Job Summary:
The EpiC Uganda Senior Technical Advisor for Lab Services will provide technical support and monitoring of laboratory services within targeted regions for the EpiC Uganda project. S/he will work with EpiC project staff, implementing partners, and the Uganda Ministry of Health to ensure that laboratory activities, including specimen collection, testing, and results reporting, meet national standards and EpiC project requirements. S/he will collaborate with local and regional partners to sustain critical laboratory and diagnostic functions at Private Not-for-Profit (PNFP) facilities to ensure timely and accurate HIV/TB testing and monitoring. S/he will provide oversight of maintenance of lab equipment and ensure routine logistics and coordination support for transportation of samples and results, improving the quality of laboratory management systems and commodity management.
Accountabilities:
- Provides technical leadership and support for HIV & TB lab services in Uganda in collaboration with the EpiC Technical Director.
- Creates and/or refines lab services support portion of the project workplan, ensuring alignment with available resources and budget.
- Demonstrates good judgment in addressing challenges, selecting methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining solutions, with some supervision.
- With technical oversight, provides technical leadership in the design, development, planning, and implementation of lab services support for the EpiC project in Uganda.
- Leads the day-to-day activities related to lab services and tracks delivery of project results.
- Maintains a constructive dialogue and technical exchange with country counterparts and technical staff members of Ministry of Health and implementing partners.
- Ensures technical implementation is consistent with best practices and meets funder contractual obligations.
- Contributes to donor technical reports.
- Prepares and delivers presentations to donors and Government of Uganda stakeholders on project progress.
- Gathers and aggregates data to provide a summary / high level overview.
- Identifies areas for improved efficiency or effectiveness within prescribed parameters, and institutes enhancements to procedures.
Applied Knowledge & Skills:
- Ensures appropriate and timely technical support for the EpiC project.
- Ensures the quality of lab services support activities.
- Conducts routine coordination with staff and consultants, as needed, on-site and at field sites.
- Strong knowledge and skills in HIV & TB program implementation and lab services in Uganda.
- Solid knowledge of HIV & TB lab standards, operational processes and procedures, work, and task flow.
- Has the ability to manage projects, set realistic priorities, and plan for the successful implementation of activities.
- Strong writing and verbal communication skills.
- Relevant computer software skills (including, at a minimum, the standard applications in MS Office).
- Ability to manage own work to job and performance standards.
- Must be able to read, write and speak fluent English.
Problem Solving & Impact:
- Demonstrates the ability to assess needs within agreed upon duties and considers course of action best to meet those needs.
- Effectively applies knowledge of technical area to solve a range of problems.
- Demonstrates the ability to develop solutions to problems that cannot be solved using existing methods or approaches.
- Problem solving involves evaluating and resolving discrepancies with data, analyses, processes, etc. within prescribed guidelines.
Supervision Given/Received:
- Coordinates own workflow and sets individual priorities.
- Works under general guidelines for completion and accuracy as determined by the supervisor.
- Accomplishes results through lower-level staff managers or through experienced staff who exercise independence in their assignments.
- Reports to Technical Director, HIV & TB.
Education:
A bachelors degree in biomedical laboratory technology or another laboratory science related qualification at bachelor level
Masterโs Degree or its International Equivalent in either Public Health, Global Health, Epidemiology, clinical medicine, or laboratory science.
Project Management (PM) training is of added advantage.
Experience:
- 8+ years of relevant experience in technical implementation of HIV projects and/or programs in Uganda.
- Experience working with PEPFAR-supported programs and local or international organizations implementing HIV/TB care and treatment programs in Uganda.
- Documented experience providing on laboratory service strengthening technical assistance in collaboration with host government structures and partner organizations.
- Program development or program management experience strongly preferred.
Typical Physical Demands:
- Typical office environment.
- Ability to spend long hours looking at a computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.
- Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
- Ability to lift 5 - 25 lbs.
Technology to be Used:
- Personal Computer, Microsoft Office 365 (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Skype/TEAMS, email), office telephone, cell phone and printer/copier.
Travel Requirements: 20% - 40%
Date Revised: 9/13/2021
This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.
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- Personal Computer, Microsoft Office 365 (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Skype/TEAMS, email), office telephone, cell phone and printer/copier.
- Identifies areas for improved efficiency or effectiveness within prescribed parameters, and institutes enhancements to procedures.