AVoHC - Human Resources and Workforce Systems Specialist Scholar

About Africa CDC

In June 2015, the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government, through Decision AU/Dec.570 (XXV), mandated the African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with Member States and partners, to establish the African Volunteers Health Corps (AVoHC). The AVoHC was conceived as a continental mechanism to rapidly deploy skilled African public health professionals in support of Member States during health emergencies and other priority public health interventions, strengthening Africa’s collective capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats in a timely and coordinated manner.

Africa CDC’s mandate is anchored in advancing Africa’s Health Security and Sovereignty agenda, which refers to the continent’s ability to independently prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats through strong institutions, sustainable financing, skilled human capital, and locally owned data, systems, and decision-making processes. Health security, in this context, goes beyond emergency response and includes the long-term institutional capacity of Member States to plan, finance, manage, and sustain public health functions. Health sovereignty complements this by emphasizing African ownership of public health priorities, data, financing mechanisms, and implementation pathways, ensuring that national and continental responses are driven by local evidence.

Achieving this agenda requires not only technical interventions, but also strong leadership, robust public financial management, strategic resource mobilization, and systems-level thinking within Ministries of Health, National Public Health Institutes, and other key health institutions. Persistent gaps in these areas continue to limit the ability of Member States to translate policy commitments into sustainable, domestically driven action.

Visionary, principled, and technically competent leadership is therefore critical for Africa to safeguard its health and economic security in an increasingly complex global context shaped by pandemics, geopolitical shifts, trade protectionism, and digital and financial dependencies. Strengthening institutional capacity, particularly in strategic planning, financing, and resource mobilization, is essential to achieving Africa’s Agenda 2063.

About the Fellowship

In response to this need, the African Union Commission launched the Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Program (KA-GHLP) on 25 May 2020 as a flagship initiative of Africa CDC, in partnership with the Kofi Annan Foundation. The Program aims to build a pipeline of African public health leaders capable of advancing Africa’s health security and sovereignty agenda. KA-GHLP consists of three complementary components:

1.         the Public Health Leadership Fellowship,

2.         the Public Health Scholars Program, and

3.         the Public Health Policy Forum.

The Kofi Annan Scholars Program (PHSP) deploys experienced African public health professionals, including experts from the African Diaspora, into time-bound, results-oriented placements within Ministries of Health, National Public Health Institutes, and other strategic national or continental health institutions. These deployments are designed to provide high-level technical assistance, strengthen systems, support institutional transformation, and deliver clearly defined outputs aligned with Africa CDC priorities.

Recognizing the African Diaspora as the sixth region of the African Union since 2012, the Scholars Program also serves as a structured mechanism to harness diaspora expertise in support of Africa’s health security, institutional resilience, and sustainable financing for health.

Within this framework, Africa CDC seeks to establish a roster of qualified Human Resources and Workforce Systems Specialists. These experts will be highly experienced professionals with a proven experience in strengthen the institutional human resource management systems of National Public Health Agency through the development of sustainable workforce policies, systems, and processes that support effective workforce planning, performance management, and organizational development.. The recruitment is under the AVoHC mechanism as part of the Kofi Annan Scholars Program.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the NPHI's existing human resource systems, policies, workforce governance, and institutional HR capacity, identifying gaps and priority areas for strengthening.
• Design and support the implementation of a Human Resources Information System (HRIS), including standardized workforce databases, HR procedures, and user guidance to improve workforce information management.
• Develop and institutionalize a performance management framework, including performance appraisal tools, objective-setting processes, and implementation guidelines aligned with the NPHI Strategic Plan.
• Strengthen workforce planning and HR governance through the development and review of HR policies, standard operating procedures, recruitment and onboarding processes, contract management, and staff retention strategies.
• Conduct a training needs assessment and develop a costed institutional Training and Capacity Development Plan, while building the capacity of HR staff on workforce planning, competency-based recruitment, performance management, and HRIS.
• Promote sustainability through mentorship of designated counterpart staff, development of practical HR tools and templates, knowledge transfer, and preparation of a final report with recommendations for continued implementation.

