Senior Health Quality Manager

The conflict in North East Nigeria has displaced over 1.9 million people and shattered livelihoods of many more. Since 2014 IRC has been delivering support to communities affected; across Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, with field offices in Maiduguri, Monguno, Gwoza, Damaturu, Yola and Mubi and a country office in Abuja.

With over 700 staff we deliver humanitarian support and longer term recovery programming in health, nutrition, WASH, education, protection, economic recovery and livelihoods. We work in coordination with State government Ministries, WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR, UN OCHA and other development organizations. IRC is an active participant in coordination mechanisms to contribute to improved impact.

Scope of Work

IRC is seeking a dynamic and experienced health professional who will be accountable for overall quality of IRC health programs. Reporting to the Health Coordinator, the Senior Health Quality Manager will be responsible for quality health program implementation.

The Senior Health Quality Manager will be an experienced manager with overall responsibility to support the implementation of a health program quality management system with an emphasis on:

1. Quality assurance systems that facilitate quality program implementation, according to defined standards, and utilization of program data to guide decision making and quality improvement;

2. Effective project management processes and tools to support efficient and coordinated project execution;

3. Documentation and dissemination of project approaches and achievements to facilitate applied learning internally and externally.

The Senior Health Quality Manager will support the Health Coordinator to work closely with and link diverse internal stakeholders and functions together with the explicit goal of ensuring the quality and effectiveness of the program. The Senior Health Quality Manager will promote data-driven adaptive management, and will strengthen the staff capacity to share and apply learning to continuously improve the program’

This position will be based in Maiduguri, Borno State, with regular travel to supervise IRC’s emergency health and health systems-strengthening programs throughout the northeast.

Major Responsibilities:

Capability building, Quality improvement and standards:

• Enhance the technical capability of health staff to improve quality of implementation in health program;

• Draw lessons and gain insights from experiences, including of programme and project effectiveness, and feed these back project review discussions;

• Identifies gaps in quality and technical capability through monitoring, supervision/ongoing assessment, including visits, and implements improvements in practice, working closely with health teams;

• Ensures adherence to agreed health and reproductive health protocol, guidelines and standards and ensures health projects implementation are of high quality and meets the IRC/MoH/International standards;

• Works with health sector and other sectors on project implementation review activities;

• Provide quality improvement leadership and coordinates the implementation of quality improvement program to meet the needs of beneficiaries, donors, IRC and external agencies;

• Organizes, compiles, donor reports to identify trends, establish priorities, and recommend improvement activities;

• Performs comprehensive, concurrent, and retrospective health service utilization data reviews including morbidity trends in a timely manner;

• Reports findings to other departments such as utilization review, infection control, and risk management;

• Keeps abreast of current MOH, WHO and the IRC standards/protocols and other standards, and the latest quality techniques in provision of health care.

Monitoring quality of health program implementation:

• Make regular field visits to monitor project implementation and provide on spot support to field teams and propose modifications as necessary;

• Ensure regular health program data analysis and review, take follow up action on project implementation and prepare relevant action reports;

• Supervise and provide technical oversight in the interpretation of data for improved programming and implementation;

• Monitor and promote integrated programming in a way that increases overall impact of health program at the community level.

Representation, Coordination and Advocacy:

• Represent the program to State and Local government representatives, , partner agencies, etc. as required;

• In coordination with the Health Coordinator actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders with government actors, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors;

• Attend all relevant meetings in relation to the health program as may be required and feed in the IRC priorities during meetings;

• Facilitate field visits for internal and external stakeholders, when required.

Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in relevant Health related subject, post-graduate medical degree (MPH, MD, RN, PA, or midwife), or other relevant degree; with experience in quality assurance or knowledge management.

Work Experience:

• At least five years’ experience in design and implementation of quality health programs in developing countries, insecure environments and areas affected by crisis;

• Experience running large, geographically dispersed teams and working in tandem with local and international partners;

• Proven work experience in project management, and quality assurance;

• Demonstrated experience working in an international NGO environment and effectively dealing with project staff, both national and international government officials, and other NGOs;

• Proven capacity in delivering effective quality health program implementation;

• Ability to review, analyze, and interpret program data (quantitative and qualitative), and effectively present accurate information to diverse audiences in easy-to-understand language and formats;

• Demonstrated capacity and applied skills in project management including development and monitoring of work plans, and working knowledge of budget management;

• High level of comfort and working knowledge of real-time information management systems and knowledge management platforms, including familiarity with data visualization approaches;

• Demonstrated ability & reputation to build strong working relationships and communicate effectively to health team including M&E health staff;

• Flexible, diplomatic and have ability and willingness live and work under pressure of workloads;

• Excellent IT skills (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint);

• Fluency in English (spoken and written);

• Ability to handle a large and dynamic workload, work under pressure and meet deadlines;

• Previous work experience in West Africa, field experience in Nigeria is preferred.

Application Closing Date:

• Three weeks from time of advert.

Notes:

• Nigeria nationals or long-term residents are particularly encouraged to apply;

• IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct: integrity, service, and accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on the protection of the beneficiary against exploitation and abuse, the safeguarding of the child, harassment in the workplace, fiscal integrity and anti-retaliation;

• IRC is committed to promote gender equality at work. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce, including parental leave, gender-sensitive safety protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances;

• IRC is an equal opportunity employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.