Purpose of Job
The Director of Centres for Disease Control, Prevention, and Health Promotion is responsible for leading and strategically managing the Department of Disease Control, Prevention, and Health Promotion, aligning with the overarching goals of the Africa CDC. This role involves overseeing the development and implementation of policies and strategies, managing risk, and fostering stakeholder engagement to promote public health initiatives across the continent.
Main Functions
- Develop and implement strategic policies aligned with the department’s goals to address key issues in disease control, prevention, and health promotion.
- Design comprehensive policy programs to effectively achieve strategic objectives.
- Contribute to the development and ensure the implementation of the departmental business continuity plan at the division level.
- Oversee and supervise employees within the division, fostering a productive and collaborative work environment.
- Manage divisional risk and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
- Contribute to the creation of an inspiring work environment conducive to staff development and professional progression.
- Engage with stakeholders within Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in the design and implementation of strategies.
- Represent the organization at conferences and other public forums, articulating its position and fostering partnerships.
- Mobilize funding from donors to execute strategies and activities effectively.
- Oversee the preparation of periodic financial and budget execution reports, monitoring budget execution at the divisional level.
Specific Responsibilities
- Develop and implement strategic policies aligned with the department’s goals to address key issues in disease control, prevention, and health promotion.
- Design comprehensive policy programs to effectively achieve strategic objectives.
- Contribute to the development and ensure the implementation of the departmental business continuity plan at the division level.
- Oversee and supervise employees within the division, fostering a productive and collaborative work environment.
- Manage divisional risk and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
- Contribute to the creation of an inspiring work environment conducive to staff development and professional progression.
- Engage with stakeholders within Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in the design and implementation of strategies.
- Represent the organization at conferences and other public forums, articulating its position and fostering partnerships.
- Mobilize funding from donors to execute strategies and activities effectively.
- Oversee the preparation of periodic financial and budget execution reports, monitoring budget execution at the divisional level.
Superviser la préparation des rapports périodiques sur l’exécution des finances et du budget, en surveillant l’exécution du budget au niveau de la division.
Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience
- Advanced degree (Ph.D., MD, or equivalent) in Public Health, Medical Sciences. With a minimum of fifteen (15) years of experience in public health management. Eight (8) of which should have been served at managerial level and five (5) years at supervisory level.
- Master degree in Laboratory Sciences, Public Health or Epidemiology.
- Proven track record in leadership roles within public health or scientific research organizations.
- Experience in international organizations is preferred.
Essential
- Significant experience of developing senior-level external relationships and securing the highest-level advocacy, including developing and harnessing strong networks across multiple stakeholder groups.
- Advance understanding of stakeholder engagement.
- Extensive experience of leading, motivating and managing teams with the ability to promote a culture of high performance, continuous improvement and innovation.
- Experience and successful track record working in a diverse complex fast paced environments and the ability to influence positive change.
- Strong leadership and strategic management skills.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.
- Proficient in risk management and organizational resilience.
- Demonstrated capability in resource mobilization and financial management.
- Ability to work effectively in a diverse, multi-cultural environment.
Desirable
- Experience of working in international affairs in an international organization
- Experience of working with external partners, funders, and media.
- An understanding of changing economic, political, and social environments affecting the Africa CDC.
- An understanding and analysis of Africa and global political space and atmosphere
- High level of diplomatic and communication etiquette.
- High level interpersonal skills.
Required Skills
Result Oriented:
- Strategic thinker, capable of working at a senior level and contributing at Board/Council level
- Entrepreneurial with the ability to input on strategic planning from a commercial standpoint
- Ability to anticipate future opportunities and problems, taking strategic and pre-emptive action
- Ability to set and achieve comprehensive goals for performance and growth
- Passion for working in the developing world and creating positive change
Leadership:
- Inspire confidence and promote shared values that underpin the ethos of the African Union and Africa CDC
- Inspires others, is visible, adaptive, authentic and engenders trust
- Visible leadership, promoting collective leadership for taking teams through significant programmes of change.
- Passion and commitment for continuous improvement
- Ambitious individual who has personal drive to succeed and develop their own career, and support their teams to strive for excellence.
- Political and diplomatic prowess
Building and Managing Teams:
- Directs and coaches’ others throughout the organisation and enables people to perform at their best.
- Ability to recognise and cultivate rising talent.
- Creates a positive team environment.
- Creates cohesion, developing synergies and achieves through common goals.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills:
- High emotional and social intelligence.
- Collaborative, supportive, calm under pressure, solution focused and able to lead others effectively in such a way that encourages maximum performance and engagement.
- Exceptional communicator both in writing and in person to a range of audiences.
Relationship Management:
- Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and negotiate with a wide range of stakeholders and partners.
- The gravitas and credibility to influence both within and beyond the organisation
Analytical Skills:
- Conceptual thinker, innovative and capable of complex problem solving
- The ability to work well under pressure and take a considered, measured position
Results Orientated:
- Desire for success and the motivation to constantly seek improvement
- Ability and drive to manage organisational complexity
- A high level of resilience with the ability to initiate and drive decisions
- Tenacious, adaptable and the ability to get things done
- The highest levels of self-awareness, commitment, and integrity
- A proven commitment to fairness, inclusion, equality, diversity, and transparency
Values: A strong commitment to the African Union and Africa CDC values
Leadership Competencies
Core Competencies
Functional Competencies
TENURE OF APPOINTMENT:
The Appointment will be made on a fixed term contract for a period of one (1) year, of which the first three (3) months will be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract may be renewed for a similar period subject to funding availability, satisfactory performance and agreed deliverables.
GENDER MAINSTREAMING:
The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.
LANGUAGES:
Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and Spanish) is mandatory and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage
REMUNERATION:
The salary attached to the position is an annual lump-sum of US$ 175,640.44 (D1 Step 5) inclusive of all allowances for internationally recruited staff, and US$ 157,586.92 inclusive of all allowances for locally recruited staff of the African Union Commission
Applications must be submitted no later than January 19, 2024 11h59 p.m. EAT.
-Only candidates who meet all job requirements and are selected for interviews will be contacted.
-Consideration will be given only to those candidates who have submitted a fully completed online application with a curriculum vitae (CV), an African passport, and the required academic qualifications, such as Diplomas, Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degrees and any relevant certificate in line with the area of expertise.
-The African Union is an equal opportunity employer, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
-Candidates from less represented countries within the African Union are strongly encouraged to apply for positions that fit their profiles. These countries include Algeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Sahrawi D.R., Sao Tome and Principe., Seychelles, Somalia and Tunisia.
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