Health System Strengthening Officer at 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: req43514
Location: Mubi, Adamawa
Sector: Health
Employment Category: Regular
Employment Type: Full-Time
Open to Expatriates: No

Contextual Background

• The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict affected populations.
• IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri and Monguno of Borno state and Damatru of Yobe State.
• Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs primary health care, nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, child protection, education, food security & livelihoods.

Job Overview / Summary

• The HeRoN Health System Strengthening Officer (HSS Officer) 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 in program coordination meetings.

Key Working Relationships

• Position Reports to:  HeRoN Manager Mubi
• Indirect/Technical Reporting: Senior Project Manager HeRoN
• Position directly Supervises: None
• Key Internal Contacts: Senior Project Manager HeRoN, Senior Pharmacy Manager HeRON, Pharmacy Officer HeRON Consortium, Supply Chain Officer, M&E Officer.

Key External Contacts:

• Ministry of Health at State and LGA level Health Facility staff, LGHA, Health Facility staff, community Leaders and Members and other USAID-funded partners, Adamawa IDPs Transition Committee

Qualifications

• Education: 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 of 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 is highly desirable.
• Knowledge and understanding of governance in service delivery, particularly in health, is 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.
• Excellent reporting writing skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

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.  Add position-specific (e.g., accounting software, statistical software, etc.).
• Ability to Travel: % of time if applicable.

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.
• Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Working Environment

• IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants because of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

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