Job Title: Senior Technical Officer – Non-Communicable Diseases, Injuries and Mental Health
Posting Start Date: 10/8/24
Job Description:
AU Values
Respect for Diversity and Teamwork | Integrity and Impartiality |
Think Africa Above all | Efficiency and Professionalism |
Transparency and Accountability | Information and Knowledge Sharing |
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Organization Information
Reports to: Head of Division – Disease Control and Prevention
Directorate/Department: Africa CDC
Division: Disease Control and Prevention
Number of Direct Reports: 0
Number of Indirect Reports: 0
Job Grade: P3
Number of Positions: 1
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Purpose of Job
The African Union (AU), established as a unique Pan African continental body, is charged with spearheading Africa’s rapid integration and sustainable development by promoting unity, solidarity, cohesion and cooperation among the peoples of Africa and African States as well as developing a new partnership worldwide. Its Headquarters is located in of Ethiopia. Officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2017 as a specialized technical institution of the African Union, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is Africa’s first continent-wide public health agency. Africa CDC envisions a safer, healthier, and prosperous Africa, in which Member States are prepared to timely prevent, detect, and respond effectively to public health threats and outbreaks. The agency’s mission is to Strengthen Africa’s public health institutions and systems’ capacities, capabilities, and partnerships to timely prevent, detect, and respond effectively to public health threats and outbreaks based on evidence-based policies, programs, and interventions.
Africa CDC has six strategic priority pillars: (1) Public health surveillance and disease intelligence; (2) Public health emergency preparedness and response; (3) Public health laboratory systems and networks; (4) Public health information systems; (5) National public health institutes and research and, (6) Disease Control and Prevention. In seeking to achieve these strategic objectives, a grant agreement was signed between Africa CDC and the World Bank to ensure the programme delivery capacity is adequate at Africa CDC in three main components: (1) Support to the Africa CDC’s COVID-19 response, (2) Enhancing Africa CDC’s technical and programmatic functions to support AU Member States’ preparedness capacities and, (3) Strengthening Africa CDC’s institutional capacity and operational structure. Hence, Africa CDC invites applicants who are citizens of Member States to apply for the position of Senior Technical Officer – NCDs, Injuries and Mental Health for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Division of Disease Control and Prevention.
Main Functions
Under the supervision of the Head of Division – Disease Control and Prevention Division , the Senior Technical Officer, will be responsible for carrying out a variety of technical and programme management and implementation activities in the area of strengthening health systems for the prevention and control of NCDs, Injuries and Mental Health including developing workforce, advancing multisectoral action, promote development and implementation of integrated systems for NCDIMH prevention including surveillance systems and designing other innovative approaches to curve the burden of NCDIMH on the continent as per the Africa CDC NCDs, Injuries and Mental Health strategy (2022-2023). They will further provide technical guidance to support conceptualization and implementation of holistic implementation of Non-Communicable Diseases, Injuries and mental Ill-health promotion and advocacy within AU Member States. Additionally, the Senior Technical Officer will work in collaboration with Regional Collaborating Centres (RCC) and National Public Health Institutes (NPHI) in AU Member States as well as other existing relevant entities and organizations
Specific Responsibilities
The Senior Technical Officer will be responsible for the following:
- Provide technical support and advice to Member States on the overall implementation of the Africa CDC NCDs, Injuries and Mental Health Strategic priorities, monitor and evaluate progress towards successful implementation of the strategy.
- Provide technical guidance to the Africa CDC leadership, RCCs, and capacity building support to Member States on areas related to improving NCDs, Injuries and Mental health indicators;
- Provide technical support in building workforce for NCDs, Injuries prevention and control and Mental health promotion on the continent and in Member States including promoting cross-country learning and support through the network of Member States NCDs and MH Lead.
