Laboratory Services Officer At ICAP

A major global health organization that has been improving public health in countries around the world for nearly two decades, ICAP works to transform the health of populations through innovation, science, and global collaboration. Based at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, ICAP has projects in more than 40 countries, working side-by-side with ministries of health and local governmental, non-governmental, academic, and community partners to confront some of the world’s greatest health challenges. Through evidence-informed programs, meaningful research, tailored technical assistance, effective training and education programs, and rigorous surveillance to measure and evaluate the impact of public health interventions, ICAP aims to realize a global vision of healthy people, empowered communities, and thriving societies.

ICAP is registered in Tanzania as MSPH Tanzania LLC (Reg. No. 00002080) since 2004. ICAP operates under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG). In Tanzania, ICAP receives funding from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through a partnership with CDC, supporting facility and community-based HIV prevention and care and treatment services, COVID-19 response, as well as HIV-related research in Tanzania.

With funding from PEPFAR through CDC, ICAP is currently implementing the “Sustain and Accelerate a Comprehensive HIV Response’’ project (known as the FIKIA+ Project) in all eight councils in Mwanza region aiming to achieve rapid acceleration of ART initiation, strengthen treatment continuity and improve HIV viral load (VL) suppression among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Furthermore, FIKIA+ also aims to ensure that high-quality combination prevention interventions, including voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC), DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) programming, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and access to condoms to achieve epidemic control, are accessible to at-risk and vulnerable population groups. ICAP supports a total of 208 health facilities in Mwanza region, supporting lifesaving antiretroviral therapy (ART) services to approximately 118,000 people living with HIV. The FIKIA+ Project is currently in its second year of the five-year cooperative agreement.

ICAP in Tanzania is seeking to employ competent, dynamic individuals with strong technical knowledge and public health management skills in implementing program objectives to join our team. Positions are contingent upon availability of grant funding. ICAP at Columbia University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Position Title: Laboratory Services Officer
Reports to: Facility Coordinator
Job Location: Mwanza
Employment Type: Full-time
Travel: Up to 70% in intervention districts

Position Summary:
The Laboratory Services Officer is a self-motivated individual who will be leading the regional programmatic laboratory services in supported facilities to meet the programmatic targets. The incumbent will be responsible for providing all technical aspects of ICAP’s programs activities, technical assistance and coordination of all lab project related activities to all supported sites in Mwanza. S/he will work in close collaboration with R/CHMTs, ICAP and other stakeholders to provide an overall technical leadership and oversight of program activities. Her/his main objective is to guarantee the highest technical and logistical performance of all laboratory related program activities.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Provide oversight and lead the implementation of all ICAP related laboratory services in Mwanza region.
• Provide technical support on HIV viral load (HVL) and Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) services focusing on sample collection, processing, packaging, transportation, testing, and result reporting to the respective hubs and spokes sites.
• Ensure all laboratory tests under ICAP support are carried out on time and according to the National and ICAP Guidelines/Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Support the analysis, tracking and communication of sample rejection information, reasons for rejection & recollection rates per site to allow prompt technical support and guidance.
• Collaborate with other program members to strengthen integrated sample transportation system from spokes to hubs and to the testing labs and results back to respective sites
• Ensure maximum utilization of electronic sample referral system for improved turnaround time of test results
• Provide support to lab team to ensure timely collection and submission of laboratory services data as well as support strengthening of the related M&E systems – in collaboration with the SI team
• Support the implementation of laboratory quality management systems to ensure provision of high-quality laboratory services
• Collaborate with R/CHMTs and other stakeholders to ensure all supported sites are participating in External Quality Assessment (EQA), Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance programs
• Coordinate weekly virtual meetings with hubs and high volume sites lab focal persons for service progress follow up and troubleshooting of all gaps and challenges for immediate responses.
• Collaborate with laboratory managers, RCHMTs and MSD to ensure uninterrupted laboratory services through consistently availability of reagents, consumables and supplies.
• Coordinate and participate in periodic meetings with stakeholders to discuss progress of VL/EID testing and other laboratory tests
• Design and implement supervisions, training and mentorship programs to improve performance of supported sites
• Coordinate and oversee the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Quality Improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate and oversee the Laboratory biosafety and biosecurity related activities to ensure safety and protection of public health and the environment
• Collaborate with R/CHMTs, implementing partners and other stakeholders to ensure consistency functionality of HIV and TB Laboratory Information Systems (LIS).
• Work with other program team to prepare, review and submit progress reports daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly as required.
• Participate in annual work plan development, budget preparation and ensure the implementation of laboratory activities at region per approved plan.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualification, Knowledge, and Skills

• Required Education: Degree in Laboratory Science/Biomedical Laboratory Sciences
• Required Technical Experience: Minimum 3 years of working experience in public health programs, including three years’ hands-on technical expertise in delivery of routine Laboratory Services related to HIV and TB programs.
• Experience of working as TOT or Mentor for the QMS services will be added advantage
• Work experience in PEPFAR-funded HIV programs will be highly desired.
• Experience in monitoring, analysis, and interpretation of programmatic and operational research related to laboratory services for HIV and TB interventions.
• Ability to work and deliver under pressure and tight deadlines with minimum supervision.
• Excellent communication (both verbal and written) and presentation skills.
• Fluency in both written and spoken English and Swahili languages.
• Strong computer skills (MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently with minimal supervision