Transition Officer (Project Administrator)

Status:  Full Time, Project Employee

Location:  Accra, Ghana with regular domestic travel to MOTECH implementation sites

                 (Ghanaian Nationals Preferred)

Classification:  Exempt

Start Date:  1^st April 2012

End Date:    31^st March 2014

Background
The Mobile Technology for Community Health program (MOTECH) is a partnership between the Grameen Foundation Technology Center and Ghana Health Service (GHS). It aims to increase the quality and quantity of antenatal, neonatal and infant care through mobile phone applications. MOTECH’s Mobile Midwife application sends pregnant women weekly voice or SMS messages that provide time-specific information about their pregnancy. Messages contain guidance about how to stay healthy during pregnancy, practical advice such as how to prepare for delivery, information which addresses local myths, and fun facts like fetal development milestones.Voice messages are in local languages and content is tailored to the specific challenges and beliefs of each region. MOTECH’s Nurses’ application enables healthcare workers to track care delivered to women and newborns. Each facility is equipped with low-end phones on which the MOTECH application is installed. Nurses enter data about clients’ clinic visits into the application and send this to MOTECH. The MOTECH system checks patients’ records against Ghana Health Service protocols for scheduled care. If the system identifies that a patient has missed an appointment, Mobile Midwife sends the client a message reminding them to go to the clinic. Meanwhile, nurses are alerted when their clients default for care so that they can follow up. MOTECH uses the submitted data to automate many of the nurses’ monthly reports, saving time and increasing accuracy. This program has been piloted in Kassena Nankana West District in Upper East Region, and replicated in Awutu Senya District in Central Region. With two new donor grants, MOTECH will be expanding to four new districts in the next two years.

Job Summary: The Transition Officer will be responsible for supporting the transition of MOTECH to the GHS through planning and executing the transition of some components of the MOTECH implementation to GHS. This will include developing and maintaining strong relationships with key GHS personnel from the facility to the national level and performing a liaison role between Grameen Foundation and GHS on matters relating to transition. The role will include developing a transition plan together with the Country Director, the MOTECH management team and senior GHS staff then ensuring that this is acted upon. This will involve preparing and tracking contracts between Grameen Foundation and Ghana Health Service, ensuring that deliverables are met, schedules are adhered to, and payments made efficiently. The Transition Office will organize, facilitate, and sometimes lead trainings on MOTECH for GHS staff at all levels and carry out a range of activities as needed to support transition under the guidance of the Country Director and other senior project team members.

Reporting and relationships: The Transition Officer reports to the Deputy Project Director and Country Director.

Availability: The Transition Officer will be expected to work a standard work week of 40 hours. Frequent travel to MOTECH implementation districts will be required.   

·         Work with GHS national, regional and district level staff to facilitate the development of a transition plan. Document the transition plan and monitor progress against it.

·         Be the primary liaison with GHS on matters relating to transition.

·         Sensitize GHS on MOTECH by developing relationships with key stakeholders within GHS, representing MOTECH at GHS events, identifying and nurturing MOTECH advocates within GHS, and recognizing opportunities for further collaboration between MOTECH and GHS.

·         Identify GHS personnel capacity building needs, develop training plans to address these, create training curricular and collateral, and facilitate or conduct trainings in collaboration with other MOTECH staff.

·         Work with GHS and MOTECH staff at each implementation district and region to ensure that processes are being developed and executed in collaboration with GHS.

·         Track contracts between Grameen Foundation and GHS at the national, regional and district levels, ensuring that deliverables are executed in a timely manner and to a high standard, and that payments are made efficiently.  

·         Document key learnings in these areas and create a report on lessons learned.

·         Deep commitment to eradication of poverty and alignment with Grameen Foundation’s mission.

·         Experience working with Ghana Health Service, or other government institutions. Experience and demonstrable understanding of the GHS organization and culture and protocol.

·         Excellent project management skills, including the ability to create clear project plans and execute to schedule.

·         Strong capacity to use initiative in solving problems.

·         Excellent interpersonal, communication, presentation and listening skills.

·         Fluency in spoken and written English is essential.

·         Training and orientation skills.

·         Ability to work fast, anticipate and counter issues and avoid conflicts.

·         Excellent level of proficiency with the Microsoft package, especially Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

·         Experience working either within or closely with the GHS is essential.

·         3 years’ or more work experience in a directly relevant role is essential.

·         A university level qualification is required and a post graduate qualification desirable.

This position does not require unusual demands for physical effort. This position may occasionally require physical effort to lift and transport boxes weighing no more than 50 pounds. Work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of places such as offices, meeting or training rooms, residences, or commercial vehicles; e.g., use of safe work place practices with office equipment, and/or avoidance of trips and falls, and observance of fire regulations and traffic signals.

The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made in appropriate circumstances to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

 

Interested candidates should apply by clicking here.