Quality Officer

Background Information

The Christian Social Services Commission (CSSC) is an ecumenical body and an umbrella faith-based organization established in 1992 by the Christian Council of Tanzania and the Tanzania Episcopal Conference, to coordinate and facilitate the delivery of social services (health and education) by the member churches in Tanzania. For 30 years, CSSC has been serving and coordinates a network of more than 2000 church-owned health and education facilities. These include 105 large hospitals, more than 700 lower-level health facilities and 65 middle cadre health training institutions located at Zonal, Regional and District/Council levels. In addition, CSSC coordinates a network of more than 1,000 church owned education facilities. Majority of these church health and education facilities are located in remote and rural areas where 70% of the Tanzanian population reside in those areas.

Currently, CSSC is in the 2nd year of implementing a project entitled “Pamoja Tuwekeze Afya” - (PATA) Activity. This is 5-year Activity awarded project by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)- under the Cooperative Agreement No. 720662120CA00008 to CSSC. The award intends to establish self-reliant health facilities (HFs) and improve health service delivery by the CSSC network of church-based HFs in meeting the health needs of the target population. Through cost-effective and innovative solutions, the PATA Activity will strengthen the CSSC’s capacity to deliver quality services in Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent health (RMNCAH), HIV/TB services and other health related areas.

Job Summary

The Quality officer in the PATA Activity will be responsible to support implementation of quality improvement activities in FBO health facilities in selected regions. These include, sensitization of facility owners and management to adopt the selected quality improvement initiatives, support establishment and strengthening of Quality Improvement Teams (QIT), and facilitate availability of systems and structures that promote provision of quality health services in FBO health facilities. S/he will be responsible to link the provision of quality health services with improvement of business performance of these facilities.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Organize and conduct sensitization meetings to health facility owners and management regarding adoption of quality improvement initiatives in their facilities.
2. Develop Quality improvement plans for the Health Facilities (HFs).
3. Enter and process data collected from HFs assessment and monitoring into a selected platform
4. Coordinate and participate in regular monitoring of progress towards achieving the planned activities and providing technical support to facilities for stepwise quality improvement.
5. Support establishment/strengthening of Quality Improvement Teams (QIT) in FBO health facilities.
6. Coordinate and participate in the need-based training and mentoring of HFs on different quality improvement components.
7. Support cost-effective quality improvement activities that can improve service delivery and boost HF business performance.
8. Inventories the available SOP’s, guidelines and policies to be included in the CSSC online resource center
9. Assist facilities in the provision of client-cantered services so as to improve FBO client-base

Qualification

Bachelor Degree in Medicine, or any related health sciences from a recognized institution. Master’s Degree in Public Health, Midwifery, and health related field is desirable.

Experiences and Skills

1. At least three years post professional experience in Clinical work and Quality improvement.
2. Demonstrated skills on the concepts of Quality improvement and Business approaches in health care.
3. Excellent interpersonal and team-building skills, ability to work effectively with different levels of health and nonhealth professional cadres.
4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Kiswahili.
5. Computer literacy including use of Microsoft office suite, databases and web applications.
6. Demonstrated experience of working in tight timelines and meeting reporting requirements would be an added advantage.
7. Self-driven, initiative taking professionalism is an asset for this position.
8. Pro-active, collaborative and ability to organize and prioritize demanding activities. Work effectively in a team and be able to work under limited supervision.