National One Health Specialist (SC9)

Organizational Setting

The tasks envisaged for this position are to be carried out through the FAO’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), which is currently implementing a number of projects in various countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Within the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease Operations (ECTAD), under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative (FAO-R) in Kenya, the direct supervision of the ECTAD Country Team Leader, and in close collaboration with the FAO Programme in the country and FAO ECTAD Eastern and Southern Africa Regional and the ECTAD Kenya teams.

The post is located in the FAO Country Office in Kenya

Reporting Lines

The National One Health Specialist will work under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative (FAO-R) in Kenya, under the direct supervision of the FAO ECTAD Kenya Country Team Leader, and in close collaboration with the FAO Programme in the country and FAO ECTAD Eastern and Southern Africa Regional teams.

Technical Focus

The National One Health Specialist will support the One Health activities at the country level.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Contribute to the preparation and implementation of country strategies, plans, policies and programme for the management of high-impact emerging and re-emerging zoonotic and non-zoonotic animal diseases in line with the national priorities as defined in the Country Programming Framework (CPF) and FAO’s Strategic Framework (2022-31).
• Support and monitor One Health mainstreaming and monitoring in relevant programs on sustainable agrifood systems, climate change, resilience and livestock emergency programs at FAO Kenya
• Faciliate One Health implementation across FAO ECTAD activities under the GHS programme in close collaboration with thematic leads (Zoonoses, One Health, National Laboratories, Epidemiology, and Antimicrobial Resistance). This includes but not limited to
o Facilitate coordination between the relevant One Health coordination platforms, such as the Zoonotic Disease Unit (ZDU), National Antimicrobial Stewardship Interagency Committee (NASIC).
o Strengthen the capacity, coordination, and communication of existing County One Health Units (COHUs) including activities such as policy review, investment planning, and monitoring and evaluation.
o Enhancing Multisectoral collaboration on prevention and control of priority zoonotic diseases (PZDs) including early warning/surveillance, sharing of information, outbreak investigation and response, Simulation Exercises (SIMEX), After Action Reviews (AARs)
• Engage with partners and potential stakeholders at national and local levels to support implementation and demonstrate impacts of One Health at national, county and community levels. This includes but not limited to
o Facilitate closer linkages of the GHS Program and other relevant OH activities at FAO Kenya collecting baseline data (pre- and post- intervention) on disease incidence/prevalence, number of household beneficiaries, livestock population covered, etc along PZDs hotspots and selected COHUs.
o Ensure zoonotic disease strategies and plans and One Health operationalization mechanisms are included in government plans.
o Support joint planning among the animal, human and environmental sectors particularly focusing on the roll out of the Tripartite Zoonotic Guide (TZG) and its associated operational tools (Multisectoral, One Health Coordination/MCM-OT, Joint Risk Assessment/JRA-OT, Surveillance and Information Sharing/SIS-OT, One Health Assessment Tool (OHAT), etc.) at national and sub-national levels in Kenya.
o Support the development and dissemination of awareness materials, contribute to the preparation appropriate workshops and facilitate stakeholder discussions and development on One Health investment strategies and plans to inform public sector investment efforts on One Health.
o Contribute to risk analysis/assessments at the human/livestock/environment/wildlife interface and facilitate in-country expert missions on epidemic-surveillance.
• Provide regular updates on GHS project activities and prepare draft web articles and press releases on technical accomplishments as needed.
• Provide backstopping for government partners at national and sub-national levels to implement ECTAD program activities either through Letter of Agreements (LoA) or other mechanisms.
• Contribute to resource mobilization efforts through developing project concept notes and proposals.
• Prepare periodic and final reports on the implementation progress of project(s).
• Undertake additional responsibilities as assigned by the ECTAD Team Leader.

FAO Standards and guidelines\:

• Liaison with OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, aligned messaging, and appropriate review and clearance processes.
• All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including\:
FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31\: https\://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en
FAO social media policy and guidelines\: https\://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia
Social Media Branding Guidelines\: https\://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en
FAOSTYLE https\://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en
FAO terminology http\://www.fao.org/faoterm
FAO Names of Countries https\://www.fao.org/nocs/en   
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff).
• Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• A minimum of a master’s level degree in Veterinary Medicine or Science
• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in public health or animal health systems
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and Kiswahili
• National of Kenya

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Good understanding of the government systems, particularly the ability to engage relevant sectors and disciplines across the human–animal–environment
• Experience in working in a multi-cultural ‘UN-like’ environment.
• Excellent analytical, writing and synthesis
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and sensitivity to political and cultural issues.
• Ability to work with proven experience in multisectoral teams and under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Experience in programme/project planning, design, follow-up, monitoring and evaluation.

Selection Criteria

• An advanced degree in Veterinary Epidemiology, Public health, Health economics or Preventive medicine is an added advantage.
• Working experience in management of national or regional programmes for prevention and control of health threats at the human, animal and environment interface.
• National investment planning process documented and disseminated
• Support to OH coordination platforms provided at national and county levels.
• Key One Health interventions supported
• Web pages and /or press releases developed and disseminated
• Implementation of One Health tools supported
• Contributions to development of project proposal documents/concept notes provided

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION