Senior Health Officer

About The IRC

We are, one of the world’s largest humanitarian international Non-Governmental organizations, providing relief, rehabilitation and development support to vulnerable people and communities over 30 countries. We began work in Ethiopia in 2000 in response to severe drought in Ethiopia’s Somali region and are currently providing assistance to Ethiopians and refugees in six regions in Ethiopia, implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response

Job purpose

The Senior Health Officer is responsible for day-to-day project planning, implementation and monitoring of the IRC's ECHO HIP health project in IRC Hawassa FO based in Hawassa. He / She reports to the Health Manager based in Hawassa FO.

The position coordinates and supervises the implementation of the project activities, leads all aspects of essential primary health care services delivery through MHNT in target Woredas. She/he will ensure the project activities are implemented as per the work plan and set standards. She/he is also responsible for ensuring the adherence of the procedures and protocols of health care services to national and WHO standards.

Key Job functions/responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Technical

• Ensure that the goals and objectives of the project are met as per the project proposal, work plan and M & E Plan
• Liaises and creates strong linkages with zonal and Woreda partners implementing project activities in the targeted Woredas.
• Implement activities focusing on prevention and behavior change using community based structures.
• Represent IRC in coordination meetings, workshops, task force meetings, etc in the woreda.
• Helps in conducting workshops, trainings and presentations on the project activities for Woreda health staff as per the project.
• 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 mentorship and supportive supervision
• 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
• 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 Management

• Follow all IRCs standard grant Management tools as recommended by the Addis based health unit and M & E unit
• Ensure that all activities are implemented according to the work plan and that targets are met.

Budget Monitoring

• Work closely with the Health Manager in management of the grant budget i.e prepare realistic spending plan, monthly cash projection, weekly BVA cleaning and strictly monitors the project budget utilization and take appropriate action.
• Raise PRs as required after discussion with the health manager and other colleagues.
• Follow up on approved PRs and ensure the procurements are done/ payments are effected timely for participants.
• Track woreda level expenditure on a monthly basis and report appropriately.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Monitor the implementation of the project activities on daily basis and develop action plans in collaboration with the health officers.
• Ensure that the stated goals and objectives of the project are met.
• Maintain the quality of clinical services and clinical service data.