ICAP at Columbia University

Job description: HIV Case Surveillance Lab Advisor for Gambella and Afar Region

Number of positions: 1

Duty Station:  Addis Ababa, SI office

POSITION SUMMERY

Under the guidance of the ICAP central cluster coordinator, the HIV CS laboratory advisor supports and coordinates the design and implementation of the HIV-1 rapid test for recent infection at CS implementing Health facilities in Gambella and Afar Regions. The incumbent will build regional laboratories capacity for laboratory quality assurance to facilitate effective data use for decision-making.

 MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The HIV CS laboratory Advisor will have the following responsibilities:

Provide technical assistance at the regional level to rollout HIV recency testing.

·   Support the establishment/strengthening of HIV recency testing quality assurance activities in close collaboration with Regional Referral Laboratories (RRLs).

·  Closely work with ICAP CS officers, regional team, and advisors to improve the quality of HIV recency testing across CS implementing health facilities.

· Support health facilities to increase access to HIV recency testing, proper documentation, and regular reporting system.

·  Provide technical assistance to the Regional Referral Laboratory (RRLs) in developing/updating different guidelines, registers, working formats, monitoring and evaluation indicators.

·  Organize and provide/facilitate HIV recency testing TOT/ basic trainings for health facilities in collaboration with the RRLs and EPHI.

· Provide technical support to RRLs/EPHI in the preparation of panels for IQC/EQA, distribution and feedback provision.

·  Facilitate and support the revision, printing, distribution, and proper utilization of HIV recency testing SOPs, different formats, and registers.

· Support RHBs/RRL to integrate recency testing with the existing Regional External Quality Assessment Scheme (REQAS).

·  Provides technical support for implementation of International/ National External Quality Assessment Scheme (IEQAS/NEQAS) and Regional External Quality Assessment Scheme (REQAS) in the regions.

·  Provide technical support and facilitate the implementation of Point of Care (POC) recency testing Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) and certification programs.

· Coordinate and provide technical assistance in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of HIV recency testing at CU ICAP supported health facilities.

· Participate in the regional/national TWG and performance review meetings.

· Participate in health facility mentoring, joint supportive supervision with RHBs and RRLs.

·  Prepare and evaluate annual work plan with targeted benchmark indicators and evaluate them on regular basis.

·  Represent ICAP-Ethiopia in different forums when assigned by the supervisor

· Level of Efforts ; The advisor level of efforts will be 50% for Gambella , 25 % for Afar and 25 % at the central SI office in preparing reports , SOPs, and other related activities

·  Perform other duties assigned by the supervisor

• MSc degree in laboratory science obtained from recognized university

•  Minimum of 5 years work experience in country, including laboratory support to HIV program

•  Has TOT/ basic trainings on rapid HIV testing, rapid HIV recency testing is advantageous, EID/VL testing, LQMS, SLMTA, and PT preparation and interpretation, etc.

• Experience in training, mentoring, organizing, and conducting related training.

•  Experience in development of national/ regional documents related to specimen referral, testing and laboratory accreditation process

•  Excellent interpersonal and coordination skills

• Proficiency in written and spoken English

• Computer skills (MS Office, power point, excel, SPSS, and other commonly used statistical packages)

• Able to spend more than 75% of the time at RRLs and health facilities