seniorlevel officials and other key stakeholders in both public and privatesector organizations.

Required Skills:

• Strong analytical capabilities
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team and personal qualities of integrity and credibility
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with exceptional attention to details
• Ability to work under pressure, stay on track and meet deadlines
• Analytical and problemsolving 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 teamspirit
• Adaptive, patient, resourceful, resilient and flexible
• Proactive and solutions oriented
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages is required (English, French, Arabic, Kiswahili, Portuguese or Spanish). Fluency in English and knowledge of any additional language is an added advantage.

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Insight
• Change Management
• Managing Risk

Core Competencies:

• Building Relationship
• Accountable and Complies with Rules
• Learning Orientation
• Communicating with Influence

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual Thinking
• Job Knowledge and information sharing:
• Drive for Result
• Continuous Improvement Orientation

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.

Remuneration
The salary attached to the position is an annual lumpsum of US$  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
14th July, 2023 at 11:59pm (EAT).