- Develop capacity building training package and Member States reporting templates and platforms including on NCDIMH surveillance to increase the capacity of Member States and Africa CDC to monitor and respond the growing burden of NCDs, Injuries and Mental Health on the continent,
- Provide scientific and technical, coordination and managerial support to Africa CDC the Regional Collaborating Centers (RCCs), National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) and Ministries of Health efforts towards strengthening National Public Health Institute capacity for integrating NCDs, Injuries and Mental Health into the mainstream of primary health care and improve multi-sector engagement through operationalization of the African Union Multisectoral taskforce on NCDIMH;
- Through Existing National Strategies and with support from other organizations, fill gaps, foster synergies and continue collaboration to strengthen health systems to improve NCDs, Injuries and Mental Health indicators in Member States.
- Support the implementation of inter-country collaboration on NCDs, injuries and Mental Health surveillance monitoring and reporting, including data sharing and use and promote engagement of countries
- Support resource mobilization to support the implementation of the Africa CDC NCDs, Injuries and Mental Health strategy through advocacy, coordination and proposal development;
- Support the coordination of external relations (Technical Partners, Donors) including managing regular communications, meetings, presentations and partnerships.
- Provide technical input with regards to design, implementation, data analysis, report writing for public health, social and operational research and policy briefs.
- Support the monitoring and documentation of outputs, outcomes, lessons learned, and challenges for activities related to improving NCDs, Injuries and Mental Health for cross-country learning and sharing;
- Build and maintain strong collaborations and relationships with partners and another stakeholder on the continent;
- Undertake any other duties/responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.
Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience
- Master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, health sciences or a field related to NCDs, Injuries or Mental Health, with at least seven (7) years’ experience in public health epidemiology and surveillance, public health workforce development, health information systems or other related public health programme activities OR Bachelor’s degree in public health, epidemiology, health sciences or a field related to NCDs, Injuries or Mental health with 10 years of experience in public health epidemiology and surveillance, public health workforce development, health information systems or other related public health programme activities.
- Technical skills and experience in development and implementation of strategic plans for public health institutions with special emphasis on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental health in Africa, epidemiology and surveillance, health information systems and related workforce capacity development;
- Resourceful and skilled at collecting, analyzing and using data to recommend, make and communicate decisions of a technical nature to both scientific and lay audiences;
- Strong technical and scientific writing skills, in addition to narrative and technical reporting skills;
- Knowledge of public health programs, health sciences research and health systems strengthening, and experience in supporting projects and programs under government ministries and external donors;
- Familiarity with administrative and management practice and processes typically employed by public health and other public sector programs, particularly in the context of emergency response;
- Knowledge of public health issues in Africa and previous experience working in Africa;
- Knowledge of oral communication techniques and skill in presentation delivery, program consultation and credible verbal response to inquiries;
- Skills in translating technical information into presentations, briefings and reports and funding proposals for both technical and lay audiences;
- Demonstrable experience and in-depth knowledge of operations of the Africa CDC, Regional Collaborating Centers National Public Health Institutes will be an added advantage.
- Understanding of the African Union way of working and managing associated relationships with Member State entities and partners.
Required Skills
- Knowledge of public health principles and practice as they relate to the implementation of public health programs and service delivery.
- Diplomatic, representational, interpersonal and communication skills, including experience successfully interacting with stakeholders and decision-makers in technical and other professional settings.
- Collect, analyze, and use data to recommend, make and communicate decisions of a technical nature to both scientific and lay audiences.
- Technical and scientific writing skills, in addition to narrative and financial reporting skills.
- Translate technical information into presentations, briefings and report and funding proposals for both technical and lay audiences.
- Project planning and management skills for organizing, planning and executing public health projects from conception through implementation.
- Demonstrated ability with regard to computer skills, particularly with statistical and other analytic tools, e.g., R and State, and with office software applications such as MS Excel, Power Point and Word.
- Applicants must be proficient in at least one of the AU languages (Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Swahili). Knowledge of one or more additional African Union working languages would be an added advantage.
Leadership Competencies
Strategic Insight
Developing Others
Change Management
Managing Risk..
Core Competencies
Learning Orientation
Accountability awareness and Compliance
Communicating with Influence ….
Teamwork and Collaboration ….
Functional Competencies
Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving
Job Knowledge and information sharing
Drive for Results
Continuous improvement focus..
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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 lump-sum 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.
Applications must be submitted no later than November 8, 2024 11h59 p.m. EAT.
-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.