View Vacancy – International Health Strengthening Project – Technical Advisor (03/21 LUS) D6

Main Purpose of Job

This post is located in Lusaka and attached to the British High Commission but within Public Health England’s (PHE) Global Public Health division, led by the Director of Global Public Health. The Global Public Health division supports the delivery of PHE’s Global Health Strategy. It provides a corporate service to PHE supporting the oversight, coordination and delivery of PHE’s international activity and working with UK government departments and other UK partners to build and strengthen international public health links. The division also maintains its own extensive portfolio of global health programs and projects delivered by specialist teams across PHE, focusing on capacity building and health system strengthening in partner countries.

The post-holder will provide in-country public health specialist level input to PHE’s Global Public Health division work focused on the delivery of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)-funded International Health Regulation (IHR) strengthening project. The IHR strengthening project work is in 5 countries, one of which is Zambia. The delivery of the infectious diseases strengthening component of the project is led by a specialist team based within the National Infection Service at PHE, including a Consultant Microbiologist and a Senior Biomedical Scientist. The post holder will work closely with this team and under the direct supervision of the Zambia country lead and the Zambia National Public Health Laboratory (ZNPHL) to deliver on PHE’s and ZNPHL’s shared objectives for our collaboration on laboratory strengthening. A key aim of the IHR Project is to support countries to strengthen their public health laboratory system to build capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats. The post-holder will support organisational effectiveness and efficiency by providing technical advice and operational support to the management of the ZNPHL.

This post is suitable for experienced laboratory scientists with public health experience. We are seeking individuals with both technical knowledge and the ability to influence and negotiate – building relationships with local and international stakeholders as necessary to deliver on their objectives. The post holder will liaise regularly with the internal PHE IHR delivery team in NIS and in-country partners to support delivery of activities and will be the main in-country link for facilitating laboratory strengthening activities remotely or face to face.

You will be a highly organised, creative team player who is a self-starter and has excellent written and verbal communication skills. You will have a broad range of communications engagement skills, and a thorough understanding of public health issues gained through experience in the field. You will have excellent negotiation skills, enabling you to deal sensitively with stakeholders with complex and sometimes conflicting interests. You will be expected to show strong drive to complete and evidence progress, recognising the importance of compliance and reporting.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Working closely with the NIS Lab team leading the delivery of laboratory strengthening activities, the post holder will:

• Support ongoing development and management of ZNPHL with a focus on strengthening laboratory practice to achieve accreditation to ISO 15189 Standards for Medical Laboratories

• Support laboratory detection and reporting of priority pathogens and linking with surveillance systems using a one health approach

• Support excellence in practice, service delivery and improvement in scientific and technical performance at all times. This includes supporting innovative ways of delivering services to ensure Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

• Support development of laboratory standard operating procedures and quality and other management documents compliant with national and international quality and governance standards

• Support the development of policies and strategies that ensure effective and efficient day-to-day operational work

• Support the development of management processes such as supply chain monitoring plan for the laboratories

• Work closely with PHE IHR project delivery team to support and contribute to professional and leadership development of laboratory staff

• Provide theoretical and practical project management input to ensure the overall output of the laboratory is of a high quality, appropriate, relevant, consistent and reliable

• Engage with stakeholders, partners and service users on laboratory strategic objectives, implementation, identifying new ideas and improving ways of working

• Participating in the activities relevant to laboratory committees, working groups and other expert groups as required

• Promote high standards of quality customer care to both internal and external customers

• Carrying out other duties as may reasonably be required in the role.

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject.

• Member of relevant professional body

• Demonstrate commitment to own Continued Professional Development (CPD)

• Extensive experience of working in a diagnostic/testing laboratory

• In depth understanding of relevant laboratory policies, standards and guidelines, including those relevant to quality control/assurance and accreditation processes

• Leadership and management experience including target setting, selection, training and development

• Knowledge of the ZNPHI and the wider Zambia public health sector and laboratory network

• Understanding of budget management

• Experience of partnership working – linking with staff across varied organisational functions to address inter-dependencies and ensure alignment

• Experience of working with Laboratory Information Management System

• Experience of working with information technology using Microsoft Office packages (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)

• A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards and a diverse workplace