Systems Strengthening Manager

Job Title: Systems Strengthening Manager

Location: Lusaka with significant local travel

Reporting to: Programme Manager Nursing

Start date: ASAP

Contract Period: 2 years

About the Role

The SUDEN Systems Strengthening Manager is one of two officers to support nursing colleges adopt the Decentralised Nurse and Midwifery Training Model. S/he has a proven record in management and health systems strengthening.  S/he will deliver innovative ways to ensure scaling up the training model is built and sustained with up-to-date systems and procedures, appropriate technologies, and holistic student support services. S/he has relevant experience in management, information planning and sustainable systems and evidence-based solutions. S/he will play a role in setting up the e-Learning technology platform, and digital data collection systems in support of monitoring and evaluating the decentralised training model and student support services.

The Team

You will report to the Programme Manager of Nursing and will work in a small team, including a Technical Manager of Nurse/Midwifery, possibly an instructional design specialist and a part-time monitoring and evaluation specialist.

About SolidarMed
SolidarMed is an international development organisation, registered as a non-profit in Switzerland. Our health programmes are developed in close cooperation with local health authorities.  Our funds come largely from the Swiss government, namely the Liechtenstein Development Service and the Hilti Foundation, the two main funders of SolidarMed’s work in Zambia.

About the Decentralised Nurse/Midwifery Training
In close collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s nursing unit and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia, the decentralised Nurse/Midwifery Training model began in 2010.  The training model is based on a selected number of partner hospitals and clinics in the catchment area for clinical placement. These decentralised clinical facilities work with their ‘mother site’ (College) to provide high-quality learning experiences for nurse/midwifery students during clinical placement.

The current phase of Scaling up Decentralised Education for Nurses (SUDEN), runs for 4.5 years from mid-2022-2026 and includes seven additional colleges in 7 new provinces. SolidarMed is supporting all ten provinces of Zambia, from which to cascade the model to all other colleges in each province at a later stage.

The implementation of the programme comprises support for human capacity building and organisational development supporting the quality of nurse/midwifery education.  The project will also design and create an e-learning offer so that all students can access high-quality learning materials from their devices and can interact with teachers, and this postholder will have a vital role in the design and implementation of that process.

Roles and responsibilities
Systems Strengthening

• Planning, Budgeting & Reporting
• Support Organisational Leadership
• Strengthening and standardising the systems in the colleges and decentralised sites to maximise and support the student learning environment
• Identify systems and procedures in support of continuous quality improvement.
• Ensure all college and decentralised sites follow activity work plans
• Support the further development of standard operating procedures outlined in the working Draft Decentralised Nurse/Midwifery Training Implementation Guide
• Identify continuous capacity development opportunities, systems and procedures in support of improving the student learning environment efficiently and effectively.
• Identify and support the delivery of management and systems-based interventions to improve the leadership capacity of all colleges’ senior staff.
• Foster Strong Partnerships

Develop the e-Learning System and Procedures

• Identify, implement, and support appropriate systems for blended e-Learning and technology solutions.
• Identify an appropriate and sustainable online student management system.
• Collaborate with an Instructional Design expert and identify a user-friendly online platform and content management system

Support Monitor, Evaluate, Research, Learn and Advocate

• Collaborate with the MERLA Officer to create systems and procedures for effective monitoring and evaluation.
• Support the design of programme data collection tools and maintain digital performance-tracking systems.

Support Infrastructural Development

• In collaboration with Technical Manager and MERLA officer complete an infrastructure needs analysis and follow-up plans.
• Collaborate with SolidarMed’s Housing & Infrastructure team to support contractors locally to design and deliver appropriate on-the-ground solutions to training infrastructure shortages.
• Collaborate, coordinate and align with partners, not least Provincial MoH offices and local government, to prioritise infrastructure investment in the nursing college sector.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Educated with Bachelor’s degree (Master’s degree a bonus) in public health or another social field, e.g. business administration.
• Background as a professional in public health and systems strengthening.
• Strong and confident IT skills; including familiarity with e-Learning software packages.
• Competent in all standard office tools, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Experience with student management systems.
• Strong mentoring and coaching skills, including organisational coaching.
• Experience in leading scale-up of development projects, in the health sector.
• Experience in setting, managing, and reporting on donor budgets
• Familiarity with project cycle management tools, including the log frame
• Significant experience working in a rural development context
• Flexible, able and willing to travel.
• Clean driving licence, manual and automatic, including 4×4 experience.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is essential.

Your Attitude and Motivation

• SolidarMed is willing to consider secondments.
• Reliable and able to work independently.
• Commitment to social change and SolidarMed’s values and principles
• Enthusiastic, positive, determined, and flexible; a team player, energetic
• Highly developed communication skills
• Motivational aptitude to get the best out of a team
• Desire to apply excellent professional and business skills to social goals
• Loves working in complex partnership networks

The Offer
We offer an exciting role which brings with it clear scope for innovation and creativity, as well as the chance to apply expert skills in a challenging delivery environment. You will be part of a motivated team with flat hierarchies.

SolidarMed offers an attractive benefits package commensurate with Swiss standards. In addition, we also offer specific training with possibilities for clinical collaboration, scientific networking and participation in conferences. Secondments for two years are an option.

How to Apply
Please email your application to [email protected]  citing reference “SUDEN Systems Strengthening Manager Zambia” and include:

• Your CV including 3 referees
• A cover letter outlining your motivation and how you meet the requirements
• Copies of your qualifications

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We kindly ask you not to send in duplicate or hard copies of your CV.

Deadline for applications: 31st of May 2022

For further details contact: Joy-Desta Brandsma, [email protected]