Overview

The Quality of Care (QoC) Advisor will provide vision, leadership and direction to ensure the strategic and technical integrity for an upcoming U.S. government funded integrated technical assistance and service delivery project in Sierra Leone.

This project aims to increase the Government of Sierra Leone and Ministry of Health’s ability to plan and manage their health system and population’s health with the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes of Sierra Leonean women, youth, and children. The five objectives of the activity are:

1) access to and quality of primary health care services (defined as family planning; reproductive health; maternal, newborn, and child health; and malaria) improved;

2) health behaviors adopted and sustained by individuals, households, and communities;

3) district health management, leadership, and governance improved;

4) functional and technical capacity improved for local organizations in the health sector; and

5) national accountability for primary health services increased. The project will operate over a 5-year period.

The QoC Advisor will work closely with the Chief of Party to ensure high-quality, timely implementation of technical aspects related to quality improvement, quality assurance, and accreditation for RMNCAH within this project. This will involve working closely with the MOH, USAID Sierra Leone, implementing partners in country, private sector hospitals and health facilities and professional organizations to advance the QoC agenda in Sierra Leone.

This position is a 2-year assignment - contingent upon award from USAID. Sierra Leone nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise during project start-up to ensure technical quality of RMNCAH project activities and ensure integration with interventions in both the private and public sectors, including through work with networks of private sector health facilities
• Develop and/or update evidence-based training materials, standards, job aids, and curricula, supervisory systems needed for implementation of the project to meet the needs of USAID and the project country governments
• Provide mentoring and capacity building at the individual and organizational levels in the private and public sectors (including to health workers [doctors, nurses, midwives] and professional associations) in RMNCAH and quality of care
• Provide and facilitate mentoring and capacity building at the facility level to support private facilities to achieve accreditation
• Provide technical assistance for conducting health facility assessments, stakeholder dialogues, private sector mapping and strengthening referral systems, in-service and/or pre-service education, and supportive supervision in both the private and public sectors
• Provide technical support to aspects related to project implementation, research, advocacy, demand generation, and policy support, across project sites as required
• Lead the formulation of innovative approaches for scale up of targeted RMNCAH services
• Work closely with the MOH and the relevant national authorities and private sector health facilities to systematically improve quality of care in the private sector
• Coordinate closely with other relevant USAID funded projects to identify synergies for improving quality of care in the private sector
• Contribute to the development the project strategic plan, work plan, and project monitoring, in close collaboration with COP, and other internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely implementation and compliance to the requirements and regulations of the award
• Work closely with the COP on setting and completing project priorities and directions, and responding to requests for support from counterparts
• Work with the M&E team to design and implement innovative research studies, implement the M&E plan to regularly track data/results related to RMNCAH to inform adjustments in project implementation
• Collaborate with all local stakeholders and implementing partners, such as networks of private sector providers, the MOH and other partners to ensure that project activities are responsive to and in line with national priorities.
• Document successes, lessons learned and challenges in implementation and prepare and contribute to timely quarterly and annual reporting of project activities as needed
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with USAID, Ministry of Health, private health sector partners, key representatives of other USAID / donor funded health programs and other key stakeholders in Sierra Leone to maximize resources and leverage synergies

Required Qualifications

• A medical, nursing or public health graduate degree
• 7-8 years’ experience in quality improvement in one or more of these areas: Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Malaria, and Family Planning and/or Reproductive Health.
• Experience in working with the private sector health facilities and in-depth knowledge of management, quality of care and operational issues in the private sector.
• Possess detailed knowledge and practical experiences of applying quality of care measurement, quality improvement and assurance techniques and tools, and accreditation.
• Flexibility to changing work environments and conditions will be essential.
• Excellent communication skills and strong inter-personal and supervisory skills, including the demonstrated ability to lead, mentor and coach technical staff
• Ability to work independently and with team members and partners at all levels
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills and the ability to think and plan strategically
• Strong work experience with local and international partners in Sierra Leone, including both private and public sector partners.
• Familiarity with USAID's administrative, management and reporting procedures and systems
• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with USAID, host-country counterparts and representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs, and the private sector
• Supervisory experience required
• Excellent verbal, written interpersonal and presentation skills in English
• Ability to travel within Sierra Leone up to 20% of the time

Preferred Qualifications

• Master of Public Health, International Health or related degree preferred
• Advanced degree in public health, health administration, international health, or a related field is preferred.

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.

Please apply at www.jhpiego.org/careers

Applicants must submit a single document for upload to include: cover letter, resume, and references.

For further information about Jhpiego, visit our website at www.jhpiego.org

Note: The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.

Jhpiego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Jhpiego promotes Affirmative Action for minorities, women, individuals who are disabled, and veterans.

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