Addis Ababa University in partnership with Emory, Hawassa, and Mekelle Universities and the ministry of health, Oromia, Amhara, SNNP, Sidama and Tigray regional health bureaus, is finalizing preparation to start implementation of the Saving Little Lives (SLL) project in Ethiopia. The SLL project is funded by the Global Financing Facility and managed by UNICEF Ethiopia Office. The Saving Little Lives (SLL) program is outcome and impact-oriented initiative. The primary goal of SLL is to reduce neonatal mortality by 35% at the population level at the scale-up sites using SLL’s synergistic interventions that target the primary drivers of perinatal and neonatal mortality. The SLL interventions will be systematically expanded at the regions’ 290 hospitals (15 specialized, 69 general and 206 primary) and 1,499 health centers in the aforementioned regions. The target facilities are estimated to manage 1.27 million births annually which is 45% of total births expected in the four regions.

Job Summary

The Implementation Support Assistant will work closely with the Evaluation Coordinator and investigators and will be responsible for planning, implementation, and monitoring of the SLL interventions in selected health facilities and communities in the region. The Implementation Support Assistant have responsibilities to partner with the clinical mentors, health facility managers, labor and delivery, NICU and KMC care providers, and other SLL project staff to facilitate smooth implementation of the SLL activities. The Implementation Support Assistant will strictly follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) and protocols laid out by the study investigators to ensure the project activities are implemented meeting high standards and high-quality data are generated.

Specific roles and responsibilities include

• Under the guidance and support from the SLL co-investigators, Evaluation Coordinator and Regional Coordinator she/he will support implementation of the SLL activities within the facilities.
• Will be responsible for coordinating the implementation activities that include preparation of the SLL mentorship training materials, conducting the clinical mentors’ training, clinical mentorship, and on-site gap filling trainings by mentors within the health facilities
• Facilitate conduct of health facility catchment program implementation learning meetings within the health facilities to share learnings gained with catchment health facilities
• Facilitate transportation and distribution of SLL equipment and supplies to health facilities; follow installation, use, and maintenance of equipment
  Closely work with health facility managers, maternal and newborn health care providers and other actors in the SLL implementation health facilities and districts to support high quality implementation of SLL in the health facilities and community.
• Actively engage with health facility leadership, facility pediatricians, nurses, midwives, health extension workers and the health development army.
• Work with the labor and delivery, KMC/NICU and quality improvement catchment mentors to ensure ongoing mentorship within the health system
• Closely work with the program learning team on formative assessment, program learning data collection etc.
• Develop monthly performance report and submit them to the Regional Coordinator and concerned body.
• Execute other tasks given by the SLL program.

Duration of work: 1 year with possible extension

Tentative Start Date: Immediately

Job Requirements

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree or Bachelor degree in health or related field with at least 5 years of work experience with progressive responsibility working in large-scale research or projects/programs
• Demonstrated experience working in health facilities as frontline health worker providing care for newborns
• Familiarity with the Ethiopian health system, Ethiopian Ministry of Health and Regional Health Bureaus preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in screening, lab workup and management of sick children
• Written and verbal fluency in English required. Written and spoken fluency in Afan Oromo and Amharic languages is required.
• Strong writing skills and exceptional oral and written communication skills required.

Additional Qualifications

• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills necessary.
• Ability to handle and prioritize multiple project activities, balance conflicting priorities, and handle confidential information appropriately.
• Must exhibit tact and diplomacy in inter-cultural settings.
• Prior field research and academic experience related to maternal and newborn health in Ethiopia is desirable.
• Exceptional organizational skills, ability to prioritize multiple tasks, and careful attention to detail.
• Prior experience working with electronic data collection and online databases, and demonstrated experience managing databases.