Technical Coordination Specialist

The African Union, established as a unique Pan African continental body, is mandated with spearheading Africa’s rapid integration and sustainable development by promoting unity, solidarity, cohesion and cooperation among its and African States as well as developing a new partnership worldwide.

The African Union (AU) has set ambitious targets to end tuberculosis (TB), alongside ending AIDS and eliminating malaria by 2030, as part of its bold health agenda. Over the years, the African Union Commission has played a leading role in advocating for TB reduction across the continent, spearheading accountability efforts, and mobilizing resources through strong collaborations with the international community.

In 2018, the Common African Position on TB was widely endorsed during the UN General Assembly by AU Member States' Ministers of Health and key stakeholders. This commitment was further reinforced in 2023, when African leaders endorsed the United Nations High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) Declaration on the Fight Against TB. Notably, several African leaders also joined the Coalition of Leaders to End TB, launched at the UNHLM in September 2023. The African Union Commission and the Stop TB Partnership are collaborating closely to ensure countries uphold their commitments, raise awareness, and encourage other nations to join the TB Movement.

Additionally, the African Heads of State and Government endorsed the African Continental End TB Accountability Framework for Action and the End TB Scorecard Initiative during the 2018 July summit in Nouakchott, Mauritania. As part of this commitment, the AU Commission, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Stop TB Partnership, now leads the annual production of the TB scorecard and tracks progress through the End TB Accountability Framework for Action.

In 2020, AU Heads of State and Government also endorsed the AWA Experts Report, which reviewed the 2018 UN High-Level Meeting recommendations on TB, further strengthening the continent's efforts to combat the disease. Through these initiatives, the African Union continues to drive the fight against TB, with an emphasis on holding countries accountable and ensuring progress toward ending the epidemic by 2030.

The purpose of the position is to engage Members states and individuals at the Regional Economic Commissions (RECS) level to ensure harmonisation in the strengthening of health systems to support TB programs within national action plans. This involves advocating for capacity building, facilitating knowledge sharing on TB-related initiatives, and promoting collaboration across AU Member States. Key strategies include organizing technical consultative meetings and encouraging TB-focused research to drive collective progress.

a) To organise meetings to advocate for capacity building on information systems and surveillance, particularly for high- burden countries facing reporting challenges to ensure that accurate data is generated for the production of the TB scorecard.

b) To lead discussions on knowledge exchange regarding TB management, with a focus on multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and childhood TB, as well as new diagnostic methods.

c) Promote capacity building to enhance national response efforts.

d) Coordinate the submissions of progress reports from Member States on the implementation of the TB score card, highlighting ownership and accountability measures. Review the recommendations for quality, and ensure they are submitted to the relevant Policy Organs for endorsement.

e) Strengthen advocacy efforts through dissemination of the TB Accountability framework and emphasizing the need for increased funding to address the underfunded TB response.

f) Organise Technical Consultative Meetings to promote TB research and discuss grant application opportunities and explore financing options to support TB programs in Member States.

g)  Coordinate the convening of High-level Advocacy that brings together various relevant ministries and stakeholders as a mechanism that will encourage collaboration and harmonisation in the control and elimination of TB at National, regional and continental levels.

h) Collaboration with the Education Science Technology and Innovation (ESTI) Department, to promote the creation of a network of universities and researchers working on TB on the Continent.

i) Facilitate and support activities that will promote skills transfers and capacity building through South-to-South collaboration

j)   Undertake technical coordination responsibilities as assigned by the Director

• A minimum of Master’s university degree in Infectious diseases or related Sciences and relevant years of experience in medicine, public health or epidemiology, basic health science (eg biology, chemistry)or other relevant  discipline is required. A Doctoral degree (e.g., Ph.D., Sc.D. or D.Ph.) in a relevant discipline is desirable.
• A Bachelors degree combined with an additional 2 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a Masters degree

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
Contract level: IICA-2
Contract duration: 18 months (With possibility of extension subject to performance and funding availability)

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete)  in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.