Overview

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) is on a mission to create a world where no mother, child, or family is devastated by HIV and AIDS, and we are making an impact. We are a proven leader in the global fight to end HIV and AIDS, and an advocate for every child to live a full and healthy life into adulthood. For more than 30 years, EGPAF has been a leader in meeting urgent needs in pediatric HIV and AIDS in the world’s most affected regions. We carry out our values of passion, innovation, teamwork, leadership, integrity, excellence and equity every day, while maximizing our impact in the communities we serve. EGPAF currently supports national, district, and local governments, facilities, communities, and non-governmental partners. In 2020, EGPAF’s global footprint spans 15 countries. To date, EGPAF has supported over 15,000 sites to offer HIV counselling, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services alongside high-quality family health care. Join us on our fight for an AIDS-free generation!

EGPAF has worked in Malawi since 2001. Today, EGPAF Malawi implements evidence-based HIV prevention, care and treatment interventions in 177 health facilities in nine districts through EGPAF’s U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief/U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PEPFAR/CDC) – funded Achieving HIV Epidemic Control through Scaling Up Quality Testing, Care and Treatment in Malawi.

EGPAF seeks to fill the following open position.

Position        : Quality Improvement Technical Advisor

Reports to    : Associate Director, Strategic Information and Evaluation (AD-SI&E)

Location       : Lilongwe but supports districts (Dedza/Ntcheu/Mchinji/Mwanza/Neno/Blantyre/ChirazuluThyolo/Zomba)

How will you fight for an AIDS-free generation?

The Quality Improvement advisor (QI-A) is a critical and self-motivated member of the EGPAF team in Malawi. Under the guidance and supervision of the AD-SI&E, the QI-A is responsible for implementing a quality of care strategy for HTS; PMTCT of HIV; HIV Care and Treatment; and TB services for adults, pregnant and lactating women, infants and children and working with other members of clinical teams to infuse, mentor and manage QI activities and ensuring systematic use of QI principles by all EGPAF supported sites. The QI-A has a responsibility to support, co-ordinate and provide technical expertise for the implementation of high-quality QI and program optimization (POA) initiatives according to EGPAF’s quality management strategy/plan. He/she will ensure that EGPAF-supported sites reach their targets by leading efforts to initiate quality improvement cycles in order to improve the quality of service delivery. The QI-A will also collaborate closely with EGPAF HQ, the DHMTs and the Quality Management Department (QMD) of the Ministry of Health, Malawi.

No two days are alike at EGPAF, but what can you expect in this role?

  • Develop and maintain quality management strategy and quality improvement monitoring tools that are used by EGPAF staff to monitor EGPAF supported sites
  • Develop and monitor quality improvement indicators/projects at all EGPAF supported sites;
  • Work with the Technical Assistants and Support (TAS) Team, District Clinical Managers and Clinical/SI&E mentors to analyze and improve performance based on site assessments on those indicators
  • Build the capacity of all clinical mentorship team to integrate QI principles into their work and various departments
  • Provide on the site QI mentoring (refresher training) for all QI focal persons previously trained in QI with the assistance of clinical mentors, SNAP-QI officers and regional SID officers
  • Work with all technical units to facilitate internal program component quality improvement by initiating quality improvement initiatives in each unit where necessary
  • Coordinate regular meetings to share QI data and patient outcomes so that technical teams know how effective the program is and what are the areas that need more support and focus
  • Work with senior program officers and clinical mentors to ensure they apply QI principles in routine mentorship; carry out regular performance measurements at sites; analyze QI data; provide QI feedback to site staff, SID officers and RHMT; and attend QI meetings at site level when able.
  • Provide oversight of EGPAF POA and QI activities and ensuring systematic use of QI principles by all EGPAF mentorship teams and site level staff
  • Oversee site level training and efforts to build site capacity to implement quality improvement activities, working in collaboration with QI focal persons and appropriately trained EGPAF staff.  This involves collaborate with the training department
  • Work with the Districts managers and Clinical/SI&E mentors to conduct site specific assessments of quality improvement capacity and monitor site level QI activities and
  • Work with Informatics unit to develop/maintain/optimize QI dashboards and the use of dashboards to track and report QI/POA activities being implemented at health facilities
  • Oversee data collection activities related to quality improvement efforts. This may include, but not limited to, working with EGPAF clinical/ SI&E mentors and working with sites to routinely submit agreed upon QI project data.
  • Support DHMT/DEC and Site level QI teams in implementing the National Quality Improvement Guidelines
  • Work with relevant staff to coordinate regular feedback to and information exchange with all stakeholders, including sub-grantees, in EGPAF programs to share experiences in order to improve quality in EGPAF’s program
  • Ensure regular quality improvement meetings are integrated into facility monthly review meetings with the relevant program and sites staff in attendance (reviewing data, flow charts and setting/following up action plans through PDSA cycles) to strengthen QI in existing health management structure
  • Lead and conduct routine/ad hoc meetings to review QI information and data for program quality with technical program staff and other operations staff where needed
  • Work closely as EGPAF’s primary liaison person with QMD and other stakeholders to support the implementation of National QI/Quality management program, participate in meetings and assist in conducting trainings/working groups as requested when appropriate
  • Use results of QI projects to develop reports, best practice documents and guidelines in collaboration with MoH and other EGPAF staff; to share with EGPAF and site staff
  • Conduct semi-annual QI campaigns by expanding QI initiatives at health facilities, synthesizing and analyzing semi-annual data, presenting QI findings and publishing literature (e.g. abstracts) in collaboration with Districts staff, MoH staff and appropriately trained staff.
  • Supervise QI officer to support EGPAF QI activities
  • Perform other essential duties assigned by Associate Director of SI&E

