Health System Strengthening Officer at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Health System Strengthening Officer

Requisition ID: req37507
Location: Yola / Mubi - Adamawa
Sector: Health
Employment Category: Regular
Employment Type: Full-Time
Open to Expatriates: No

Job Overview/Summary
HeRON Project Overview in Adamawa:

• Since 2020, the Health Resilience of the Northeast (HeRON) project has been working alongside states and local government authorities in Borno and Yobe, strengthening their capacity to effectively deliver quality integrated primary healthcare, reproductive, maternal, and newborn and child health and nutrition services.
• In late 2022, HeRON conducted a health needs assessment in Adamawa state to ascertain the readiness of the health system to provide quality primary healthcare services for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees, and vulnerable host community members.
• In 2023, HeRON will expand to Adamawa state to support the State Government in implementing a resettlement plan for IDPs across selected LGAs from dependency on emergency humanitarian aid to independent and self-sufficient residents of Adamawa state, and support the IDPs, IDP returnees, and vulnerable host community members have improved access to quality primary health care and Nutrition services.

Scope of Work

• The HeRoN Health System Strengthening Officer (HSS Officers) will report to the HeRoN Project Manager in the Location of assignment in Adamawa State.
• S/he will work closely with health facility staff, community structures, and LGAs to ensure implementation of HeRoN health system strengthening and durable solution approaches and initiatives and ensure activities are aligned with the State’s Strategic Health Plans and Health Sector priorities of IDPs and IDP returnee’s resettlement plan.
• The position holder must maintain collaborative working relationships established among key government structures and officials.
• The position requires experience with the government health care system, Experience working in partnership with or directly with the Ministry of Health at LGA level, Ability to plan and collaborate with States & LGAs, and the Ability to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders through coordination and consultation.

Major Responsibilities
Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy:

• Provide Capacity Building needs support and on the Job mentoring/coaching to the MOH Staffs at the facility level to ensure that Health System strengthening initiatives are implemented according to the approved project work plans and per donor requirements.
•  Lead in coordinating the delivery of a comprehensive quality primary health care package at the facility and LGA level.
• Support the implementation of the impact funds and other similar activities at PHCC level
• Support the Health facilities in the drafting, review, approval, and execution of the business plans and Quality improvement plans
• Support the State in the review of identified Vulnerable host community members  to be enrolled in the Contributory health management Scheme
• Conduct periodic assessments of the clinical mentors identified and trained with LGAs of Adamawa state
• Track the performance of the project activities and targets against the expected results, and coordinate with the LGA and facility to fast-track implementation process to ensure the project is progressing towards the set deliverables
• Conduct joint monthly review of facility performance using standard facility monitoring tool to ensure facilities are supported to meet the criteria for readiness to deliver comprehensive Primary health care package
• Support the conduct of joint ISS in collaboration with the state primary health care development agency and LGA, develop action plans based on findings of the ISS, and provide technical support to the LGA and the facility to improve on the plans.
• Provide capacity building and on-job coaching to Facility staff on reproductive, maternal neonatal, child, and adolescent health Antenatal care, delivery care, postnatal care, family planning counseling, STI counseling and treatment, post-abortion care and SGBV services in supported facilities, nutrition activities with emphasis on improving quality of care
• Support the roll out of implementation of the PDIA and organization development plans across HeRON-supported facilities and LGAs
• Activate or Reactive and ensure the functionality of WDCs across supported LGAs and provide on the Job mentoring and capacity building to enable them to provide oversight to the facility activities
• Monitor the activities of CHIPs, identify gaps in community activities, and strengthen referrals from the community to facilities for coverage.
• Support the CHIPs and CEPs, WDCs to meet regularly (monthly to discuss success, challenges, and draw action plan and ensure follow up and implementation of the plans)
• Support health facility-level reporting by providing on the job mentoring and reviews of data collected from the entry points for consistency and quality and flag any discrepancies to the LGA’s and States M&E staff for improvements
• In line with the communication strategies of the HeRON project, ensure visibility of the project and project strategies at the field level
• Support the collection of stories and photographs that demonstrate the positive impact of the project
• Support all logistical preparations for project activities, working closely  with IRC Supply Chain and Finance teams.
• Follow-up and track action plans from stakeholder meetings (Produce and archive meeting minutes and reports)
• Support field assessments and dissemination activities as required
• Technical support to/and/with M&E teams to collect appropriate baseline data over the life of the project
• Ensure that all required health inventory checks are conducted, and all variances reconciled
• Contribute to reports compilation as required
• Perform any other related tasks as may be assigned by the line manager

Coordination & Representation:

• Participate in technical Coordination meetings at the LGA and the State levels, as required.
• Facilitate the planning processes at LGA levels, to ensure an inclusive approach that engages stakeholders and communities to reflect health needs in the local context
• Jointly planning with stakeholders and organizing community-level and facility-level meetings
• Participate at program coordination meetings

Key Working Relationships
Position Reports to:

• Line Manager: HeRoN Manager (Mubi) / HeRON Manager (Yola)
• Position directly Supervises: N/A
• Key Internal Contacts: HeRON SCBOs, HeRON M&E, HeRON Roving Senior Pharmacy Manager, HeRON Consortium Senior Managers, HeRoN Governance manager, HeRON Deputy Team Leader, IRC’s sector leads (Health, Nutrition, Wash), Pharmacy Officer, Supply Chain, Consortium Finance.

Key External Contacts:

• Ministry of Health Officials at LGA level, , Health Facility staffs, Community Leaders, and Members, IDPs and returnees representatives, USAID SPO partners at State/ LGA level

Qualifications

• Graduate Health professional (Nurse, Clinical or Medical Officer), or any other relevant health related field with public health/system strengthening and Governance background.

Work Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of professional experience, of which 1  year in health system strengthening, or in humanitarian/development settings
• Experience in local governance, social accountability, public administration, institutional development, public-sector capacity building or related technical areas highly desirable.
• Knowledge and understanding of governance in service delivery, particularly in health, highly recommended
• Previous work experience with INGO, especially with project planning and reports writing, is an added advantage
• Have experience in general management (including financial and budget management, logistics management, etc.)
• Familiarity/ knowledge of operational contexts Adamawa State

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

• Background in situation analysis, Health System strengthening, health assessments M&E and program implementation.

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:

• Flexible, diplomatic and have ability and willingness live and work under pressure of workloads
• A mature person of high professional discipline and moral integrity, proactive and able to work under stress as the situation may dictate.
• Languages:  English. Knowledge of local languages is an added advantage

Computer/Other Tech Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to Travel: 30 % of time

Standards of Professional Conduct:

• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  
• In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online