Head of CARPHA Medical and Microbiology Laboratory (Medical Microbiologist)

This allows CARPHA to support solidarity in health, as one of the principal pillars of functional cooperation, in the Caribbean Community.

The Head of CARPHA Medical and Microbiology Laboratory provides technical and management leadership in the planning and implementation of the programme of work for the CARPHA Medical Microbiology Laboratory, including the provision of information and training services to CARPHA and its Member States. The incumbent functions as lead of the Laboratory Management Team (LMT) and is a member of the Departmental Management Team (DMT). Additionally, the incumbent will be responsible for the development and implementation of strategic plans, in support of the Agency’s Surveillance Disease Prevention and Control programme.

Summary of Responsibilities

• Leads the LMT to plan, direct and coordinate the technical activities of the CARPHA Medical and Microbiology Laboratory in support of the Agency’s priority programmes.
• Provides microbiological, advisory, and advocacy services for disease surveillance, response, prevention and control.
• Organizes and implements training in diagnostic and public health microbiology and its application to the epidemiology of disease surveillance, response, prevention and control throughout the Caribbean.
• Conducts collaborative research and provides technical advice and assistance to Member States for the assessment and solution of priority disease problems.
• Develops and builds laboratory capabilities for disease detection, antimicrobial resistance and typing in CARPHA and its Member States.
• Formulates, elaborates and promotes plans of action for the development of new techniques including the implementation of rapid tests and molecular biology tools for early diagnosis, upgraded strain characterization and outbreak investigation.
• Provides technical support for technology transfer within the Caribbean Public Health Laboratory Network.
• Disseminates technical information on disease trends in the region, sub-region and countries and on new advances in microbiology.
• Provides technical advice and assistance to Member States for the assessment and solution of disease problems.
• Provides technical oversight for the efficient management of Microbiology laboratory services to support the surveillance work of CARPHA, Member States and a quality technical and scientific service in the Caribbean laboratory network.
• Formulates, elaborates and prepares plans of action for the implementation of new Bacteriology methods and techniques to provide appropriate response in disease surveillance and outbreak investigation, including molecular biology tools.
• Promotes and supports the development of laboratory networks.
• Promotes effective laboratory bio-risk management and good laboratory practices at CARPHA and national laboratories.
• Develop, review and update the CMML business plan and work collaboratively with other CARPHA laboratories to contribute to the integrated laboratory business plan.
• Monitors and analyzes Microbiology laboratory data and ensures the generation of appropriate and timely reports as part of the coordination of a laboratory-based surveillance system in the sub-region.
• Disseminates technical information for various public audiences on disease trends in the region and on new advances in Microbiology.
• Provides advice and assistance to national authorities, in epidemiological surveys, surveillance and control of communicable diseases and in the investigation of outbreaks in accordance with International Health Regulations.
• Assists in the development and coordination of national laboratory technical capabilities including quality management, especially in Bacteriology in collaboration with the national laboratory directors.
• Collaborates in the development and dissemination of publications and other written or electronic materials providing editorial support in the technical area of expertise.
• Provides a mentoring role in bacteriology to staff of the bacteriology unit. Sets departmental and individual employee goals and undertakes routine evaluations of progress toward these goals. Identifies and promotes professional growth opportunities for staff.
• Provide technical oversight and support to the virology function.
• Provide technical oversight and support to quality function.
• Develops and sustains partnerships, identifies and mobilizes information, human and financial resources for the prevention and control of bacterial diseases.
• Participates in the preparation of annual work plans and annual reports, providing editorial support in the technical area of expertise.

KEY BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES
Communications for Public Health

• Demonstrates  excellence  in  the  development  of  public  health  emergency  preparedness  and management plans, including the use of best-practice tools to conduct hazard and vulnerability assessments, mitigation and continuity of business planning.
• Demonstrates  excellence  in  supporting  health-sector  responses  to  public  health  emergencies, including establishment and management of emergency operations centres, incident command and control and emergency management teams.
• Demonstrates  excellence  in  supporting  a  multisectoral  response  to  public  health  emergencies, including coordination with regional and international aid agencies for resource mobilization.

