Role :   Job Opportunities : Country Implementation Manager UNITAID POC EID
Location :   2. Yaoundé
Company URL :   www.pedaids.org/

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Job Title: Country Implementation Manager UNITAID POC EID

Job openings: 01       

Locations: Yaoundé            

Reports to: Technical Director

Contract Duration: One year with possibility of extension

Terms of Offer: This position is remunerated on local terms. (for local candidates only)

"Sometimes in life there is that moment when it's possible to make a change for the better. This is one of those moments."

-Elizabeth Glaser

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV and AIDS, working in 15 countries and at over 5,500 sites around the world to prevent the transmission of HIV to children, and to help those already infected. Today, because of the highly successful work of the Foundation and its partners, pediatric AIDS has been virtually eliminated in the United States. With a growing global staff of over 1,000—nine of 10 who work in the field—the Foundation’s global mission is to implement HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs; further advance innovative research; and to execute strategic and targeted global advocacy activities to bring dramatic change to the lives of millions of women, children, and families worldwide. 

Job Purpose

Through a grant from UNITAID, EGPAF will introduce and scale-up innovative point-of-care (POC) early infant diagnosis (EID) in nine African countries. This four-year project will procure and distribute more than 279 POC EID platforms and 300,000 POC EID tests worth an estimated total cost of US$ 24 million. The Project will enable the testing of up to 300,000 HIV-exposed infants, resulting in increased pediatric HIV diagnosis, earlier initiation of infants on ART, increased pediatric ARV coverage, and improved survival of HIV-positive infants.

The Project Officer – Laboratory will support the implementation of the UNITAID/EGPAF POC EID project in Cameroon, with the long term aim of providing quality integrated HIV prevention, counselling, testing, care and treatment services within the Ministry of Health, Private, and Faith Based Sector health facilities

Job Summary

Under the supervision of the Country Director, the Country Implementation Manager is responsible for providing the day-to-day oversight and coordination to effectively implement the UNITAID project in Cameroon. He/she will be a key member of the country and institutional project team, and will work in close coordination with EGPAF staff in Cameroon and at the global level.

This position will work closely with representatives of the Ministry of Health in Cameroon, national and international implementing partners, and representatives from other donors and normative agencies to support the optimization of early infant diagnosis in Cameroon through the strategic placement and utilization of POC EID platforms. The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience supporting the implementation of complex HIV programs, working collaboratively with donors and other partners, and demonstrated experience in pediatric HIV. Strong HIV technical and program management skills will be required.  He/she will supervise a Country Implementation Officer and will work very closely with the regional and global units to provide leadership, facilitation, coordination and support in managing and implementing the UNITAID project.

The successful candidate should have strong communication skills, the ability to work well with a country and global team, and the ability to manage multiple competing priorities will be key qualifications for this role. This individual will also be responsible for assuring high quality technical and operations support to national partners. This position requires the ability to move different agendas with different timelines and the ability to keep things moving forward and provide ongoing and responsive guidance to country teams.

Essential duties:

• Serve as the key institutional resource and focal point for the UNITAID project in Cameroon
• Provide technical support to the Ministry of Health to assess and map the existing EID network in country;
• Identify appropriate facilities for the introduction of POC EID, as part of the effort to optimize the pediatric cascade;
• Support the development of training materials and curricula for the MOH and national partners;
• Support the roll out of national trainings in POC EID;
• Work with the EGPAF/Cameroon country team to monitor project spending.
• Contribute to technical reports to donor;
• Disseminate information and lessons learned through the project to other national partners
• Lead the in-country process of developing and updating country operational plans semi-annually;
• Develop and share deployment models and strategies on how to maximize the impact of new POC diagnostics
• Provide oversight and support to the UNITAID project staff in Cameroon to ensure on-time and effective program implementation
• Assist the Ministry of Health in the development of POC testing policies and National implementation plans, and the creation of operational systems to support the wide-scale implementation of new POC diagnostic products, such as training, quality assurance, and data management
• Provide regular updates to the Country Director, Technical Director and Global UNITAID team;
• Develop and ensure timely submission of technical reports to the donor;
• Support human resource planning, annual work plan and budget planning and monitoring, use of data for decision making and ensuring achievement of program results;
• Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence by providing, facilitating or coordinating high quality technical, programmatic, and management support to national partners
• Support development of appropriate country specific systems to ensure consistent, high-quality project management;
• Work with EGPAF country team, government, and partners to identify funding for increased investment in new POC diagnostic products, mainstream supply of reagents and equipment for POCs

Required Qualifications

The Country Implementation Manager will be committed to EGPAF’s strategy and mission. He/she should have demonstrated leadership and relationship management experience.

• Laboratory scientist with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Laboratory Technology
• Advanced degree in public health or business Administration, with at least 5 years of management experience in similar position
• Understanding of the MoH systems including the National Health Reference Laboratory
• Registered with the appropriate regulatory body
• Unwavering commitment to quality programs and excellence in organizational and project management with the ability to achieve strategic objectives

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong ability to think strategically and at a high-level, with equally strong practical ability to translate strategic ideas into implementation
• Demonstrated technical and programmatic knowledge of the HIV response globally and in Cameroon
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people
• Bilingualism is mandatory: being able to fluently speak and write in English and French is an elimination criterion.
• Proficiency in computer packages for generating and analyzing reports
• Dedicated team player with excellent interpersonal, communication, report writing and analytical skills
• Ability to takes initiative and work without supervision in a dynamic multi-cultural environment
• Ability to exhibit professionalism and high ethical standards
• High level of integrity

How to apply 

Qualified candidates should submit a CV and cover letter through this portal : chj.tbe.taleo.net/chj05/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=PEDAIDS&cws=1&rid=1381.

Applications will be considered until January 31, 2018.

Please note that only short-listed applicants meeting the above requirements will be contacted.