LABORATORY LEAD at I Choose Life – Africa

Anticipated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Center for Global Health call Ref CDC-RFA-GH22-2209

I Choose Life – Africa (ICL) is a youth-focused organization that seeks to empower youth in Kenya and across Africa as the foundation for sustainable development. Registered in 2004 and working closely with Government, ICL has over 17 years of experience implementing evidence-based adolescents and youth programs in over 345 institutions (Primary, Secondary, and Higher learning institutions) across 26 Counties in Kenya. The organization implements programs in Health and Nutrition, Education, Economic Empowerment, and Leadership and Governance Sectors. To ensure maximum impact in these sectors, ICL utilizes a multi-sectoral approach, the Quadra Helix development approach (which brings together the Government, Private sector, Academia, and Civil society) to foster innovative and sustainable transformation in communities.

Vision & Mission: ICL’s Vision Statement: Healthy Africa, Empowered People!

ICL’s Mission Statement: To empower the youth by increasing their life opportunities for sustainable development.

Job Purpose: ICL seeks a Laboratory Lead for an anticipated CDC-funded PEPFAR opportunity in Kenya. The Activity is expected to be a five-year contract to advance Sustainable Implementation of Comprehensive HIV Prevention and Treatment Programs in Faith-based and Private Sites in Nairobi, the Coast, and Western Regions.

This position is contingent upon an award from the CDC.

Job Summary: Reporting to the Principal Investigator, The Laboratory Lead will provide technical support in building the capacity of the county leadership and Health Management Team towards ownership and utilization of high quality and sustainable treatment services. This position shall also facilitate a seamless link between service delivery interventions and county capacity for systems development, including leadership and governance, Human Resources for health, planning, budgeting, and finance.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership, oversight, and support related to laboratory services and networking for the program.
• Coordinate the design, planning, and implementation of the laboratory component of HIV/AIDS care and treatment, including ART, in collaboration with program, facility, and county laboratory staff
• In liaison with County and Sub-County Medical Laboratory Technologist, provide technical assistance in capacity building to program laboratory technical officers and facility laboratory personnel in lab service delivery, commodity management, QA/QI, lab equipment maintenance to facilitate the provision of quality integrated HIV services
• Strengthen and expand laboratory networking between facilities, sub-counties, and counties in collaboration with program technical officers and County Health Management Teams (CHMTs).
• Carry out all the lab-related quality control functions/ activities in collaboration with the county team, including quality control inspections schedules and the collection of quality control records, and ensure the availability of high-quality documentation.
• Develop quality control and quality assurance systems in collaboration with existing personnel and procedures and ensure related documentation, training, and monitoring
• Develop guidelines, tools, and recommendations related to the implementation, monitoring, and quality assurance of laboratory services for TB, HIV care, and treatment of opportunistic infections (OI).
• Work in close collaboration with the project management team and CHMT to strengthen laboratory systems and services to offer improved access to laboratory diagnosis and monitoring to support quality integrated health services.
• Work in close collaboration with the Monitoring and Evaluation Lead to strengthen Laboratory Health Management Information Systems for commodity reporting at facility, sub-county, and county levels.
• Contribute to the tracking of progress, analysis of data, and preparation of project reports for internal monitoring and donor reporting.
• Develop lessons learned from activities related to laboratory services and management for HIV/AIDS care and treatment and apply these lessons to improve the program
• Represent the project team at technical/stakeholder forums with the donor, other implementing partners, and county and national governments on laboratory-related matters
• Provide mentorship/ coaching on improving manual and electronic laboratory management information systems functionality to enhance linkage of laboratory data to patient care data systems.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualification

1. Master’s degree in laboratory sciences, biological science, or related degree
2. Bachelor’s degree in biological or laboratory sciences within a clinical or diagnostic discipline or specialty
3. A minimum of 10 years of experience in designing, implementing, managing, and leading donor-funded HIV laboratory strengthening service delivery programs, mainly health facility-based services, including quality assurance systems, laboratory analysis, and interpretation and reporting techniques based on best practices and quality management practices
4. Certification/license to practice as a medical laboratory scientist is required.

Required Skills & Experience

• Knowledge of advanced laboratory procedures, diagnosis, and management related to HIV/AIDS care and treatment is required.
• Proven experience in project development, planning, and facilitating technical training
• A demonstrated track record of providing mentorship and supervision for strengthening laboratory services and training in quality improvement approaches.
• Good knowledge of commodity management and reporting and Laboratory Information Management System (LMIS) functionality
• Familiarity and experience working with MOH structures and personnel and good knowledge of laboratory-related health systems strengthening are highly desired.
• Familiarity with CDC and PEPFAR programs is an advantage.
• Excellent analytical, communication, presentation, and report writing skills
• Knowledge with strengthening laboratories to achieve international quality standards is required.
• A demonstrated ability to work with multiple partners on collaborative projects
• Knowledge of Kenyan public health sector and clinical settings, including governmental and non-governmental contexts
• Excellent working knowledge of laboratory equipment and techniques for the following: HIV testing (rapid and confirmatory testing), HIV viral load, CD4, HIV DNA qualitative test, HIV viral resistance, TB, and other opportunistic infection
• Well-developed computer skills.

Child Safeguarding: In line with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCRC), ICL strives to keep children safe in all its undertakings. The successful applicant will be required to read, understand, and commit to following ICL Child Safeguarding Policy and guidelines. The individual will sign the policies to indicate an understanding of and commitment to follow the policy requirements.