Evidence-Based Policy and Planning, Regulation and Control

• High proficiency in the generation of evidence and its integration into the public health policymaking, towards achieving equity in health and health for all, including vulnerable groups.
• High proficiency in the development and application of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
• High proficiency in the design and execution of health situation analysis of populations.
• High proficiency in the design and execution of health needs assessments of populations including the application of methods such as the Halon Method of prioritization.
• Demonstrates excellence in the design and implementation of health information systems, including critical  components  such  as  public  health  surveillance  and  control  systems emerging and re-emerging diseases and public threats.
• High  proficiency  in  the  application  and  conduct  of  health-scenarios  planning,  including  the incorporation  of  impact  assessment  of  bilateral  and  multilateral  agreements,  to  public  health decision-making.
• High  proficiency  in  the  application  of  strategic  planning  methods  and  the  development  and execution of strategic plans.
• High proficiency in the conduct of impact-evaluation of population-level intervention and health service performance.

Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Mitigation, and Response

• Demonstrates  excellence  in  the  development  of  public  health  emergency  preparedness  and management plans, including the use of best-practice tools to conduct hazard and vulnerability assessments, mitigation and continuity of business planning.
• Demonstrates  excellence  in  supporting  health-sector  responses  to  public  health  emergencies, including establishment and management of emergency operations centres, incident command and control and emergency management teams.
• Demonstrates excellence  in  supporting  a  multisectoral  response to  public health  emergencies, including coordination with regional and international aid agencies for resource mobilization.

Caribbean Context and Small-Island Developing States

• High proficiency in developing and implementing population-based, health security interventions reflective of public health considerations of small-island developing states (SIDS).
• Demonstrates excellence in developing and adapting relevant models of population-based, health security  interventions  targeting  the  built,  natural,  social  and  behavioural  dimensions  of environmental health to the Caribbean context.
• Demonstrates excellence in developing and adapting best-practice interventions targeting the social determinants of health in the Caribbean context.
• Demonstrates excellence in implementing cultural competency approaches to the practice of public health in the Caribbean.
• Demonstrates excellence in the use of whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to improve public health within the Caribbean.
• High  proficiency  in  strategic  planning  for  aligning  global  health  initiatives  with  priorities  of CARPHA member states.

Health Economics and Public Health Financing

• Demonstrates excellence in the development of programmatic and organisational budgets.
• Demonstrates excellence  in the operation  and management of programmes  within  current and forecasted budget constraints.
• Utilises high proficiency in the use of cost-effectiveness, cost benefit, and cost-utility analyses in programmatic prioritization and decision making.
• Demonstrates excellence in the mobilisation and channeling of funds from global health programs, and mobilisation of funds through novel financing mechanisms such as social/health impact bonds to improve public health.

Technical Expertise

• Ability to initiate, develop, maintain and leverage partnerships with key stakeholders and communities.
• Ability to successfully apply the Agency’s communication policies and strategies in interactions with key stakeholders in member states and international partners.
• Demonstrates a commitment to efficient and effective response to member states in emergency situations.
• Excellent skills in technology transfer, standard operating procedure, external quality assessment schemes, professorship and fellowship in bacteriology technical cooperation.
• Expertise in developing and implementing strategies that promote the incorporation of new laboratory technologies for Bacteriology in health agendas and integrated national health plans and services, particularly within public health laboratory networks.
• Teaching ability in the provision of advice and training on the use of bacteriology methods in disease control.
• Ability to cooperate with national and international staff in disease surveillance activities.
• Ability to work in teams.
• Ability to design and develop project interventions.
• Excellent knowledge of quality management systems.
• Strong professional writing skills including the development of reports, oral presentations, and technical/persuasive documents for consideration at the highest levels of the Organization.

Education (Qualifications)

• Doctorate in Pharmacy, with a Board Certification in Medical Microbiology or in Medical Biology-Bacteriology or in Microbiology,
• Virology or Molecular Biology.
• MD degree would be an asset.

Experience

• Ten (10) years of experience in Medical Bacteriology including Mycobacteriology, with particular emphasis on laboratory bacteriological techniques.
• Practical experience at national and international level in activities related to the laboratory-based evidence for surveillance and control of transmissible diseases caused by bacteriological agents.
• Experience with project design, development and implementation.
• Good track record of publication of applied research in peer reviewed journals.
• Mentoring, supervisory and managerial experience would be an asset.
• Experience at reference laboratory level would be an asset.
• Experience of working in the Caribbean is desirable.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English. Knowledge of French and/or Spanish would be an asset.

IT Skills

• Demonstrated ability to use a computer with knowledge of windows-based applications, e.g., Microsoft Office and Outlook.
• Demonstrated ability to use electronic applications for document sharing, data analyses and report generation.
• Demonstrated ability to manage the use of web conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, GoTo Meetings etc.