Program Officer, Laboratory Services at PATH

Specific Duties And Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and oversight for the project team on laboratory systems and networks and advice the Service Delivery Advisor on laboratory related matters as need be.
• Provide technical assistance and capacity building support to project program officers and facility laboratory personnel for expansion of quality laboratory services especially improved access to laboratory diagnosis and monitoring through HIV testing, Viral Load testing, CD4 testing, Early Infant Diagnosis and Gene Expert TB testing to support provision of quality integrated HIV services at health facilities in liaison with CMLTs.
• Provide oversight, technical assistance and capacity building to establish, strengthen and expand the laboratory network between facilities, sub-counties and counties in collaboration with project program officers and CHMTs.
• Support capacity building and technical assistance to project program officers and facility laboratory personnel on reagent/commodity forecasting, quantification, procurement and consumption reporting in liaison with CMLTs and the national supply chain mechanisms.
• Support capacity building and technical assistance to project program officers and facility laboratory personnel on laboratory related QA/QC, lab equipment maintenance and related service contracts in liaison with national laboratory reference labs and equipment vendors.
• Work in close collaboration with the project management team and CHMT to strengthen laboratory systems and services to offer improved access to laboratory diagnosis and monitoring in support of provision of quality integrated health services.
• Work in close collaboration with the Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor to strengthen Laboratory Health Management Information Systems for commodity reporting at facility, sub-county and county levels.
• Represent the project team at technical/stakeholder forums with the county and national government, the donor institutions and other implementing partners on laboratory related matters.

Required Skills

Required Experience

• Ability and willingness to learn.
• Ability to manage several major activities simultaneously.
• Excellent skills in facilitation, team building and coordination.
• Experience in public speaking and professional presentations.
• Field oriented and comfortable with a team approach to programming.
• Excellent analytical, communication, presentation and report writing skills.
• Ability to work in a complex project implementation environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform.
• A laboratory officer with an advanced diploma in laboratory sciences or related qualification.
• A degree or post graduate qualifications in laboratory sciences and/or degree in public health will be an added advantage, at least 3 years progressively responsible experience in implementing laboratory service delivery programs.
• Demonstrated track record of providing mentorship and supervision for strengthening laboratory services and training in quality improvement approaches, good knowledge on commodity management and reporting and LMIS functionality.
• Experience in working with MOH structures and personnel and good knowledge of health systems strengthening, strong programming, management, technical and critical thinking skills to facilitate program implementation, demonstrated ability to work with efficiency and diplomacy as part of a team effort and computer literacy, particularly in the use of MS office.