African Union Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Jobs in Ethiopia

African Union Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Jobs in Ethiopia



Purpose of Job

The Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) will serve as the Chief Executive Officer (‘the CEO’) and will oversee the delivery of the core functions and key set objectives of the organisation.

In this regard, the Director General executes the mandate stipulated in the Statute of Africa CDC as well as any other tasks as may be assigned to him/her by the relevant governing organs.

The Director General, in executing its mandate, shall respect and adhere to the Statute of Africa CDC and other applicable administrative and operational rules and regulations of the African Union. The Africa CDC mandate as stated in the Statute document is as follow:

  • Establish event-based surveillance in order to detect potential disease threats from informal, non-structured sources that often circulate outside the official health sector;
  • Assist Member States to address gaps in International Health Regulation compliance;
  • Support public health emergency preparedness and response;
  • Map the regional- and country-level hazard and risk assessments for Member States.


    Main Functions

  • Is responsible for the overall management of the Africa CDC;
  • Implements directives from the Board and the Council of Heads of State and Government (CHSG) of Africa CDC may be applicable;
  • Prepares the program, financial and operational reports of the Africa CDC;
  • Drafts and submits Africa CDC’s budget, report on activities, rules of procedure and Plan of Action of the Africa CDC to the Board for approval and submission to the AU Policy Organs;
  • Attends meetings of the Board and the Africa CDC Advisory and Technical Council (ATC) and act as Secretary to the Board and ATC;
  • Collects and disseminate findings on disease control and prevention related research.
  • Ensures the production and publication of the periodical bulletin of the Africa CDC;
  • Bears final responsibility for the scientific integrity of technical data, bulletins, publications, recommendations, or guidelines issued by the Africa CDC
  • Builds, directs, manages, and ensures implementation and effectiveness of the Africa CDC;
  • Acts in a leadership capacity during activation of the Africa CDC Emergency Operations Center, which may include in certain circumstances , either appointing another staff member or serving as the public health Incident Manager
  • Establish and forges relationships with national public health institutions and international organizations to collaborate and facilitate the development and integration of public health initiatives and activities across broad areas;
  • Performs any other functions as may be assigned in line with the objectives of the Africa CDC

    Specific Responsibilities

  • Provides advice on epidemics, disease outbreaks, preventive, control, surveillance and response of Africa CDC for any outbreak to the Board and African Union Policy Organs.
  • Prepare and apply the principles and techniques of emergency/preparedness at continental and regional levels and provide support for national levels.
  • Assesses, examines, and incorporates cutting-edge innovation (as feasible) in public health laboratory and pharmaceuticals.
  • Ensures that preventive activities contained in a program include vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis, provision of information on behavioural and health risks, counselling, nutritional and food supplementation; hygiene and health services; and screening programs for early detection of disease.
  • Leads, with the assistance of the Board and all continental and national public authorities, to develop and maintain a surveillance system to monitor infections and conditions of public health importance.
  • Leads Africa CDC to develop a testing and quarantine policy for the augmenting of the contact tracing efforts of exposed or infected individual.
  • Ensures that Africa CDC shall take all measures within its power and capacity and provide all assistance to the governments and authorities and the public to address a health emergency or epidemic.
  • Ensures that the Africa CDC establishes and categorizes levels of a health emergency or epidemic and from a time-to-time upgrade or downgrade
    the level of a health emergency or epidemic.
  • Ensures that Africa CDC with collaboration of Board shall withdraw its declaration of a health emergency or epidemic when satisfied that the reasons for such declaration have ceased to exist.
  • Ensures that Africa CDC, in the event of a health emergency or epidemic, prepares, establishes and provides screening and testing protocols.
  • Coordinates / collaborates with International/National Health Organizations and ensures a scientific evidence-based recommendations to inform AU public health policy.
  • Upon declaration of a state of health emergency or epidemic, shall advise and recommend measures to the Board, African Union Policy Organs, relevant authorities, and the public.

    Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

  • Degree of Doctor of Medicine or Ph.D in Relevant Medical Sciences from a recognized institute or university. In addition, to the Doctor of Medicine or a Ph.D, a Master’s degree in public health (MPH), or epidemiology or equivalent is required.
  • At least 15 years of experience in public health management, planning, or public policy development with evidence of ever-increasing levels of responsibility at the national level or above.
  • At least 15 years’ experience providing scientific leadership in formulating, implementing, and evaluating both event and indicator-based surveillance;
  • At least 15 years’ experience in management of high public health structure at regional or continental level.
  • Several years of experience as senior official level, ideally as minister of health or permanent secretary in a Member State will be an added advantage.

    Required Skills

  • Demonstrate strong leadership and management experience, excellent organizational human and financial management skills, very good interpersonal skills and ability to organize and motivate others and to work in a multi-cultural environment;
  • Excellent communication skills and ability to Interact with a variety of stakeholders including, at a high level and excellent report writing and reporting skills to diverse audiences and at various levels;
  • Excellent strategic visioning, planning, Implementation, monitoring and evaluations and reporting skills;
  • Demonstrated record of setting clear standards for accountability, probity, value for money and risk management and zero tolerance to fraud and corruption; for ensuring sound and transparent financial management; and delivering continuous improvement, impact, efficiency and effectiveness;
  • Demonstrated intellectual leadership, creativity and proven ability to propose new ideas and lead on new ways of working across silos in a complementary and synergistic way for a prosperous, healthy and peaceful Africa;
  • Proven track record of change management and accomplishments at the regional, national or international level with strong resource mobilization, political and diplomatic skills;
  • Demonstrate clear understanding of scientific evidence and ability to translate scientific evidence into recommendations for public health policy
  • Good grounding on regional and international policy frameworks and strategies on the African developmental agenda and specifically Agenda 2063 and the SDGs;
  • Working knowledge of research, policy development and analysis, programs development and management, and project management.
  • Proficiency in one of the AU official working languages (French, English, Portuguese, Arabic) and fluency in another AU language(s) will be an important added advantage

    Leadership Competencies

  • Strategic Focus
  • Change Leadership ….
  • Strategic Risk Management
  • Developing Organizational Capability

    Core Competencies

  • Building Partnership:
  • Drives Accountability Culture
  • Learning Orientation
  • Communicating with impact

    Functional Competencies

  • Conceptual Thinking
  • Job Knowledge and information sharing
  • Drive for Results
  • Fosters Innovation

    How to Apply

    For more information and job application details, see; African Union Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Jobs in Ethiopia

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