Quality Improvement Advisor – WASH/RMNCAH Save the Children International

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY 

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children. Our Vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation.  In Zambia, Save the Children works in the following Thematic areas: Education, Health& Nutrition, Child Protection, Child Rights Governance and Child Poverty; including Humanitarian response. Working with the MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership (MCGL) Zambia Field Support Project is a three-year, USAID-funded project that will contribute to improving the health status of women and children. In close collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ), the Ministry of Health (MOH), local communities and other partners, the project will target improved health system performance and the delivery high quality and accessible reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) care. Working in two provinces, Northern and Central, MCGL will work with MOH provincial and district counterparts to deliver high quality services, strengthen health systems, and increase community engagement.  Save the Children wishes to invite qualified individuals to apply for the following position:

Position:   Quality Improvement Advisor – WASH/RMNCAH – (x 1 Position)

Duty Station:   Northern/Central provinces (districts to be determined)

Role Purpose: The Quality Improvement (QI) Advisor is the primary technical specialist at the subnational level and will work closely with the relevant units at all levels of the Ministry of Health (MOH) and with respective implementing partners to plan, implement and evaluate quality RMNCAH/WASH interventions in target districts in Central and Northern provinces. The QI Advisor will work closely with MCGL’s technical leads, to deliver quality technical assistance (TA) to the target provinces, providing direct technical support to District Health Office (DHO) teams to plan, implement and monitor RMNCAH/WASH activities.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: MCGL Provincial TA Lead

Staff directly reporting to this post:  None

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Technical Leadership

• Foster and establish productive working relationships with MOH district teams and other relevant stakeholders for the smooth implementation of program activities;
• Provide TA to provincial and district structures (DHOs and MCGL District Teams) to strengthen QA/QI systems within existing RMNCAH district annual plans, including WASH and infection prevention and control (IPC);
• Support identification and documentation of root causes of poor performance of high impact interventions through provincial and district QA/QI committees;
• Collaborate with the District MOH staff to ensure technical integrity and quality of program implementation at all levels;
• Lead MCGL’s QA/QI TA in assigned provinces to guide the planning, budgeting, scheduling, and implementation of activities under medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) and/or RMNCAH/WASH program.
• Support Provincial Health Offices (PHOs) and DHOs to develop QI projects at provincial, district and facility levels;
• Work closely with MCGL’s district capacity strengthening officers to implement QA/QI capacity strengthening at district level structures including performance assessments, service quality assessment, and technical supportive supervision;
• Build capacity of District MOH staff and MCGL district teams, using proven training approaches, mentorship and QI methodology strategies to improve practices within prioritized health facilities;
• In collaboration with DHO teams, provide on-the-job training, follow-up support, and clinical mentoring in target facilities;
• Develop strategic planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of activities to improve the quality RMNCAH/WASH services;

Management

• Coordinate with relevant Health and WASH TAs and programmatic staff working on other public and donor funded programs in target provinces and districts to minimize duplication and support learning across programs;
• In collaboration with the Technical Director, ensure that necessary MCGL planning, budgeting and management activities occur to facilitate smooth and efficient implementation of program activities;
• Contribute to the annual planning process in collaboration with the program team;
• Perform or assume other duties as assigned by the Chief of Party to ensure the smooth running of the program;
• Use standardized project management tools and techniques to define scope, budget activities, schedule work and introduce project monitoring tools to monitor scope, schedule, and cost of the MOH during the year in developing MTEF and RMNCAH/WASH plans.
• Identify and document program successes, best practices, challenges and lessons learnt, and support the MCGL team to capture case studies that exemplify solutions and local innovations;
• Submit routine reports for assigned districts in line with USAID’s Family Health and Nutrition (FHN) project reporting requirements, including MTEF planning reports;
• Coordinate with Provincial TA Lead for MCGL direct implementation of activities in assigned districts;
• Represent MCGL at GRZ, MOH and other relevant stakeholder meetings in the assigned districts, as appropriate;
• The post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reason and according to their level of skills and experience.
• The post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Degree in Clinical Medicine, (Nursing, Midwife, Doctor) or Public Health/Environmental health;
• 5 years of experience in successful field implementation and management of RMNCAH programs for the public, private or NGO sector with IPC experience preferred;
• Technically proficient with up-to-date IPC skills;
• Previous working relationships with USAID, key multilateral agencies and bilateral donors;
• Experience supporting QA/QI systems at subnational level;
• Experience in supporting QA/QI projects to improve service delivery at district/facility level;
• Provincial/District-level work experience in Zambia and solid relationships with the Zambian health sector;
• Knowledge of the roles and functions of the different structure of PHOs and DHOs;
• Experience in the development of strategic and tactical plans in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders;
• Ability to build capacity and collaboration between governmental and non-governmental partners and other project implementers;
• Familiarity with USAID donor policies and administrative procedures, and experience in design and implementation health programs;
• Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-faceted health development program in collaboration with national MOH personnel and local and international partners;
• A demonstrated track record in providing mentorship and supervision to strengthen healthcare services, training and use of QI approaches;

Child safeguarding:

Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people.

How to Apply: Follow the link here or click the apply button below.

PLEASE DO NOT ATTACH COPIES OF YOUR CERTIFICATES

The closing date for receipt of applications is Monday 2nd May 2022. Only short listed candidates will be notified.

Save the Children reserves the right to re advertise if suitable applicants are not found.

Save the Children is an equal opportunity employer and qualified female applicants are encouraged to apply.