Early Detection & Cancer Prevention Programs Expert

NTU International is seeking a highly qualified expert for the position of Key Expert – Early Detection & Cancer Prevention Programs Expert (Category II) to support the EU-funded project “Technical Assistance to the Syrian Ministry of Health – Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Governance.” This role is based in Damascus, Syria, with an indicative start date of December 9, 2026, and a duration of 14 months. The expert will contribute to enhancing the institutional capacity and governance of the Syrian Ministry of Health by providing technical assistance in designing, strengthening, and implementing evidence-based cancer prevention and early detection programs. These programs include developing national screening guidelines, clinical decision pathways, community awareness initiatives, healthcare workforce training, and referral systems.

Key Responsibilities
- Provide technical expertise in the design and implementation of national cancer screening and early detection programs aligned with international standards.
- Facilitate technical working groups and multistakeholder consultations involving Ministry of Health directorates, primary healthcare networks, and professional societies.
- Translate epidemiological evidence into practical screening algorithms, referral criteria, and monitoring indicators.
- Develop and support community awareness and risk communication strategies to promote early care-seeking behavior, especially in populations with low health literacy or limited healthcare access.
- Design and deliver training curricula and competency-based capacity-building packages for primary and secondary healthcare workers on clinical breast examination, visual inspection methods, and referral triage.
- Pilot cancer screening programs and establish effective referral linkages between primary healthcare and diagnostic/treatment facilities.
- Contribute to strengthening institutional performance, evidence-based decision-making, accountability, and sustainable capacity development within the Ministry of Health.

Required Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Preventive Medicine, or a related field. Alternatively, a medical degree with clinical or public health specialization in Oncology or Family Medicine is acceptable.
- Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) prevention and control, with significant expertise in cancer early detection and screening programs (e.g., breast, cervical, colorectal cancers).
- Strong facilitation skills for managing technical working groups and multistakeholder consultations.
- Proven ability to translate epidemiological data into operational screening protocols and monitoring tools.
- Familiarity with health promotion and behavior change communication strategies relevant to cancer prevention.
- Professional working proficiency in English is mandatory for technical documentation and coordination with international partners. Fluency in Arabic is highly desirable.

Preferred Qualifications and Additional Assets
- Demonstrated experience in designing or revising national cancer screening guidelines and clinical decision pathways in line with WHO and International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recommendations.
- Experience developing community awareness and risk communication strategies tailored to fragile contexts or populations with disrupted healthcare access.
- Prior involvement in piloting cancer screening programs and establishing referral systems between primary care and specialized diagnostic or treatment centers.
- Experience working in post-conflict, fragile, or early-recovery health systems is considered a strong asset.

This position offers the opportunity to significantly impact cancer prevention and early detection efforts within a challenging health system context, contributing to sustainable improvements in public health governance and service delivery. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply through appropriate professional channels. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.