Overview

Date: Monday February 26, 2024
Department: Africa CDC Headquarters
Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Application deadline: Monday March 11, 2024

Background:

The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is a non-profit organization established
in 2005 with a mission to improve human health through the strengthening and expansion of
applied epidemiology and laboratory capacity in partnership with Ministries of Health, NonGovernmental Organizations, international agencies, private sector and other public health
agencies. AFENET has its headquarters in Kampala, Uganda with operations in more than 30
African Countries.

Officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2017 as a specialized technical
institution of the African Union, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa
CDC) is Africa’s first continent-wide public health agency. Africa CDC envisions a safer,
healthier, integrated and stronger Africa, where Member States are capable of effectively
responding to outbreaks of infectious diseases and other public health threats. The agency’s
mission is to strengthen Africa’s public health institutions’ capabilities to detect and respond
quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks and other health burdens through an integrated
network of continent-wide preparedness and response, surveillance, laboratory, and research
programs.

Towards meeting its mission, the Africa CDC will work with African Union (AU) Member States through AUDA-NEPAD to coordinate African clinical trials ecosystems that will harmonize actors across the African continent and around aligned public health and research priorities to create a shared vision, provide technical capacity and expertise, and define continental public health and research agendas. This partnership will jointly, and together with regional and international partners, implement the 10-year road map to transform the Africa clinical trials ecosystem.

The Africa CDC invites applications who are citizens of AU Member States to apply for the
position(s) below:

1. Post

Job title: Head of Clinical Trials Coordination Mechanism

Number of posts: 1 (one)

Grade: P5/5

Department: Science and Innovation

Supervisor: Chief Science Officer/Director of Science and Innovation

Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Job purpose:
The Head of Unit provides leadership, strategic direction, management, planning, and coordination for the Clinical Trials Coordination Mechanism, leading the joint team from Africa CDC and AUDA/NEPAD, as well as the partnership group that has already been established.

The Head of Unit will also drive resource mobilization efforts to raise the funds required to implement the 10-year road map, aimed at transforming the clinical trials ecosystem in Africa. The Head of the Clinical Trials Coordinating Unit will report to Africa CDC’s Chief Science Officer/Director of Science and Innovation; he/she will liaise with the clinal trials senior technical staff, ensuring coordinated and efficient implementation of the 10-year road map which will allow:

  • Coordination of actors across sectors within the clinical trial ecosystem to articulate a cohesive vision for success in strengthening African clinical trials.
  • Harmonization of research approaches, tools, standards, and policies and develop and facilitate the adoption of continental policy frameworks by key Member States to support harmonized, standardized clinical research practices.
  • Facilitated communication across actors through a centralized and open-access data portal.
  • Design and implementation of an impact evaluation framework, including regular monitoring of progress and coordination of course corrections as needed.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

The Head of Clinical Trials Coordination Mechanism shall perform the following major duties
and responsibilities:

  • Effectively manage the Clinical Trials Coordination Mechanism.
  • Develop new and review activities as components of these strategies and policies.
  • Represent the clinical trials coordination unit and explain its position at conferences and other high-level engagements.
  • Mobilize resources for execution of clinical trials programme and activities.
  • Clinical Trials Coordination Mechanism management

Qualification and work experience required:

Minimum Qualification:

The minimum qualification requirements are:

  • Master’s degree in Public Health, Business Administration, Public Administration, or
    related field.
  • At least 12 years’ experience at leadership level, with a minimum of 7 years managing
    public health programmes, health care delivery systems or equivalent and 5 years at a
    supervisory level.
  • Experience working in the clinical trials ecosystem is essential.