EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY JOBS , JUNE 2017

Senior ICT Officer
(EAHRC/2016-17/001)

The East African Health Research Commission (EAHRC) is a semi-autonomous institution of the East African Community (EAC).

EAC is an East African regional intergovernmental organisation. The 5th Extra-Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State held on 18th June 2007 in Kampala, Uganda established the EAHRC as a mechanism for making available to the community, advice uponall matters of health, health-related research and findings necessary for knowledge generation, technological development, policy formulation, practice and related matters.

The vision of EAHRC is: A healthy and prosperous community built on evidence-driven policy and practice, which emanate from high quality research.

The Mission of EAHRC is: To improve health and well-being of the citizens of the Community by generating, accessing, capturing, assessing, synthesizing, sharing, disseminating, and utilizing health research and findings, as well as technological development that are suitable and relevant to the Community and its people.

The overall objective of the Commission is: To promote, facilitate, and coordinate the conduct and application of health research for the improvement of health and for the wellbeing of the people of East Africa.

The Commission is recruiting staff to serve at its secretariat. This is an exciting opportunity for highly motivated and result-driven professionals who are citizens of East African Community Partner States (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda) to apply for the following position tenable at the EAHRC Secretariat.

Organ / Institution: East African Health Research Commission (EAHRC)

Duty Station: Bujumbura, Burundi

Job Grade: P2

Job reports to: Principal Health Officer (Knowledge Management) 

Job Purpose:

The Senior Information and Communication Technology Officer has the functional role of planning and coordinating implementation of Information Communication Technology (ICT) Systems and Strategies of the EAHRC.

This role serves to the provision of high quality and measurable ICT services to EAHRC. The key areas of responsibilities include: the web portal for health information in EAC; the East African Health Research Journal; the EAC and EAHRC conferences (e.g. the East African Health and Scientific Conference, etc.); the secretariat ICT services; the ICT services that link EAHRC with EAC Partner States and other stakeholders; and all related matters that are required for EAHRC to realize it vision, and execute its mission.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1.  Plan and coordinate implementation of ICT Systems and Strategies.
2.  Recommend innovative Systems that address EAHRC requirements.
3.  Coordinate EAHRC wide information systems networks including: coordinating and linking with other EAHRC Stakeholders in the process of designing, updating, and managing the Web Portal.
4.  Manage internal ICT systems involving feasibility studies, system analysis, design and development.
5.  Coordinate evaluation, configuration and installations of software systems and tools.
6.  Manage local, intra and wide area networks, bandwidth, e-security.
7.  Maintain and upgrade servers, computers, network hardware and software.
8.  Assist in coordinating activities of functional department within the Commission and train end users.
9. Ensure security and backup copies of core systems and data are maintained.
10. Ensure ICT disaster recovery and business continuity plans are maintained.
11.  Administer the workflow of the EAHRC journals (e.g. EAHRJ, etc.) from electronic submission, review, to publication. Support the teams of the journals (e.g. the editors-in-chief, editorial teams, editorial boards, authors, reviewers, managing editors, etc.
12. Support conferences organized by EAHRC (e.g. the biennial Health and Scientific Conference, Digital Health Summit, etc.), and when required, support conferences organized by EAHRC stakeholders (e.g. National Focal Points, development partners, etc.). The support required spans from pre-conference preparatory phase, the actual conference, and post-conference phase. The responsibilities include setting up and managing the conference website, registration of participants (attendees, speakers, exhibitors, etc.), submission of abstracts, live streaming of conference, social media, podcasts, etc.
13.  Manage the open science platform for health (big data for health).
14.  Oversee the overall day-to-day management, maintenance, and updating of the EA web portal for health information.
15.  Embrace the Commission’s vision and values and the ideals of the Commission towards service delivery.
16.  Put strategies to ensure accomplishment of the EAHRC objectives.
17.  Undertake any other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the EAHRC management in order to meet personal, team, and EAHRC objectives.

Qualifications and Experience:

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• A Master’s of Science Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or a Master’s degree in ICT administration, or its equivalent.
• Holding a degree or diploma of ICT applied to health and health data management, hospital management information systems, ICT in health research, will be valuable and important for this job.
• All candidates applying must have qualifications that are recognized by the relevant national accreditation body in their respective countries. This condition is applicable for both locally and internationally attained qualifications.

Work Experience

• Minimum of 08 years’ experience with at least 03 years in managing health web site at a senior level including; processing health database, managing health-based ICT infrastructure and systems;
• Experience in collating and managing web-based health data using geographic information system (GIS) will be an important attribute.

Skills and Competencies:

• Knowledge of, and competence in modern web development, web tools, ICT systems e.g. HTML, PHP, MySQL and ICT systems administration and project management
• Knowledge and competence in using GIS in order to capture, store, manipulate, analyse, manage, and present in a web portal healthrelated spatial or geographic data.
• Practical experience/skills in managing database systems (e.g. database designing, database administration), and Web Content Management Systems
• Practical skills in hosting web-based professional and community platforms
• Skills in managing web-based journal 
• Knowledge in business re-engineering and strategies, and systems analysis and design
• Familiar with tools in ICT security management
• Knowledge in managing emails
• Technical skills in drafting ICT-related specifications and contracts
• Practical skills in management and leadership of ICT-based health or health research projects/programmes
• Working experience in Network Administration (LAN, WAN)
• Experience in business continuity/disaster recovery management skills
• Familiar with the regional (EAC) and global health sector
• Experience in ICT applied to health care information management; Health Information Management Systems
• Practical skills to apply big data to health care
•  A commitment to quality and the desire to excel.
• Ability to assist in the demonstration and training of staff in the use of ICT systems and programmes

Eligibility:

Applicants from all six EAC Partner States are eligible to apply for this position
at the East African Health Research Commission.

Terms and Conditions of Service:

The above position is tenable for a contract period of five (5) years, and may be renewed once.

Fringe Benefits:

This post offers attractive fringe benefits including housing allowance, transport allowance, education allowance, a medical scheme, and insurance cover.

Equal Opportunity:

The EAHRC is an equal opportunity employer. Female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply. EAHRC will only respond to those candidates who strictly meet the set requirements

How to Apply:

Interested candidates who meet the qualification and experience requirements for the above mentioned position are advised to send their applications, detailed curriculum vitae, and photocopies of academic certificates, names and contact details of three (03) referees, and a copy of National Identity Card, Birth Certificate or national passport showing the date of birth.

Please quote the reference number on the subject of the email and forward to the address below.

Applications should be submitted to the address below not later than 30th June 2017

Important Note:

1. Please submit your application electronically.
2. Applications which do not: indicate nationality and age; the reference number; an application letter attached; have certified copies of their academic degrees and other professional certificates; and do not provide three referees shall be disqualified
3. Those who had previously applied should not reapply
4. Only qualified candidates will be contacted
5. EAC Staff Rules and Regulations prevent consideration of applicants above 55 years of age

Please note that EAHRC does not require candidates to pay money for the recruitment process. All invitations for interviews shall be done in writing.

The Executive Secretary 
East African Health Research Commission (EAHRC)
C/O: Room 618, AICC Building, Kilimanjaro Wing (6th Floor)
P.O.Box 1096,
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255-27-2162100
ext 2114
E-mail: eahrc-admin@eachq.org

Application Deadline:

Friday, 30 June 2017 - 5:00pm