Overview
Provide technical leadership and coordination for the implementation of project components related to surveillance and early warning systems, and capacity development. Support the generation, analysis, and use of animal health and One Health surveillance information to strengthen preparedness and response for priority zoonotic diseases and other emerging threats.
Key Responsibilities
- Contribute to the development and/or review of national strategies, emergency preparedness and response plans, and programmes for the management of high-impact priority zoonotic diseases (PZDs), as well as emerging, re-emerging, and other priority animal diseases.
- Design and coordinate the implementation of surveillance activities for PZDs and other priority animal diseases.
- Support the preparation of annual work plans and detailed implementation plans (DIPs).
- Coordinate technical workshops to strengthen epidemiological functions and animal health interventions.
- Facilitate and support the implementation of recommendations from assessment missions of the national surveillance system.
- Contribute to the development, adaptation, and implementation of epidemiological protocols and standard operating procedures.
- Plan, organize, and deliver capacity development for in-service professionals using field epidemiology training and participatory epidemiology approaches.
- Conduct or support risk assessments and supervise in-country technical missions on epidemiological investigations.
- Organize stakeholder consultations and support the development and/or review of animal health and related policy frameworks and instruments.
- Coordinate delivery of the Human Resource Action Package under the Global Health Security Programme.
- Support the adoption and roll-out of the In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (ISAVET) programme.
- Support additional capacity development activities.
- Design, deliver, and evaluate capacity development activities for government staff and livestock value chain actors.
- Coordinate periodic assessments of capacity development initiatives.
- Coordinate Continuing Professional Veterinary Education (CPD) initiatives.
- Support the operationalization of the epidemiological component of the national One Health platform.
- Promote strong linkages between FAO activities and relevant Ministries and technical partners.
- Provide regular updates on the epidemiological situation of transboundary animal diseases (TADs) and other priority threats.
- Draft technical briefs, success stories, and other knowledge products.
- Coordinate surveillance activities with laboratory counterparts.
- Participate in animal health emergency preparedness and contingency planning exercises.
- Provide technical inputs for the development of an electronic animal disease reporting system and information sharing.
- Assist in the organization of planned training workshops, simulation exercises, after-action reviews, and technical meetings.
- Participate in monthly SFS-CUFAPH coordinating calls and contribute to epidemiological intelligence.
- Provide technical inputs for resource mobilization efforts.
- Submit a final technical report upon completion of the assignment.
- Perform other duties as required.
Required Experience
- At least five (5) years of relevant professional experience in areas such as epidemiology; surveillance system design and implementation; animal health emergency preparedness and response; training design and delivery; monitoring and evaluation of capacity development; data analysis; operational research; policy support; One Health coordination; and stakeholder engagement.
- Knowledge and experience of the animal health and public health landscape in Malawi is an advantage.
Qualifications
• Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Veterinary Epidemiology or Epidemiology or Veterinary Medicine or Public Health.
