Project Officer, MNCH – Population Services International (PSI) Vacancy Announcement

Position Title: Project Officer, MNCH 

Department: SRH

Level: TBD

Reports to: Program Manager, dotted line to Institutional advisor.

Required number: One

Based in: Gubalafeto Woreda Health Office

Duration of contract: Indefinite based on performance and availability of funds.

Remuneration: As per organization pay scale plus other PSI/Ethiopia staff benefits.

Application Deadline: February 27, 2024 

Who we are?

We’re Population Services International (PSI), the world’s leading non‐profit social marketing organization. We work to make it easier for people in the developing world to lead healthier lives and plan the families they desire by marketing affordable products and services that range from mosquito nets to contraceptives to HIV testing. We are a $560m enterprise based in Washington, DC, operating in the private and public sectors in more than 65 countries.

Join us!

There are over 9,000 “PSI’ers” around the world. It’s a diverse group of entrepreneurs and professionals with an unusually wide range of backgrounds – from the medical industry to the music business – all with unique skills we bring to the job.

PSI/Ethiopia wants to reimagine healthcare, put the consumer at the center, and whenever possible, bring quality care to the front door.  We achieve health impact in Ethiopia by working with both government and private partners and harvesting technology innovation to bring quality care closer to communities, schools, and homes.   We empower consumers by including them in the design of healthcare solutions, offering them more healthcare choices, and helping them to have a voice in influencing national priorities.  We work with all market actors in the health system to understand their needs, designing and delivering solutions so that market systems can sustainably serve consumers for the long term, helping to support the Government of Ethiopia in achieving Universal Health Coverage.  

We are looking for an MNCH Project Officer who will be responsible to lead the day-to-day activities of MNCH, providing technical support to PHCUs and HEWs, the MCH departments of woreda health offices. S/he will also closely coordinate with woreda health offices, PHCU and community structures to harmonize efforts toward the successful implementation of the MNCH activities. S/he is responsible to overseeing quality of care, data quality, monitoring and evaluating, and partnership with other SRH stakeholders in the implementation sites. The officer will work under the direct supervision of the program manager with a dotted-line connection with an institutional adviser. The officer will also provide capacity-building support to PHCUs and woredas health offices apart from offering continuous mentoring, coaching and site-level supportive supervision to providers and HEWs.  S/he supports the establishment and functionality of the MNCH steering committee at the woreda and PHCU levels.  The officer will work closely with the regional teams and Program Manager and the teams to track the impact of system influence, ownership, and sustainability over time of the MNCH project implementation. The officer will also ensure that joint supportive supervisions are conducted as per the plan using the appropriate standards and tools with integrated MNCH activity. The officer will be responsible for generating and analyzing performance data to support evidence-based decision-making. 

Sounds like you? Read on!

Your contribution:

You will work the direct supervision of the IFI manager with a dotted-line relationship with the institutional adviser. The primary role is supporting 3 woredas which are Gobalafeto, Habiru, and Lasta woredas on Gobalfito basis, and more specifically, your role and responsibility shall focus on:

Technical

·      Provide Technical support on the launching, implementation, Monitoring, and evaluation of the MNCH project in the designated woredas.

·      Support/assist the woreda health office in executing the annual plans of the woreda to implement the plans based on the MNCH design.

·      Identify platforms to advocate and socialize the MNCH tool for integration and execution.

·      Provide training and orientation to the health care providers and HEWs on the MNCH tools/ approach.

·      Strengthen coaching and mentoring of the Midwives and HEWs at the health facility level and HPs level.

·      Capacity building and skill sharing within the woreda health office, PHCU on the MNCH tool.

·      Lead the alignment and cascade of guidance/direction provided by the PSI office and regional health bureaus in close consultation with the Woreda health office and PHCU head.

·      Coordinate and oversee the scale-up and expansion of the MNCH activity in all Kebeles in the enrolled woredas.

·      Ensure that joint supportive supervisions are conducted as per the plan using the appropriate standards and tools with integrated MNCH activity.

·      Support the establishment and functionality of the MNCH steering committee at woreda and PHCU levels and make follow-ups to conduct regular meetings per the agreed TOR.

·      Closely work with the program manager and the teams to track the results of system influence, ownership, and sustainability over time of the MNCH Project implementation.

Services delivery 

·      In collaboration with PHCUs conduct monthly health post-support visits.

·      Ensure that visits are performance-driven and geared towards supporting HPs to be able improve  performance

·      Develop Monthly performance targets based on monthly Data-to-Action (D2A) outcomes.

·      Develop a checklist that shall be used to identify monitor progresses comprehensively looking at the various facets of the MNCH continuum at PHCUs level.

·      Provide regular feedback to PHCUs, HP, and woreda health offices and support them to draw action points for course correction.

·      Analyze findings and share learnings for course correction, and continued improvement for the MNCH project.

