Health Programme Coordinator, GPAA

JOB PURPOSE:

ForAfrika, formerly Joint Aid Management (JAM) International, has been selected by UNICEF to implement a Health System Strengthening Project in Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), comprising of Pibor and Pochalla Counties. Working together with a national NGO partner, ForAfrika will support 13 health facilities (with possibility of scale-up of services to three additional up-graded facilities during the course of implementation), in collaboration with the MOH, CHD, Unicef, WHO and other partners. This project supports service provision through Hospitals, PHCCs, and PHCUs as well as referrals of medical cases, mobile outreach and public health campaigns.

The Health Programme Coordinator (HPC) is responsible for leading the implementation of all ForAfrika’s health projects in GPAA. Under the technical guidance of the Health & Nutrition Technical Advisor, the HPC will coordinate very closely with the MOH, CHD, UNICEF, WHO and other partners to ensure professional delivery of health services; integration of the project with nutrition and related services; effective representation and coordination with key stakeholders; efficient utilisation of cash and non-cash resources and technical guidance/capacity building of health workers. S/he will undertake monitoring and reporting on the progress and supervise and direct all team members involved in the project. Overall, the HPC will ensure all health projects are implemented in accordance with the WHO’s and MOH’s technical guidelines and global best practices.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

1. Provision of quality health services and care

   • Support the Facility In-charges in working with their teams to deliver integrated facility- based care
2. • Conduct in-depth analysis of health interventions including: MHPSS, MCHC, HIV/TB with the support of RH Coordinator, Medical Officers and other partners to inform existing needs and subsequent areas of scale-up, quality improvement and service strenghthening.
   • Participate in assessments of the status of the health sector in target areas and verify reports of infectious and epidemic diseases.
   • Coordinate with other stakeholders to ensure access to complementary health interventions that includes BeMoNC services and pediatric in patients;
   • Monitor the implementation of BHI and ensure follow-up, integration and capacity building in partnership with CHD;
   • Ensure implementation of HIV/TB including PMTCT in line with the country policy and recommend area of improvement including scaling up of SBCC.
   • Coordinate with UNICEF CD4 team to scale-up SBCC, within the GPAA to contribute to prevention of HIV infections.
   • In coordination with the Medical Officers, Health Programme Specialist and MOH ensure timely coordination of referral of eligible cases;
   • Monitor the functionalities and ensure rational usage to ambulance vehicles;
   • Ensure quality improvement and service scale-up within the laboratory unit and secondary services;
   • In coordination with the Public Health Officers and environmental health team ensure appropriate management of hospital waste.

3. Management of medical supplies and commodities

   • Together with the Medical Officers and Senior Medical Commodities & Supplies Management Officer ensure facility-based essential drug list have been evidently prepared (Pull Systems) and submitted on time to avert stock-out;
   • Through coordination with Senior Medical Commodities & Supplies Management Officer, UNICEF, MOH/ CHD, Health Partners and WHO ensure access to medical supplies, vaccine and commodities that includes IEHK (Kits);
   • In coordination with the Medical Officer, ensure regular inventories are conducted, and proper storage is maintained according to recommended standards;
   • Monitor rational use of pharmaceutical products periodically in comparison with morbidities, ensure 25% of buffer stock for supplies and alert critical supplies shortages to the coordination team;
   • Where feasible advocate for functional adequate cold chain (EPI) supplies within the PHCC.

4. Project management and integration

   • Oversee and coordinate the project activities in line with project document – technical approaches, log frames, detailed implementation plans and budget forecasts.
5. • Work closely with the Area Manager and programme support functions (operations and finance departments) to plan for timely procurement, delivery and utilisation of project supplies and equipment
   • Work very closely with the Nutrition Programme Coordinator to ensure integration of health with nutrition services, both at the facilities and outreaches. This also applies to integration with WASH, FSL, protection and other sectors, as appropriate;
   • Participate in assessments of the status of the health sector in target areas and verify reports of infectious and epidemic diseases.
   • In consultation with the Health and Nutrition Technical Adviser, participate in preparation of new health projects (narrative proposal and budget,) formulating it with other areas of technical expertise to develop shared and integrated approaches.

