District Health Services Officer

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RTI International is seeking “District Health Services Officer” candidates for the USAID-Health for Life (H4L) Project.  The Health for Life (H4L) is a five-year (2012-2017) project financed by USAID. The H4L project builds on accomplishments gained from USAID/Nepal’s health sector investment to date with a greater focus on health systems strengthening and measuring sustainable changes in systems performance. The primary goal of H4L is to strengthen the Government of Nepal’s capacity to plan, manage and deliver high-quality and equitable family planning, maternal, newborn, and child health services. H4L addresses key health system constraints: local health systems governance; data for decision making and evidence-based policy development; capacity development of service providers at grassroots; quality improvement systems, and knowledge and behavior change. Gender equality and social inclusion is an important crosscutting focus of the project. H4L works in partnership with the Government of Nepal/ Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP). The Project works in 12 Districts of the Mid-Western and 2 Districts of Western Development Regions. This position is based in Dang, Nepal.

Responsibilities:

• Provides guidance and technical assistance to D(P)HO and  health facilities, to identify QI issues, address gaps, mobilize resources and better serve communities with quality FP/MNCH-N services
• Coordinates with DHO, DDC, health facilities, HFOMCs and other key stakeholders for implementation of activities 
• Provides technical assistance to D(P)HO in planning, implementing, monitoring and budgeting of QI activities
• Supports DHO in establishing functionalization of district QAWC (Quality Assurance Working Committee)  
• Supports DHO and health facilities to establish health facility quality improvement committees, assist in improving quality of services using QI tools and monitor implementation of action(s), including activities related to infection prevention and health care waste management, and monitoring of these activities 
• Supports DHO and HF staff in transferring skills (coaching) to HF staff by implementing self-assessment approaches to improve quality of services
• Strengthens the use of data at the district and VDC levels for decision-making, and for improving quality and access
• Prepares H4L district-based reports and briefs as required, documents case studies, lessons learned and challenges at the district and sub-district levels 
• Works with specialists and advisors on specific technical issues to provide support to DHO and to other district and sub-district structures.

Support DHO for establishing CEONC Referral

• Provides orientation and carries out mapping on CEONC Referral
• Supports DHO for District Referral Committee formation 
• Supports DHO to organize stakeholders (LDO, WDO, transport, ambulance, communication, civil society and other relevant GOs and NGOs)  meetings under the leadership of CDO 
• Provides TA to DHO to orient service providers and management staff on referring and referral receiving sites
• Coordinates with H4L central team and provides TA to DHO on the use of Job-aids, forms and other materials by referral initiating and receiving sites
• Provides technical assistance to DHO to support referring and referral receiving sites to establish district referral mechanism (1. community to BC and back or, 2. BC to CEONC site and back)
• Provides technical assistance to DHO to coordinate with different stakeholders for support mechanism for district referral (transportation, EOC fund use, communication)
• Follows up monitoring and documentation of referral mechanisms
• Carries out activities as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications and experience:

• Master’s Degree in public health or related field and at least 3 years of experience (or a Bachelor’s degree in public health or related field and at least 6 years of experience)
• Demonstrated experience in the implementation of community-based health programs 
• Extensive field experience working with rural and remote communities
• Demonstrated success in providing hands-on capacity building and technical assistance to health care providers and other stakeholders 
• Demonstrated ability to develop effective working relationships with government counterparts, local organizations, and other programs and partners
• Experience integrating crosscutting issues such as gender equity and social inclusion 
• Good oral and written communication skills and fluency in Nepali and English. 

To Apply:

Qualified applicants should submit a resume with contact information to Operations Manager, Health for Life (H4L), P. O. Box: 3172, Lalitpur, Nepal or email:marora@np-h4l.rti.org with ‘District Health Services Officer-Dang” in the subject line.  Deadline is 30 November 2014; however, applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Telephone inquiry will not be entertained.  

Female and candidates particularly from disadvantaged and socially excluded groups are highly encouraged to apply.