Health Systems Strengthening Advisor – JSI
Health Care
JSI
JSI is a public health organization dedicated to improving the health of people and communities in more than 70 countries.
Almost 40 years of global experience supports and informs JSI’s work in Ethiopia. Since 1994, JSI has worked in partnership with the government and local civil society organizations to support the Ethiopian government’s health and development priorities.
JSI is working in all regions across Ethiopia, in urban as well as rural areas—though most projects reach the largest population groups by focusing on the four most populous regions.
Operationally, JSI has the integrity of strong management systems, combined with the flexibility of a decentralized structure that meets clients’ and partners’ needs.
Organization Background
JSI is a US-based public health nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high-quality technical and managerial assistance programs throughout the world. In Ethiopia, JSI has been working to improve health outcomes for more than 25 years, implementing more than 60 projects and working in every region. JSI has historically managed a large portfolio of projects focusing on the quality, and equity in access of, RMNCAH services, primary health care (PHC) including community health program, digital health, health information systems (HIS), supply chain management, public health emergency responses, and social and behavior change.
Activity Overview
JSI seeks an experienced Health System Strengthening Advisor for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Lowland Health Activity. The purpose of the Activity is to improve health and nutrition outcomes in the pastoral geographies of Ethiopia, through increased access and utilization of quality reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent & youth health and nutrition (RMNCAH-N) services.
Position Summary
Health System Strengthening Advisor, your role will be pivotal in advancing a comprehensive initiative aimed at transforming Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities in pastoral geographies. The initiative specifically targets the challenges affecting access, quality, and uptake of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH-N) services.
The Senior HSS advisor has overall responsibility of strategizing, leading project implementation, developing learning agenda and conducting implementation research focusing on health systems strengthening. S/he serves as a primary contact point of Lowland Health Activity for any of the health system strengthening related national initiatives, and represents the project in national working groups. S/he also responsible for building the capacities of national and regional advisors to carry out their responsibilities in an acceptable quality.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide technical and programmatic oversight, strategic direction and ensure appropriate support for the implementation of LHA activities in the areas of health systems strengthening and quality improvement
- Engage regional and district stakeholders to define desired health outcomes and confirm clinical performance standards in alignment with national health service delivery standards and QI processes in different health facilities) and settings (static clinics, mobile teams, outreach), assess existing gaps in meeting standards, and lead the development of a plan of action to achieve the desired health outcomes.
- Develop and test approaches for quality and performance improvement according to the local pastoral context as needed
- Oversee his/her supervisees’ effective program implementation and performance plans
- Regularly assess his/her subordinates’ capacity and plan and implement professional development initiatives in consultation with project management
- Provide remote and on-site technical support and assistance in the design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health system strengthening related interventions implemented by regional and sub-regional offices.
- Be up to date with current field practices with regards to the WHO health systems building blocks (HRH, supplies/vaccines/technologies, Health Financing, LMG, Information system/research) to enhance service organization and delivery at primary health care level.
- Provide strategic, technical leadership, and management support to the process of identifying proven, harmonized and scalable Quality Improvement (QI) strategies
- Lead and/ support the development improvements in the health system in collaboration with his/her subordinates, project team and partners
- Develop and implement strategies to improve leadership and management capacity at both facility and woreda levels.
- Facilitate the establishment or strengthening of health facility governance boards, ensuring representation from the community.
- Design skills based training programs (manuals, continuous skills assessment and corresponding supervisory tools) that fit within overall capacity building strategies of the project.
- Contributes to strengthening the referral systems at all levels of health system with focus at PHC level.
- Collaborate with USAID and non-USAID supply chain management investments for improved last mile delivery of essential commodities and supplies .
- Develop and lead the implementation of operation/implementation researches in collaboration with MEL team
- Develop annual plans in collaboration with the Regional Offices and Central Office Program staff.
- Strengthen the internal program integration and quality of follow up/support system
- Conduct, measure and document changes in relation to his/her technical area
- Prepare regular reports on accomplishments of the project with regards to the health system
- Promote partnership approach for all activities at various levels of the health system
- Prepare and track the utilization of budgets for his/her program area
- Represent, as appropriate, project at national and regional level discussions/working groups with regards to health systems.
- Actively engaged regular project level thematic team based meetings and able to come up with innovative solutions to improve programming at LHA.
- Perform other duties as requested by immediate supervisor
- Minimum of Master’s degree in public health/health service management and related fields with more than 8 years of relevant experience
- Knowledge on Microsoft Offices, and other statistical software
- Familiarity with RMNCAH-N service delivery and the health context in pastoral geographies.
- Demonstrated up-to-date knowledge about the WHO health systems building blocks
- Demonstrated knowledge and skills of leading and supervising teams
- Budget planning and management skills
- Report writing skills in English
- A team player but also able to work independently and to manage various activities on a daily basis with minimal supervision;
- Ability to travel frequently
- Experience in working with or at various levels of the health system
- Demonstrated ability to lead new initiatives in the health system
- Recent experience of working with FMOH and/or RHBs.
- Knowledge of more than one local language is advantageous
