CORDAID is a Dutch, international non-governmental organization which combines 100 years of experience and expertise in emergency aid and structural poverty eradication. CORDAID believes in a world without poverty and exclusion. We strive for a just and sustainable society where every person counts. We stand for knowledge and talent sharing between North and South, between farmers and businesses, between activists and policymakers. Where poverty, conflict and exclusion tear up societies, we connect people and communities. We also stand for professionalism, expertise and solidarity across borders, to make a difference where it is most needed. Together with more than 600 partner organizations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America we structurally improve the living conditions of the poorest and most excluded populations – the bottom billion.

Purpose of the position/Job’s aim

The Clinical Quality Improvement Specialist will act as the general technical resource on Quality Improvement within the Performance Based Financing (PBF) program in Ethiopia. The Clinical Quality Improvement specialist will work in collaboration with Quality Departments within different levels of Ministry of Health to improve the overall quality of care that a health facility delivers to patients/clients. S/he will also serve as a key technical member of the Country Office (CO) team on quality improvement in PBF contracted Health facilities.

Responsibilities and Accountability

Project Implementation

• Support the ongoing Clinical Quality Improvement (CQI) activities in Health Facilities contracted under PBF.
• Support the regulators in conducting effective quarterly quality assessments and contribute to the identification of gaps, design capacity building plans in line with the identified gaps and provide capacity building in collaboration with QI Focal persons.
• Provide QI technical support to PBF field teams in supporting facility teams (e.g. Performance Monitoring Teams) as needed in performing data management activities related to QI initiatives, such as abstraction, verification, validation, and reporting
• Collect and summarize performance data, identify opportunities for improvement, and present findings to Quality Improvement Committees or regulators at different levels.
• Support the implementation of the quality reporting.
• Perform QI adequate data and quality barrier analysis and spearhead implementation research in collaboration with PBF data team.
• Proactively and concurrently (in collaboration with Quality Focal persons) make contact with physicians, nurses, and other caregivers to improve documentation to meet the standards of care.

Training, Coaching, Mentoring

• Maintain a current knowledge of changes in core measures and standards of care.
• Provide technical support to facility and district teams as they prioritize, analyze causes of performance gaps, develop and pilot interventions through PDSAs (Plan-Do-Study-Act), document, and evaluate their facility-level programs.
• Attend to QI capacity development needs at various levels (Federal, Regional and Zonal level) associated with technical and policy issues in improving quality of care through PBF approaches.
• Provide technical support to facilities for developing and using process indicators to track progress of QI activities.
• Serve as knowledge expert and coach to health workers for continuous quality improvement activities in collaboration with Quality Focal persons at Zonal Health departments
• Regularly identify capacity gaps within the CORDAID PBF team and regulators.
• Train and support the PBF field teams and regulators on QI.

Policy and Donor Engagement

• Analyze, update, and modify procedures and processes to continually improve QI activities in collaboration with Quality department with Ministry of health at different levels.
• Investigate and recommend best practice interventions.
• Comply with existing FMoH technical guidelines and procedures and those developed during the life of the contract.
• Update implementation tools including synthesis and dissemination of project performance results with regards to QI with FMoH and other key stakeholders.
• Participate in various QI committees and work groups convened to improve process and/or health outcomes, and contributes meaningful detail, based on functional knowledge.
• Participate in key technical working groups/meetings on QI at Federal level.
• Participate in strategic planning and policy dialogue relating to QI (in close collaboration with the Regional PBF and Health Technical Advisor and Cordaid Global Office).
• Contribute to specific technical assistance missions supported by Donors related to QI and PBF in Ethiopia.
• Contribute to the development of project proposals or design/redesign of interventions ensuring Quality Improvement issues are included in the project design as applicable.

1. University Master’s degree in Public Health, with advanced basic training in QI.
2. BSc in clinical studies like nursing, midwifery, or medicine
3. Minimum 8 years of relevant experience with at least five (5) years of experience with designing and implementing CQI approaches in Ethiopia or other countries
4. Experience in both operational and technical leadership positions implementing CQI programs in Ethiopia
5. Experience with public health and QI programs supported by bilateral agencies such as World Bank, European Union, DFID, Dutch Embassy and/or Ministry of Foreign Affairs
6. Training as a trainer/coach/mentor for quality improvement (QI)
7. Sound experience in providing QI Technical Assistance to Ministries of Health in Ethiopia or other countries
8. Some knowledge and experience in PBF is an added advantage
9. Excellent supervisory and project/people management skills.
10. Ability to work independently and effectively in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks simultaneously whilst mentoring a team to consistently meet all performance goals.
11. Excellent writing and presentation skills in fluent English and Amharic are essential. Proficiency in  Oromifa and/or other local languages is an advantage.
12. Demonstrated strategic agility, diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
13. Demonstrated intermediate computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

OTHER COMPETENCIES

• Functional/technical knowledge at highest level
• QI interventions design and implementation
• Problem solving
• Strategic Agility
• Organizing/Planning/Time Management
• Ability to manage through Systems
• Report writing
• High level training, coaching and mentoring skills