Project Coordinator at the OIE Sub-Regional Representation for Southern Africa in Gaborone (Botswana)

Position Title: Project Coordinator at the OIE Sub-Regional Representation for Southern Africa in Gaborone (Botswana)

Salary: Base salary at 4 500 € net/month, commensurate according to experience and qualifications

Duration: One (1) year – Renewable subject to funding

Context:

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is an intergovernmental organisation recognised by the World Trade Organization as a reference Organisation for intergovernmental standards concerning the sanitary safety of international trade of animals and products of animal origin and zoonoses, and is in charge of improving animal health, veterinary public health and animal welfare worldwide, as well as transparency of the global animal disease situation.

The OIE maintains permanent relations with over 70 international and regional Organisations and has 12 regional offices around the globe.

Job purpose

The Project Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring the coordination and effective delivery of the Technical Support in Eliminating Rabies in Dogs project in selected countries of Southern African. He/She will also contribute to the overall implementation of the OIE mandate, in particular in relation to the control of animal diseases and zoonoses, animal welfare, in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) sub-region, in line with the OIE’s Sixth Strategic Plan.

Positioning and reporting

Under the authority of the Director General and the overall supervision of the OIE Sub-Regional Representative for Southern Africa.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate the ‘Technical Support for Eliminating Rabies in Dogs’ project in Namibia and Angola, as well as provide technical advice and guidance on the control of zoonotic diseases in the SADC region. Tasks include:

§ providing technical support and guidance to the national project coordinators in Namibia and Angola,

§ drafting project reports for the donor,

§ organising and implementing workshops and meetings,

§ monitoring project progress, general project management as well as intelligence gathering on relevant regional projects.

§ participating in relevant activities related to the international initiative to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030

• Provide backstopping for the laboratory twinning project between the German Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut and the Namibian Central Veterinary Laboratory
• Support the regional mandate of the OIE on the control and eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in the SADC region, and complementary activities to further sub-regional efforts in rolling out the OIE-FAO PPR Global Eradication Programme (i.e. through the organisation of sub-regional workshops on the OIE procedure for the official recognition of Member Countries disease status and for the endorsement of national official control programmes)
• Serve as a liaison person between the OIE Sub-Regional Representation for Southern Africa and other agencies working on the above topics in the sub-region, for instance (but not limited to): FAO (ECTAD), WHO (AFRO), SADC Secretariat, GARC, ILRI, AU-IBAR, AU-PANVAC, WTO
• Contribute to the implementation of OIE capacity building programmes and activities in the SADC region targeted at strengthening the capacities of Veterinary Services (e.g. training seminars for OIE national Focal Points and other relevant workshops)
• Provide regular scientific information derived from conducting regular scientific analysis of available data to guide OIE support activities in the sub-region and provide policy advice to Member Countries and the SADC Secretariat, where relevant
• Represent the OIE at relevant regional and international conferences, meetings, workshops, etc. taking place in the sub-region
• Carry out other related activities as assigned by the OIE Sub-Regional Representative for Southern Africa

Qualifications and Experience:

• Graduate university degree in veterinary medicine, from a recognised Veterinary Education Establishment
• Demonstrated professional background (through post-graduate diplomas or work experience) of veterinary epidemiology and/or veterinary public health
• Minimum of 8 years of work experience, with at least 5 years of regional or international experience working with national Veterinary Services in developing countries, preferably in Africa
• Proven experience and involvement in a Rabies control program at national level
• First experience in the management of projects in development cooperation

Technical skills:

• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken, with related skills required in writing and editing of reports, briefs and papers
• Good command of French
• Notions of Portuguese would be asset
• Knowledge of the project life cycle or other project management methods
• Command of the usual electronic communication and IT tools in a Microsoft environment, including (but not limited to) Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• Command of statistical tools and geographic information systems
• Familiarity with and capacity to communicate on activities through social media channels

Soft skills:

• Demonstrated capacity to communicate to larger audiences
• Demonstrated capacity to communicate in an intercultural context
• Demonstrated ability to be highly organised, independent, and a diplomatic professional;
• Availability to conduct frequent missions abroad, mainly in the SADC region, but also further afield

Working conditions

Overseas travel abroad is expected on a regular basis, especially in the SADC region.