Description

Vacancy Announcement

Job title:

Strategic Health Information System (SHIS) Lead

Work Location:

Kono

Department:

Strategic Health Information System (SHIS)

Reports to:

Medical Director

Line Management

Yes

Requisition #

4219

Duration of Contract

Twelve (12) Months with possibility of extension

Application Status

External Advert

Organisation Profile

Partners In Health (PIH) is an international health organization relentlessly committed to improving the health of the poor and marginalized. PIH partners with local governments to build local capacity and works closely with impoverished communities to deliver high-quality health care, address the root causes of illness, train providers, advance research, and advocate for global policy change. Our delivered services in the field are based in our partnership with the Governments and Ministries of Health and the support to education, training and mentorship to Health care workers and students is one of our pillars for the Health care system strengthening.

PIH currently has implementation programs in Haiti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Peru, Mexico, Russia, Sierra Leone and Navajo Nation. Through our partnership with Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, we support a wide range of programs in dozens of other countries around the world.

Our Work In Sierra Leone:

Partners In Health (PIH) began supporting the government of Sierra Leone in response to the Ebola epidemic in October 2014. Recognizing the large need for continued investments in the health system after Ebola, PIH is committed to long-term health system strengthening in support of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), guided by the same principles as our emergency response and our work around the world: public sector accompaniment, integrated and comprehensive services, social justice, nimbleness and flexibility, partnership, community ownership, and evidence-based interventions. In the aftermath of the epidemic, PIH is committed to supporting the delivery of comprehensive health services in Sierra Leone, from the community level to the health center and to referral hospitals.

Position Overview

The strategic health information system lead will be responsible to carry forward this vision of the organization to strategically reinforce all the components of its overall health information system comprise of all Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) including health statistics and data management, evaluation, research, e-health components that include facility-based information technology, mobile data technology, geographic information system (GIS), etc. In this position, this lead person will be in charge to come up with the strategies, supervise and support the associated activities, put together a strong and competent team while continuously reinforce their capacity, and advocate the necessary resources to build the team, put in place necessary the infrastructure and support the organization effort to generate those resources. To be efficient at this position the lead will work closely with the PIH-Sierra Leone SMT, especially the Medical Director, to receive guidance and set priorities; work with the Boston SIS team to stay up-to-date about available resources and get technical support; and stay connected with the relevant entities at MOHS and DMHTs to provide the accompaniment needed to support the development of the health information system in the country.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Primary Responsibilities:

Team Leadership

• Lead a growing multidisciplinary team of SHIS comprise of 3 main units: M&E, Research and e-Health. Manage and supervise the M&E team comprise of data management specialists, data officers and coordinators and archives staff. Provide guidance and leadership to the e-Health manager in charge of implementing e-health strategies and supervising the team of e-Health specialists and technicians. Oversee the work of the evaluation and research Manager and research specialist.
  • Ensure high level of positive synergy between these units. The SHIS will accompany closely and work side by side with these units to promote a consistent team spirit while ensuring, integration and alignment of all initiatives and tasks to be performed by these units.
  • Conduct regular performance evaluation for the team to identify strengths and weaknesses, as well as come up with strategies to improve staff performance.
  • Conduct regular training sessions, technical meetings and staff motivation activities to make sure that the team has the capacity, resources and the positive spirit to perform efficiently their tasks.
  • Work with managers of the different units to address technical issues that hinder the work of the team as well as supporting the HR department in the resolution of conflicts among members of the SHIS staff or with any other colleagues in the work environment.
  • Remain connected and engaged with the SMT, the PIH SIS leads in Boston and the relevant health officials at the MOHS and DHMT levels to ensure integration, compliance and synergies with the initiatives around health information at all levels.
  • To take advantage as much as possible of the OnePIH network, represent the PIH-SL SHIS team at senior PIH meetings in country and with Boston teams such as overall SIS Boston, Impact Initiative, Health Financing and Planning, Research Core, Health System Strengthening and Quality Improvement, etc. as well as at high-level meetings with external partners and other relevant events such as workshops, conferences, etc.
  • Request for and respond to the relevant work sessions with the Boston SIS and other health information teams in other PIH sites to learn from initiative being implemented in those sites as well as share experience and expertise to support their initiatives and projects.
  • Together with the different SHIS unit managers lead the development of the overall SHIS strategic planning and budgeting.

