Rabies and TADs Regional Project Manager for Central Africa – OIE RR Bamako, Mali

Rabies and TADs Regional Project Manager for Central Africa

Creation of a new position

Type of Contract & duration: OIE Staff – 24 months (renewable)

Salary package: 3500-4000 € net per month (depending on profile)

Context
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is the intergovernmental organisation responsible for improving animal health worldwide. The standards it develops for the trade of live animals and products of animal origin are recognized by the World Trade Organization as reference international sanitary rules (http://www.oie.int/fr/). The OIE has 182 Members and is present on all continents through 13 Regional and Subregional Representations, that contribute to the effective governance of the Organisation by ensuring the delivery of institutional activities at regional level. The ‘One Health approach to Rabies and Transboundary Animal Diseases (OHRT)’ Project is a five-year Project (2022-2026), implemented by the OIE in collaboration with a variety of One Health stakeholders. The Project objective is to strengthen Veterinary Services in targeted countries in Africa to enhance One Health collaboration and increase food security. The Project will do so by supporting the Veterinary Services of targeted countries and other stakeholders in rabies, PPR and Newcastle Disease control.

Positioning and reporting
Under the authority of the Director General and the overall supervision of the OIE Regional Representative for Africa in Bamako (Mali).

Job purpose
The Regional Project Manager will be responsible for ensuring the management, coordination and effective delivery of the ‘One Health approach to Rabies and Transboundary Animal Diseases (OHRT)’ Projectin Cameroon and selected countries of Central Africa. Furthermore, the manager will contribute to the overall implementation of the OIE mandate, in particular in relation to the control of animal diseases and zoonoses, animal welfare, in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) sub-region, in line with the OIE’s Seventh Strategic Plan.

Missions and activities
Manage the ‘One Health approach to Rabies and Transboundary Animal Diseases (OHRT)’ Project in Cameroon and other Central Africa countries, as well as provide technical advice and guidance on the control of zoonotic diseases in the ECCAS region.
Tasks include:
– Support the implementation of the OHRT in Cameroon in line with the project’s objectives and in coordination with the project stakeholders.
– Provide technical support to the Directorate for Veterinary Services Cameroon and other project stakeholders in their efforts to eliminate rabies PPR and Newcastle Disease (ND).
– Monitoring project progress and drafting project reports.
– Operational planning, project steering and budgeting of project activities.
– Organising and implementing workshops and meetings.
– Developing and monitoring the implementation of sub-grant agreements with relevant project stakeholders.
– Provide technical backstopping for horizontal capacity building measures in Cameroon.
– Support the implementation of national and regional rabies strategies.
Liaise with relevant departments of OIE headquarters to ensure in time service provision to the DVS Cameroon and other countries in the region;
Support the regional mandate of the OIE on the control and eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in the ECCAS region, and complementary activities to further sub-regional efforts in rolling out the OIE-FAO PPR Global Eradication Programme (i.e. through the organisation of sub-regional workshops on the OIE procedure for the official recognition of Member Countries disease status and for the endorsement of national official control programmes);
Serve as a liaison person between the OIE Regional Representation for Africa and other agencies working on the above topics in the sub-region, including (but not limited to): FAO (ECTAD), WHO (AFRO), GIZ, ECCAS Secretariat, Regional Animal Health Centre for Central Africa, GARC, WAHO, AU-IBAR, AU-PANVAC;
Contribute to the implementation of OIE capacity building programmes and activities in the ECCAS region targeted at strengthening the capacities of Veterinary Services (e.g. training seminars for OIE national Focal Points and other relevant workshops);
Provide regular scientific information derived from conducting regular scientific analysis of available data to guide OIE support activities in the sub-region and provide policy advice to Member Countries and the ECCAS Secretariat, where relevant;
Represent the OIE at relevant regional and international conferences, meetings, workshops, etc. taking place in the sub-region.
In addition, the Regional Representative may, when necessary, assign the incumbent any other duties, responsibilities and activities within his area of competence.

Qualifications and Experience
Required qualifications:
– A graduate degree in veterinary sciences (DVM);
– Demonstrated professional background (through post-graduate diplomas or work experience) of veterinary epidemiology and/or veterinary public health;
– Minimum of 8 years of work experience, with at least 5 years of regional or international experience working with national
– Veterinary Services in developing countries, preferably in Africa;
– Proven experience in rabies or other One Health activities and involvement in TADs control programmess at national level;
– Proven experience in the management of projects in development cooperation.
Requirements:
Technical skills:
– Excellent command of French and English, both written and spoken, with related skills required in writing and editing of reports, briefs, and papers;
– Knowledge of the project life cycle or other project management methods;
– Command of the usual electronic communication and IT tools in a Microsoft 365 environment, including (but not limited to) Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook;
– Command of statistical tools and geographic information systems (GIS) is an asset.Familiarity with and capacity to communicate on activities through social media channels.
Interpersonal skills:
– Demonstrated capacity to communicate to larger audiences.Demonstrated capacity to communicate in a multicultural context;
– Demonstrated ability to be highly organised, independent, and a diplomatic professional.

Working conditions
Overseas travel abroad is expected on a regular basis, especially in the ECCAS region.