Project Officer - integrating Health system Strengthening

About Integrated Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) Project

Integrated Health System Strengthening Project is a Gates Foundation (GF) investment co-designed with Amref Health Africa and MOH to support the design and implementation of a platform mechanism/s for health systems strengthening for primary health care (PHC) in Ethiopia. The focus of this investment is primarily at the subnational level (regional and district) with links to national efforts. The design will focus on integration of key HSS pillars – e.g., Human Resources for Health (HRH), Health Care Financing (HCF), Data, and Leadership and Governance – to support PHC administrators and managers toward optimizing health systems for improved service delivery. 

Job Purpose:

The Integrated Health System Strengthening Officer will be responsible for providing integrated technical assistance and coordination for day to day implementation of the IHSS program at subnational level. S/he reports directly to the IHSS Regional Technical Coordinator. He/She will be primarily responsible for ensuring the achievement of specific project deliverables and targets of IHSS. He/She will also establish and maintain close working relationships with relevant government and relevant stakeholders to advance ownership and sustainability of IHSS interventions. The role further requires close collaboration with other Amref projects to advance integration, specifically with IPHCSD and WVLO projects.

Required Number: 1

Main Duties and Responsibilities: 

a) Planning and coordination

• Plan and coordinate the implementation of activities of the project.
• Ensure alignment of iHSS implementation with regional and woreda health plans and priorities
• Conduct project review and planning meetings to provide technical assistance in defining tangible targets, project objectives, and revision of indicators
• Ensure that project schedules/plans are coordinated and completed timely and give support in the project target woredas/regions.
• Coordinate the project's administrative functions, such as logistics, finance, and procurement are fully implemented according to Amref Health Africa policies and procedures and donor organization requirements.
• Coordinate and maintain close working relationships with other Amref projects to advance integration, specifically with IPHCSD and WVLO projects.
• Ensure effective coordination for IHSS project communication activities with Woreda, Zonal, RHB representatives, NGOs and other partners to ensure coherent, complementary planning and support for the IHSS activities at the sub-regional level.

b) Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong collaborative working relationships with Woreda Health office, Regional Health Bureau and others relevant regional officials.
• Actively participate in coordination and networking relationships.
• Liaise with Woreda Health Teams to promote, review/ develop track and use health indicators in health system, (Governance, Financing, and Essential Inputs) and identify best practices that can be translated into scale-up activities.
• Advocate and liaise closely with stakeholder and partners in the sub-region as a champion for increasing community-wide engagement for IHSS.

c) Capacity Development

• Work with all relevant stakeholders to address training on health system LGM, HRH, HCF, HIS, Supply Chain, and other health system inputs capacity-building needs and deliver relevant interventions to the beneficiaries in the project areas.
• Provide integrated/supportive supervision with RHB/MoH to woreda and facility on leadership and governance, health care financing and health system inputs.
• Liaise with the woreda health officials to assess health facility infrastructure needs with regard health system with focus on HRH/LMG related interventions and plan for the provision of those within the project work plan and budget.
• Work with the Woreda Health Team to educate how the IHSS project is delivered and document lesson learning.
• Use appropriate IEC and other behavior change communication materials in coordination with regional technical coordinator, regional manager, Woreda Health Teams, and CO advisors and support appropriate translation into local languages, distribution, and utilization.

d) M & E

• Ensure timely and complete field monitoring of Amref supported activities
• Ensure documentation, monitoring visit and follow up on actions points.
• Support quarterly data quality assessments (DQAs) and promote the use of data for performance.
• Highlight gaps, using field reports and realistic data on performance and technical coverage.
• Document improvement or changes recommended at last monitoring visit.
• Report regularly to Regional technical coordinator on project updates, issues, needs, problems, or ideas for improving the project performance

e) Financial Management

• Manage the project budget for assigned activities by developing activity TOR and follow utilization
• Ensure that financial utilization is in accordance with the approved budget and in compliance with Amref Health Africa and donor organization requirements.
• Communicate with respective program accountant in the region and analyze the budget utilization to identify implementation gaps