Medical Coordinator (Zomba District)
Medical Coordinator (Zomba District)Dignitas International
Since program inception in 2004, Dignitas has worked closely with the Malawi Ministry of Health to support the government in national policy development and to implement HIV-related services throughout Zomba District.
This includes the establishment of a central HIV clinic (serving as a referral site for three additional districts and a national training site in ARV provision), as well as an integrated HIV/TB clinic and a healthcare worker clinic, all at Zomba Central Hospital.
Close to 12,000 adults and children have been started on ARV treatment.
Access to ARVs has been decentralized to 19 rural health centres, where over 5,000 people are now accessing medications in their communities.
PMTCT services are available at 29 sites, where more than 67,000 women have been tested, and thousands of women and newborns have received treatment to prevent vertical transmission.
HTC services have been introduced to 40 sites, where over 170,000 HTC sessions have been held.
The program implementation methodology is designed to maximize the number of patients gaining access to services along a continuum-of-care in the short term, while at the same time building the capacity of clinicians, healthcare workers and lay persons to treat, care for and support people living with HIV/AIDS.
Closing date: 15 Jan 2010
Location: Malawi - Zomba District
Job Summary:
The Medical Coordinator (Zomba District) will be responsible for providing overall direction, coordination, and management to Dignitas’ medical programming in Zomba District through technical leadership, supportive supervision and coaching to Dignitas’ medical and paramedical staff.
The Medical Coordinator will also be responsible for the management of key relationships with Malawi Ministry of Health staff in Zomba District and at Zomba Central Hospital.
Dignitas’s medical programming in Zomba District centres around a comprehensive HIV/AIDS program that has enrolled over 12,000 patients on ART (increasing by 4,000 patients annually), and includes ART provision at a central hospital and health centres, HIV/TB integration, PMTCT and HTC services, and integration of ART with primary health care.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Technical Leadership
- Oversight of implementation of Dignitas medical activities in Zomba District
- Ensure the overall quality of the program and initiatives as appropriate to improve the program
- Coordinate medical activities within the project in close collaboration with the other members of the Dignitas team (Medical Program Team, Technical Advisors team) and MoH partners in order to meet project objectives
- Ensure staff compliance with national/project medical protocols and that they are fully conversant with and trained in use of protocols
- Dissemination of up-to-date relevant health care research, polices, procedures and practices related to HIV/AIDS and TB information to medical program staff
- Supportive supervision, coaching and mentoring of Dignitas implementing staff to ensure safe and high quality medical practices
- Provide input and support to the development of project and national guidelines and policies
- In collaboration with Logistics Department, oversee Dignitas medical stocks management; creatively address medical supply constraints within the national system
- Actively promote and lead the mainstreaming of specific thematic health issues in the Dignitas Zomba District program
2. Program Development and Management
- Direct supervision of Medical Program Coordinators in Zomba for ART Decentralization, Tisungane Clinic, PMTCT and HTC; direct supervision of Medical Program Administrator
- Coach and support Tisungane clinic staff as needed
- Create a shared vision amongst Dignitas health staff related to project aims and their role in achieving these
- Maintain and foster good inter-team communications, engender good team dynamics, and role modeling
- Maintain strong and efficient collaboration of various program teams to ensure good integration of all activities
- Collaborative leadership in developing project plans, activity plans, proposals and realistic budgets (annually, long term and for new projects or extensions of projects)
- Oversee monitoring and evaluation, budgeting and budget follow-up of activity plans
- Ensure all relevant staff and authorities are included in the planning and implementation of programs
- Human Resources Management associated with direct reports including:
development and/or revision of job descriptions
selection and interviewing of candidates
performance management and personnel development
induction and orientation of new reports
- Responsible for training needs assessment of project medical staff, subsequent identification of appropriate training opportunities, as well as provision of on-the-job training to staff, to ensure maximum use of their skills as well as their full and effective participation in medical activities while conforming to Dignitas and MOH protocols
- Monitor, improve and reinforce infection prevention activities for medical implementation staff
- Oversee Medical Programs Budget, monitor that program expenditures remain within budget
- Contribute to donor proposal writing and reporting in coordination with the Medical Program Manager or Director of Research
3. Monitoring and Evaluation
- Ensure ongoing assessment of the HIV/AIDS/TB medical needs of the community and guide project activities to respond to identified needs
- In collaboration with MEORKT Team:
Using defined project performance indicators, monitoring and evaluation medical programs
Ensure accurate data collection, disease surveillance and analysis from Dignitas collaborative sites on a monthly basis
Ensure use of established reporting formats for data collection, analysis and report to the Ministry of Health, Donors and other partners
Ensure that Ministry of Health receives regular activity reports and statistics.
4. Operations Research
- Assist with the identification, design, implementation and analysis of operational qualitative and quantitative research relating to medical programs
- Contribute towards the dissemination of Dignitas’ health work through publications (general, health sector, academic literature, etc.) in consultation with Research Team
5. External Representation
- Represent Dignitas at district level to ensure all project activities are carried collaboratively with local partners
- Represent Dignitas to partners and donors at the district level as needed
- Present findings and lessons learnt in technical forums and propose abstracts to international conferences
6. Reporting & Communication
- Meet with Medical Program Team regularly and ad hoc as needs arises
- Compile timely project reports and ensure the gathering of relevant health data
Qualifications:
- Qualified Medical Doctor with broad knowledge and experience in the delivery of primary health care and communicable disease prevention and up to date clinical skills in tropical medicine.
- MPH and/or degree in tropical medicine
- Previous international NGO experience (at least 2 years) and at least one on an HIV/AIDS program and coordination of a technical team
- Extensive experience in HIV/AIDS, TB and primary health programs, preferably in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Experience in capacity building, training and health systems strengthening methodology
- Excellent team leadership, team working and relationship building skills with the ability to develop positive working relations across functions and cultures
- Ability to motivate and coach medical professionals and to use appropriate management tools to ensure effective running of programs, staff management and development
- Strong communication and representation and negotiation skills with excellent spoken and written English
- Competence in basic epidemiological analysis and knowledge of data collection methods and data analysis skills,
- Strong coordination and problem solving skills in day to day and challenging situations
- Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office and knowledge of statistical software such as SAS, SPSS, or STATA
- Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues
Desirable
- Experience in operations research, knowledge translation and M&E
- Experience in project funding, including developing project proposals and donor reporting
- Specialist skills in internal medicine, pediatrics, infectious diseases or travel and tropical medicine is an asset
How to apply
Qualified applicants should send resume and detailed cover letter referencing the position title in the subject to HR@dignitasinternational.org.
Deadline for applications is January 15, 2010.
We thank all respondents but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applications will be short-listed on a regular basis and the position may be filled prior to the closing date.
