Employer:Project Concern International (PCI)
Location: Zambia
Tracking Code553-566
Tracking Code553-566
Job Description
Title: Laboratory Technical Advisor, Scaling Up Laboratory Services to Provide High Quality HIV Diagnosis, Care, Treatment, and Monitoring towards the Achievement of the 90-90-90 Goals in Zambia under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)
Anticipated Start Date: April 2018 (Note: This position is contingent upon award)
Position Description:
Founded in 1961, Project Concern International (PCI) is an international non-profit organization that empowers people to enhance health, end hunger, and overcome hardship. Last year, PCI served more than 19 million people in 15 countries across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. During the past 50 years, the organization has served millions more in 14 additional countries. PCI has been active in the HIV/AIDS response since the early 1990s, and its current portfolio spans the range of prevention, care and treatment interventions in several countries. Worldwide, PCI has implemented 17 major HIV/AIDS-related programs funded by PEPFAR through several USG agencies – CDC, DoD, other DHHS agencies, and the US Agency for International Development – and in collaboration with hundreds of local, national and international organizations and partner agencies. PCI began operations in Zambia in 1996 and has a strong reputation in country for its integrated, HIV/AIDS programming.
PCI is recruiting for a Laboratory Technical Advisor (LTA) for an anticipated five-year, $25 million, project funded by the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This project will scale-up laboratory systems in Zambia and address barriers to access and uptake of HIV viral load (VL) testing within the pre-analytical, analytical, and post analytical phase of the VL cascade, including weaknesses in demand creation, sample referral systems, procurement, optimization of testing capacity, return and uptake of results, and monitoring and evaluation of the cascade for improvements, in line with the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goals. The same activities will also provide capacity for early infant diagnosis (EID) of children from HIV positive mothers and other HIV related laboratory services. The project will ensure the establishment of fully functional HIV laboratories operating at capacity, including the provision of the qualified staff, ancillary equipment and assistance in implementation of a quality management system (QMS). Additionally, the project will support and improve the sample referral system from specimen collection, processing, adequate handling and storage as well as transportation to the laboratories. Other activities will focus on universal availability of HIV related laboratory tests, national quality oversight of HIV testing, and increasing awareness of VL/EID testing to ensure maximum coverage. The LTA will assist the Project Director in providing overall direction and support laboratory strengthening aspects of the project, including development of technical strategies and monitoring of work plans.
Primary Responsibilities:
Lead the implementation of a baseline assessment of key laboratories to: (1) determine gaps that affect the provision of quality HIV testing, VL testing, EID testing and referrals, and (2) determine competency of health personnel competency to provide HIV testing in line with national guidelines and assays.
Lead a team of senior health personnel, project technical officers and MOH Laboratory Services Unit staff to to develop a comprehensive laboratory training system, focusing on internal and external quality assurance processes.
Serve as technical lead for all laboratory strengthening trainings.
Lead the process to review and strengthen the National External Quality Assurance (EQA) System for HIV rapid diagnostic testing.
Work in collaboration with the MOH monitoring and evaluation staff, the PCI Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, and PCI’s Information Technology (IT) Officer to develop a data management and analysis system for EQA, to enable data use for decision making.
Develop and lead the implementation of an Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) system through ongoing supervision and mentorship of HIV testing health care providers.
Facilitate the formal linkage of clinics to MOH provincial VL testing laboratories to enable treatment and VL monitoring for ART clients.
Work in collaboration with the MOH and the project procurement staff to develop and strengthen a transportation system for proficiency testing (PT) specimen panels and VL specimen from outlying health facilities to the National Reference Laboratory and provincial VL laboratories.
Work in collaboration with the MOH Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) program to develop and implement a strategy to bring 6 key laboratories to accreditation using the Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation in the Africa Region (SLIPTA) program.
Supervise regional laboratory strengthening and quality assurance officers to ensure quality implementation of laboratory strengthening activities in line with the project strategy.
Lead a team process to refine HIV RDT and VL monitoring standard operating procedures (SOPs) and quality assurance protocols, and train laboratory strengthening and quality assurance officers and site-based laboratory managers on the usage of SOPs to monitor and support quality delivery of laboratory services.
Ensure all laboratory strengthening contract deliverables are met within the allocated timeline
Develop and execute team annual work plans and budgets based on project resources.
Support the Project Director to prepare relevant donor reports and country operational plans.
Carry out additional responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time in consultation with management.
Qualifications:
Minimum of 5 years of professional experience with progressively increasing responsibility working in laboratory strengthening, project management, and capacity building in Zambia, with preference for experience implementing SLMTA/SLIPTA programs.
Degree in biomedical sciences, with preference for a post-graduate degree in public health or a related field.
Relevant technical expertise in HIV/AIDS treatment and care; HIV laboratory quality assessment, quality assurance, and laboratory management systems strengthening; laboratory technology and infrastructure development; local capacity strengthening, public-private partnership development, or other related fields.
Experience working with senior government officials and building consensus among diverse actors, including provincial management offices, district health offices, hospital management boards, NGOs (local and international), the private sector, and CDC and other USG partners.
Preference for demonstrated experience in and knowledge of PEPFAR reporting, budgeting, procurement, and project management, including monitoring and evaluation.
Proven leadership skills and demonstrated experience recruiting, developing, and managing/mentoring staff.
Excellent analytical and self-motivation skills; excellent advocacy and persuasion skills; able to think critically, solve problems and make decisions.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Written and spoken proficiency in English.
APPLY
Title: Laboratory Technical Advisor, Scaling Up Laboratory Services to Provide High Quality HIV Diagnosis, Care, Treatment, and Monitoring towards the Achievement of the 90-90-90 Goals in Zambia under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)
Anticipated Start Date: April 2018 (Note: This position is contingent upon award)
Position Description:
Founded in 1961, Project Concern International (PCI) is an international non-profit organization that empowers people to enhance health, end hunger, and overcome hardship. Last year, PCI served more than 19 million people in 15 countries across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. During the past 50 years, the organization has served millions more in 14 additional countries. PCI has been active in the HIV/AIDS response since the early 1990s, and its current portfolio spans the range of prevention, care and treatment interventions in several countries. Worldwide, PCI has implemented 17 major HIV/AIDS-related programs funded by PEPFAR through several USG agencies – CDC, DoD, other DHHS agencies, and the US Agency for International Development – and in collaboration with hundreds of local, national and international organizations and partner agencies. PCI began operations in Zambia in 1996 and has a strong reputation in country for its integrated, HIV/AIDS programming.
PCI is recruiting for a Laboratory Technical Advisor (LTA) for an anticipated five-year, $25 million, project funded by the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This project will scale-up laboratory systems in Zambia and address barriers to access and uptake of HIV viral load (VL) testing within the pre-analytical, analytical, and post analytical phase of the VL cascade, including weaknesses in demand creation, sample referral systems, procurement, optimization of testing capacity, return and uptake of results, and monitoring and evaluation of the cascade for improvements, in line with the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goals. The same activities will also provide capacity for early infant diagnosis (EID) of children from HIV positive mothers and other HIV related laboratory services. The project will ensure the establishment of fully functional HIV laboratories operating at capacity, including the provision of the qualified staff, ancillary equipment and assistance in implementation of a quality management system (QMS). Additionally, the project will support and improve the sample referral system from specimen collection, processing, adequate handling and storage as well as transportation to the laboratories. Other activities will focus on universal availability of HIV related laboratory tests, national quality oversight of HIV testing, and increasing awareness of VL/EID testing to ensure maximum coverage. The LTA will assist the Project Director in providing overall direction and support laboratory strengthening aspects of the project, including development of technical strategies and monitoring of work plans.
Primary Responsibilities:
Lead the implementation of a baseline assessment of key laboratories to: (1) determine gaps that affect the provision of quality HIV testing, VL testing, EID testing and referrals, and (2) determine competency of health personnel competency to provide HIV testing in line with national guidelines and assays.
Lead a team of senior health personnel, project technical officers and MOH Laboratory Services Unit staff to to develop a comprehensive laboratory training system, focusing on internal and external quality assurance processes.
Serve as technical lead for all laboratory strengthening trainings.
Lead the process to review and strengthen the National External Quality Assurance (EQA) System for HIV rapid diagnostic testing.
Work in collaboration with the MOH monitoring and evaluation staff, the PCI Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, and PCI’s Information Technology (IT) Officer to develop a data management and analysis system for EQA, to enable data use for decision making.
Develop and lead the implementation of an Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) system through ongoing supervision and mentorship of HIV testing health care providers.
Facilitate the formal linkage of clinics to MOH provincial VL testing laboratories to enable treatment and VL monitoring for ART clients.
Work in collaboration with the MOH and the project procurement staff to develop and strengthen a transportation system for proficiency testing (PT) specimen panels and VL specimen from outlying health facilities to the National Reference Laboratory and provincial VL laboratories.
Work in collaboration with the MOH Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) program to develop and implement a strategy to bring 6 key laboratories to accreditation using the Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation in the Africa Region (SLIPTA) program.
Supervise regional laboratory strengthening and quality assurance officers to ensure quality implementation of laboratory strengthening activities in line with the project strategy.
Lead a team process to refine HIV RDT and VL monitoring standard operating procedures (SOPs) and quality assurance protocols, and train laboratory strengthening and quality assurance officers and site-based laboratory managers on the usage of SOPs to monitor and support quality delivery of laboratory services.
Ensure all laboratory strengthening contract deliverables are met within the allocated timeline
Develop and execute team annual work plans and budgets based on project resources.
Support the Project Director to prepare relevant donor reports and country operational plans.
Carry out additional responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time in consultation with management.
Qualifications:
Minimum of 5 years of professional experience with progressively increasing responsibility working in laboratory strengthening, project management, and capacity building in Zambia, with preference for experience implementing SLMTA/SLIPTA programs.
Degree in biomedical sciences, with preference for a post-graduate degree in public health or a related field.
Relevant technical expertise in HIV/AIDS treatment and care; HIV laboratory quality assessment, quality assurance, and laboratory management systems strengthening; laboratory technology and infrastructure development; local capacity strengthening, public-private partnership development, or other related fields.
Experience working with senior government officials and building consensus among diverse actors, including provincial management offices, district health offices, hospital management boards, NGOs (local and international), the private sector, and CDC and other USG partners.
Preference for demonstrated experience in and knowledge of PEPFAR reporting, budgeting, procurement, and project management, including monitoring and evaluation.
Proven leadership skills and demonstrated experience recruiting, developing, and managing/mentoring staff.
Excellent analytical and self-motivation skills; excellent advocacy and persuasion skills; able to think critically, solve problems and make decisions.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Written and spoken proficiency in English.
APPLY
