Consultancy Service: Individual Consultant – Animal Health Expert (Support to the Africa Union One Health Data Alliance for Africa – AU-OHDAA)

Background

The African Union Inter African Bureau is a technical institution under the Department of DARBE whose mission is to provide leadership and integrated support services for the development of animal resources in Africa. AU-IBAR is mandated to support and coordinate the sustainable development and utilization of animal resources (livestock, fisheries and wildlife) to enhance nutrition and food security and contribute to the wellbeing and prosperity of the people in the Member State of the AU. AU-IBAR accomplishes its mandate through supporting and empowering the African Union Member States and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs). The core functions of AU-IBAR within the field of animal resources development in Africa are: Strengthening and promoting veterinary governance and animal health systems; Strengthening and promoting access to inputs, services and markets for animal and animal products; Enhancing the utilization, management and conservation of animal resources and their ecosystems; Promotion of the effective management of animal resources information and knowledge.

The African Union One Health Data Alliance Africa project (AU-OHDAA) is a two-year project whose objective is “Digitalised One Health Governance and Management in Sub-Saharan Africa is Strengthened”. The AU-OHDAA is achieved through two outputs namely; 1) Information Policy (IP) and Information architecture (IA); 2) Operational One Health (OH) information Platform at the continental level for the integration, analysis and exchange of One Health information to strengthen evidence-based cross-sectoral and cross-border OH governance and management.

The African Union Inter-African Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) is implementing the above-mentioned project which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

The Animal Health Strategy for Africa (AHSA-2019-2035) provides a common vision and goals for the African continent for the improvement of animal health delivery systems including promoting the One Health approach and in tandem to executing her mandate of improving animal health delivery systems, the need for strengthening and operationalizing digital OH especially in Africa is paramount. AU-IBAR is keen to ensure that a strong unified drive towards integrating and sharing information, knowledge and experiences on all the three OH domains (Animal Health, Human Health and Environmental health) is operationalized and institutionalized.

AU-IBAR therefore seeks the services of an Animal Health Expert with vast knowledge on animal health delivery systems, disease prevention, preparedness, detection and response at national, regional and continental levels and with knowledge and experience on the status of One Health in the continent and One Health actors to provide technical support for the implementation of the OHDAA.

Overall Objective

Within the framework of The African Union One Health Data Alliance Africa project (AU-OHDAA), the objective of the consultancy is to provide technical support for the implementation of the Project.

Tasks and Responsibilities

1. Support the compilation of country assessment reports on the status of One Health data regulatory, data standards, information and communication technology and governance systems for participating RECs and countries;
2. Contributes to the development and operationalization of a continental digital One Health data Platforms including development of user stories, user cases and validation
3. Contribute to the development of One Health data competencies required building technical expertise of OH multistakeholders
4. Support in the Animal health data standards, integration and sharing at national, regional and continental level
5. Support formulation and adoption of Policies, strategies and legal frameworks to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of OH
6. Contribute to the generation and dissemination of OH data Knowledge and information products;
7. Support organization, preparation and finalization of technical and project steering committee reports;
8. Support in the awareness creation of the Continental One Health digital platform at member states, Regional Economic communities and international fora
9. Prepare and submit Monthly reports on progress of implementation of the tasks and deliverables;
10. Prepare and submit a comprehensive Final report on all tasks and deliverables at the end of the six months period;
11. Perform any other duty as may be assigned by the Director of AU-IBAR.

