World Health Organization (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:

 

Job Title: National Professional Officer - Laboratory (NO-C)

 

Job ID: 1902833

Location: Abuja

Schedule: Full-time 

Contract duration: 6 Months

Organization: AF_NGA Nigeria

Contractual Arrangement: Special Services Agreement (SSA)

 

Purpose of the Position

The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (WHE/Nigeria) is to help Nigeria, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.

 

Description of Duties

Supervised by the WHE Laboratory technical officer, under the supervision of the WHO Country Representative and working closely with WHO country office clusters, WHO counterparts at the Africa Regional Office and HQ, the incumbent will act as the subject matter expert for laboratory within the health operations and expertise team.

S/he will support the laboratory component of the incident management system, and provide technical support to the Federal Ministry of Health (MOH) and partners within the health sector.

Provide technical support to the National Reference Laboratory to strengthen laboratory capacity for rapid detection and response to priority pathogens: measles/yellow fever, cerebrospinal meningitis, cholera, Lassa fever, monkeypox

Develop guidelines and other laboratory tools for laboratory performance in line with IDSR and IHR guidelines and establish targets and measurable indicators for the monitoring and evaluation of laboratory services;

Develop, plan and implement training workshops to improve sample collection, packaging and shipping at national and state levels

Develop and monitor the national specimen transportation and referral  system for epidemic prone diseases; 

To provide oversite of the public health network stock management and supply chain system for laboratory consumables;

Work with WHO County office clusters to provide technical and operational support to ensure timely ordering of laboratory reagents and consumables and implementation of laboratory related workplans to strengthen laboratory capacity at public and state laboratories

Ensure adherence to good laboratory practice and biosafety management at public and state laboratories

Perform any other duties that may be assigned by his/her supervisor

 

Required Qualifications

Education:

Essential: Advanced University degree (Master's level or above) in Life Science, Medicine or Medical Virology from an accredited/ recognized institute. Certified training or qualification in molecular biology, virology, bacteriology, infectious diseases, and/or epidemiology and laboratory techniques.

Desirable: Master's level degree in public health or health related field.

 

Experience:

Essential: At least five years of practical and operational application and management of laboratory services, laboratory diagnosis of communicable diseases at the national and international levels. Some related experience in outbreaks and/or health emergency response of international impact.

 

Desirable: 

Experience in establishing or improving laboratory infrastructure for microbiology and/or detection of infectious diseases.

Experience in planning and implementing laboratory trainings at national and regional levels.

Previous experience in UN organizations/agencies, health cluster partners, recognized humanitarian organizations, international institutions or nongovernmental organizations, particularly in developing countries.

Use of language skills

 

Essential: Expert knowledge of English

Skills:

Specific skills required: Demonstrated proficiency using software applications, including PowerPoint, MS word, spreadsheet and databases,EPI Info, SPSS etc

 

Competencies:

Producing result

Fostering integration and teamwork

Ensuring the effective use of resources

Communicating in a credible and efficient way

Moving forward in a changing environment

 

Application Closing Date

26th June, 2019 at 10:59:00 PM

 

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should:

Click here to apply online

 

Note: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings