Consultancy Service: Animal Health Digital Systems Expert

Introduction

The African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) will be leading the implementation of the regional Project “Strengthening Integrated One Health Capacities for Enhanced Pandemic Preparedness and Response in the Lake Chad Basin” funded by the Pandemic fund. The SCOPE project will be implemented across five Lake Chad Basin (LCB) member states namely Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic (CAR) and Chad.  The afore-mentioned project overall goal is to strengthen cross-border capacities for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response through an integrated and inclusive One Health approach in the Lake Chad Basin. The SCOPE Project will be implemented through three result areas; Result Area 1: By 2029, Enhance capacity for cross-border One Health prevention, detection, notification and response for pandemics in the Lake Chad Basin; Result Area 2: By 2029, strengthen the cross-border governance and coordination mechanisms for inclusive and equitable One Health Systems; Result Area 3: By 2029, foster sustainable innovative financial flows, strategic partnerships and stewardship for PPR in the Lake Chad Basin. AU-IBAR will be working in close partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC). 
The Lake Chad Basin remains vulnerable to zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), transboundary animal diseases, climate-sensitive health threats, and public health emergencies. Effective prevention, detection, reporting, and response require integrated, interoperable, and sustainable digital systems that support data sharing across sectors and countries. The SCOPE Programme   seeks to strengthen regional and national digital One Health ecosystems through establishment of interoperable surveillance systems, enhancement of cross-border disease reporting, integration of laboratory and surveillance platforms, strengthening of data governance frameworks, and alignment with the African Union Digital One Health Platform (AU-DOHP) at AU-IBAR. 
To support implementation of these activities, AU-IBAR seeks to recruit Animal Health Digital Systems Expert to provide strategic leadership and technical oversight throughout the project lifecycle

Purpose of Job

The Animal Health Digital Systems Expert provides technical leadership for the design, implementation, integration, interoperability, governance, and sustainability of regional and national One Health digital systems. The position supports the development of integrated surveillance, information-sharing, and decision-support systems across the Lake Chad Basin, while working closely with Member States and regional institutions to strengthen existing platforms, promote interoperability, ensure country ownership, and align systems with regional and continental One Health frameworks.

Main Functions

•    Strengthen animal health digital surveillance systems and information management platforms to improve disease detection, reporting, and response.
•    Promote interoperability and integration of animal health information systems with national, regional, and continental One Health digital platforms.
•    Strengthen cross-border animal disease surveillance, information sharing, and early warning systems.
•    Enhance data governance, digital innovation, and use of emerging technologies to improve animal health intelligence and decision-making.
•    Build the capacity of Member States to implement, manage, and sustain animal health digital systems.

Specific Responsibilities

1.1 Animal Health Technical Support

1. Provide technical guidance on animal disease surveillance, diagnosis reporting, and control measures in line with national/international standards.
2. Support field veterinary teams in identifying priority transboundary and zoonotic diseases for digital tracking.
3. Contribute to outbreak investigation and response by ensuring timely digital reporting of suspected/confirmed cases.
4. Liaise with veterinary authorities to align digital data collection with national animal health, regional and continental reporting frameworks.

1.2 One Health Digital Systems Management

1. Support Member States to establish, strengthen, and operationalize national animal health information systems and digital surveillance platforms.
2. Lead implementation of interoperability frameworks linking animal health information systems with public health, environmental, laboratory, and community surveillance platforms.
3. Coordinate system testing, user acceptance, deployment, maintenance, and continuous improvement of digital platforms
   •    Facilitate integration of national animal health information systems with the African Union Digital One Health Platform (AU-DOHP), ARIS, WOAH-WAHIS, EMA-i, and other regional information systems.
4. Strengthen mechanisms for real-time animal disease reporting, information exchange, and cross-border surveillance among Member States.
5. Support implementation of early warning systems for priority transboundary animal diseases, zoonotic diseases, and antimicrobial resistance.
6. Promote the integration of community-based animal health surveillance data into national and regional surveillance systems.
7. Develop and promote standards for animal health data governance, quality assurance, validation, interoperability, and information sharing.
8. Promote the application of digital innovations, geospatial technologies, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and decision-support tools to strengthen animal health surveillance and risk analysis.
9. Monitor implementation progress, evaluate system performance and recommend improvement for enhance functionality, data quality and user adoption.
10. Support Member States to develop implementation plans and institutional arrangements for sustainable management of animal health digital systems.
11. Prepare technical reports, implementation updates, and knowledge products related to animal health digital systems.