6. Coordination, collaboration and networking

   • Ensure establishment and maintenance of strong and respectful working relationships with local communities, community based organizations and other local authorities as appropriate.
   • Continuously engage in County Level Cluster activities, take appropriate responsibility to ensure robust deliberation of health issues by the cluster; Keep track of State Level Cluster issues in liaison with the Health Programme Specialist and the H&N TA.
   • Coordinate and participate in quarterly joint supervisory monitoring visits, in collaboration with the donors
   • Undertake/participate in liaison, coordination, and information sharing activities with local committees, national NGOs, international organizations, donors, and government representatives.
   • Ensure that information from coordination meetings is shared internally and with other sectors, as appropriate.
   • Represent the organization during donor and other high level visits in project locations.
   • Coordinate with County Teams, Sub-Implementation Partner to ensure timely, appropriate and quality service delivery

7. Human resource management, staff mentorship and development

   • Participate in the recruitment of key health personnel within the GPAA
   • Establish work schedules and assignments for staff and constantly review this to ensure that objectives are met and implementation of activities is carried out accordingly.
   • Ensure training and promotion of staff under your supervision as appropriate, and ensure availability of appropriate professional tools for staff to perform their roles.
   • Establish and follow up on the implementation of Continuous Medical Education sessions at each health facility in collaboration with the Medical officers.
   • Personally, and also ensure other staff adhere to relevant professional and ethical standards, including the and client confidentiality
8. • Ensure adherence and compliance to internal ForAfrika policies and procedures, with respect to code of conduct, child protection, equal opportunities, security and safety, and other relevant policies and procedures.
   • Integrate protection and inclusion, gender equality, peaceful co-existence, and safeguarding considerations into team culture and project implantation approaches.

9. Supervision Monitoring and Reporting

   • Regularly monitor the facilities sites including Stabilization Centres within the GPAA to ensure services delivery are implemented in line to the country policies.
   • Streamline data collection and oversee the process to ensure high quality reporting of progress against proposal indicators and program quality indicators;
   • In coordination with the Medical Officers, prepare routine weekly, monthly reports giving a clear and exhaustive update of activities carried out in line with donor/ cluster and project proposal targets.
   • Follow-up of all the data/reports provided by the health facility and teams in the field and provide technical support to improve the quality of reports.
   • Compile a weekly/monthly summary of indicators for the sector, produce an analysis, and prepare internal reports for the coordination team.
   • Ensure reporting indicators are relevant to the program.
   • Review all the reporting tools and standardize all tools as per protocol.
   • Conduct supportive supervision to all health facilities, using standard checklists and in liaison with MoH.
   • Contributing to building on good practice, experience, and assessments through monthly feedback reports, communication tracking, monthly newsletters, and information sharing, etc.
   • Monitor the data reports and make recommendations on improvements on the system of data collection in the region as a basis for the evaluation and continuation of the program.
   • Ensure the timely correlation of health collected periodic data analyze and use the information to plan, monitor, and manage the projects, with reports on changes in trends provided to the health Coordinator and Advisor on a weekly (disease surveillance data) and monthly (other epidemiological data) basis.
   • Ensure timely submission of all the reports in the field according to the stipulated deadlines include 100% IDSR and EWARSE Submission in Coordination with the CHD.

JOB REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• • Degree in Medicine and Surgery – (MANDATORY)
    – Minimum professional experience of 5 years in the humanitarian health response setting, with at least 3 years working in a management capacity.
    – Strong background in project management and monitoring and evaluation and understanding of public health / epidemiology indicators, data, and analysis.
• • Humanitarian experience in medical and nutrition programs in South Sudan (EPHS, CMAM, BEmONC, BHI, CMAM, MIYCN)
    – Excellent knowledge of working with MOH, UN, and NGO Health systems and structures, including the Health Information Management Systems Data (DHIS).
    – Demonstrated ability to develop and cultivate partnerships in furtherance of programme development goals
    – Fluent in English and Arabic languages and strong computer skills: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and EPI info.
    – Experience and ability to design, manage, and forecast budgets.
    – Working experience health assessments surveys, including IRNA.
    – Excellent report writing skills and solid working experience in proposal development
    – Genuine interest in and commitment to ForAfrika Core values and humanitarian principles.
    – Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay at the field with modest amenities. Flexible, adaptable, able to improvise and work in stressful, volatile environment
    – Strong commitment to capacity building of staff with willingness to adopt a participatory and consultative management approach.