Job Title:               Programme Management and Communications Officer

Org. Unit:              Outbreaks & Epidemics (O&E), African Risk Capacity (ARC)

Duty Station:        Remotely based

Contract Type:       When Actually Employed (WAE) consultant

Duration:                 60 days over 3 months, with possibility of extension subject to funding availability

Reporting to:           Lead Advisor Outbreaks & Epidemics (O&E)

BACKGROUND

The African Risk Capacity is a Specialized Agency of the African Union established in 2012 as an African owned index-based weather risk insurance that provides African countries with tools and products to quantify and manage disaster risk. ARC offers a comprehensive, integrated solution that transfers weather risk away from governments – and the vulnerable households they protect to ARC. This enables governments to build resilience and better plan, prepare for and respond to Natural disasters, health outbreaks and Epidemics.

Emerging infectious diseases pose an increasing threat to health and economic development in Africa. In the past few years, the international community has moved towards a robust and well- coordinated response approach towards public health emergencies. Despite this, and other improvements in the increased speed of detection and response, rapid deployment of medical countermeasures and vaccines, the presence of timely access to funding in respect to many public health emergencies remains unpredictable

Following the Ebola crisis that ravaged West Africa, African Ministers of Finance requested the ARC Secretariat in March 2015 to develop a product to address countries’ financing needs to contain outbreaks of viruses and diseases common to the African continent, and in the event of spread or secondary transmission.

The African Risk Capacity has developed such product – the sovereign parametric insurance product for outbreak and epidemic risks - to offer early and targeted financing to African Union Member Countries for selected epidemic-prone diseases (Ebola, Marburg, and Meningitis). The O&E product was launched in December 2022, and Senegal was the first country to enroll in this innovative pre- arranged financing scheme.

In addition, ARC through its Outbreaks and Epidemics (O&E) Programme, supported by Gates Foundation, is conducting a capacity-building work to implement disaster risk management and financing practices, and build the capacities for surveillance, disease prevention, response and resilience to

epidemics and other health emergencies in ECOWAS member states — specifically in Senegal, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria. This project on Gender responsive mechanisms for disease and epidemics in ECOWAS involves a partnership with the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD), the West African Health Organisation (WAHO). This work entails four key components:

1) Epidemic risk profiling and assessments on preparedness and capacity for early response.

2) Epidemic risk modelling of selected pathogens in countries affected.

3) Gender responsive contingency planning for efficient and timely response; and

4) Rapid deployment of capital to operationalise the pre-approved contingency plan.

The O&E team seeks a Programme Management & Communications Officer to support the team’s activities related to the coordination of the product roll-out, including the technical, partnerships, donor engagement, administration and finance. This position is seen as integral to the success of the GF project and has been fully funded as such.

Scope of Work and Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Lead Advisor O&E, the Programme Management & Communications Officer will carry out the following tasks:

Programme management duties:

• Provide programme management support through:
  • Development of the O&E budget and ensure the tracking of invoices and payments of Consultants, Collaborators and Researchers on a timely basis subject to all administrative and organisational approvals.
  • Participation in the development of the ARC O&E Annual Programme of Work.
  • Development and regular update of the ARC O&E Gantt Chart.
  • Coordinate O&E programme meetings and ensure follow-ups on decisions and actions points.
  • Track O&E implementation and prepare quarterly programme implementation updates for presentation to Management.
  • Quarterly programme reporting against the Programme of Work.

• Set up and compile a record and database of O&E partners and stakeholders, ensure ARC management and partners are provided quarterly and routine progress updates, and ensure that rigorous quality standards are maintained.

• Support the implementation of the Gender responsive mechanisms for epidemic preparedness in ECOWAS project:
  • Ensure timely submission and tracking of payments of all project consultants and service providers.
  • Support project expenditure and budget tracking.

• Support timely project donor reports and compliance.

• Provide project management support to specific and defined programmes and projects of small to moderate size that is relatively straightforward in nature, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP standards and procedures.

• Research and analyse policy and operational issues to support senior colleagues in the development of policies, programmes and activities.

• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on programmes and activities that enable informed decision-making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.

Communications, advocacy, strategic partnerships, and resource mobilisation duties:

• Contribute to the implementation of ARC’s strategic communication plans by developing and delivering O&E-specific communications plan, products and advocacy activities, in collaboration with the institutional Communications unit.
• Collaborate with ARC Communications unit to ensure consistency in O&E messaging and branding.
• Lead the engagement in communications and media (including social media) to inform on actions/events of interest to the O&E pilot, including updating the O&E web page and project documents.
• Provide guidance to support staff, acting as a point of referral and assisting them with analysis and Queries related to the O&E product development and launch plans.
• Support the identification, development and management of potential partnerships to collaborative working leading to the achievement of the O&E programme objectives.
• Support the O&E resource mobilisation activities by ensuring that donor proposals and reports are produced on a timely basis.

Education:

• Advanced University degree in Public Health, Development Studies, Social Science, Environmental Science, Laboratory Science, Anthropology, sociology or other related disciplines.
• Knowledge in Public health, Administration, Finance, health promotion, information management and disease control

Work Experience and other relevant skills:

• 3 to 5 years of experience in working in/with African countries
• Demonstrated ability in working in a supportive role to achieve team goals
• Excellent research, analytical and communication skills
• Knowledge of global and international health issues
• Strong computer skills including good knowledge of excel and access
• Good communication skills