Senior Laboratory Advisor/Project Lead

SENIOR LABORATORY ADVISOR/PROJECT LEAD Management Sciences for Health, Inc. is seeking a Senior Laboratory Advisor/Project Lead to drive transformative improvements in Kenya's diagnostic landscape. This position represents a unique opportunity to strengthen integrated point-of-care diagnostics across the country, with the potential to expand impact across Eastern and Southern Africa. ABOUT THIS ROLE As the lead activity representative in Kenya, you will serve as a strategic connector between multiple stakeholders including the Ministry of Health, national public health institutes, private sector diagnostic manufacturers, national reference laboratories, and county health management teams. Your primary focus will be advancing Kenya's point-of-care testing infrastructure through two key mechanisms: updating the national POCT policy framework and delivering comprehensive capacity strengthening programs to laboratory workers, health facility staff, and management teams at all levels. This is a results-driven position where you will take ownership of project objectives, manage complex timelines, and generate meaningful impact. You will lead workplan implementation with clear metrics and milestones, providing weekly, monthly, and quarterly progress updates to stakeholders. Your responsibilities include mobilizing and mentoring short-term team members and consultants, representing MSH to external partners, and ensuring rigorous documentation of all deliverables for maximum program reach. You will maintain the highest standards of financial, contractual, technical, and political integrity, oversee all contract and agreement implementation in compliance with donor policies and standard operating procedures, and collaborate seamlessly with MSH's local and global teams. Domestic travel within Kenya is anticipated at approximately 25% of your time. This position is contingent upon award and funding and is initially estimated at one year with potential for extension based on available project funding. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR You bring a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, with a Master's degree strongly preferred. You possess minimum eight years of progressive experience in laboratory system strengthening, public health, infectious diseases, or health system strengthening in Kenya, with ten years preferred. Your background includes at least four years in leadership roles within health sector consultancies, health sector nonprofits, or product manufacturing companies, with proven expertise in managing donor-funded health system strengthening initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa. You demonstrate exceptional skill in building and maintaining relationships across hierarchical levels and organizational structures, from government ministers to community partners, donors, implementing organizations, and private sector stakeholders. You have a track record of strengthening pharmaceutical and regulatory systems to improve access to and utilization of medicines and health technologies throughout Kenya and Africa. Your problem-solving abilities are demonstrated through proactive decision-making and your capacity to drive continuous improvement while developing the skills of your team and the beneficiaries you serve. You bring hands-on experience with program monitoring, results measurement, and evaluation, with the ability to co-design monitoring and evaluation plans and extract actionable insights from M&E data. You can identify best practices and innovations and translate them into meaningful learning opportunities. Your communication skills in both verbal and written English are fluent and professional. Management Sciences for Health is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We provide equal consideration to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected classification under applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request for candidates requiring assistance with the application process.