Job Openings at Health Systems Strengthening Advisor (Nairobi) at Centre For Health Solutions

Health Systems Strengthening Advisor: CHS/HR/HSSA/01/2021

Job Description

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Health Systems Strengthening Advisor will provide technical support in building the capacity of the county leadership and Health Management Team (CHMT) towards ownership and utilization of high quality and sustainable HIV prevention and treatment services. The position shall facilitate a seamless link between service delivery interventions and county capacity for systems development, including leadership and governance, Human Resources for health, planning, budgeting, and finance.

Key Responsibilities

1. In conjunction with the technical staff, take the lead in supporting counties to undertake HSS capacity assessments, setting priorities, developing, and implementing capacity-strengthening plans.
2. Develop and implement a robust Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) plan for transition by guiding the process of identifying key performance parameters with clear milestones through the life of the project to track the transition process and objectives outlined in the grant’s proposal towards sustainability.
3. Provide overall guidance and leadership support for HSS interventions, including leadership and management capacity, human resources for health, budgeting/finance, and enhanced supply chain efficiency, among other pillars of health.
4. Provide technical assistance to strengthen the institutional capacity of county health systems management to implement quality health services.
5. Strengthen strategic planning at the county level by supporting the development and implementation of the health component of the five-year strategic plan and the annual operation plan.
6. Work closely with technical staff to provide technical assistance in mainstreaming HSS in their technical service areas – service delivery, laboratory services, and commodity management.
7. Provide expert support in the development and application of HSS tools (gap analysis, supervisory etc.).
8. Oversee health workforce contracting and transition process to county government payroll through close collaboration with the relevant Public Service Boards (PSB).
9. Facilitate high-level engagements within the relevant counties to ensure increased ownership and buy-in towards transition, sustainability, and the journey to self-reliance.
10. Provide strategic oversight and supervision support to the county management in budgeting for essential services.
11. Coordinate identification of training and system improvement needs and support implementation of relevant training modules targeting health workers and CHMTs.
12. Participate in the relevant technical working groups (county transition team) in the respective counties.
13. Support the sharing of lessons learned, promising practices, and effective strategies to enable the county government, particularly the county health management team, to advance toward the desired HSS results.
14. Represent CHS at national, donor, and county-level strategic, policy and program support initiatives to advance CHS brand positioning
15. Lead documentation of key HSS initiatives for dissemination through various channels aligned with the CHS Strategic Plan III.
16. Any other duty as may be assigned by the supervisor.

 Person Specification

1. Minimum of a Master’s Degree in Health Policy and administration, health sector development, public health, or a related field
2. Minimum of 10 years working experience, designing, managing, implementing, and overseeing health systems strengthening initiatives with at least five (5) years at senior supervisory level with Ministry of Health and donor-funded programs, including the US government PEPFAR programs.
3. Solid understanding of Kenya’s devolved health systems, both national and county systems
4. Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills, capacity building skills, communication and interpersonal skills, and providing technical assistance.
5. Ability to cultivate, develop, and maintain good relationships with the county government and staff, colleagues and partners
6. Experience in knowledge management, specifically in the area of public health/ healthcare.
7. Good facilitation and writing skills.

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County Mentor – Prevention: CHS INSTITUTE /HR/CM/ 001/ 2022  

Job Description

Reporting to the Senior Program Officer, the County Mentor, will be responsible for on-site mentoring and implementation of HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment activities in Tier 2, 3 and 4 health facilities. H/she will provide technical advice and support to health care workers in the implementation of HIV services (HTS, linkage, prevention, care and treatment, adherence and retention, TB/HIV, and PMTCT) to ensure that patients receive the full complement of prevention, treatment and care in accordance to GoK/MoH and other applicable standards. They will provide a 100% level of effort.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Provide technical support to HTS providers, health workers (doctors, clinical officers, nurses, counsellors, laboratory and pharmacy staff) in all implementation aspects of HIV services (HTS, linkage, prevention, care and treatment, adherence and retention, TB/HIV, and PMTCT) to ensure that patients receive the full complement of prevention, treatment and care in accordance to National HIV treatment guidelines and other applicable standards
2. Oversee the planning and implementation of internal and external quality assurance (QA) for HIV testing services at select facilities
3. Support and mentor peer educators to provide health talks, peer to peer counselling, PHDP messages, formation of facility and community psychosocial groups.
4. Ensure timely clinical and laboratory monitoring of patients on treatment by implementing viral load standard operating procedure and timely intervention for patients with suspected treatment failure.
5. Mentors and support patients with low level and high viral loads (LLV and HVL). Ensure timely interventions: enhanced adherence counselling, filling the Mowrisky 8 and elicitation of barriers, and proper EAC viral load register documentation.
6. Building the skills and knowledge of the targeted clinical staff on HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment, and PMTCT through on the job mentorship, case reviews, CMEs and participation in the multi-disciplinary team meetings, County and Lakati TWG meetings
7. Mentor frontline health care workers to appropriately document service delivered to clients in the requisite NASCOP/MOH recommended tools.
8. Champion the differentiated service delivery model of care in CHS supported facilities
9. Participating in joint supportive supervision of CHS-supported HIV prevention, care and treatment activities in assigned sites with County and Sub-County level MoH staff
10. Assist in program monitoring and evaluation with reporting through national HMIS tools and other tools in use by CHS and its funding partners through mentorship of facility staff on proper documentation
11. Oversee stringent follow-up care of PMTCT clients and HIV exposed infants in assigned sites and ensure that HIV exposed infants exit the program as healthy infants.
12. To provide ongoing supervision of CHS-supported HIV prevention, care and treatment activities in assigned sites, including scheduled joint supportive supervision with County and Sub-County level MoH staff
13. Routinely monitor program quality through QI approaches as well as elements of operations research, including identification and documentation of ‘best practices to ensure high-quality HIV/AIDS service provision
14. Timely preparation and submission of activity budgets, work plans, reports and other technical papers
15. Providing mentorship and support to health care facilities for implementation of continuous quality improvement, to address testing, identification, linkage, adherence, and retention performance gaps
16. Identifying, documenting and sharing key lessons learnt on prevention, care and treatment activities from health facilities and the community

Person Specification

1. A Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Medicine, Nursing, Health Systems Management, Public health, Social sciences or other health-related course
2. A Diploma/Higher National Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Surgery or Nursing from a recognized institution
3. At least three years’ experience in implementing HIV programs
4. Experience in mentorship and training
5. Training in HTS, HIV/AIDS, TB comprehensive care and support
6. Trainer of trainers in HIV management
7. Advanced training in antiretroviral management is an added advantage
8. Good knowledge of practical delivery of HIV/AIDS clinical care and ART, including patient-centered management and family support
9. Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to work well with others and to develop and maintain relationships
10. Ability to identify problems, design interventions and oversee their implementation
11. Energetic, self-motivated and able to work independently
12. Good use of MS Office packages and office automation solutions.