Education

• Master's degree in Human Resources Management, Human Resource Development, Public Administration, Organizational Development, Health Management, Public Health, Business Administration, or a related field.
• A bachelor's degree in one of the above disciplines with extensive relevant experience may be considered.
• Professional certification in Human Resource Management (e.g., CIPD, SHRM, HRCI, or equivalent) is an added advantage.

Requirements

Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in human resources management, workforce planning, organizational development, or institutional capacity strengthening.

• Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) or other digital HR management systems.
• Proven experience in developing HR policies, procedures, workforce strategies, and performance management systems.
• Experience conducting organizational or workforce assessments and translating findings into institutional improvement plans.
• Experience developing competency frameworks, workforce planning tools, learning and development strategies, or performance appraisal systems.
• Experience working with Ministries of Health, National Public Health Institutes, government institutions, or international organizations in Africa is highly desirable.
• Experience delivering technical assistance, mentoring, and capacity building in low-resource settings.
• Familiarity with public sector human resource management and institutional reform is an advantage.

Required skills and Competencies:

Functional Skills

• Strong understanding of strategic human resource management and workforce governance.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to design practical systems, policies, and institutional processes.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills..

Personal Abilities

• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities.
• Demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and emotional intelligence in dynamic settings.
• Capacity to work both independently and collaboratively in multicultural teams.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills.

 Language Requirement:

• Proficiency in at least one AU working language (English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili).
• Knowledge of additional AU languages is an added advantage.

Important Information

Inclusion in the roster does not constitute recruitment into a staff position; rather, it enables paid, time-bound professional deployments based on programmatic needs, availability of funding, and agreed deliverables. Scholars engaged through this mechanism receive remuneration and benefits in accordance with applicable AU rules, regulations, and enumeration guidelines, reflecting the seniority, expertise, and outputs expected from the assignment.

Why Join?

• Contribute directly to Africa’s Health Security and Sovereignty agenda by ensuring high-quality health workforce systems are built in the National Public Health Institutions.
• Collaborate with Ministries of Health, National Public Health Institutes, and accreditation agencies.
• Gain continental-level exposure and influence.

TENURE OF APPOINTMENT:
The Kofi Annan Scholars - AVoHC Team Members will be deployed on an on-call basis, based on request from member states. The Africa CDC will determine the duration of deployment in consultation with member state authorities. 

GENDER MAINSTREAMING:
Africa CDC is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

REMUNERATION:
This is a call for AVoHC membership. Successful applicants are not entitled to any monetary incentives during membership.  However, during the assignment, deployed experts will have rights to the following:

• Economic class round-trip tickets and other travel related expenses
• Health insurance during the deployment period
• Stipend , communications, Incidentals and Risk allowance
• Accommodation allowance in case of deployment outside of the city of residence
• Certificate of recognition of your contribution at the end of deployment

Advantages of becoming an AVoHC member 

As an AVoHC member, you will learn about different cultures and languages, expand your networks and gain unmatched professional and life experiences. During your membership, you will have the following opportunities:

• Gain AVoHC membership professional development including trainings and mentorship
• Be deployed at the request of member states, to build the capacity of national institutions.

AVoHC members come from 55 countries, representing diverse cultures. They bring a wide variety of perspectives and approaches, which lend a dynamism to the volunteering assignment. Your membership and assignments will enable you to make a lasting impact. It can create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the immediate results of your efforts – both for the people you serve and yourself.

Applications must be made not later than August 30, 2026 11h59 p.m. EAT.

Only candidates who meet all job requirements and are selected for interviews will be contacted.
-Consideration will be given only to those candidates who have submitted a fully completed online application with a curriculum vitae (CV), an African passport, and the required academic qualifications, such as Diplomas, Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees and any relevant certificate in line with the area of expertise.