·      Provide TA to ensure that HPs and HCs are reporting an increased number of MNCH services delivery data (ANC, FP, PNC, PPFP)

·      Co-create a community engagement strategy to enhance mobilization to create an enabling environment for AGYW for improved MNCH services uptake.

·      Facilitate the provision of awareness-raising education for AGYW on ANC, PNC, FP PPFP, through HEWs and providers.

·      Support to improve utilization of the Maternity waiting home at the health center level.

·      Support the facilitation of monthly pregnant women’s conference at kebele level

·      Support HEWs to strengthen community- facility referral networking.

·      Support HEWs and PHCUs to realize a proactive commodity request, reporting, stock-in and utilization practice. 

Quality of Care 

·      Implement the quality assurance (QA)/ Quality improvement (QI) of MNCH standards jointly with the district and PHCU levels.

·      Strengthen the quality of care of Preconception care, ANC, Labor and delivery, PNC, PPFP, and including family planning services through the MNCH counselling tool.

·      Undertake an assessment to identify gaps, developing, and implementing action on quality of care.

·      Ensure the availability and utilization of the MNCH tool, protocols, guidelines, job aides, IPC, availability relevant equipment and devices and supplies at the health facility level.

·      Generate insight on the experience of married adolescent girls to track whether they are getting quality service or not.

·      Support periodic client satisfaction surveys to be conducted and results are shared to PHCUs and woreda health offices.

Monitoring and evaluation

·      Support quarterly MNCH activity review at Woreda and monthly at PHCUs level.

·      Follow up and support the implementation of actionable recommendations that come from meetings, field visits, communications, data review.

·      Document minutes, reports, plans, visit reports, etc and share as required.

·      Provide regular updates and y reports to her/his supervisor.

·      Conducts coaching and mentorship on CHIS, HMIS, DHIS2 at the woreda, PHCU and HP level.

·      Support for data driven decision making through applying monthly Data-to-Action (D2A) sessions.

·      Facilitate the integration of key MNCH indicators into the woreda and PHCUs PMT agenda.

·      Support to avail the MNCH data tracking tool at all levels with Proper orientation for the users.

Key Result Areas:

·      Increased ANC, especially early ANC initiation and ANC8,

·      Increased FP uptake among 15-24 years old women

·      Improved PPFP uptake among postnatal women

·      Increased PNC visits

·      Improved pregnant women conference engagement.

What it takes to succeed

·      Knowledge on the context:  know-how and experience to work with and for the region-specific Primary Health care system is Key to effectively delivering under the role.

·      A self-starter: You can work independently with minimal supervision; you are proactive in looking for new opportunities.

·      Consistent and determined: The influencing system is time-consuming and labor-intensive which requires understanding people and their interest in doing their routine. Someone who is determined and always look at the bigger picture regardless of the challenges on a daily basis is needed.

·      Eager and Passionate to serve young people and women:  MNCH is especially for and with young people in general and married adolescent girls/couples.

·      Communicator: who has excellent interpersonal and written communication skills

·      Evidence-based decision Maker: capable of interpreting both qualitative and quantitative data, transforming it into compelling communication material to influence both mindset sets, and skill sets as the system is all about infrastructure as well as people.

·      Flexible: who is capable of seeing other alternatives when trials/attempts fail; someone with a strong conviction that CHANGE is possible!

Background

Qualification and Experience:

·      BSC degree in Midwifery, Nursing, and Public Health Officer with three (3) years of demonstrated experience in the Ethiopian Primary Health Care system and clinical provider at MNCH with a minimum of one (1) year of NGO project coordination exposure at community and facility interface.

·      Able to work within a very complex program setup that involves government, implementing partners, and high-touch donors

What would get us excited: 

·      Proven clinical experience in MNCH services delivery, quality assurance process, training, training follow-up, mentoring/coaching.

·      High-level relevant training on MNCH including Family planning and AYH.

·      Knowledge and experience in MNCH, FP, and AYH program(s)

·      Proven capacity to oversee development/implementation of work plans, monitoring and evaluation activities, and reports.

·      Experience in working, flexible, and agile partnership management at local level.

·      Good written and verbal communication skills in English and other local languages.

·      Good time management and organizational skills.

·      Experience in technical project implementation in general and MNCH.

·      Demonstrated ability to work independently and with limited supervision.

·      Excellent interpersonal skills and good team spirit.

·      Willingness to travel in rural context within 2-3 woredas designated under her/his supervision.

·      Ability to follow deadlines, accuracy, and attention to detail.

·      Have key competencies such as being Detail-oriented; Believe in young people, particularly in girls; Emotional intelligence; Master planner and executor; Good at multi-tasking; Problem-solving mentality; Demonstrated flexibility.

·      Ability to deliver in time under stressful situations without compromising quality.