Country Lead - DRC

We are searching for an experienced Country Lead - DRC. This position is based in Kinshasa, DRC.

Project Overview:

The TDDAP2 (Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa Programme Phase 2), funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), will enhance health security across Africa. The programme will contribute to the reduction of illness and death from infectious disease threats in African populations and globally, with a particular focus on women and girls. Building on the COVID-19 pandemic and previous outbreak responses, it establishes partnerships between African, UK, and global public health institutions, such as Africa CDC and WHO-AFRO. TDDAP2 provides technical assistance to national governments and regional bodies and includes an Africa Rapid Response to Outbreaks (ARRO) Fund to facilitate swift responses to disease outbreaks across Sub- Saharan Africa.

TDDAP2 is structured around four components. This contract will focus solely on Component 1 below.

Component 1: National and Community Technical Assistance (this programme): Provides long-term technical assistance to DRC,Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda to strengthen the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR). It supports national priorities through the delivery of National Action Plans for Public Health (NAPHS), One Health and All Hazard Plans, and pilot innovative approaches to public health security.

Component 2: Regional Technical Assistance: Supports African regional institutions, networks, and initiatives with a health security mandate by providing technical assistance, facilitating peer-to-peer learning partnerships, and offering discreet financial support.

Component 3: ARRO Fund: Provides early and rapid funding for outbreak responses and supports coordination across the UK government for effective deployment of expertise, logistics, and monitoring.

Component 4: Monitoring and Evaluation: An independent third-party monitoring, evaluation, and lesson- learning function to ensure adaptability and improvement throughout the programme lifecycle.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

- Spearhead technical leadership as key country representative.

- Ensure attainment of programme outputs and progress towards achieving programme outcomes and impact.
- Ensure targets are met and associated deliverables are produced on time and of high quality.
- Establish a one team approach built on positive collaboration across other country teams and the wider consortium.
- Act as lead point of contact on all country technical programme delivery aspects – from design and implementation to close out and evaluation.
- Represent and act as an ambassador for TDDAP2 and Palladium both internally and externally at relevant meetings, events and workshops and actively seek opportunities for collaboration.
- Lead on strengthening of International Health Regulations (IHR) capacity in country and driving national ownership and leadership of health responses.
- Provide technical guidance on strengthening institutions to build national capacity in global health security.
- Engage with CSOs to identify and monitor disease risk, focusing on surveillance and misinformation.
- Drive and instill a One Health approach across the programme’s technical interventions.
- Lead the development and quality assurance of all country programme workplans, reports and reviews.
- Coordinate with relevant stakeholders at national and community levels, facilitating cross-country collaboration and sharing of best practices.
- Coordinate client meetings and in country visits and events.
- Responsible for all country reporting in accordance with the agreed reporting structure.

Key Competencies Required:

- Demonstrated technical expertise in health systems strengthening, health security, One Health, infectious diseases, amongst others.
- Strong expertise in global health security e.g. experience in epidemic response and preparedness in an emergency operations center or having participated in Joint External Evaluations or After-Action Review exercises.
- In-depth knowledge of the African and specifically DRC health security architecture.
- Experience in coordinating and collaborating with diverse set of stakeholders across Africa and UK health space, at national and community level.
- Deep knowledge of health systems at regional, national and community level.
- Experience working on other donor funded programmes, preferably with FCDO.
- Strong organisational and leadership skills and strategic thinking capacity.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

Reporting Lines:

This position will report to the Team Leader.

Professional Expertise/Competencies Preferred:

- Previous experience working with African regional and national health institutions e.g. Africa CDC.
- Previous experience in epidemic response and preparedness (e.g. in emergency operation centers – EOCs or conducting or participating in JEEs or after-action review exercises).
- Have worked with or within multilateral organization's (WHO, World Bank, Africa CDC).

You and Your Career:

If you are a problem-solver, collaborator, and doer, and you have in-depth knowledge of the African health security architecture and expertise in health systems strengthening, global health security, and infectious disease, we are interested in hearing from you.

We are a learning organization and provide growth opportunities from the start. We pride ourselves on giving you
the freedom, resources, and guidance to chart a fulfilling career!

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success, and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.

Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.