Senior Technical Advisor - Laboratory Services (Akwa Ibom)

Senior Technical Advisor - Laboratory Services (Akwa Ibom)

• Job Type Full Time
• Qualification MBA/MSc/MA , PhD/Fellowship , Professional Certificate
• Experience 12 years
• Location Akwa Ibom
• City Uyo
• Job Field Science

Supervisor: Associate Director, Laboratory Services

Basic Function

• The Senior Technical Advisor-Laboratory services provide strategic and technical leadership to strengthen laboratory systems and services under the HIV, TB, and Malaria program through the Technical Quality Leadership and Accountability (TQLA) support mechanism.
• Working alongside the indigenous prime partner, the advisor ensures that laboratory services are aligned with national policies, WHO recommendations, and donor (PEPFAR/USDOS) requirements to improve access to quality-assured diagnostic services.
• The position focuses on laboratory quality management systems, diagnostic network optimization, biosafety and biosecurity, laboratory accreditation, quality assurance, capacity strengthening, and data-driven continuous quality improvement while building sustainable institutional capacity within the indigenous prime.
• Ensure milestones achievement as per contract.

Duties and responsibilities

• Provide strategic technical oversight for laboratory components of HIV, TB, and Malaria programs in the designated zones for the Nigeria bilateral project Coordinate the design, planning and implementation of the laboratory component of HIV/AIDS care and treatment, in collaboration with state and community level project clinical staff, laboratory specialists and state and local agencies in Nigeria.
• Improve laboratory governance and leadership.
• Strengthening specimen transportation networks.
• Improve equipment management systems.
• Support laboratory supply chain management.
• Strengthen inventory management systems.
• Support laboratory information systems (LIS).
• Promote laboratory-clinical interface improvements.
• Support the indigenous prime to strengthen laboratory systems in line with national laboratory strategic plans.
• Ensure implementation of high-quality laboratory services across supported health facilities.
• Provide technical guidance for laboratory network strengthening and diagnostic optimization.
• Support implementation of innovative laboratory technologies and digital solutions.
• Provide technical assistance in capacity building for laboratory services at the designated states of activity implementation and other settings as appropriate
• Lead implementation and continuous improvement of laboratory Quality Management Systems (QMS).
• Support laboratories in implementing ISO 15189 requirements and national quality standards.
• Strengthen internal quality control (IQC), external quality assessment (EQA), and proficiency testing programs.
• Support implementation of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Guide laboratories through SLMTA/SLIPTA implementation and accreditation readiness.
• Promote continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiatives.
• Develop guidelines, tools and recommendations related to the implementation, monitoring, and quality assurance of laboratory services for TB care and treatment, malaria care and treatment and opportunistic infections (OI) in collaboration with technical staff within the project, and at national, state, and local agencies LEVEL in Nigeria
• Strengthen viral load testing systems. Improve Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) services.
• Support HIV rapid testing quality assurance.
• Strengthen CD4 and HIV diagnostic services where applicable.
• Strengthen GeneXpert services.
• Support TB culture and drug susceptibility testing where applicable.
• Improve TB specimen referral systems.
• Strengthen TB laboratory biosafety.
• Improve malaria microscopy quality assurance.
• Support malaria rapid diagnostic test quality systems.
• Strengthen malaria laboratory surveillance.
• Provide targeted technical assistance to improve laboratory performance.
• Support development and implementation of laboratory improvement plans.
• Monitor implementation of quality improvement interventions.
• Facilitate performance reviews using laboratory quality indicators.
• Strengthen accountability systems for laboratory service delivery.
• Ensure sustainability through institutional capacity strengthening.
• Mentor laboratory managers and laboratory personnel.
• Conduct competency assessments.
• Develop laboratory training curricula and job aids.
• Facilitate on-site mentoring and supportive supervision.
• Build capacity of indigenous prime staff to independently manage laboratory systems.
• Promote knowledge transfer and local ownership.
• Monitor laboratory performance indicators.
• Analyze laboratory quality data.
• Prepare technical reports for donors and government.
• Document best practices and lessons learned.
• Support operational research and implementation science activities.
• Utilize data for continuous quality improvement.
• Collaborate with Federal and State Ministries of Health.
• Coordinate with National Public Health Laboratory systems.
• Engage implementing partners and donors.
• Participate in technical working groups.
• Represent FHI 360 during laboratory technical meetings.
• Foster strong collaboration with the indigenous prime partner
• Develop concept papers and research papers to improve and or extend existing laboratory activities Support the Project Director in managing the FHI 360 Laboratory Services Department, defining strategies, goals, objectives and working plan, and monitoring their implementation
• Supervise and mentor other FHI30 field lab staff at state offices to improve and maintain high standards of performance in all their laboratory activities Play a key role in