Position: Senior Project Officers for Oromia, Amhara, SNNPR, Tigray Regions (4 positions)
IHI is a leading innovator in health and health care improvement worldwide. For more than 25 years, we have partnered with an ever-growing community of visionaries, leaders, and front-line practitioners around the globe to spark bold, inventive ways to improve the health of individuals and populations. Together, we build the will for change, seek out innovative models of care, and spread proven best practices. When it comes to raising the quality of health for all, IHI sees boundless possibilities, and while we see the walls in front of us, we will not rest until we reach the other side. Learn more at ihi.org.
In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and other health sector partners, IHI has designed a fast-moving large-scale quality improvement (QI) initiative with the aim of accelerating the Ministry’s efforts to improve maternal and neonatal health (MNH) outcomes in Ethiopia. This initiative is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and has three core components:
Develop a unified Ethiopian National Health Care Quality Strategy that is aligned with the Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP) and builds on the existing initiatives in the country which focus on quality and equity.
Launch and test a scalable model of health system improvement in health facilities and communities linked by learning Collaboratives. The model will support FMoH priorities to improve maternal and newborn outcomes, initially across four regions, with the ultimate goal of scaling up to all 11 regions of Ethiopia.
Strengthen and develop a sustainable, self-sufficient Ethiopian health care quality culture and capability across multiple levels of the health system.
The Senior Project Officer (PO) will support all elements of IHI’s project within Ethiopia working closely with the Director of programs, and other SPO. The Position holder, will be providing technical support to the regional Health Bureau and assist the RHB to design, implement and execute quality improvement works. The SPO will also participate in coaching and mentoring quality improvement teams from health facilities (hospitals, health centers, and health posts) to apply QI methods to address MNH performance gaps. The Senior Project Officer will be based in Regional capital and project Woreda/s, with up to 75% of their time traveling to sites within their designated region. This is a full time, salaried, 12-month grant-funded position with possible extension. The specific responsibilities for the position are as follows.
Position Responsibilities:
Support the regional health bureau to implement the national quality strategy
Support the regional health bureau to design, execute, monitor and evaluate MNH Improvement Collaboratives
Assist the RHB to design and execute learning sessions and adapt review meeting to incorporate concepts of learning sessions
Provide joint coaching and mentoring of QI teams
Build the QI capacity of the regional health bureau through different approaches including training and on the job QI coaching
Assist the RHB to collect and analyze health care process and outcome data from health facilities and use of this data to improve quality of care
Manage relationships with facility, woreda, and regional level leaders and QI teams participating in learning collaboratives.
Assist the RHB to spread and scale-up achievements from prototype and better performing sites
Re-design implementation strategies as needed based on learning from data
Play a key role in dissemination of project results.
Support project teams in developing and testing contextualized change package.
Provide reliable communication with the IHI and Regional Health Bureau Teams
Accept additional assignments as required
Job Requirement
Position Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Clinical and public health expertise in quality improvement and maternal newborn health
Knowledge of and experience with Quality Improvement methods
Deep understanding of Ethiopian health care system; experience working in RHBs
Coaching, mentorship, and team leadership skills
Ability to work effectively alone and as part of a team
Drive to effectively develop self, others, and teams
Deep commitment to social justice and improving care delivery for marginalized populations
Superior critical thinking, initiative, creativity, and problem-solving skills
Communication skills (both interpersonal and written), including strong presentation skills
Ability and skill to drive and achieve quality results within complex, time constrained goals
Position Qualifications:
Minimum of clinical Bachelor’s degree required,
Three years of work experience related to development programs and QI preferred
Three years of clinical experience in maternity and/or neonatal care services
Fluency in written and oral English, Amharic and respective regional language
Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint is required