Organization: UNOPS – United Nations Office for Project Services
Location: Addis Ababa
Grade: Mid level – IICA-2, International Individual Contractors Agreement
Closing Date: 2025-01-05
The purpose of the position is to engage Members states and individuals at the Regional Economic Commissions (RECS) level to ensure harmonisation in the strengthening of health systems to support TB programs within national action plans. This involves advocating for capacity building, facilitating knowledge sharing on TB-related initiatives, and promoting collaboration across AU Member States. Key strategies include organizing technical consultative meetings and encouraging TB-focused research to drive collective progress.
Major Duties and Responsibilitiesa) To organise meetings to advocate for capacity building on information systems and surveillance, particularly for high- burden countries facing reporting challenges to ensure that accurate data is generated for the production of the TB scorecard.
b) To lead discussions on knowledge exchange regarding TB management, with a focus on multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and childhood TB, as well as new diagnostic methods.
c) Promote capacity building to enhance national response efforts.
d) Coordinate the submissions of progress reports from Member States on the implementation of the TB score card, highlighting ownership and accountability measures. Review the recommendations for quality, and ensure they are submitted to the relevant Policy Organs for endorsement.
e) Strengthen advocacy efforts through dissemination of the TB Accountability framework and emphasizing the need for increased funding to address the underfunded TB response.
f) Organise Technical Consultative Meetings to promote TB research and discuss grant application opportunities and explore financing options to support TB programs in Member States.
g) Coordinate the convening of High-level Advocacy that brings together various relevant ministries and stakeholders as a mechanism that will encourage collaboration and harmonisation in the control and elimination of TB at National, regional and continental levels.
h) Collaboration with the Education Science Technology and Innovation (ESTI) Department, to promote the creation of a network of universities and researchers working on TB on the Continent.
i) Facilitate and support activities that will promote skills transfers and capacity building through South-to-South collaboration
j) Undertake technical coordination responsibilities as assigned by the Director
- A minimum of Master’s university degree in Infectious diseases or related Sciences and relevant years of experience in medicine, public health or epidemiology, basic health science (eg biology, chemistry)or other relevant discipline is required. A Doctoral degree (e.g., Ph.D., Sc.D. or D.Ph.) in a relevant discipline is desirable.
- A Bachelors degree combined with an additional 2 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a Masters degree
- A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in TB, such as coordinating/implementing TB programmes, strategic planning, management and control initiatives, research or related areas is required.
- Experience in training/capacity building is required.
- At least 2 years experience working in Africa is required
- Experience in advocacy preferably in high-level policy dialogue especially towards domestic resource mobilization, sustained political commitment and accountability, is required
- Clear understanding of the health systems on the continent and fair knowledge of operations of the Ministry of Health in Member States is preferred.
- Experience in the preparation of, and technical proposals and reporting for advancing public health initiatives and programmes, and related goals and objectives towards controlling and ending Tuberculosis is desired.
- Demonstrable experience in drafting scientific and technical documentation for executive level consumption and/or peer review is desired.
- Familiarity with TB diagnostic tools, including Interferon gamma release assays is desired.
- In-depth knowledge of public health issues in Africa is desired.