Position Description

This is a full time mentoring position with 75% of the time spent onsite at the health facilities within the Western Kenya region project area and 25% in the office for document review and report writing in Kisumu. Deployment is in any of the 8 program Counties; Homabay, Migori, Kisumu, Siaya, Busia, Kakamega, Bungoma and Vihiga. The Laboratory QSI Mentor will be the key technical staff in improvement of laboratory service delivery in the selected facilities through face to face mentorship of the MoH staff to develop and implement quality systems.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as laboratory continual quality and service delivery improvement mentor in selected health facilities within the region
• Offer onsite face-to-face laboratory staff mentorship and training on documentation and SOPs, sample management and collection techniques, sample packaging, sample referral systems, quality assurance, results handling, biosafety and waste management
• Liaise with facility managers, clinicians, laboratory staff and nurses to establish and strengthen the laboratory-clinical services interface.
• Promote safe blood transfusion practices and blood safety through technical assistance in adaption of developed policies, standards and guidelines and training of laboratory staff
• Work in collaboration with the sub-county laboratory coordinators, laboratory in-charges and facility managers to strengthen laboratory networking to ensure efficient testing for TB, HIV rapid, HIV viral load, EID PCR and OIs and acceptable turn-around times for these testing.
• Support the development of laboratory policies, strategic plans, management and monitoring tools both at the county and facility level to improve services as may be required from time to time
• Provide programmatic updates and reports as required from time to time during the project period
• Provide efficient linkage between the facilities and the programs
• Conduct regular SIMS gap analysis and formulate corrective measures to facilitate compliance.
• Offer technical advice on laboratory commodities forecasting, ordering, re-stocking and stores management to eliminate stock outs.
• Provide technical assistance for equipment including validation, calibration, certification and routine servicing to ensure efficient operation and minimal test interruptions
• Provide technical assistance to laboratory personnel in establishment of efficient work flow
• Advocate for implementation of Infection Prevention and Control guidelines
• Advocate for increased administrative and financial support to the laboratory to ensure requisite quality improvements
• Schedule and provide training and coaching to laboratory personnel to enhance Good Clinical Laboratory Practices (GCLP)
• Spearhead efficient implementation of both facility and project action plans as required.
• Plan for and coordinate with other partners to provide various lab-related trainings as required for supported facilities
• Participate in the implementation of the GIS’ policies, strategies and work plans

Desired Qualities

• Accountability – takes responsibility for action and manages criticism, accepts and gives constructive criticism, follows all relevant procedures, processes and policies, meets deadlines, cost and quality requirements for outputs, monitors own work to correct errors.
• Communication – Actively shares relevant information, writes clearly and effectively, listens effectively and communicates clearly.
• Professionalism – Always aware of responsibilities; identifying issues, opportunities and risks in relation to job responsibilities, treats all colleagues with respect and dignity, displays team work and takes initiative.
• Honesty and Integrity – Abhors corruption and maintains high ethical and moral standards.
• Good personal grooming – maintain a high standard of cleanliness and neatness.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Excellent time management skills – Able to plan and adhere to work time schedules.
• Language skills – fluent in English and Kiswahili (written and verbal)

Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences with at least five years of working experience or a Higher National diploma with ten years work experience.
• Must be a qualified medical laboratory technologist/scientist
• Registered with Kenya Medical Laboratory Technologist Technicians Board (KMLTTB)
• Familiarity and experience with laboratory GCLP, Laboratory Biosafety, SOPs, QMS,
• Training on GCLP and program evaluation is necessary