1.3 Capacity Building

1. Coordinate the development, deployment, and continuous improvement of animal disease surveillance, event-based surveillance, livestock movement, commodity management, and cross-border reporting modules.
2. Develop user manuals, technical guidelines, standard operating procedures, and other implementation tools for animal health digital systems.
3. Conduct regional, national, and sub-national training programmes for system administrators, epidemiologists, surveillance officers, and other end users.
4. Provide ongoing technical assistance and mentorship to Member States to strengthen system utilization, interoperability, and sustainability.
5. Manage the data analytics hub and build capacity on OH data analytics, predictive analytics and evidence-based formulation.
6. Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor.

Duty Station

AU-IBAR office based in Nairobi, Kenya with regular travel to participating countries within the Lake Chad Basin region.

Selection Criteria

Criteria	Scores (%)
Academic Qualifications	20
General Experience	25
Specific Experience	40
Other skills	10
Proficiency in language	5
Total	100

Gender Mainstreaming

The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Academic Requirements

Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s in Veterinary Medicine .
2. A Master’s degree in a related discipline (e.g., Epidemiology, One Health, Medical Statistics, Data Science, Health Systems, or Infectious Disease) is mandatory. 

General Experience

1. At least five (5) years of relevant experience in implementing health information and disease surveillance and management at national, regional, continental and global levels.
2. At least (3) years demonstrable experience in cross-border surveillance, participating in regional technical working groups for multi-country disease elimination efforts, particularly in vulnerable or cross-border populations.
3. Experience working with surveillance systems, laboratory information systems, and emergency response platforms.

Specific Experience

1. Proven Knowledge for standards for animal and human health data governance, quality assurance, validation, interoperability, and information sharing with national, regional OH data systems.
2. Proficient in utilization of OH digital innovations, geospatial technologies, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and decision-support tools to strengthen animal health surveillance and risk analysis.
3. Experience in implementing and strengthening disease reposting systems at national and sub-national levels.
4. Experience in community-based animal and human health surveillance data into national and regional surveillance systems.
5. Proven experience in regional, national, and sub-national training programmes for system administrators, epidemiologists, surveillance officers, and other end users.
6. Experience in stakeholder engagement, high level advocacy, liaison, coordination, partnership support, or policy coordination activities is desirable.
7. Experience in developing and implementing training programs for health workers is highly desirable.
8. Advanced level data management skills with good understanding of analytical tools (e.g., python, R) is required.
9. Experience supporting resource mobilization, public-private partnerships, or financing strategies for health programmes is an added advantage.

Competencies

1. Teamwork and Collaboration.
2. Accountability awareness and Compliance.
3. Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving.
4. Job Knowledge and Information Sharing.
5. Drive for Results.
6. Continuous Improvement Focus.

Required Skills

1. Diplomacy and good interactive skills necessary for dealing with senior officials in Government, Regional Organizations, and donor/development organizations in Africa.
2. Good networking skills and ability to maintain positive and constructive dialogue and relationships with key institutions or stakeholders operating in the regions.
3. Good facilitation skill at national, regional and continental forums.
4. Very strong writing, analytical and communication, computer skills are necessary.
5. Proficiency in at least any of AU official languages. 

Duration

The project life-span is for three (3) years but the duration of this consultancy is 6 months, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds. The successful consultant will be based in AU-IBAR offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and will be required to maintain the AUC office hours
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 P3 step 5. Expenses for missions will be covered separately in accordance with the applicable African Union Commission rules and regulations.  

Supervision and reporting

The consultant will be under the Direct Supervision of the Project Co-ordinator – SCOPE project with overall supervision of the Director of AU-IBAR.

HOW TO APPLY 

Please submit Applications should include the following:

i.    Detailed curriculum vitae;
ii.    Copies of academic and professional qualifications;
iii.    Completed declaration on exclusion criteria in the format attached; and,
iv.    Copies of identification documents.

Email Address; procurement@au-ibar.org and a copy to albert.obiero@au-ibar.org clearly indicating in the subject line “Animal Health Digital Systems Expert” the deadline for applications will be 06th November 2026 at 23:45 Nairobi Local Time.