Principal Technical Advisor-Laboratory Services (PTA-LS) at Trust AIC Foundation (TAF)

Job Description

To provide strategic leadership and coordination of health systems strengthening, community systems function in collaboration with the project leadership, implementing partners and District Health Team and to provide overall leadership and coordination for support to Public Health Systems capacity development function and ensuring that the related services meet the set National standards and the District Led Programming (DLP) Principles of Collaboration frame work the TAF Centers of Excellence He will also will strengthen targeted community systems critical for quality health services delivery, strengthen hub-and-spoke referral systems between regional referral hospitals and lower level facilities; Contribute in the implementation of Health policies, quality standards and regulations

Key Outputs:
• Function and District plans and budgets for HSS and Community Services developed and disseminated
• Standard operating Procedures for OVC and CSO capacity building developed: Strategies of delivering prevention and community services developed. Technical support for efficient and effective prevention and Community Services provided
• District workplans developed
• Institutional and technical capacity of the colloborating HIV CSOS/CBO strengthened
• Sub grants to CSOs Referral and linkages for HIV service deliverly strengthened
Prevention and community services coordinated and monitored; Reports for prevention and Community compiled and submitted to the Regional Project Manager
• Stakeholder Collaborative meetings for prevention and Community Services in the region attended
• Institutional and technical capacity of Government health structures built
• Technical guidance for provision of quality comprehensive service delivery Provided, Monitoring & evaluation of program activities conducted
• Health management information systems strengthened, established or maintained at leadership and governance structures, Human Resource initiatives established and implemented, conventional Logistics and supply chain management practices promoted, established, maintained or refurbished of infrastructure and support delivery of basic equipment to public health facilities and conventional Financial/grant management practices strengthened.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:
• Build Institutional and technical capacity of beneficiary Local Governments and Public Health Facilities: Collaborate with districts or regions to establish training needs through joint TNAs, Support Planning and budgeting for trainings through training function, Provision of technical input during direct conduction of trainings, Establish relevance of trainings to determine approval, Support capacity development of personnel at district, and public health facilities through mentorships, trainings, TOTs and quality improvement activities;
• Provide support supervision and technical guidance for provision of quality comprehensive service delivery:
Provide periodical technical support visits to regional/district health system strengthening teams at the districts/regions, collaborate with respective technical persons to provide support to laboratory hub activities and related laboratory activities, community care and linkage services, Adult, adolescent and pediatric HAART & Pre HAART services, NACS, TB/HIV Co management, EMTCT/EID, PITC services at public health facilities and district hospitals,
• Provide periodic updates on performance of service areas; Ensure Compilation of periodic reports regarding health system strengthening activities at the districts/regions, Support the establishment of appropriate environment for uninterrupted functionalization of electronic national databases e.g. DHIS2 and Open MRS, Through establishment of reliable power sources, internet connectivity and availability of hardware;
• Support the conduction of regular data quality assessments, prompt facility report submission, Support the conduction of regular performance review and quality improvement meetings at facility and district level, Support and monitor the availability of data capture tools and registers and accessories,
• Ensuring establishment or maintenance of leadership and governance structures, Mobilize and ensure development of district and local government leadership capacity to oversee and support the implementation of comprehensive HIV/AIDS services,
Develop and ensure adherence to a common framework for support to public health facilities and an operational manual to guide the different cluster teams in executing this function, Support and report on the establishment of leadership structures e.g. HUMC and support and periodically report on conventions held e.g. meetings, Support the development of strategic and activity work plans and budgets for district/division specific HSS activities, Support the identification and implementation of key leadership development, advocacy and partnership development priorities for collaborating districts,
• Provide periodic performance updates through reports, Physically attend or support convention of collaboration meetings of local governments and public health facilities; Supporting Human Resource initiatives, Support local and global HRH recruitment initiatives and to participate in and provide technical input to associated activities,
• Provide technical support in the appraisal of staff directly involved in and responsible for HSS activities, Provide periodic performance updates through HRH audit reports; Support conventional Logistics and supply chain management practices, Provide periodic performance updates through reports on the performance of logistics and supply chain management in districts/regions, Provide support during shortages of supplies in districts/regions;
• Establishment, Maintenance or refurbishment of infrastructure & support delivery of basic equipment to public health facilities, Participate in donor funded endeavors aimed at refurbishing or providing maintenance of selected areas in public health facilities,
• Participate in planning .budgeting and procurement of basic medical equipment for public health facilities; Support conventional Financial/grant management practices,
• Support districts in TAF Centres of Excellency al Project Region to generate activity budgets and work plans, Liaise with technical persons to ensure efficient and appropriate disbursement, utilization and accountability of grant funds at districts, Provide regular performance update on financial management through periodic reports.
• Coordinate the development, approval and implementation of work plans and budgets for prevention and Community Services;
• Collaborate and build capacity of the regional QA and Ql structures, district, facility down to community level
• Support the design, implementation, and learning about improvement collaboratives and other QA/QI approaches at the community level
• Support the institutionalization of QA/QI for community health activities within district health systems
• Analyze trends of the Ql collaboratives results and facilitate the learning sessions
• Document programs’ QA and Ql efforts and write improvement stories for dissemination
• Ensure compliance to the set MOH and MGLSD standards, procedures and guidelines in the delivery of prevention and Community Services;
• Ensure development, roll out and operationalisation of standards, procedures and guidelines in the delivery of prevention and Community linkages services in the region ;
• Carry out performance appraisals for the Project Officer Prevention and Community linkages, OVC Support Officers, Nutrition assessment counseling and Support Officers ;
• Provide effective leadership, and build and maintain a functional and effective team;
• Develop a memoranda of understanding for collaborating CSO/CBOs;
• Spear head the sub granting implementation of organizational capacity development process for CSO/CBO.
• Provide support in developing/ strengthening referral and linkages;
• Ensure and participate in development of quarterly Grants program performance report and accountability;
• Review activity program reports from and provide the necessary support to the teams; Coordinate the provision of technical support and support supervision in the implementation of prevention and Community linkages services;
• Ensure the provision of quality Community and linkages services;
• Any other duties as may be assigned by your immediate supervisor

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS: PTA – HSS-QI
Minimum Academic Qualification and Experience
• Masters in SWSA, Social Sciences, Management studies, Public health, Education with a Bachelors. Post graduate in Management specialty is an added advantage; Training in HIV/AIDS Counselling Excellent organizational, leadership, decision making, interpersonal, communication, supervisory and team-building skills, Experience in building organizational capacity and service delivery; Experience strengthening community systems; Knowledge and experience in HIV programming;
• Five (5) years of experience in HIV/AIDS work 3years of which should have been at senoir management level. With Knowledge in National and international HIV/AIDS declarations and National HIV/AIDS frame work including policies and procedures.

Key Skills
• The Manager shall be a dedicated, self-driven experienced health professional with 6 years’ experience in HIV/AIDS programming and related activities.
• The team leader shall also exhibit the following skills: Robust leadership, problem analysis and solving, strong interpersonal relations, conflict management and program coordination which shall all be indispensable in his daily duties.
• Further the leader shall have vast technical knowledge in Quality Improvement, Impact evaluation and project planning and management. The team leader shall have proficiency in computer skills especially in packages like Microsoft Word, Excel, Power point and Outlook.
• Knowledge regarding operationalization of Uganda EMR (Electronic Medical Records) and DHIS2 will of profoundly added advantage.