Health Officer at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Job Overview/Summary

The health Officer is responsible for planning, coordination, implementation, and monitoring of the IRC’s Health and SRH services and activities related to health system support in the assigned health facilities in Numan LGA. He/She is also responsible for ensuring adherence to the implementation of program activities according to nationally accepted standards. The health Officer will report to the Senior Health Officer, with dotted lines report to the Health Manager.

Major Responsibilities

Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy

• Ensure quality of clinical and non-clinical service provision in health sites according to MOH, WHO or international standards through communication of standards, assessing and monitoring performance against standards and guiding and motivating staff to meet and maintain standards
• Provide coaching and supportive supervision to MoH staff.
• Oversee training of clinical services and ensure competency-based curriculums
• Monitor quality standards through conducting supervision of clinical services and sites (eg. Clinical practice, client satisfaction, client numbers, provider-client interaction, management of stock, record-keeping, adequate infrastructure, functioning equipment)
• Identify performance gaps and design interventions and develop action plans to manage activities and improve quality of services
• Maintain documentation of relevant information and communicate to decision-makers when necessary
• Maintain infection prevention and control within and around the facilities
• S/he will collect weekly morbidity reports and monitor disease trends in order to preposition adequate supplies as may be required.
• Reviewing clinical incidents including root cause analysis and action plan in collaboration with providers
• Provide timely updates to service providers on clinical guidelines
• Establish and adhere to supervision schedule

Program Development

• Contribute to design, planning, and drafting new proposals.
• Contribute to donors’ reporting whenever necessary.
• Ensuring budgets are used appropriately and efficiently and spending is in line with the IRC financial procedures and donor requirements.
• Ensure data collection, data compilation, timely preparation and submission of all internal reports, weekly reports, work plan including weekly and other associated monthly, quarterly, donor and special reports.

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

• Required for all positions with supervisory responsibility, if special considerations are needed (e.g. remote management), make this additive to the base language here.

Research, Learning and Analysis

• Monitoring health program implementation.
• Monitor closely the morbidity and mortality trends together with all the other health indicators to ensure that prompt actions are taken.
• Provide weekly activity reports.
• Attend meetings concerning overall health program issues in the designated LGA.
• Monitor and promote integrated programming in a way that increases overall impact of health program at the community level.

Coordination & Representation

• Attend all relevant meetings in relation to the health program as may be required and feed in the IRC priorities during meetings.
• Facilitate field visits for internal and external stakeholders, when required.

Key Working Relationships

• Position Reports to:  Senior Health Officer
• Indirect/Technical Reporting: Senior Health Officer (RH Medical Doctor), Health Manager
• Position directly Supervises: MoH Staff
• Key Internal Contacts:
• Country Program:  Nutrition Officer, EH/WaSH Officer, Senior Supply Chain Officer, Finance Assistant.
• Region/Global:
• Key External Contacts:  NGO partners, ADSPHCDA, LGA and Community Stakeholders

Qualifications

Education:

• BSc in Nursing, additional certification in Midwifery is preferred.
• Must possess VALID practicing license and certificate.

Work Experience:

• Two to three years’ humanitarian experience in clinical medicine, SRH or public health, preferably in an NGO setting.
• Proven experience in community-based programming with the ability to motivate and lead community structures (WDCs, CHIPS, CHVs).
• Experienced in report writing (highly recommended)
• Experience in training, capacity development, on the job coaching for team members/supervisees.
• Experience in community engagement activities and leading community dialogues
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive
• Ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels.

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

• Good communication skills.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and understanding of the social, political and ethical issues surrounding program delivery
• Ability to work well with others and to respect staff, subcontractors, consultants and recipients of assistance.
• Ability to manage tight deadlines and deliver on commitments.
• Good sense of integrity, service and accountability
• Work closely with the SHO and Health Manager in management of the grant budget
• Raise IFs as required after discussion with colleagues and follow up till delivery of items.

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:

• Oversee the implementation of quality PHC/SRH program activities at all IRC supported health facilities in Numan LGA.
• Routinely monitor MoH staff performance according to Primary health care guideline and provide feedback and guidance.
• Develop ongoing education programs for MoH staff and conduct training and on-the-job training for health.
• Support planning and implementing of the project activities and outputs at the field level to ensure the project achieves its objective of improving access to quality health services
• Track the performance of the project activities and targets against the expected results and advise on implementation process to ensure the project is progressing towards attaining its targets in each LGA.
• Identifying program gaps in the supported health facilities services with immediate solution for further necessary steps to address those gaps.
• Provide capacity building and on-job coaching to Facility staff on Antenatal care, delivery care, postnatal care, family planning counseling, STI counseling and treatment and post-abortion care in supported facilities.
• Support collection of stories and photographs that demonstrate the positive impact of the project.