Organizational Setting

The key mission of the FAO country offices, which are headed by the FAO Representative, is to assist and support national governments to develop policies, strategies and programmes and projects to accelerate the implementation and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals in the area of FAO’s global mandate and Strategic Objectives. More specifically, FAO’s response aims at addressing national needs and priorities in achieving food security, reducing hunger and malnutrition, and to help in developing the agricultural, fisheries, livestock, and forestry sectors, and to using their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner, in line with FAO’s mandate and Strategic Objectives.

Reporting Lines

The International Epidemiologist will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Liberia and the direct technical supervision of the ECTAD Country Team Leader in collaboration with the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO)/Chief, Animal Health Service (NSA), and in close collaboration with the ECTAD regional team for West and Central Africa and the ECTAD Liberia team.

Technical Focus

The International Epidemiologist will contribute to the implementation of ECTAD Global Health Security (GHS) programme West and Central Africa – Supporting the Global health Security (GHS) program to address Zoonotic Disease and Animal Health in Liberia. He/She will support ECTAD initiatives in Liberia to build sustainable animal health and laboratory systems and One Health capacities to mitigate risks and threats caused by emerging and re-emerging zoonoses, endemic zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Tasks and responsibilities

Within the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease Operations (ECTAD), under the reporting lines highlighted above the incumbent will undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

•    Contribute to the preparation of country strategies and programs for the management of high impact emerging and re-emerging zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases in line with the national priorities and FAO’s Strategic Objectives.
•    Participate in and support the design and implementation of national animal health strategies and programs/projects with focus on priority diseases.
•    Lead the design, coordination and implementation of epidemiology/surveillance activities relevant to emerging and re-emerging zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases at the livestock-wildlife-human interface to mitigate the high (current/potential) impact of diseases in Liberia. These include:
o    Supporting appropriate stakeholder workshops and facilitate discussion and development of a surveillance approach that addresses national and regional priority diseases to target through a surveillance programme;
o    Support the development of national surveillance plan and control strategies for national priority zoonotic diseases as well as other priority transboundary animal diseases. This includes the review of the National Integrated Animal Disease Surveillance and Response system (IADSR) as the need arises;
o    Lead to the development and implementation of surveillance protocols (epidemiological sampling) from livestock in targeted livestock farming systems, value chains and at domestic animals-wildlife interfaces;
o    Plan, organize and implement capacity development of in-service professionals through the use of field epidemiology training and participatory epidemiology approaches targeting veterinarians, animal health technicians, community animal health workers, farmers, and where appropriate, public health or other stakeholders/partners.
o    Conduct risk assessments of the occurrence and spread of Priority diseases in Liberia to inform decision makers, to guide the implementation of risk mitigation measures and enable cost-effective resource allocation in animal health.
o     Supervise in-country expert missions on epidemio-surveillance and census to ensure that high quality samples and information are collected.
•    Work with/support the organization of stakeholders’ meetings and lead the process for the development of animal health and related policy/legal and other regulatory instruments in the country;
•    In close consultation with the CTL, and relevant sectors and stakeholders, initiate and /or strengthen the national priority zoonotic disease control program to serve as an entry point for a functional inter-sectoral One Health collaboration;
•    Facilitate closer linkages of the GHS program with relevant Ministries, particularly with MOA, MOH, FDA and other relevant Government agencies, projects/programs and technical partners (PREDICT, CDC, WB/REDISSE etc);
•    Provide regular updates of Zoonosis and TADs epidemiology situation in the country; bi-weekly project activity updates and prepare draft articles on technical accomplishments as needed;
•    Support the establishment of a functional national epidemiology network in line with the RESEPI-WA recommendations for West and Central Africa
•    Plan, organize and implement capacity development of livestock value chain actors including animal health professionals in biosecurity and good emergency management practices.
•    Participate in animal health emergency preparedness and contingency planning exercises, or tabletop scenarios;
•    Support the implementation of the FAO program in support of the implementation of the One Health approach in collaboration with line ministries (MoA, MoH), other international technical agencies (Red Cross, MSF, WB etc.), NGOs. This includes participating in the OH activities and supporting the various OH/Technical working groups.
•    Assist the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) FAO GHS program team in collecting epidemiology, surveillance, training and One Health related inputs for the programme M&E calls
•    Contribute to immediate notification to GLEWS, the Regional Office in Accra and the country team leader, of any significant epidemiological event.
•    Guide and support the office of the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) of Liberia and the different departments particularly the Epidemiology Unit its discharging is duties. This includes supporting them in preparation of reports and meeting their reporting obligations nationally and internationally.
•    Contribute to epidemiological intelligence at national and regional levels.
•    Contribute to implementation of annual work plans in close collaboration with the ECTAD team and the other staff of FAO office in Liberia.
•    Contribute to the preparation of regular reports on the progress of the implementation of projects implemented by the ECTAD country team Liberia, for FAO, donors, or other stakeholders.
•    Contribute to resource mobilization efforts through writing and submitting project proposals
•    Submit a final technical report upon completion of the assignment to the ECTAD Liberia Team Leader and the FAOR;
•    Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM or BVM) with specialization in Epidemiology.
•    At least 5 years of relevant experience in animal health/animal resource and/or public health/One Health.
•    Working knowledge (level C) of English and limited knowledge (level B) of one of the other FAO official languages (Arabic, Chinese, Russian (for PSA only English is required). For PSAs working knowledge of English is required.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work.
•    Demonstrated experience in programme and project management, advocacy and outreach, and resource mobilization is desired.
•    Familiarity with FAO systems and Programme policies will be considered an asset.