Technical Advisor – Chemicals and Environmental Hazards at British Embassy

British Embassy

Position: Technical Advisor – Chemicals and Environmental Hazards

Salary: USD 2,118.83

Application Deadline: September, 14/2023

The main purpose of the job:

The post holder will support the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) International Health Regulations (IHR) Strengthening Project in Ethiopia. The IHR Strengthening Project (IHR-SP) aims to improve global health security by increasing compliance with the IHR in selected countries and regions in Africa and Asia, taking an all-hazards approach. A key element of the IHR relates to chemical hazards and public health – known as “chemical events”.

Working with the UKHSA IHR Project Senior Health Advisor; the Project Chemical team of UKHSA; and the wider Project team, the post holder will play a crucial role in building and maintaining relationships, coordinating and delivering Chemical hazards and public health priorities bilaterally with partners, including the Ministry of Health and the Ethiopia Public Health Institute, and multi-laterally with Africa CDC.

The post holder will require experience in undertaking assessments of likely risks associated with chemical hazards and public health, as well as experience of preparedness, surveillance and response activities for the public health management of incidents involving chemicals.  

The post-holder will provide key in-country situational awareness for the UK-based Chemical Project teams and pro-active and reactive day-to-day project delivery. Ensuring the maintenance of key stakeholder relationships and providing in-person representation at relevant meetings, workshops, or ad-hoc events.

Diplomatic skills and cultural awareness are critical, as engaging with a range of stakeholders, such as senior leadership, ministers, senior government officials and other technical, donor or development agency representatives will be critical to the role. We are seeking individuals with both technical knowledge and international relations capability, able to demonstrate both UKHSA and Civil Services Competencies and ways of working. Key to this is the ability to influence and negotiate to manage key relationships with local and other international stakeholders.

This post offers an excellent opportunity to gain experience of working in a fast-paced and innovative environment and is an ideal chance for someone looking to advance their career in Public Health project coordination. The ideal candidate must have a flexible approach to meet the needs of the service, be able to work to tight deadlines and manage multiple workstreams and priorities at the same time. This post will be based in Addis Ababa with some travel to other areas of Ethiopia. Occasional international travel (e.g. to other countries in the sub-region, or to the UK) may be required.

Roles and responsibilities:

Coordinate the Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards (RCE) input in Ethiopia:

• Maintain key stakeholder relationships

• Provide in-person representation for relevant meetings, workshops, or ad-hoc events

• Provide technical input to the design, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of activities to strengthen chemical preparedness, surveillance, response and recovery capability in Ethiopia, This may include, but is not limited to:  

  • Supporting the National CBRN Technical Working Group, chaired by the Ethiopia Public Health Institute and relevant tasks

  • Exploring the opportunities for embedding an Environmental Epidemiology module into the Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP)  

  • Supporting the Ministry of Health with progressing their Roadmap for the establishment of a poisons service.

  • Supporting the development, testing, and validation of chemicals management policies, plans, and SOPs

  • Other tasks that contribute to IHR strengthening in line with the Ethiopia National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) and other relevant indicators including the WHO Benchmarking and State Party Self-Assessment Annual Reporting Tool

Advance RCE work with Africa CDC

• Explore needs and opportunities for capacity building for chemical hazards with Africa CDC

• Represent UKHSA at RCE-related meetings and workshops

• Identify specific areas of cooperation and collaboration

• Deliver sensitisation webinars on chemical events and detection for chemical hazards and public health

• To manage small projects and aspects of larger projects in a particular defined area, and to work within a project team under the guidance of more senior staff. This includes managing own time, other relevant resources, and liaising with stakeholders and other members of staff working on the project to ensure the timely and successful completion of the work. 

• To be able to receive and assimilate technical and scientific information relating to chemicals. 

• To prepare methodology documents, project reports and papers and sections of complex reports, including incorporating material prepared by others.

• Maintain key in-country situational awareness and keep the UK-based RCE team informed of relevant activity and opportunities.

Professional Development:

• Identify, discuss and action your own professional performance and training/development needs with your line manager through an appraisal / individual development plan. Attending internal/external training events

• To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training

• The above is an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be expected by UKHSA. These responsibilities may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organization

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• Degree qualification in a science subject related to environmental public health or equivalent experience

• Postgraduate qualification or equivalent experience in the field of environmental, public health or chemicals related subject

• Familiarity with public health and environmental issues

• Experience in chemical-related public health risk assessment

• Familiarity with global aspects of chemical safety and the sound management of chemicals

• Demonstrable experience of good stakeholder management and working with government departments and agencies

• Experience in delivering presentations, training and interactive workshops

• Understanding of and demonstrable experience in applying monitoring and evaluation principles to project delivery

• Understanding of national and international partners relating to managing chemical hazards in Ethiopia and Africa.

• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills on complex matters, often requiring persuasion and influence.

• Ability to analyze and interpret information and recommend appropriate actions.

• Ability to work on own initiative and organize own workload without supervision working too tight and often changing timescales.

• Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience  

• Qualification or equivalent experience in the field of environmental public health or related discipline.

• Previous experience in a similar role in the public sector or with bilateral/multilateral organizations.

• Understanding of UKHSA.

Required behaviours: Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Developing Self and Others

Application deadline:14 September 2023

Grade: Grade 7 (G7)

Type of Position: Fixed Term

Duration of Post: 18 months

Region: Africa

Country/Territory: Ethiopia

Location (City): Addis Ababa

Type of Post: British Embassy

Salary: USD 2,118.83

Start Date: 1 November 2023

Additional information  

• Must be able to legally work in Ethiopia

• Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during the screening

• Please check your application carefully before you submit it, as no changes can be made once submitted

• The British Embassy will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position

• Employees recruited locally by the British Embassy in Addis Ababa are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in Ethiopia

• All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit.

• The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to;

• Obtain the relevant permit

• Pay the fees for the permit

• Make arrangements to relocate

• Meet the costs to relocation

• Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount

• Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link: CLICK HERE

• Please note: AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5  

• Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates

• Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a reserve list. If during the reserve period of 6/12 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate

How to Apply

• Register using THIS LINK