Director Health Systems Strengthening & Public Health Institutes (AfCDC) at African Union Commission (AUC)

African Union Commission (AUC)

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Position: Director Health Systems Strengthening & Public Health Institutes (AfCDC)

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Permanent

Place of Work: Addis Ababa - Ethiopia

Salary: $78,138.00 per annum

Posted date: 3 months ago

Deadline: Submition date is over

Purpose of Job

The Director of Health Systems Strengthening and Public Health Institutes is responsible for leading and coordinating the efforts in strengthening health systems and public health institutes across Africa, ensuring the alignment with Africa CDC's strategic plan and regional health priorities. This role involves providing technical guidance, fostering collaboration, and enhancing capacity building in public health practice, surveillance, and emergency response. 

Main Functions

• Facilitate the translation of Africa CDC technical reference policy, guidance, plans, and tools into Regional Collaborating Centers (RCC) contexts. 
• Coordinate and facilitate the development of RCC work plans for regional surveillance capacity strengthening and workforce development. 
• Facilitate public health technical assistance between RCCs and National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs), providing scientific and policy guidance. 
• Assist Collaborating Centers in building core capacities of NPHIs in AU member states, focusing on quality improvement guidelines for public health emergency prevention. 
• Provide technical guidance and support to RCCs, including developing implementation, monitoring, and evaluation plans. 
• Lead the technical design of proposals/programs and contribute to the development of briefing notes, strategy documents, and guidelines. 
• Foster an enabling environment for research collaborations among RCCs, promoting information sharing and knowledge dissemination. 
• Facilitate RCC linkages to Africa CDC Emergency Operations Center activities, ensuring rapid deployment of resources during outbreaks. 
• Coordinate the development of RCC preparedness and response plans and assessments in collaboration with relevant units. 

Specific Responsibilities

• Facilitate strengthening of RCC disease surveillance monitoring and reporting by adapting Africa CDC surveillance policies and tools to regional contexts. 
• Lead efforts to document results and lessons from projects in white papers, journal articles, and other publications. 
• Prepare input for reports, slides, and other materials as required. 
• Represent Africa CDC at external technical events, learning forums, and conferences. 
• Advocate for health systems strengthening and capacity building in public health at various platforms. 
• Provide technical services delivery in support of Africa CDC Emergency Response activities as directed by the Africa CDC Incident Commander. 
• Perform other duties as assigned, contributing to the overall objectives of Africa CDC. 

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Advanced degree (Ph.D., MD, or equivalent) in Public Health, Medical Sciences.  
• Master’s degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Systems Management.  
• With a minimum of 15 years of experience in public health, health systems strengthening, or related fields. Eight (8) of which should have been served at the managerial level and five (5) years at the supervisory level.  
• Proven track record in leadership roles within public health or scientific research organizations. 
• Experience in international organizations is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in program development, policy formulation, and emergency response management. 

Essential 

• Significant experience in developing senior-level external relationships and securing the highest-level advocacy, including developing and harnessing strong networks across multiple stakeholder groups. 
• Advanced understanding of stakeholder engagement.  
• Extensive experience in leading, motivating and managing teams with the ability to promote a culture of high performance, continuous improvement and innovation. 
• Experience and successful track record working in diverse complex fast-paced environments and the ability to influence positive change.  
• Strong leadership and strategic management skills. 
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement abilities. 
• Proficient in risk management and organizational resilience. 
• Demonstrated capability in resource mobilization and financial management. 
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse, multi-cultural environment.  

Desirable 

• Experience working in international affairs in an international organization 
• Experience working with external partners, funders, and media. 
• An understanding of changing economic, political, and social environments affecting the Africa CDC. 
• An understanding and analysis of Africa and global political space and atmosphere 
• High level of diplomatic and communication etiquette.  
• High-level interpersonal skills. 

Required Skills

Result Oriented:  

• Strategic thinker, capable of working at a senior level and contributing at the Board/Council level  
• Entrepreneurial with the ability to input on strategic planning from a commercial standpoint  
• Ability to anticipate future opportunities and problems, taking strategic and pre-emptive action  
• Ability to set and achieve comprehensive goals for performance and growth  
• Passion for working in the developing world and creating positive change  

Leadership:

• Inspire confidence and promote shared values that underpin the ethos of the African Union and Africa CDC 
• Inspires others, is visible, adaptive, authentic and engenders trust  
• Visible leadership, promoting collective leadership for taking teams through significant programmes of change. 
• Passion and commitment to continuous improvement  
• Ambitious individual who has a personal drive to succeed and develop their own career, and support their teams to strive for excellence. 
• Political and diplomatic prowess 

Building and Managing Teams:  

• Directs and coaches others throughout the organization and enables people to perform at their best.  
• Ability to recognize and cultivate rising talent.  
• Creates a positive team environment. 
• Creates cohesion, develops synergies and achieves common goals. 

Communication and Interpersonal Skills:  

• High emotional and social intelligence.  
• Collaborative, supportive, calm under pressure, solution and able to lead others effectively in such a way that encourages maximum performance and engagement. 
• Exceptional communicator both in writing and in person to a range of audiences.  

Relationship Management:  

• Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and negotiate with a wide range of stakeholders and partners.  
• The gravitas and credibility to influence both within and beyond the organization  
• Analytical Skills:  
• Conceptual thinker, innovative and capable of complex problem solving  
• The ability to work well under pressure and take a considered measured position  

Results Orientated: 

• Desire for success and the motivation to constantly seek improvement  
• Ability and drive to manage organizational complexity  
• A high level of resilience with the ability to initiate and drive decisions  
• Tenacious, adaptable and the ability to get things done  
• The highest levels of self-awareness, commitment, and integrity  
• A proven commitment to fairness, inclusion, equality, diversity, and transparency 

Leadership Competencies

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

Core Competencies

• Building Relationship
• Communicating with Impact
• Foster Accountability Culture
• Learning Orientation

Functional Competencies

• Conceptual thinking
• Drive for Result
• Job Knowledge and information sharing
• Fosters Innovation

TENURE OF APPOINTMENT:

The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

GENDER MAINSTREAMING:

The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

LANGUAGES:

Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and Spanish) and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage

REMUNERATION:

Indicative basic salary of US$ 78,138.00 (D1 Step1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment (46% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 26,208.00 (per annum), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.

Applications must be submitted no later than March 11, 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.