Main purpose of job:
 
This post is located within UKHSA’s International Health Strengthening Project which is one of the GHS programs in the UKHSA Global Operations Division. Global Operations supports the delivery of UKHSA’s Global Health Strategy. It provides a corporate service to UKHSA, supporting the oversight, coordination and delivery of UKHSA’s international activity and working with UK government departments and other UK partners to build and strengthen international public health links. The division also maintains its extensive portfolio of global health programs and projects, focusing on technical capacity building and strengthening health systems in partner countries.

The International Health Regulations Strengthening (IHR-S) Project is an Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded project designed to improve IHR capability in selected countries and regions with medium and long-term activities taking place through partnerships with institutions, including the National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) in several countries in Africa and Asia.

We are recruiting a public health expert to join the UKHSA’s IHR-S project regional team based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Under the direction of the IHR-S Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Lead, the post holder will be responsible for workforce activities. Africa CDC is the public health technical agency of the African Union (AU), headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The project’s workplan in Africa CDC will build on the success to date but also provide an opportunity to strengthen capacity at African Union Member States (MS) and the African Union Regional Coordinating Centres (RCCs). The post-holder will provide expert advice and technical support in public health workforce development to ensure a holistic approach to strengthening IHR compliance, working within the Africa CDC.
The post holder will work as part of the UKHSA IHR-S team in Ethiopia. under the IHR_S team Africa CDC Senior Public Health Advisor.

Roles and responsibilities:

Working under the guidance of the Project’s Africa CDC Lead and the Lead for workforce development within the Africa CDC’s Institute of Workforce Development (Africa CDC-IWD), the post holder will:

• Support the strengthening of public health workforce development in African Union Member States
• Support the implementation of Africa CDC’s Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Program
• Collaborate with the IHR-SP Senior Public Health Advisor and the leadership team in Africa CDC to identify needs, develop and deliver workforce development programmes
• Work closely with the workforce development team in Africa CDC and partners to progress the continental workforce under the New Public Health Order for Africa and the African Union Agenda 2063
• Provide technical advice to, and participate in relevant Technical Working Groups and committees at Africa CDC Regional Coordinating Centres (RCCs) as required
• Ensure compliance with planning and reporting practice required for the UKHSA IHR-S project, including monitoring, reporting, evaluation, and learning (MREL)
• Provide support to the Africa CDC public health workforce development workplan activities
• Contribute to any Africa CDC cross-programme workforce development initiatives as and when required
• Contribute to the development of the IHR-S Africa CDC team as may be required and as directed by Africa CDC IHR-S Lead.
• Contribute to and support the X-HMG activities relevant to Global Health Security and the X-HMG Country Plan
• Carry out other duties as may reasonably be required in the role

You will be a highly organised, creative team player who is a self-starter and has excellent written and verbal communication skills. You will have a thorough understanding of a broad range of public health topics especially relevant to public health workforce development and initiatives in Africa and their role in global health security in general and Africa’s health security in particular. You will have a thorough understanding of the complex field of public health, cutting across leadership, capable workforce, sustainable development, improved population health and health security. You will have excellent negotiation skills, enabling you to deal sensitively with stakeholders with complex and sometimes conflicting interests. You will be expected to show a strong drive to complete and evidence progress, recognising the importance of compliance and reporting.

• Postgraduate qualification in Public Health and or other relevant professional qualification or experience
• Experience of devising, implementing and delivering public health workforce initiatives across various countries and/or organization
• Extensive experience of working in the field of public health workforce development in Africa, preferably in a multilateral organization
• Proven track record of cross-team and cross organisation collaboration, ability to build and nurture key relationships and maintain effective networks
• Experience of organizing and managing events at a regional and global levels
• Knowledge of, and a keen interest in the health sector and cultural in Africa
• Experience of working in or with senior stakeholders in government  ministries, departments, or agencies and similar institutions in Africa
• Experience in an organisation with complex stakeholder interactions
• A positive, resilient, flexible and adaptable “can-do” attitude that can see way through challenges
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems
• Excellent computer skills and proficient in excel, word, outlook, PowerPoint
• A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards and a diverse workplace to include equity and inclusion principles