Summary of the role: 

The Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa) is a World Bank supported center of excellence for education and research at the College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The main aim of CDT-Africa is to serve as a platform for equitable access to interventions (medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and complex interventions) and bring about sustainable development in Africa through high-quality capacity development for innovative therapeutic discovery.

As part of these efforts, CDT-Africa is looking for a qualified Senior Center Manager.

Main Duties and responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the Center Leader, the senior center manager will;
• Become thoroughly knowledgeable on all aspects of the ACEII project.
• Support the high level visions of CDT-Africa.
• Engage with Ministerial offices to facilitate implementation and uptake.
• Achieves operational objectives by contributing information & recommendations to the strategic plans & reviews; preparing & completing action plans. Implementing production, productivity, quality & customer service standards, resolving problems; completing audits; identifying trends; determining system improvements; implementing change.
• In close consultation with the head, manage human resource consisting of organizations planning, project team acquisitions and staff development activities.
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications, maintaining personal networks, participating in professional organizations.
• Manage risk consisting of risk management planning, risk identification, risk quantitative & qualitative analysis, response planning, monitoring & control activities.
• Enhance the center’s reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new & different requests exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
• Manage national, regional & international academic , government & private sector partners
• Manage communication consisting of communications planning, information distribution, progress and performance reporting & stakeholder communications management activities.
• Establish, maintain & manage communications among all parties involved in the project coordination implementation.
• Prepare semi-annual & annual reports in collaboration with the scientific coordinator.
• Supervise other support personnel.
• Support resource mobilization.
• Coordinate marketing of the center; monitoring & evaluation of activities.
• Coordinate international collaborations & assist in developing new partnership projects.
• Convene national, regional & international conferences.
• Assist the center lead in future human resource development planning.
• Ensure effective coordination between & among individual research project teams.
• Convene meeting of the project management steering committee & international scientific advisory committee & monitor progress of recommendations made.
• Oversee all financial & administrative issues.
• Liaise with the ACE II regional facilitation unit & World Bank office in Ethiopia.
• Manage quality consisting of quality planning, quality assurance & quality control activities.
• Taking part in any other duties which may be deemed necessary by the lead & management due to the expansion, development & diversification of activities with CDT Program.
• Engage in other activities as directed by the Center Head.

Terms and conditions

• Hours of Work: Are governed by the laws of Ethiopia. However, the nature of the work is such that it might require working overtime and weekends, with due financial compensation.
• Holidays: Are governed by the rules of Addis Ababa University for project workers.
• Length of Contract: This is a four year post subject to six monthly contract renewal.
• Probationary Period and Notice Period: There is a three-month probationary period for this role. The notice period is one month.

Reports to: CDT-Africa Center Head

Qualification and requirements

• Experience in similar centers or responsibilities is more important than specific qualifications. However the candidate is expected to have at least a master’s degree in an appropriate field (e.g. Public Health, Medical Degree, Communications, English literature, marketing, International Development) or any other related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience.