Head of Occupational Health Division (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: Head of Occupational Health Division (AfCDC)

Requisition ID: 2022
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Job Grade: P5
Reports to: Director, Centres for Disease Control, Prevention and Health Promotion
Directorate / Department / Organ: Africa CDC
Division: Occupational Health

Purpose of Job

• The Head of Occupational Health Division is responsible for the overall management and coordination of the Africa CDC's occupational health activities. This includes developing and implementing policies and strategies, managing staff, and providing technical support to the division's activities.
• The Head of Division will also work to build partnerships with other organizations to support the division's work.

Main Functions

• Designs and implements policies, programs and projects to achieve the directorate’s strategic objectives.
• Manages and supervises employees within the division, ensures the timely delivery of the directorate’s goals and effective staff performance evaluation;
• Ensures the delivery of the division’s annual targets in line with the directorate’s overall goals and ensures robust and timely monitoring and reporting;
• Provides technical leadership and ensures efficient functioning of all Units within the Division
• Manages the work of the Division and supervises direct reports to ensure their effective performance in line with the organization’s performance management policy and system;
• Engages stakeholders within Members States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs)/Regional Mechanisms(RMs) and relevant international organisations in designing and implementing strategies.
• Maintains thematic partnerships in support of the mandate of the Division;  
• Maintains regular working relations with senior stakeholders in Member States and partner institutions in the execution of the Division’s mandate.  
• Represents the organisation and communicates its position at conferences.
• Contributes to the preparation of periodic financial and budget execution reports and monitor budget execution at division level.
• Ensures the effective management of funds contributed to the organization;  
• Manages risk within the division and recommends mitigation strategies
• Contributes to the development of the departmental business continuity plan and ensures implementation at division level
• Maintains a positive work environment that facilitates collaboration and information sharing and is conducive to attracting, retaining, and motivating diverse talent.

Specific Responsibilities

• Develop and implement policies and strategies for occupational health at the Africa CDC.
• Lead the development and implementation of the Africa CDC's occupational health strategy and policies
• Provide technical guidance and support to the Africa CDC's regional collaborating centers and national public health institutes on occupational health issues
• Coordinate and oversee the occupational health services and programs for the Africa CDC's staff and partners, including health promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation
• Establish and maintain partnerships and collaborations with relevant stakeholders, such as WHO, ILO, OSHA, and other regional and international organizations, on occupational health matters
• Manage the budget, resources, and staff of the Division of Occupational Health
• Conduct research and generate evidence-based recommendations on occupational health topics
• Monitor and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the occupational health interventions and activities
• Represent the Africa CDC in regional and global forums and meetings on occupational health
• Ensure compliance with the ethical and legal standards and regulations related to occupational health
• Manage staff and ensure that they have the resources they need to do their jobs.
• Provide technical support to the division's activities, such as conducting risk assessments, developing training programs, and providing consultation services.
• Build partnerships with other organizations to support the division's work, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
• Publish articles and reports on the division's work.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Master's Degree in Occupational Health or any related field.
• At least twelve (12) years of experience in occupational health, with a focus on public health, out of which seven (7) years should be at managerial level and five (5) with supervisory responsibilities
• Ph.D in Occupational Health or any related field is a plus.
• Experience in developing and implementing policies and strategies
• Experience in managing staff.
• Experience in providing technical support in the area of work.
• Experience in building partnerships.
• Experience in writing and publishing scientific articles.
• Experience in networking and building relationships.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to manage and coordinate complex projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and effectively in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment.

Leadership Competencies:

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

Core Competencies:

• Building Relationships
• Foster Accountability Culture
• Learning Orientation
• Communicating with impact.

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual Thinking
• Job Knowledge and information sharing
• Drive for Results
• Fosters Innovation.

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.

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 USD126,440.93 (P5 Step 5) inclusive of all allowances for internationally recruited staff, and USD108,357.41 inclusive of all allowances for locally recruited staff of the African Union Commission.

Application Closing Date
12th January, 2024 (11h59 p.m. EAT).