Senior Deputy Director, Health Management Services - (Medical Laboratory Services), National Laboratory Services at Public Service Commission Kenya (PSCK)

Duties and Responsibilities

The Senior Deputy Director, Health Management Services (Medical Laboratory Services) will head the Division. Duties and responsibilities at this level will include:-

• Spearheading development, implementation and review of National Laboratory policies and strategic plans;
• Providing specialized referral testing services across laboratory diagnostic network to ensure diagnostic and disease surveillance capacity;
• Providing laboratory services for detection of notifiable diseases;
• Supporting pharmacy and laboratory regulatory bodies by performing the assays required for validation, registration and approval of diagnostic kits, reagents and equipment; 
• Overseeing and enforcing quality assurance of diagnostic testing and calibration of diagnostic equipment;
• Providing calibration services for equipment used in national and county, public and private diagnostic facilities;
• Leading a national external quality assurance program for all public and private human diagnostic laboratories in Kenya;
• Ensuring production and distribution of quality control and proficiency testing panels to diagnostic laboratories; 
• Advising and supporting national efforts for certification and accreditation of diagnostic laboratories;
• Spearheading coordination and management of laboratory testing data for translation to public health policy and strategies; 
• Coordinating operations of the Laboratory Supplies & Logistics Unit and Equipment Calibration Centre;
• Providing technical support and capacity building on diagnostic laboratory network; 
• Supporting of public and private diagnostic facilities in developing forecasting and quantification plans and reports for laboratory commodities; and
• Participating in identification of testing facilities that can provide tie-breaker function for discordant results generated in lower tier laboratories

For appointment to this grade, a candidate must have: -

• Served for a minimum period of ten (10) years, three (3) of which should be in the grade of Assistant Director Medical Laboratory Services, CSG 7 and above or in a comparable and relevant position in the wider public service or private sector;
• A Bachelors degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences or any other equivalent and relevant qualification from a university recognized in Kenya;
• A Masters of Science in any of the following disciplines:  Medical Parasitology, Medical Parasitology and Entomology, Medical Entomology, Clinical Chemistry, Medical Biochemistry, Hematology, Blood Transfusion Science, Medical Microbiology, Medical Bacteriology, Virology, Mycology, Clinical Cytology, Histopathology, Immunology, Epidemiology, Public Health (Epidemiology), Infectious Disease diagnosis, Laboratory Management, Molecular Science or any    other equivalent qualifications from a university recognized  in Kenya; 
• A Registration Certificate by the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologist Board;
• A Valid Practicing License from Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologist Board;
• Demonstrated managerial and administrative capability, and professional competence in work performance and results; and
• Exhibited a thorough understanding of national development policies, goals and objectives and ability to integrate them into the Public Health and Sanitation function