Team Lead – ICARS Africa

REPORTING TO: Director of Science - ICARS

DIRECTORATE/UNIT: Programmes

PHYSICAL LOCATION: Amref Health Africa Headquarters; Nairobi, Kenya

CONTRACT DURATION: Three (03) Years

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ICARS Overview

The International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) works with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in their efforts to reduce drug-resistant infections. In partnership with LMIC ministries, local research institutions and other stakeholders, ICARS co-develops interventions that provide evidence for context-specific, cost-effective solutions to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) suitable for sustainable scale-up. Through the provision of funding and expertise, ICARS supports intervention and implementation research projects across the One Health spectrum to support countries’ AMR National Action Plans (NAPs). 

About ICARS Africa

The International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) is establishing a regional presence in Africa to strengthen regional responses to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through research, capacity building, and collaboration. The regional presence will increase ICARS’ visibility and credibility in One Health AMR mitigation, foster stronger ties with policymakers, institutions, technical stakeholders and civil society, and promote context-specific solutions for National Action Plan (NAP) implementation. Funded through ICARS’ partnership with Wellcome, the ICARS Africa hub will be hosted by Amref Health Africa in Nairobi.

JOB PURPOSE

As the Team Lead at ICARS Africa, you will head the development of this new entity in ICARS both in terms of scientific and operational activities. Furthermore, you will lead on the development of the partnership between ICARS and Amref Health Africa and with other institutions in Africa. You will report to the Director of Science (based in ICARS HQ in Copenhagen, Denmark) and manage a small team (to begin with 2–3 staff members) and oversee the scientific and operational activities, including project support, training, knowledge exchange, data analysis, events participation and organisation and stakeholder engagement. Working closely with the Director of Science, the Director of Operations and regional partners, you will ensure that ICARS Africa delivers on its strategies and commitments across the continent and thereby contributes to the delivery of the overall strategy for ICARS.

Key Responsibilities

People Leadership

• Line-manage the ICARS Africa science team (to begin with 2–3 staff members), handling HR matters with support from ICARS HQ HR and Amref HR (recruitment, onboarding, staff development, performance reviews, and leave management).
• Ensure effective distribution of tasks, balancing workloads, professional growth, and team well-being.
• Supervise project delivery, travel approvals, budget development and follow-up, and compliance with all relevant operational policies.
• Provide regular feedback to the other team members of ICARS Africa to enhance individual and team performance.

Support to Project Teams

• Provide ongoing scientific and technical support to selected project teams in ICARS-supported projects across Africa during co-development, implementation, and uptake.
• Guide country project teams in applying capabilities and skills to their specific AMR mitigation projects, offering continuous feedback and mentoring.
• Ensure regional projects align with ICARS’ overall scientific workplan and contribute to evidence generation for AMR mitigation.

Training & Capacity Strengthening

• Conduct training needs assessments to identify country and regional capacity gaps in intervention and implementation research (IIR).
• Oversee the development of tailored training curricula and educational materials, using best practices, case studies, and interactive learning approaches.
• Lead and host regional training workshops and seminars, strengthening national and regional AMR capacities.

Knowledge Sharing, Exchange, Partnerships & Collaboration

• Facilitate knowledge exchange visits between ICARS experts, African country teams, and LMIC partners, enabling peer learning and south-south collaboration.
• Support stakeholder mapping and engagement in collaboration with ICARS partners, ensuring participation from ministries, academia, regional and international organisations, NGOs, and community organisations.
• Develop and strengthen partnerships and collaborations agreements with Amref as the host organisation and other regional organisations.
• Represent ICARS in regional and international forums, scientific conferences, and bilateral dialogues as advised by the Director of Science and Director of Operations.

Data Sharing & Analysis

• Collaborate with local and regional partners to collect and analyse data on antimicrobial resistance patterns, antimicrobial use, and healthcare-associated infections across the One Health domain.
• Ensure findings and evidence from ICARS projects are disseminated effectively to national stakeholders, policymakers, and the scientific community.
• Lead regional contributions to ICARS’ global data-sharing frameworks and evidence platforms.

Leadership & management

• Manage the budget of the ICARS Africa hub and ensure efficient resource use.
• Oversee the organisation of regional scientific events, workshops, and knowledge-sharing platforms.
• Contribute to ICARS’ advocacy and strategic development by ensuring African perspectives inform ICARS’ global portfolio.
• Take part in and in some instances leading on fundraising for activities in Africa.
• Support ICARS HQ in organizing major events, including internal and external meetings.
• Provide regular updates and report to the Director of Science and the Director of Operations.
• Take on additional responsibilities as assigned by the Director of Science and/or the Director of Operations.