Consultant – Africa CDC social science integration

The UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST) is looking for an external consultant with ethnographic experience, public health/outbreaks training or experience, and experience working with senior leadership in Ministries of Health, National Public Health Institutes or relevant multilateral agencies. This consultant will support us in conducting fieldwork (in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) and analysis for a project in collaboration with Africa CDC to explore and understand the current status of social science at Africa CDC and to identify key operational steps to integrate social science into its current and future public health preparedness and response activities.

The UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST)

Launched in 2016, the UK-PHRST is an innovative government-academic partnership co-led by LSHTM and UKHSA, with a consortium of academic and implementing partners in the UK and internationally. It is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of public health professionals and researchers with a novel integrated triple-remit of outbreak response, research and capacity development to prevent and control epidemics of infectious diseases in countries eligible for UK Official Development Assistance. UK-PHRST has the following objectives:

• Rapidly investigate and respond to disease outbreaks at the source, with the aim of stopping a public health threat from becoming a broader health emergency.
• Conduct research to generate an evidence base for best practice in disease outbreak interventions.
• Provide training to establish a cadre of personnel to rapidly deploy to respond to disease outbreaks.
• Assist in the development of LMIC capacity to enhance epidemic preparedness and response in LMICs and contribute to supporting implementation of International Health Regulations.

Main Responsibilities

To conduct an institutional ethnography of Africa CDC, to support development of a social science integration strategy and roadmap within the organisation; to conduct analysis of data collected; to write up operational and academic findings in partnership with Africa CDC.

Skills and Experience

· Relevant PhD or MA/MSc

· Social science training and substantial experience with primary data collection of qualitative data

· Project management skills

· Ability to work independently and as part of a team

· Experience working within or closely with Ministries of Health, National Public Health Agencies, or relevant multilateral bodies

· Excellent written and verbal English language communication skills

· Confident presentation skills

Preferred start date: 15 April 2022

Expected duration (days): 84 days

Expected hours per day: 7. Flexible working patterns can be considered during the project’s analysis phase.

Daily rate: £350-500/day, dependent on skills/experience