    Technical responsibilities

    • Develop a clear understanding of the overall landscape of health information system at both the organization level and the country level to come up with suitable initiatives and interventions to efficiently target PIH contributions to this sector in the country.
    • Master the content and the features of the different systems and platforms being used and to be used at the PIH-SL and OnePIH and look for ways to build capacity of both the M&E, research and e-Health teams and the processes for their efficient use.
    • Ensure a continuous and positive synergy and integration between the M&E unit and the e-Health unit leading to a strong health information system to the benefit of the programs and projects requiring strong data system to support their work in providing evidence-based and quality of care and services to the patients/beneficiaries.
    • Engage directly with the different programs and projects leads to understand their needs This will include adapt M&E processes and tools, further develop features and add modules on Open MRS as our EMR platform as needed at the different PIH-SL supported sites; accompany the CBP team in developing a suitable and efficient mobile data system based on CommCare and start making plan to integrate GIS component into their interventions, especially in the context of the adaptation of the household model; work with both units to develop with Boston team an efficient data warehouse system administered locally and compliant to the country data governance requirements and laws; etc.
    • Through evaluation of level of competency and staff performance appraisal identify technical weaknesses of members of the team in order to organize targeted training sessions, mentorship plan and supportive supervision to improve both individual and team capacity in those areas.
    • Lead as necessary the development of additional tools and/or additional features in existing tools to address specific issues or needs expressed by the clinical team and all other program teams that require information system expertise.
    • Provide the necessary technical accompaniment to the team for all relevant projects and initiatives implemented at all the PIH-SL supported sites from design, testing, development and implementation. This will include system implementation needs and feasibility assessments, choice of the right platforms and tools, adaptation/customization of system and tools, development of processes and procedures, system evaluation, etc.
    • Work with all SHIS units to trigger interest for the utilization by programs of the different systems and tools developed, adopted or customized by the SHIS team. Work with the team to put in place plan to receive and efficiently use feedback from the different users.
    • Be involved directly in facilitating the building of effective relationship with frontline clinicians to make sure systems are designed to reflect their needs and implemented to efficiently support their time and quality of work.
    • Working with the Medical Director and the MOHS facility management teams, lead with the two units the development and strengthening of efficient health information system in two teaching health facilities in the Western Area: the Lakka Government Hospital and the Sierra Leone Psychiatric teaching Hospital (SLPTH) in Kissy.
    • In the context of the implementation of the Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE) to extend maternal services at the Koidu Government Hospital (KGH) work with the Medical Director, the Maternity team, with support from Boston, and based on existing experience in the organization, develop and implement overtime an ambitious up-to-date health information system that will respond constantly to the needs and the aspiration of this project.
    • Develop strong and effective collaboration with relevant PIH program and projects teams to contribute to the overall organization vision and goal. This will include working with clinical team, especially the Clinical Education and Quality Improvement (QI) director to provide data and data sets needed to assess quality of care and implement QI projects; working with the research and integration manager to support research initiatives; working with the P&P team to support grants writing, donors report requirements; working with the SMT to provide up-to-date information necessary for decision making and strategic orientation and planning of the organization

      Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment

      At Partners In Health, we are committed to ensuring that those who benefit from our work- including our patients, families and community members – as well as our staff are treated with dignity and respect and protected from sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment. A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Partners In Health’s PSEAH policy. Partner In Health will request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during emploment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures

      Qualifications/Requirements

      • At least a master’s degree in statistics, data science, health information system, heath informatics, epidemiology, Public Health or other related fields.
      • Minimum 5 years professional experience working in health information system managing multidisciplinary teams developing and using different health information platforms.
      • Demonstrated capacity in configuring database, designing and integrating efficient workflow in the development of electronic information system, managing stakeholders’ requirements and their feedback, and ensuring smooth running of electronic information system
      • Experience computer skills: high level of skills in using data management systems and statistical software packages such as Excel, Stata, R Statistics, etc. Familiarity with data aggregation and visualization tools such as Power BI, DHIS2, etc. Good understanding and familiarity with mobile data applications such as CommCare, REDcap, etc.; and sufficient knowledge about and exposure to projects that have used GIS component…
      • Strong experience and skills in both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods
      • Experience developing training materials, conducting workshops and other capacity building activities
      • Ability to mentor and manage individuals with diverse educational, professional and cultural backgrounds
      • Strong written and spoken English skills and ability to communicate clearly with a variety of stakeholders
      • Excellent communication and training facilitation skills
      • Excellent organizational skills and impeccable attention to details
      • Experience and demonstrated ability to interact and provide technical guidance based on evidence to SMT at strategic level.
      • Ability to prioritize multiple tasks, work under pressure, and meet deadlines
      • Work experience in resource-limited settings and/or rural areas
      • Willingness to live in a remote site and travel regularly

        Social Justice

        We are a global health and social justice organization that responds to the moral imperative to provide high-quality health care globally to those who need it most. We strive to ease suffering by placing patients at the center of all care, bringing the benefits of modern medicine to all.

        Method of application

        Interested candidates are required to apply by email to [email protected] In your application, please ensure to include names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of three (3) referees not later than 12:00pm GMT (Midnight) on Thursday 4th July 2024