IRC has worked in Liberia since 1996 and is one of the largest humanitarian actors in the country. The IRC implements innovative health and women and children protection programs in Nimba, Lofa and Montserrado counties in Liberia.
Position Overview: In Lofa County, IRC is the one of the leading actors in health and is supporting the roll of the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) through the , "Support to the Provision of Health and Social Welfare Services" project with funding directly from the Ministry of Health (MOH). The project aims to improve the health and social welfare status of the population of Lofa County on an equitable basis by supporting service delivery at the community and facility level through health system strengthening and support to the Lofa County Health Team (CHT). The project supports forty (40) health facilities; thirty seven (37) Primary Health Care (PHC) clinics and three (3) Health Centers (HCs). The IRC in collaboration with the CHT is working to build a resilient and responsive health system to be able to respond to epidemic potential disease outbreak. As part of the project the IRC also works with a national NGO Pentecostal Mission Unlimited - Interlife (PMU), which is working to restore provision of Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) in 20 health facilities in Lofa.
Main Responsibilities:
Coordination of IRC health program activities in Lofa County:
To provide strategic guidance and inputs to ensure the health program in Lofa County successfully implemented as per MOH standards. Key functions include:
- Provide leadership, strategic vision and technical support to all aspects of the Health program;
- Oversee the proper management of the programs, grants and human resources under the health sector.
- Maintain regular contact with all partners, including the County Health Team (CHT), District Health Teams (DHTs), UN agencies and other NGOs.
- Oversee and provide technical support to the 20 Health Facilities supported by Pentecostal Mission Unlimited - Interlife (PMU) to ensure activities are aligned with the County Operational Plan.
- Provide technical support, on the job training and supervision to the health staff as required ensuring that interventions are of high quality and that the program is driven by data and lessons learnt.
- Provide an oversight to pharmaceutical, medical supplies and medical equipment procurement plans, ensuring compliance with MOHSW and donor regulations governing the procurement and distribution of pharmaceuticals and other health-related supplies kits are adhered to.
- Ensure the supervision of the pharmacy (consumptions, orders and inventory) in close linkage with the logistics department.
- Ensure delivery of health program activities in a timely fashion, identifying new areas for program expansion and improvement as well as input on proposal development and report writing.
- Ensure that the health program is implemented in accordance with established MOHSW and WHO and international protocols, guidelines and best practices.
- Provide weekly program update to the Senior Health Coordinator including achievements, challenges and planned activities for the next week.
Support to the County Health Team (CHT) and District Health Teams (DHTs):
- Maintain professional relations with team members, CHT and donors, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform their duties.
- Support the CHT to conduct coordination meetings review minutes, action points and signed attendance sheet documented and filed; copy of the minutes, action points and attendance sheet sent to MOHSW.
- Together with the CHT, DHTs and health staff, conduct quarterly, semi-annual and annual project review and document corrective action plans, minutes and attendance sheet.
- Share annual workplan, budget and quarterly project expenditure and provide regular progress against targets with CHT and DHTs.
- Support the CHT and DHTs to plan and conduct quarterly joint integrated supportive supervision, review of reports, and data from health facilities and other health service provision and ensure gaps and action point identified are addressed.
- Support Ministry Of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), CHT and DHTs to conduct Performance Based Finance (PBF) quarterly and semi-annual data verification.
- Support the CHT and M&E Manager to attend monthly and quarterly (PBF) review meetings in Monrovia.
- Together with the county PBF coordinator, ensure that all health facilities develop quarterly business plans, sign performance agreement and copies of signed performance agreement sent to MOHSW.
- Work with the PBF coordinator, IRC M&E Manager to timely distribute quarterly bonuses to the health facilities; and ensure quarterly bonuses are linked to the quarterly business plans.
- Support the CHT and DHTs to successfully implement the Accelerated Action Plan (AAP) for reduction of maternal and child morbidity and mortality;
- Support the CHT and participate in the county annual operational plan development and ensure IRC and PMU activities are aligned with the County Operational Plan.
