Early Detection & Cancer Prevention Programs Expert

Key Expert – Early Detection & Cancer Prevention Programs Expert (Cat. II)

Project: Technical Assistance to the Syrian Ministry of Health – Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Governance.

Location: Damascus, Syria

Indicative Start Date: 9 December 2026

Implementation Period: 14 months (indicative end date: 9 February 2028)

NTU International is currently identifying qualified experts for the EU-funded project Technical Assistance to the Syrian Ministry of Health – Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Governance.

The assignment aims to support the institutional strengthening and governance capacities of the Syrian Ministry of Health, contributing to more effective institutional performance, evidence-based decision-making, accountability and sustainable capacity development.

In this context, we are seeking a highly qualified Key Expert – Early Detection & Cancer Prevention Programs Expert (Cat. II) to provide technical assistance in the design, strengthening and implementation of evidence-based cancer prevention and early-detection programmes, including national screening guidelines, clinical decision pathways, community awareness initiatives, healthcare workforce training and referral systems.

Qualifications and Skills Required

• Master's degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Preventive Medicine, or a related field.
• A medical degree with clinical or public-health specialisation in Oncology or Family Medicine is also acceptable.
• Strong facilitation skills for technical working groups and multistakeholder consultations spanning MoH directorates, primary health care networks and professional societies.
• Ability to translate epidemiological evidence into operational screening algorithms, referral criteria and monitoring indicators.
• Familiarity with health-promotion and behaviour-change communication approaches relevant to cancer prevention.

General Professional Experience

• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) prevention and control, with substantial and demonstrable experience specific to cancer early-detection and screening programming (e.g. breast, cervical, colorectal cancers).

Specific Professional Experience

• Proven track record in designing or revising evidence-based national cancer screening guidelines and clinical decision pathways, aligned with WHO and International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recommendations;
• Demonstrated experience developing community awareness and risk-communication strategies to strengthen early care-seeking behaviour, including in contexts characterised by low health literacy or disrupted access to healthcare services.
• Experience designing training curricula and competency-based capacity-building packages for primary- and secondary-level health workers on clinical breast examination, visual inspection methods and referral triage.
• Prior experience piloting cancer screening programmes and establishing functional referral linkages between primary health care and diagnostic/treatment facilities is required.
• Experience in post-conflict, fragile or early-recovery health systems is considered a strong asset.

Language Requirements

• English: Professional working proficiency – mandatory, particularly for technical documentation and coordination with international partners.
• Arabic: Fluency is highly desirable.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply and upload your CV via LinkedIn or send to [Confidential Information]. Please note that only selected candidates will be contacted due to the large amount of applicants.