Recruiting a Project Manager for Hospital Improvements

POSITION FILLED

Welbodi Partnership is looking to recruit a Project Manager for Hospital Improvements to join the team in Freetown to work in collaboration with MOHS colleagues to improve hospital systems. The Project Manager will coordinate the effective roll out of the hospital IPC project in three government hospitals as well as oversee other health system strengthening and quality improvement projects in the hospitals, including some directly related to the Ebola response as well as some that have an impact on maternal, neonatal and child health outcomes both during the Ebola outbreak and in the years to come. Please pass this on to others who may be interested. Here are the details:

Position: Project Manager - Hospital Improvements

Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone

Start Date: January 12^th 2015, immediately

Duration: 6-12 months

BACKGROUND: Welbodi Partnership (WP) is a UK-registered charitable organisation based at the Ola During Children’s Hospital (ODCH) in Freetown, Sierra Leone. For the past five years, Welbodi has worked towards improved paediatric care in the Western Area of Sierra Leone through hospital system development, infrastructural changes, staff training, provision of equipment and community engagement in partnership with ODCH staff, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) and the Sierra Leone Institute of Child Health (SLICH).

Welbodi Partnership continues to support healthcare in Sierra Leone during the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) by providing coordination support to the holding unit at the Children’s Hospital while at the same time strengthening the safe provision of ‘routine’ health services (non-Ebola care) in that hospital and other government facilities. WP is working with the MOHS and other partners to roll out a national programme to strengthen Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in government hospitals and to ensure that hospitals have the water and sanitation infrastructure necessary to adhere to IPC. The MOHS is establishing Patient Safety committees in each hospital with an appointed IPC focal person, who will be supported by an IPC Mentor. Welbodi will implement this programme in three hospitals in Freetown.

SCOPE OF WORK: Welbodi Partnership is looking to recruit a Project Manager for Hospital Improvements to join the team in Freetown to work in collaboration with MOHS colleagues to improve hospital systems. The Project Manager will coordinate the effective roll out of the hospital IPC project in three government hospitals as well as oversee other health system strengthening and quality improvement projects in the hospitals, including some directly related to the Ebola response as well as some that have an impact on maternal, neonatal and child health outcomes both during the Ebola outbreak and in the years to come.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the urgency, applications will be reviewed as they are received and suitable candidates contacted on an on-going basis. This position is for 6-12 months. At this time, WP can only accept applications from citizens or permanent residents of North America and Europe due to limitations in the complex evacuation process in case of emergency.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To coordinate the roll-out of the hospital IPC project across three hospitals in Freetown, including the national paediatric and maternity referral hospitals, in close collaboration with the MOHS, hospital management, the hospital Patient Safety committee, the IPC Focal Person and all other hospital staff
• To ensure that activities related to the IPC project at the hospitals are carried out successfully, including training of all staff, assessments in the hospitals and adherence to guidelines.
• To ensure responsible and accountable management of financial and material resources related to the project
• To work with MOHS staff to finalize and roll out the National Patient Safety Guidelines
• To manage and support to the Welbodi Partnership IPC Mentors at each hospital
• To develop and implement an internal monitoring and evaluation plan to determine the impact of the hospital IPC project
• To manage quality improvement projects submitted by hospital staff, in line with an established process developed by Welbodi, ODCH, and SLICH, and expanded under this project to two new hospitals. This includes the management of financial and material resources as well as ensuring that project objectives and outcomes are well designed, monitored, evaluated and met
• To convene and facilitate quality improvement groups in the hospitals with the aim to discuss strategies to improve patient and health worker safety, to overcome barriers affecting accessibility of care and to improve quality of care within the facilities
• To provide technical support to individuals and groups carrying out quality improvement projects in the hospitals, especially those responsible for monitoring and reporting
• To disseminate learning to MOHS, hospitals, health sector partners, and international networks
• To report regularly to the Country Director on project activities, finances, successes and challenges
• To perform any other duties deemed necessary to meet the needs of this project

REQUIREMENTS:

• Essential:
• Graduate level degree in relevant field or minimum 3 years health sector and project management experience
• Excellent people skills and the ability to work collaboratively with people from diverse backgrounds
• Proven financial management competency
• Ability to self-motivate and work autonomously within the scope of the role
• Excellent computer skills particularly in Microsoft Word, Power Point and Excel
• A good command of the English language (verbal and written) is required
• Flexibility in roles and responsibility is essential
• Experience living or working in a developing country, preferably in West Africa

Desirable:

• Project management experience in a developing country, preferably during a humanitarian emergency
• Recent experience in a hospital setting
• Certification in Infection Control (CIC) is preferred
• A Masters in Public Health (MPH) is an asset
• Experience in IPC training/mentorship/programme development
• Competency in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis; experience with SAS, SPSS, STATA, Epi Info, R, or another statistical analysis software
• Krio or other local language ability, and/or familiarity with Sierra Leone

SALARY/BENEFITS: Based on qualifications and experience, to be discussed with shortlisted candidates.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Interested candidates should email a copy of their CV, cover letter, and a list of three relevant references to jobs@welbodipartnership.org as soon as possible. The job title should be included in the subject line. Your cover letter should include: your country of residence and nationality, your date of birth, dates you are able to commence and duration of availability. Only those applicants shortlisted for an interview will be notified.

Equality and Diversity Statement

The Welbodi Partnership confirms its commitment to a comprehensive policy of Equal Opportunities in volunteering and employment in which individuals are selected and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities and are given Equal Opportunities within the organisation. It is the Welbodi Partnership’s policy as an employer to treat all people equally irrespective of race, ethnic origin, nationality, sex, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, creed, disability, age or political belief.

Applicants for this position should be aware that if successful, they will be requested to complete a Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check, or equivalent in countries other than the UK. The Welbodi Partnership complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice. The entirety of the Welbodi Equality and Diversity statement is available upon request.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the urgency, applications will be reviewed as they are received and suitable candidates contacted on an on-going basis. This position is for 6-12 months. At this time, WP can only accept applications from citizens or permanent residents of North America and Europe due to limitations in the complex evacuation process in case of emergency.