John Snow, Inc (JSI) seeks highly qualified and accomplished public health leaders and providers for the recently awarded United Sates Agency for International Development (USAID) / PEPFAR-funded Supporting an AIDS –Free Era (SAFE) Project in Zambia. The five year project which is implemented by JSI works to reduce HIV mortality, morbidity and transmission, while improving nutrition outcomes and family planning integration in three provinces; Central, Copperbelt and North Western. USAID/PEPFAR SAFE will work with GRZ, private sector and civil society institutions at the national, provincial and district level to increase access to ART for HIV positive adults and children, reduce the incidence of new infections, improve nutritional assessment, Counseling and Services (NACS) and family planning services and increase the capacity of local health institutions to better serve affected populations.

Position Title: Provincial Laboratory Services Manager.

Position Type: Full Time

Location: Copperbelt.

Job Summary.

To Organize, plan, control and coordinate laboratory support services at the provincial level in collaboration with Facility, District and Provincial leadership.

Primary Responsibilities and Duties.

• Ability to plan, organize, control and  coordinate continuous laboratory services in all USAID/PEPFAR SAFE supported health facilities;
• Significant Laboratory Quality Management Systems (QMS) implementation knowledge.
• Facilitate HIV Rapid Testing Continuous Quality Improvement (RTCQI) Program is supported for tester and facility certification.
• Oversight in collaboration with MoH and Partners of approved research and surveillance initiatives with significant laboratory component such Recency, Case Based Surveillance (CBS) & Continuous Acquired Drug Resistance Evaluation (CADRE) among others.
• Develop, implement and graduate to sustainability a sample referral system in Central, Copperbelt and Northwestern provinces of Zambia;
• Optimize the use of electronic laboratory management information systems notably e_Labs, DISA Link, DISA Lab SMART Care and any other MoH approved platform.
• Ensure that not less than 90% of people on ART in each province get their viral load tests done and receive their results at their appointment dates;
• Ensure all women of all child bearing age are tested for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) via PCR methods and also support processing of tissue biopsies for histological examination.
• Facilitate and promote access to HIV Drug Resistance Testing according to Zambia Consolidated Guidelines (ZCG).
• Work closely with strategic information experts to facilitate demand creation for VL, EID & HPV.
• Ensure that ART related laboratory equipment are in good working conditions at all times in all SAFE supported facilities.
• Ensure that mobile service teams are well stocked with laboratory reagents as and when they need them;
• Attend appropriate Technical Working Groups at provincial level.
• Any other duty assigned by the project leadership.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

1. Knowledge of health and development programs in developing countries.

2. Clinical management and training experience and ability to understand full range of issues around the clinical management of HIV/AIDS, including provision of ART.

3. Sensitivity to cultural differences and understanding of the social, political and ethical issues surrounding HIV and HPV infections.

4. Knowledge on information systems (SMART CARE) including laboratory information systems such as e_Labs & DISA.

5. Well-developed written and oral communication skills.

Qualifications and Requirements

1. Degree in Medical Laboratory Technology with at least three years’ experience or a Diploma in Biomedical Sciences with five years’ experience.

2. Full HPCZ registration.

3. Excellent written and verbal communication skills including report writing in English.

4. Being able to work effectively with GRZ through PHOs and DHOs and health facilities;

5. Computer literate especially in word, excel and PowerPoint.

6. People centred change agent and a unifying player in multisectoral teams.

7. Good interpersonal skills.