Senior Technical Officer Pathogen Genomics (1 Role)

About Saving Lives and Livelihoods Programme

The African Union, 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 Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) was officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 31, 2017. The Africa CDC is Africa’s first continent-wide public health agency and envisions a safer, healthier, integrated and stronger Africa, where Member States are capable of effectively responding to outbreaks of infectious diseases and other public health threats. The agency mission is to strengthen Africa’s public health institutions’ capabilities to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks and other health burdens through an integrated network of continent-wide preparedness and response, surveillance, laboratory, and research programmes.

Africa CDC has been at the forefront of the continent’s fight against the pandemic. The agency has set a goal to vaccinate 60 percent the continent’s population before the end of 2024. To achieve this ambitious and critical goal, the Africa CDC and the Mastercard Foundation are launching “Saving Lives and Livelihoods,” “partnership for COVID-19 Vaccination in Africa.” The planned Saving Lives and Livelihoods partnership is a unique initiative due to its scope and scale, the critical topics it focuses on, as well as the way it will be governed.

The Role

The Senior Technical Officer for Pathogen Genomics is responsible for providing technical expertise and guidance for the implementation of Saving Lives and Livelihoods pathogen genomics activity to enable timely response to outbreaks/epidemics and improved surveillance of COVID-19 pathogens of public health significance.

The Senior Technical Officer for Pathogen Genomics shall:

• Provide technical oversight for the effective implementation of the pathogen genomics programme
• Support National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) on sampling methods, data collection, analyses, interpretation and reporting technical assistance to NPHIs and other relevant institutions for strengthening the use of pathogen genomics for routine infectious disease surveillance
• Maintains a dashboard for monitoring technical assistance and overall implementation of pathogen genomics by countries for the Programme
• Supports the adoption and implementation of priority use-cases at both country and regional level
• Supports the creation and running of technical working groups including development of ToRs and supporting them to meet the deliverables the establishment and function of the laboratory network including coordinating referrals as well as quality assurance systems
• Coordinates the development and implementation of minimum quality standards for genomics laboratories and subsequent certification to ensure generation of quality data for public health use periodic reports and publications for dissemination of information
• Represent Africa CDC in a professional manner, which creates a positive image and enhances the credibility of the organisation any other duties as requested by the Technical Assistance Lead

Master’s degree in molecular epidemiology, genomics, genetics, bioinformatics, or other related science-based fields with 7 years of work experience. Candidate need to have at least 3 years of supervisory and managerial experience. PhD degree is an added advantage.
Or
Bachelor’s degree in molecular epidemiology, genomics, genetics, bioinformatics, or other related science-based fields with 10 years of work experience. Candidate need to have at least 3 years of supervisory and managerial experience.

Required skills and competencies

Functional skills:

• Experience in public health, molecular epidemiology, infectious diseases and health Science including diseases surveillance, or emergency preparedness and response
• Demonstrated scientific knowledge and understanding of molecular epidemiology with sound knowledge of Next Generation Sequencing
• Significant experience in programs and ability to employ different approaches to implement public health programs
• Strong organisational skills and evidence of leading multiple workstreams simultaneously with Effective prioritisation
• A good understanding of public health systems in Africa and a fair knowledge of operations of National Public Health Institutions (NPHIs) and Ministry of Health in Member States
• Excellent computer skills, including word-processing capabilities, proficiency with e-mail and internet applications, experience in using office software applications such as MS Excel, Power Point and Word

Personal abilities:

• Leadership and management abilities. Pro-active and solutions oriented.
• Analytical and problem solving abilities
• Ability to build strong relationships internally and with external actors.
• Proven ability to use clear, concise language in correspondence as well as when preparing written briefs and reports
• High level of autonomy at work, yet with profound team spirit.
• Ability to work under pressure, with minimal supervision, and in a culturally diverse team
• Adaptive, patient, resourceful, resilient and flexible.

Language requirement:

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

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