Senior Technical Advisor -Laboratory Services

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 world where no mother, child, or family is devastated by HIV and AIDS, and we are making an impact. We are a proven leader in the global fight to end HIV and AIDS, and an advocate for every child to live a full and healthy life into adulthood. For more than 30 years, EGPAF has been a leader in meeting urgent needs in pediatric HIV and AIDS in the world’s most affected regions. We carry out our values of passion, innovation, teamwork, leadership, integrity, excellence and equity every day, while maximizing our impact in the communities we serve. Join us on our fight for an AIDS-free generation!

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) began supporting HIV and AIDS programming in Tanzania in 2003 and established a country office in 2004. Ever since, in close collaboration and partnership with the Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children and Presidents Office Regional Administration and Local Government, EGPAF expanded scope to supporting quality comprehensive and integrated HIV, GBV, TB and Family planning services in the supported regions. Recently EGPAF in collaboration with Aidsfonds, PATA and UNICEF introduced the partnership in Tanzania as one of the countries to implement the ViiV Pediatric Breakthrough Partnership.

As a global, multinational and multicultural organization, EGPAF believes that diversity in the workplace enriches our work and enhances our impact and effectiveness. We believe that employees have the right to work in a climate of mutual respect and integrity that promotes dignity and respect for all, and that enables them to reach their full potential. The Foundation is committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B).

EGPAF is an equal opportunity employer and affords equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to country law requirements, EGPAF complies with US laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the Foundation has facilities.

The Foundation does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. If you are asked to pay a fee at any stage of recruitment, please contact [email protected]

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment, regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws. In addition to country law requirements, we comply with U.S. laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which we have facilities.

We do not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment or hiring process. If anyone requests payment from you in connection with your application or offer, please report it immediately via our ethics hotline — by phone at 1-888-225-1429 (toll-free, U.S.) or online at Ethics Point.