To be successful, you will need to have:

  •  A university degree in demography, Statistics, public health related field, social science, clinical medicine or nursing or equivalent degree (or proven equivalent experience)
  •  Diploma in clinical medicine or nursing (or proven equivalent experience).
  •  Certification in Quality Improvement implementation methods
  •  At least 5 years proven experience in the development of QI/QA tools and systems for HIV/AIDS programs is an added advantage
  •  Excellent English language, oral and written communication skills; strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
  •  Experience with CDC/PEPFAR-funded projects desirable
  •  4-5 years of proven experience working with national QMD program in Malawi
  •  Experience with Malawi public sector health care system.
  •  4-5 years proven experience with proven ability to manage HIV/AIDS care data
  •  Experience in developing and conducting trainings
  •  Ability to travel in-country 30 – 40% of the time
  •  3-5 years proven experience working with operations research/program evaluation
  •  Ability to work extra hours as needed including evenings and weekends

Bonus Points if you:

  •  Prior experience implementing quality management program efforts
  •  Knowledge of existing in country key stakeholders in QI/HIV related activities
  •  Experience in the writing of guidelines, best-practice documents, abstracts, proposals and reports
  •  Comfortable working independently and developing new procedures and systems.
  •    Energetic, pro-active, independent and self-motivated
  •  Excellent analytical, oral, written and interpersonal communication skills
  •  Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects while working as part of team
  •  Skills and knowledge in capacity building
  •  Power Bi use and experience an added advantage
  •  Prior experience in documenting success stories
  •  Practical experience in the use of change models such as PDSA, MSC etc.
  •  Knowledge on HIV prevention and care
  •  Fluency in English/Chichewa, both oral and written
  •  Ability to work with limited supervision and ability to work well as part of a team
  •  Good understanding of Quantitative and Qualitative data analysis skills would be an added
  •  Good attention to detail and excellent follow-through
  •  Excellent computer literacy including use of analytical packages (Epi Info, Stata, SAS, SPSS)
  •  Ability to effectively manage others and work as part of a team

As a global, multinational and multicultural organization, EGPAF believes that diversity in the workplace enriches our work and enhances our impact and effectiveness. We believe that employees have the right to work in a climate of mutual respect and integrity that promotes dignity and respect for all, and that enables them to reach their full potential. The Foundation is committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B), and we strongly encourage those with the following identities to apply: Black, indigenous, people of color, and other members of historically underrepresented communities.

EGPAF is an equal opportunity employer and affords equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation), age, disability or genetics. In addition to country law requirements, EGPAF complies with US laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the Foundation has facilities.

The Foundation does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. If you are asked to pay a fee at any stage of recruitment, please contact fraud@pedaids.org.

Interested qualified candidates should send their expressions of interest, enclosing copies of their certificates and a detailed current Curriculum.

To apply log onto EGPAF webpage: https://www.pedaids.org/about/careers

 

Closing Date: 15th February, 2024