Expected Outputs/deliverables

1. Assessment reports on the status of One Health data regulatory, data standards, information and communication technology and governance systems for participating RECs and countries compiled;
2. User cases and stories to inform the development of a Minimum viable Product for the digital One Health Platform developed;
3. Animal health digital data systems harmonized and standardized to support One Heath data preparedness, detection and response through functional Operational Continental African Union One Health platform.
4. Support provided for the development of OH data competencies needed for operationalization of digital One Health Platforms;
5. Multi-stakeholder, multi-sectoral and inter-disciplinary collaboration and coordination for delivery of digital One Health promoted;
6. National and regional capacities to efficiently operationalize One Health enhanced;
7. Generation, documentation and information sharing on One Health activities amongst AU-OHDAA partners and stakeholders enhanced;
8. Technical and project steering committee meetings organised and reports compiled
9. Progress Monthly report on implementation of the tasks and deliverables submitted in a timely manner aligned to workplan;
10. Comprehensive report on all tasks and deliverables at the end of the six months prepared and submitted in a timely manner;
11. Inception Report developed outlining methodology, workplan and approach for the consultancy;
12. Policies, strategies and legal frameworks to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of OH a promoted;
13. Duties assigned by the Director delivered effectively and efficiently and on time

Duty Stations

The consultant will be stationed in Nairobi with travel on specific assignments agreed with the AU-IBAR Management.

Duration

The duration of this assignment is 6 months. The contract would be renewable depending on availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

The selected candidate should be available to undertake this assignment as soon as the contract is signed.

Remuneration

The monthly remuneration for this Consultancy is a fixed sum of USD 6,800. Expenses for missions will be covered separately in accordance with the applicable African Union Commission rules and regulations.

Selection Criteria

Proposals received will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:

Criteria Scores (%)

Qualifications 15

General Experience 20

Specific Experience 50

Other skills 10

Proficiency in language 5

Supervision and Reporting

The consultant will be under the supervision of the Director of AU-IBAR.

Requirements

Academic requirements

A university degree in Veterinary Medicine and at least an advanced degree MSc degree in Animal health and demonstrated knowledge and experience in epidemiology. A PhD in animal health disciplines will be an added advantage.

General professional experience

• At least 10 years of proven experience in public and/or private sector animal health services, disease prevention, preparedness, detection and response at national, regional and continental levels;
• Demonstrated experience on harmonization and coordination of animal disease control including in close border areas;
• Knowledge of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) standards;
• Knowledge of evaluation and assessment of various aspects of veterinary services using tools such as, needs assessment tools, expert opinion, PVS, JEE among others;
• Experience in an international work environment is highly desirable;

Specific professional experience

• Knowledge of WOAH Standards, International Health Regulations and Joint External Evaluation;
• Familiarity with AU policies and strategies supporting animal health delivery and OH in Africa;
• Proven knowledge on OH approach and operationalization of OH in the continent;
• Demonstrated knowledge on the current status of One Health and One health actors in Africa;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience working with OH continental, regional and national stakeholder platforms;
• Proven experience in managing national, regional or continental animal health projects and interventions;
• Proven experience working with regional animal health networks (epidemiology and laboratory, health etc)
• Demonstrated knowledge and vast experience in formulation and implementation of regional and continental policy frameworks;
• Familiar with African Union (AU) policy processes;
• Experience in organizing and facilitating stakeholder consultative meetings;
• Knowledge of existing OH tools/guidelines to address required skills and competencies;
• Record of knowledge and participation in fora/conferences promoting OH at regional or continental level;

Other Skills and competencies

• Professionalism – Proven expertise in animal health, policy formulation and advocacy related to animal health management; demonstrated in-depth technical knowledge and proven analytical skills on issues related to animal health and sustainable development;
• Planning and organizing – Proven ability to plan and organize work within a project; ability to make timely decisions;
• Efficient communication skills and demonstrated experience in working with multi- disciplinary, multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral actors across the African continent. Effective written, oral and presentation skills, particularly ability to present information in a concise and accurate manner; ability to develop consensus among people with varying points of view.
• Teamwork: Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds with respect for diversity.
• Judgement/Decision-making – Good judgement and initiative, imagination and resourcefulness, energy and tact, ability to ensure an effective work structure to maximize productivity and achieve institution’s goals.

Language requirement

Proficiency in English and/or French and or any other AU working languages.

Medical and travel cover for consultant/s

The consultant/s will responsible for their medical and travel insurance cover/s during the duration of the consultancy.