- Support the DHTs to develop and consolidate district operational plans and share consolidated plan with the CHT and Ministry Of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW).
- Work with the CHT to assess capacity needs of the DHTs in training, human resources, finance, supply chain, etc. And develop capacity improvement plan that prepare the county and districts for contracting in.
Grants Management & Compliance:
- Ensure that reports to donors are submitted on time; that reports are coherent and accurate;
- Develop tracking sheet to track actions and plan activities from the previous quarterly report and provide weekly update on progress to the Senior Health Coordinator.
- Play a key role in Grant Opening and Closing meetings, as well as monthly/regular grants management meetings which include representation from each unit (finance, programs, and logistics) and ensure proper follow up of issues raised.
- Monitor and support the use of grants management tools such as FM01, BvAs, procurement planning, hire planning and activity plans amongst program teams to ensure accurate tracking of implementation and timely alerts to potential challenges/obstacles.
- Monitor field implementation of programs to ensure they are in accordance with donor and IRC internal requirements.
- Develop spending and procurement plans to guide implementation of projects.
- Support project staff to maintain program records and documentation as per project management minimum standards and maintain hard and soft files on IRC Liberia grant portfolio related documents.
Staff Management:
- Manage and supervise health staff (M&E Manager, Health Managers and RH Managers in Voinjama and ZorZor Districts). Set Performance Objectives for direct reports; monitor their performance provide a written annual Performance Evaluation against objectives.
- Determine personnel needs for field-level activities, develop Job Descriptions, and assist in recruitment.
- Undertake capacity-development programs for health staff.
- Recommend promotions, disciplinary action and termination of health staff.
- Work with the Field Coordinator and other field staff to build their capacity to represent health program.
Coordination and Representation:
- Ensure a cross-sectoral, integrated programming approach.
- Represent IRC to the CHT, DHTs and other community structures (Community Health Development Committee CHDC, Community Health Committees CHCs, etc).
- Represent IRC to other agencies, with respect to health programs, including the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), WHO, and non-governmental organizations.
Other:
- Respond to the health needs of IRC team as appropriate.
Job Requirements:
- Health professional with clinical degree and/or strong public health qualifications (i.e., MPH, DrPH, PhD, etc) with at least 10 years of experience implementing public health programs in a developing country context. Experience with community health, primary health care, and reproductive health programs is an asset.
- Experience working in a rapidly changing emergency/post-emergency transition context. Previous experience responding to epidemic diseases in developing countries is preferred but not required (i.e. outbreaks of Ebola, meningitis, measles, cholera etc.).
- Demonstrated knowledge of public health and surveillance practices. Experience with reinforcing infection prevention and control in health facilities is an asset.
- Extensive experience as a coordinator with strong management and training capacity in developing countries. Experience in capacity building and mentoring of health staff.
- Background in situation analysis, health assessments and program implementation; Experience implementing and managing health programming in hard-to-reach areas/displaced communities
- Demonstrated leadership, communication, and facilitation skills; Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
- Strong program development skills. Experience managing grant proposal processes, including design of project budgets, staffing structures, strategy, technical narratives, etc.
- Excellent technical writing skills for project proposals, reports, and strategic communication
- Willingness to travel extensively in Liberia
- Excellent computer skills in programs such as: MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint.
- Additional qualities: ability to multitask, ability to handle pressure well, ability to improvise, be flexible, and adaptability to transitions.
Working relationships: The Health Coordinator reports to the Senior Health Coordinator and supervises the Health Manager, M&E Manager and Reproductive Health Manager. Close working relationship with the Field Coordinator, County Coordinator for a USAID-funded Community Health project, as well as the grants coordinator and other sector coordinators is important. Collaboration with human resources, finance, supply chain and operations teams is required.
Standards for Professional Conduct:
The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional 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, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please follow this link to apply: http://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=a2F0cmluYW1pbGxlci43NzExMS4zODMwQGlyYy5hcG...
