John Snow Health Zambia Limited
ZAM-Health Project

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Laboratory Services Advisor
Position Type: Fixed Term
Location: Kitwe
Reports to: Provincial Manager – Copperbelt

OVERVIEW

The USAID Zambia Accessible Markets for Health (ZAM-Health) Activity is a five-year project to expand the availability and accessibility of high-quality health products and services in the private sector, improve health knowledge, and increase the adoption of healthy and health-seeking behaviors. The program uses approaches such as marketing, social franchising, and partnerships with for-profit entities to achieve these outcomes. USAID ZAM-Health is implemented by John Snow Health Zambia (JSH) in partnership with JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI), PharmAccess and Mopani Mines.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reporting to the Provincial Manager – Copperbelt, the Laboratory Services Advisor will provide technical expertise to strengthen laboratory services in support of HIV programming, with focus on HIV Viral load monitoring, early infant diagnosis, HIV Rapid Testing Continuous Quality Improvement (RTCQI), Multi-disease testing, Quality Management systems, Recency testing, Courier systems and Laboratory Health systems strengthening. This role will enhance the quality and accessibility of laboratory services, supporting the achievement of HIV epidemic control goals in Copperbelt Province. The Advisor will work closely with public and private sector stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of laboratory services into HIV prevention, treatment, and care programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with MOH and PHO to conduct and sustain optimum performance of HIV Rapid Testing Continuous Quality Improvement Activities.
• Scale up efficiency of HIV VL, EID, HPV, TB and other safety tests to meet the demand of the HIV programming in supported facilities.
• Work with Laboratory Technical Working Group and other MOH Lab related meetings to optimize laboratory service provision in supported regions.
• Supply Chain management of Laboratory commodities and supplies to ensure continuous laboratory service delivery across supported facilities on the Copperbelt.
• Work with supported facilities to ensure effective Laboratory equipment service and maintenance
• Implement biosafety and biosecurity initiatives work and help to ensure safe working practices in supported facilities
• Work hand in hand with supported sites to develop SOPs, Job AIDs, Laboratory registers to improve and standardize Laboratory testing and service provision.
• Optimize sample and results referral systems for all supported sites.
• Ensure diagnostic optimization is achieved at different levels of project support and collaboration.
• Work with other stakeholders and supported sites for successful scale up of Recency testing and Recency data utilization.
• Work with supported sites to attain appropriate Laboratory certifications and accreditations
• Work across supported sites to optimize Laboratory Health Systems Strengthening activities
• Spearhead Laboratory based test activations as stipulated by PEPFAR and/or MOH
• Conduct trainings and mentorships to scale up Laboratory based PEPFAR indicators
• Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• The applicant should hold a Laboratory Degree with MPH being an added advantage
• Experience working with MOH and its collaborating partners in Laboratory systems, policies, strategies and other key activities.
• Ability to transfer skills by way of training, mentorship, staff motivation and working in teams.
• A good grasp and understanding of the Zambian health system and the Zambian HIV response
• Working knowledge in Laboratory Quality Improvement and Quality Assurance systems
• Experience working with both public and private laboratories
• Donor funding requirements experience (CDC, Global Fund or Global Fund)

Required Languages – English and at least one local Language.

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 50%.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities
• Presentation and facilitation skills
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results oriented.
• Excellent writing skills
• Experience and abilities in capacity strengthening – developing curricula and facilitating trainings.
• Experience using MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications,