Operations and Training Officer

Over 80 years ago, Albert Einstein helped create the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Today, we are a leading humanitarian and development organization working in more than 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. The IRC has been present in Liberia since 1996 serving as a lead partner in the health sector. The country program supports the Ministry of Health (MOH) in strengthening the health care systems and service delivery at all levels in accordance with the MOH national standards. 

In recent years, IRC Liberia has deepened its commitment to supporting the Government of Liberia to strengthen its health recovery efforts - first from the devastating civil war, from the Ebola crisis and now the COVID-19 outbreak.  The Scaling Up Community Health Activities Project presents an opportunity to improve health services in hard-to-reach communities and the rebuilding of health systems in Liberia

Scope of Work

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.

The International Rescue Committee has been operating in Liberia since 1996 and has offices and activities in Montserrado, Lofa, and Nimba Counties. The IRC has programs in Women and Girls Economic Empowerment and is currently supporting the COVID-19 emergency response in Liberia.

Job Overview

The IRC has entered into a four-year cooperative agreement with USAID to implement the Scaling Up Community Health Services project in Liberia.  This project will strengthen the Liberian community health system to provide health care services in hard-to-reach areas while supporting sustainable country ownership of community-based health services, through technical assistance and capacity building of Ministry of Health (MOH)/County Health Teams (CHTs). This project will increase the coverage of service providers in underserved districts and improve their capacity to deliver quality health services while strengthening CHTs and communities’ capacity to plan, manage and monitor health services.  In addition, the project will work directly with County and District Health Teams and community level, providing them with technical and operational capacity to play a key role in service delivery.

This new award is designed to build on the gains achieved under the previous USAID community health grant; “Partnership for Advancing Community-based Services (PACS)”, implemented by the IRC and partners. PACS supported the government to strengthen health systems, improve reproductive maternal and child health, as well as restore public confidence in health facilities and health staff. PACS also provided support to build the government of Liberia’s capacity to control infectious diseases and efforts to rebuild the health system.

USAID Community Health Activity Implementation Overview

USAID Community Health Activity will work in Lofa, Bong, River Gee and Grand Kru to assist in the decentralization process and ensure that county and community-level systems are equipped to deliver high quality community-based services in line with key MOH strategies. The Operation and Training Officer is responsible for supporting the efficient coordination and management of procurement functions for IRC’s Lofa, Bong, River Gee and Grand Kru. One of the core functions of the Ops & Training Officer, is to rapidly procure Program supplies, services, and equipment for CHSS and CHA training roll-out, whilst ensuring best practices, adhering to code of conducts, and maintaining audit-compliant records.

IRC is seeking a Liberian National to serve in the role of Operation and Training Officer for a One-year period. The primary purpose of the Program is providing health care service in hard-to-reach areas while transferring ownership to the government by increasing coverage of CHAs in underserved districts, improving their capacity to deliver quality health services as well as strengthening CHTs and communities’ capacity to plan, manage and monitor health services.  The Operation and Training Officer will work under the supervision of the Community Health Coordinator at the project office in Lofa, Bong, River Gee and Grand Kru and indirectly/administratively to the Operation Coordinator at the Monrovia office.  She/He will be the focal person for all Operation and Training coordination at the County and District level, provide guidance on all the procurement processes leading to CHSSs, and CHAs Training roll-out in the county and district level. She/he is expected to collate and analyze PRs data collected from the suppliers and accordingly update the BVA system.

Key Responsibilities

Operations and Training Officer is a key position in the success and delivery of the Community Health Activities. IRC defines Operations as the support systems and functions necessary to implement programs effectively, inclusive of planning along with the following departments: procurement, fleet, inventory management, property, and asset management as well as support to HR.

Under the supervision of the Communty Health Coordinator and indirectly Finance and Admin Director, the Operations and Training Officer is responsible for supporting the Community Health Activities to ensure efficient assistance to operations and training functions of procurement, Fleet, Inventory Management, property and asset management.

Supply Chain Planning

The Operations and Training  Officer is responsible for working closely with the Procurement Manager and Warehouse and Fleet Officer to ensure effective supply chain planning and preparation to support the CHA implementation, which includes; -

• Preparation of procurement plans for the project activities in the field.
• Warehouse distribution plans and documentations for field materials/activities.
• Project team movement plan.
• Maintain supplier information for regularly purchased items and be informed of current local market conditions.
• Routine communication and planning with the relevant requesting staff regarding the order and delivery of supplies at the various training venues.
• Coordinate all activities for training roll-out for the CHSS and CHA at County and District levels

Procurement

Responsible for implementing procurement plan & strategies and ensures all project procurement needs for the field office are met on time in accordance with IRC GSC and donors’ standards. This includes:-

• The implementation and/or maintenance of standard IRC procurement policies and procedures
• Ensuring that procurement is carried out in accordance with IRC and donor-specific polices
• Attend all procurement committee meetings (PRC) as duly required
• Processing approved Purchase request through the procurement software (online BVA) and ensuring data accuracy.
• Request for quotations / proposals.
• Participate in tender meetings & evaluations.
• Conduct negotiations with suppliers that is transparent and documented.
• Demonstrate value for money in procurement
• Prepare all PRs for training and procurement of training materials, Service contract completion
• Coordinate with Finance, and Program departments to ensure integrated internal controls, timely payment of vendors and full, auditable support documentation.
• Ensuring that a transparent and responsive procurement process is implemented and maintained
• Follow up with finance on vendors' payments from procurement ensuring that all payments processes are completed as outlined in the procurement policy
• Prepare/Maintain the weekly and monthly Purchase Request Tracking & Metrics system (PRTS) and submit routine reports to the Community Health Coordinator and Operation Coordinator
• Support in development of procurement specifications
• Review procurement documents for accuracy before taking payment for approval.
• BVA assistance to ensure that PRs, POs, and Payments requested are completed in the system.
• Complete all Supplies, services, and equipment’s required are delivered in time.
• Establishment and maintenance of ethical, professional working relationships with suppliers/providers.
• Work with the IRC Liberia Country Program Office Procurement department and advice the field office on procurement-specific issues or improvements.
• Resilience, record of performance in high-pressure work environments and ability to problem solve
• Be willing to serve as backup to other related procurement position and functions

Contract Management

• Follow up and ensure that prepared contracts for field vendors are signed.
• Support with the timely renewal of running contracts.

Operations and Training Officer Competency’s matrix

The Operations and Training Officer Competency matrix is the primary supporting document to this job description andmust ensure that all tasks are performed to standard.

Key Working Relationships

Position directly supervises:None

Other Internal and/or external contacts

Internal: Regular relationships with Project staff, HR, Finance, Grants, Information systems, and Technology, and staff at all levels.

External:Vendors, Service Providers, Implementing Partners, GOL - Ministry of Health (MOH) as requested by the project leadership.