CLINICAL ADVISOR

The Health Systems Trust (HST) wishes to appoint four Clinical Advisors in eThekwini District, for the South Africa Sustainable Response to HIV and TB (SA SURE PRO) Project. The project aims to strengthen local capacity for the provision of sustainable HIV- and TB-related care and treatment.

PURPOSE

The Clinical Advisor provides technical assistance and leadership to facility Operational Managers (OMs) in achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets and Department of Health (DoH) objectives by overseeing selected facilities and community services and managing staff.

The role entails providing leadership, management and clinical governance support of facility and community services through mentoring and coaching of facility health teams. The incumbent will apply a quality improvement (QI) model through effective monitoring and evaluation of project performance in facility clusters, and will manage HST’s facility- and community-based staff who report directly to the OM. 

This is a fixed-term contract position, renewable based on funding and performance. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Mentor and coach and provide supportive supervision for OMs and facility- and community-based staff on adherence to National Department of Health (NDoH) health initiatives, strategies, policies and guidelines when implementing activities to achieve the 95-95-95 and project targets.
• Work with OMs to ensure transfer of skills and activate transition from a District Support Partner (DSP)-led focus to a DoH-led focus, and coach and mentor OMs on performance management.
• Attend weekly Nerve Centre meetings to provide input on programme performance, analyse data to identify programme gaps to target, and develop quality improvement plans (QIPs) with the OMs for each facility, focusing on targeted HIV and TB programme areas.  
   
• Provide reports to sub-district Co-ordinators for weekly reviews with technical and programme leads, giving feedback on workplan progress and outputs.
• Assess data and information for planning, mapping of outreach activities, supply chain management and decision-making for effective delivery of integrated community-based HIV management services by HST, partner and DoH teams.
• Support implementation and/or strengthening of Community Health Workers and Ward-based Outreach Team linkages and referral systems. 
• Work with Cross-site Facilitators to design and implement specific programme activities that close gaps to target across the HIV and TB cascades.
• Attend strategic networking meetings with partners and district structures when requested by the sub-district Co-ordinator.
• Conduct site visits with DoH and stakeholder counterparts to assess progress on implementation and quality improvement plans.
• Work with Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officers to interrogate data for continuous quality improvement across programme areas (e.g. case-finding, continuity of care, and viral load suppression)
• Ensure that all project reports are completed and submitted in accordance with workplans and funder contracts, including submission of log-sheets and weekly schedules
• Develop weekly performance monitoring reports with OMs, and provide feedback on progress to sub-district Co-ordinators on opportunities for improvement
• Share good practice among clusters, HST and district teams;  contribute to relevant HST publications/documentation for knowledge management when requested
• Adhere to HST’s financial policies and procedures to maximise cost-effectiveness, and manage efficient and responsible use of HST resources and assets (including human resources), ensuring sustainable resource and reporting losses of and damage to HST assets to sub-district Co-ordinators timeously
• Apply good governance principles and management of deliverables in the allocated facilities to mitigate reputational risk that would affect HST’s ability to sustain operations and secure funding, reporting all risks to HST management timeously
• Monitor and evaluate the implementation of project plan activities and individual workplans for all direct reports 
• Submit weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports internally and externally as required, and ensure that monthly timesheets are submitted to the sub-district Co-ordinator
• Ensure that all HST probation and performance review procedures are complied with; conduct performance reviews with the OM for HST staff allocated at facility and community levels
• Manage staff conflict, disciplinary issues, absenteeism and sick leave in line with HST policies and procedures, ensuring that staff adhere to HST’s Code of Conduct
• Identify and maintain personal and professional development by attending relevant courses, webinars, conferences and training
• Identify skills gaps in the allocated facilities, and create and implement skills development plans for individuals and DoH and HST teams.

REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications

• A relevant Nursing degree or diploma with Midwifery    
• Diploma in Primary Health Care or any related speciality   
• Current registration with the South African Nursing Council (SANC)   
• Nurse-initiated Management of Antiretroviral Therapy (NIMART) certification   
• Paediatric NIMART and Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) certification   

The incumbent must be trained in at least one of the following areas:

1. Health systems: Demonstrable knowledge of health system strengthening, including   the    World    Health    Organization ‘building    blocks’
2. Leadership and management :    Relevant    HIV    management    training, with   experience    in    management
3. Clinical     care : Understanding    of quality    improvement    processes    and    concepts
4. Monitoring     and    evaluation :    A    good    understanding    of    the    importance    and    role    of    health    information    systems    in    health system strengthening

Experience

1. Three to five years’ experience in HIV/AIDS, STI and TB (HAST) management 
2. Extensive knowledge of clinical guidelines for HIV management
3. Demonstrated experience and knowledge of M&E and quality improvement approaches
4. One year of experience in mentoring, coaching and supervising facility staff
5. Three to five years’ experience of working in a donor-funded environment/non-government project-based organisation
6. Experience working with the DoH
7. Analytical and quality improvement skills
8. Effective organisational, management and facilitation skills
9. Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
10. Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Overall competency requirements

1. Knowledge of strategic processes (District Implementation Plans, Ideal Clinic Realisation and Maintenance, Central Chronic Medicine Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD), treatment adherence guidelines)
2. In-depth understanding of the South African health system, including the policy and management structures at facility, district, province and national levels 
3. Knowledge of the District Health Information System (DHIS) and TIER.Net 
4. English language proficiency, both verbal and written.

Travel

• The    incumbent must have a    valid driver’s licence,    and be willing    and able    totravel    as    required.

REMUNERATION

A salary package commensurate with the successful candidate’s experience and qualifications and in line with HST’s job grading system will be offered.

APPLICATION AND ENQUIRIES

1. Interested applicants must complete their application online at:  https://careers.hst.org.za/
2. Applicants are to ensure that their online applications are completed in full, and that comprehensive CVs are uploaded with the online application in order to be considered. 
3. Applicant’s CV must be saved with a filename reflecting their name and surname. 
4. No applications sent via e-mail will be considered for the job, as all applicants must submit their applications online at the provided link.

PLEASE NOTE:  

1. All personal information collected is processed lawfully in terms of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). 
2. Shortlisted candidates will be requested to submit certified copies of all qualifications and identity documents. 
3. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
4. Correspondence will be limited to shortlisted candidates. 
5. All shortlisted candidates will be subjected to reference and credential checks. 
6. If you have not been contacted within 30 days of the closing date of this advertisement, please accept that your application has been unsuccessful. 

• HST reserves the right to not fill this position. 

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 19 April 2024, at 16h30.    

Health Systems Trust subscribes to diversity and inclusivity, which is informed by the Company’s Employment Equity Plan.

Based on this, African males, African females and people with disabilities who meet the job specifications (including but not limited to the required skills, knowledge and education), are encouraged to apply.