Senior Technical Advisor -Laboratory Services

HealthX Partners

Location: Dar es Salaam, Tz

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) is on a mission to create a world where no mother, child or family is devastated by HIV and AIDS. Join us on our fight for an AIDS-free generation. Job title:                                       Senior Technical Advisor – Laboratory Services     Location:                                      Dar es Salaam   Job grade:                                    Seven (7)   Reporting to:                              Associate Director – HSS and Sustainability     Roles Summary The Senior Technical Advisor – Laboratory services provides strategic and technical leadership to strengthen the quality, accessibility, efficiency, and sustainability of laboratory services within the HIV/TB program. The position will provide technical assistance to regional, council, and facility teams to improve laboratory systems, including HIV viral load, EID, HIV testing, TB diagnostics, HIV-DR, HPV DNA, Sample referral and transportation, quality assurance, and laboratory data management. The Senior Technical Advisor, Laboratory Services will be a dotted-line manager for the Project Office Laboratory Coordinators and will directly provide technical support to all supported regions.   The Technical Advisor will work closely with the Ministry of Health, Regional and Council Health Management Teams, laboratories, implementing partners, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment with national guidelines and standards. The role will emphasize capacity building, mentorship, quality improvement, data use, and integration of laboratory activities into routine government systems, regional plans, and CCHPs.    Main Essential Duties and Responsibilities   Provide technical leadership for laboratory services Provide strategic and technical guidance on laboratory services for HIV, TB, HPV DNA, and other priority conditions. Support implementation of national laboratory policies, guidelines, standards, and SOPs. Ensure laboratory interventions are aligned with MOH and other relevant government priorities. Provide technical support to regions, councils, and health facilities to strengthen laboratory systems. Strengthen HIV/TB laboratory services Support quality HIV viral load (HVL), early infant diagnosis (EID), HIV testing, TB diagnostic, HPV DNA, HIV-DR testing, and other relevant laboratory services. Strengthen systems for sample collection, packaging, transportation, testing, result return, and client follow-up. Identify and address gaps affecting viral load coverage, turnaround time, sample rejection, and result utilization. Support appropriate use of TB diagnostic platforms, including GeneXpert/TrueNat for  MTB/RIF and other approved technologies Support and monitor implementation of laboratory quality management systems in accordance with ISO 15189:2022. Strengthen internal quality control, external quality assessment/proficiency testing, and corrective and preventive actions. Conduct or support laboratory assessments, mentorship, supportive supervision, and quality improvement initiatives. Scale up and monitor utilization of Point –of- Care technologies for VL, EID, and others as per MOH rollout plan Laboratory data and performance monitoring Monitor laboratory indicators and identify performance gaps. Support analysis and interpretation of laboratory data to inform program decisions. Strengthen linkage between laboratory information systems and HIV/TB program databases. Ensure laboratory results are accurately captured, reported, and used for clinical decision-making. Support data quality assessments and resolution of data discrepancies. Support the team to monitor HIV drug resistance, HPV DNA testing, POC testing, TB LAM, and others Assess and improve sample referral networks and transportation systems. Support facilities to maintain appropriate sample collection, storage, packaging, and transportation practices. Monitor availability of laboratory commodities, reagents, consumables, and supplies. Work with relevant government structures and partners to address stock-outs and supply-chain challenges. Develop and deliver laboratory-related training, orientation, and mentorship for laboratory staff and other healthcare providers. Build the capacity of regional, council, and facility teams to independently monitor and improve laboratory services. Support development of job aids, SOPs, training materials, and mentorship tools. Promote peer learning and dissemination of best practices.  Support integration and sustainability Support integration of laboratory activities into regional plans, CCHPs, facility plans, and routine government systems. Strengthen the capacity of R/CHMTs and facility teams to take ownership of laboratory quality and performance monitoring. Contribute to transition and sustainability plans, including government ownership of laboratory systems and processes. Minimize dependence on project-specific parallel laboratory systems. Coordination and stakeholder engagement Collaborate with MOH laboratory programs, regional and council health management teams, laboratory networks, implementing partners, and other stakeholders. Participate in relevant technical working groups and coordination meetings. Provide technical inputs into project plans, budgets, reports, proposals, and work plans. Coordinate laboratory-related technical assistance across supported regions and councils. Provide targeted support to facilities with persistent laboratory performance gaps. Conduct root-cause analysis and develop corrective action plans. Provide remote/virtual technical support where appropriate. Follow up on implementation of recommendations and document improvements.  Reporting and documentation Contribute to monthly, quarterly, annual, and donor reports. Document laboratory best practices, lessons learned, success stories, and technical innovations. Track implementation of laboratory-related action plans and recommendations. Provide timely updates on laboratory performance, challenges, risks, and mitigation measures. Graduate or postgraduate degree in Medicine, Nursing, Public health or Project Management The candidate must be registered and licensed with the appropriate professional regulatory body in Tanzania Clinical Laboratories Boards. Over 8 years experience of progressively coordinating and supporting   laboratory services, systems and diagnostic Familiarity with validating, managing conventional and point-of-care (POC) machinery used in the workplan, such as GeneXpert, TrueNat, CD4 machines (PIMA/Visitect), and viral load processing tools [1].  Laboratory Digital Systems: Applied understanding of electronic Sample Referral Systems (eSRS), Lab Visual programs, and integrating laboratory networks directly into the stationary CTC2 facility databases [1]. Excellent communication skills and experience working with multicultural teams Previous experience in quality assurance training, mentoring, motivating teams, developing indicators, and building quality assurance systems                 Advert will automatically unpublish on September 28, 2026 2300h. Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) is on a mission to create a worl

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