ESPEN Laboratory Head

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 123,355 USD and 159,041 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Expanded Special Project for Elimination of NTDs (ESPEN) is part of and contributes to the work of the Universal Health Coverage - Communicable and Non-communicable diseases (UHC/UCN) cluster of the WHO Regional Office for Africa. The work of the UCN cluster is guided by its strategic agenda: “disease burden reduction through using analytics to inform tailored interventions and guide disease control investments”. Objectives pursued by UCN thereby - to which the ESPEN team and all members of the ESPEN team contribute - are to: (i) provide leadership on disease control coordination, partnership and resource mobilization; (ii) contribute to the development of WHO disease control technical products, services and tools including adoption of new technologies and innovations; (iii) support generation and use of strategic information for action and decision making including optimizing investment; and (iv) facilitate country support - Technical assistance in deployment of WHO technical products and institutional capacity building including support to national disease programmes and regulatory authorities - towards improved program governance, improved interventions coverage and improved interventions quality. UCN investments towards these objectives are developed, delivered, and guided by two guiding principles: comprehensive whole of society approach; and people-centered, integrated approach. The comprehensive whole of society approach involves coherent implementation of a triple response to priority diseases: (a) technical response involving deployment of disease specific normative guidance, and intervention mixes and medical commodities; (b) health systems response involving health systems capacity strengthening especially in disease mapping and stratification, interventions tailoring, and integrated sector/subsector planning; and (c) multi-sectoral response involving empowerment of prioritized high risk communities and their non-health and private sector stakeholders and philanthropies, to manage socio-economic and environmental determinants of diseases, and demand accountability from local health systems stewards. The people centered, integrated approach to disease control involves: (a) integrated disease control guidance specific for each health service delivery platform, a move away from stand-alone disease specific operational manuals; and (b) integrated disease control investing in strengthening the capacity of each health services delivery platform to deliver optimally for disease control as well as life course programmes, deploying technologies and analytics to guide stratification of diseases risks across population groups, develop and deploy comprehensive packages of interventions specific to the population group that enters the health system through each health service delivery platform, and monitor interventions access, coverage and impact on each population group to leave no one behind.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The incumbent ESPEN Laboratory Head is expected to serve as laboratory manager under the direction of the ESPEN Team Leader and in coordination with the ESPEN focal point for onchocerciasis and LF. The incumbent will be expected to undertake the following duties:1.Coordinate the core business of the ESPEN laboratory: facilitating shipment of epidemiological and entomological samples from endemic countries to the laboratory; processing both the entomological and epidemiological samples (vector samples, infective larvae/microfilariae and dried blood spots) in the Laboratory; 2.Undertake laboratory data analysis, interpretation and provide feedback to countries towards evidence-informed onchocerciasis elimination.3.Provide accurate and timely data for decision-making on onchocerciasis elimination in endemic countries; and develop annual Plan of Action and Budget for the ESPEN Laboratory;4.Plan, facilitate inter-country and in country-trainings to build capacity of nationals in the processing of onchocerciasis epidemiological and entomological samples;5.Contribute to planning the meetings of technical and other statutory WHO bodies and implementing the recommendations on sample processing and technical support to countries; 6.Produce annual performance reports of the work of the ESPEN laboratory; 7.Provide other related duties as requested by the ESPEN Coordinator/Team Lead.8.Collaborate closely with the Diagnostics and laboratory services Unit (DLS/ARD) Team lead on any laboratory matters to align the planning and activities of the ESPEN Laboratory with the regional strategy on diagnostics and laboratory for effective coordination and integration towards the strengthening of laboratory systems in countries to achieve universal health coverage through primary health care.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Master's degree in Parasitology, Entomology, Vector Biology, Hosts-Parasites relations or other related laboratory sciences. Desirable: PhD in Parasitology, Entomology, Vector Biology, laboratory sciences.

Experience

Essential: •Seven (7) years of experience in the management of a functional molecular and immunological laboratory related to the surveillance activities of onchocerciasis and other priority NTDs in Africa.•Seven (7) years of experience inclusive in planning and conducting training of laboratory staff for surveillance and research activities on onchocerciasis and other major NTDs. Desirable: •Working experience with WHO and a good publication record on onchocerciasis and other NTDs would be an asset. Capacity to work with people of different cultures.

Skills

•Excellent knowledge of the epidemiology of onchocerciasis (distribution, transmission, the socio-economic impact) and control and elimination strategies in the African Region•A good knowledge of the epidemiology and the control strategies of lymphatic filariasis.•Ability to organise and manage a functional laboratory.•Ability to conduct country laboratory needs assessment in capacity building and coordinate training sessions to build capacity of nationals in laboratory techniques related to onchocerciasis and LF.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences Communication Producing results Creating an empowering and motivating environment### Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Expert knowledge of French. Desirable: Expert knowledge of French. The above language requirements are interchangeable.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 75,602 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 2300 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.