Project Officer

Number Required: One (3)

.      CONTRACT DURATION AND REMUNERATION

.  The contract will be for one year but extendable depending on satisfactory performance and the need of business continuity.

.  The Project Officer will be based at the Ethiopian Public health Institute in Addis Ababa and will travel to the regions as found necessary.     OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The objective of the assignment is to recruit a qualified Project Officer for the National Health Laboratory Services to assist in the implementation of various laboratory projects aimed at advancing the capacity and capability of the health laboratory system to effectively support healthcare services, public health emergency management system and public health researches. The Officer will but particularly focus on the successful implementation of key laboratory programs that are specifically designed to build the capacity of the laboratory system for the prompt detection and characterization of emerging and re-emerging epidemic or pandemic prone pathogens as part of the country’s strive towards establishing a resilient and sustainable system for pandemic preparedness and response (PPR). Key programmatic focus areas include, but not limited to, laboratory mapping and diagnostic network optimization, quality management implementation and accreditation, service expansion and networking, scale up of EQA schemes, strengthening biosafety and biosecurity, laboratory equipment management, and specimen referral linkage and transportation system, among others, and all as they relate and contribute to the PPR Project (PPRP). The Project Officer, as assigned and directed by her/his immediate supervisor, will participate in the implementation of the PPRP at national and regional levels to enhance the capacity of the national health laboratory system and services to capably support and sustainably promote the provision of quality healthcare, conduct of innovative clinical and public health researches, timely detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks of public health concern, and overall strengthening of the country’s health system. The Project Officer will work under the National Laboratories Capacity Building Directorate (NLCBD) and directly report to its director.

JOB SUMMARY

The Project Officer will be in charge of assisting the Director in leading, coordinating, overseeing, organizing, monitoring, and improving the performance of PPRP and related activities implemented through the NLCBD and its divisions. The Project Officer provides support in the planning, execution, monitoring and evaluation, and overall management of the PPRP implementation as related to building the capacity and capability of the health laboratory system. The Project Officer will support strategic and operational planning for the effective implementation of the project in alignment with EPHI’s long-term vision and current mission. The Project Officer will also be responsible for designing, organizing, and implementing systems and tools to automate routine tasks, make processes more accurate, consistent and cost-effective, and collaborate with all stakeholders, partners and beneficiaries of the project’s implementation.

   DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The roles and responsibilities of the Project Officer include, but not limited to, the following:

.  Support and coordinate the proper implementation of the PPRP and related activities;

.  Develop project management plans, schedules, and budgets;

.  Manage the implementation of project activities within pre-set timelines and allocated budgets to the required level of performance and quality of outputs;

.  Develop and execute project work plans on the basis of the project’s objectives and deliverables;

.  Review project plan implementation to meet changing needs and requirements;

.  Identify, manage, and monitor project dependencies and critical paths;

.  Timely and precisely convey project expectations to all stakeholders and partners;

.  Attain project goals through identifying and scheduling professional and technical services & resources;

.  Develop and maintain close professional relations with national, regional, and international organizations involved in the implementation of the PPRP;

.  As found appropriate, involve laboratory directorates under Health Laboratory Services and their divisions in decision-making processes and management of the PPRP implementation;

.  Involve in internal networking and knowledge and experience sharing initiatives through participation in committee meetings and internal technical workgroup meetings;

.  Search and provide information required for references to establish benchmarks, and project goals;

.  Support technical operations at all levels of the health laboratory system for the seamless implementation of the PPRP;

.  Assist laboratory informatics divisions identify data collection methods for project information and design database queries.

.  Record the implementation status and performance of laboratory activities related to the PPRP   for internal and external reporting and communications;

.  Support the leadership of Health Laboratory Services in the coordinated and integrated implementation of the PPRP and existing laboratory programs;

.  Identify opportunities to expand and enhance stakeholders and partners’ relationships and ensure their engagements in the planning, implementation and performance review processes;

.  Actively participate in institutional technical committees, national and regional review meetings for the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of laboratory projects;

.  Work closely with the institute’s procurement department to ensure the smooth and expedited executions of project procurements through timely identification and proper management of bottlenecks and risks by meticulously following institutional and donor procurement guidelines;

.  Monitor project progress and adjust plans as needed.

.  Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful project delivery

.  Provide regular project status updates to the NLCBD Director, relevant stakeholders and partners;

.  Ensure high-quality project deliverables that meet or exceed the expectations of the institute, stakeholders and partners and the donor agency; 

.  Track project expenditures with grant managers and the finance team and ensure adherence to allocated budgets;

.  Ensure project performance reports are timely prepared and shared with all authorized to receive such reports;

.  Participate in the monitoring and evaluation of laboratory projects implemented by all directorates under Health Laboratory Services;

.  Execute other activities as assigned and directed by her or his immediate supervisor;

.  Minimum of MSc in Medical Laboratory Science, public health and related fields.

.  At least 8 years of related demonstrated progressive experience working in a medical diagnostic or research laboratory setting after MSc. A candidate with a PhD will have an added advantage. A candidate with additional degree/s in biostatistics, project management, and working on health laboratory system or public health related project will also be advantageous.

.  Demonstrated expertise in medical laboratory sciences with adequate knowledge of laboratory projects.

.  Ability to objectively analyze situations and make recommendations for decisions.

.  Skill in planning, training, project implementation and monitoring and evaluation of interventions are necessary.

.  Ability to effectively interact with health professionals at various levels including working with national counterparts, partners and international agencies.

.  Ability to work harmoniously as member of a team, adapting to diverse educational and cultural backgrounds and maintaining a high standard of personal conduct.

.  Familiar with laboratory quality standards and biosafety and biosecurity requirements.

.  Outstanding report writing and communication skills.

.  Ability to work with people at different levels – stakeholders and partners, community level organizations, etc.

.  Proficiency in standard MS Office applications including MS Excel, MS Word and MS PowerPoint are essential.

.  Excellent communication skills both in spoken and written English.

  METHODOLOGY

The Project Officer will closely work  with all  Directorates and Divisions under Health Laboratory Services, Regional Public Health Institutes and Regional Reference Laboratories, all other stakeholders and partners involved  in  the  implementation of the PPRP as related to building the capacity of the national health laboratory system to effectively support the provision of quality  healthcare services, rapid and effective response to public health emergency situations and conduct of priority clinical and public health researches.  While the main assignment of the Project Officer is to assist the Director of the NLCBD in leading and coordinating the implementation of the PPRP at national and regional levels, she or he will collaborate with all Directorates, Divisions, Service Departments and Work Units of the institute to contribute to the successful implementation of all laboratory programs in an integrated and harmonized manner.

   REPORTING ARRANGEMENT

The Project Officer will directly report to the Director of the NLCBD of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute. The main reporting requirements and key deliverables include, but not limited to, the following:

·         Monthly work plans and weekly progress reports;

·         Quarterly reports;

·         Annual Reports;

·         Any other reports as required.