Senior Digital Health Advisor

Senior Digital Health Advisor at D-tree July, 2023
Reports to: Zanzibar Country Director with dotted line to Director of Technology, Data and Innovation Location: Stone Town, Zanzibar. The successful candidate is expected to live in Zanzibar. Start Date: As soon as possible

Who we are
D-tree is a global digital health organization dedicated to ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality primary healthcare in underserved areas. We do this by working with governments to design, build and deploy digital tools for frontline health workers that improve their ability to deliver high-quality, evidence based care. D-tree engages with governments to develop a shared vision for the potential of digital health, demonstrates the effectiveness of digital systems to improve health outcomes, and accompanies governments to scale these digital systems nationally and institutionalize them within their broader health systems. 

Since 2011, D-tree has partnered with the Zanzibar Ministry of Health to implement an innovative digital health program, Jamii ni Afya (“Community is health”) supporting Community Health Volunteers to provide health services within their communities. This program has consistently demonstrated improved health outcomes, a strengthened community health system, and increased use of data for decision-making. Over time, Jamii ni Afya has grown from a pilot to a national program and has demonstrated how digital technology can transform the quality of a health system. The digital health program reached full scale in August 2021, allowing D-tree to focus on program sustainability, quality and impact. We are currently focused on transitioning all aspects of Jamii ni Afya to the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (RGoZ).

Our values are the driving motivators for how the D-tree team works day in, day out, shared by all team members. They include:

• We think big because we have faith in our ability to succeed.
• We are excellent stewards of time, resources, and money.
• We value balance between work and life.
• We keep the people we work for and with at the center of everything we do. • We respectfully challenge the status quo as we are always in search of a better way. • We continuously learn and adapt to become the best version of ourselves.
• We believe that our strength lies in our diversity and how we perform as a team. • We go above and beyond because people’s health and lives are at stake.

What you will do
We are seeking a full time Senior Digital Health Advisor to work closely with our Zanzibar program team, the Zanzibar Ministry of Health (MoH) and other relevant stakeholders to lead the technology and data pillar of the Jamii ni Afya transition plan and further position D-tree as a trusted digital health advisor to the Zanzibar government. As the digital transformation of the Zanzibar Primary Healthcare System is progressing, you will collaborate with relevant stakeholders to integrate Jamii ni Afya systems into the emerging digital health landscape to make sure that Zanzibaris have the technological infrastructure to experience a continuum of care across health needs and life events. You will work closely with relevant stakeholders in the MoH which requires frequent meetings at the MoH and spending up to one or two days co-located in the MoH offices.

Jamii ni Afya transition and Primary Healthcare Transformation (~70%)

• Over the next 4 years, lead the Technology and Data pillar of the Jamii ni Afya transition plan, comprising user support, system operations, platform maintenance, and technological infrastructure for data management and data use.
• Collaborate and align with other pillars of the transition plan (financial sustainability; program and operations management).
• Collaborate with the HMIS Advisor on topics such as data use and data governance. 
• Identify and act on opportunities to integrate Jamii ni Afya with other digital health systems to strengthen the continuum of care.
• Provide capacity building to the ICT unit and associated units and roles to ensure the MoH can fully operate and manage the digital components of Jamii ni Afya.

Health Information System Strengthening (~20%)

• Strategically position D-tree to support digital health systems strengthening within Zanzibar by identifying and cultivating opportunities and partnerships with government and partners.
• Provide technical assistance and capacity building to the MoH and other stakeholders to analyze, strengthen, design, specify, implement, deploy, optimize, and use various health information systems.
• Provide technical expertise to the MoH in the identification, gap analysis, development, dissemination and implementation of HIS strategies, standards and guidelines.
• Identify opportunities for integrated planning and implementation creating synergies between various program areas.
• Actively participate in relevant technical working groups and professional forums representing D tree, including the Zanzibar Digital Health Technical Working Group and relevant task forces.

Learning and dissemination (~10%)

• Document successes, lessons learned and challenges in implementation and maintain an inventory of successful tools and approaches for HIS.
• Regularly report on project activities and results to the project team and donor, including routine quarterly and annual reports and other reporting requirements as requested.
• Author/co-author abstracts, presentations, and articles for journals and conferences to disseminate best practices, learning, and achievements.

Who we are looking for
We are looking for a motivated individual who is willing to wear multiple hats and do what it takes to make our programs succeed. At D-tree we are trying to push the envelope regarding what is possible with digital health systems, while working in environments with extreme constraints. We are looking for an individual who is creative, flexible, and who takes initiative to identify and act on opportunities to strengthen our programs and the digital primary healthcare system in Zanzibar. 

Requirements

• At least 7 years of experience implementing and providing technical assistance to strengthen large scale HIS including experience in quality collection, analysis, dissemination and use of health information.
• Master of Science in Information Technology, Health Informatics, Statistics or equivalent. Master of Science in Public Health or equivalent experience is an asset.
• Extensive knowledge of health information technology and public health IT standards including, semantic, exchange, privacy/security, etc. and applications, including EMRs, laboratory information systems (LIS), Planning and Budgeting systems, Health related registries, surveillance systems, DHIS2, iHRIS, and others.
• Demonstrated experience managing the integration of multiple applications or business processes, including working with external vendors, multiple donors, and in low-resource settings.
• Demonstrated experience assessing capabilities of and gaps in national health information systems including functionality, resource requirements, standard operating procedures, and human capacity.
• Demonstrated experience providing capacity building assistance at individual and organizational levels.
• Team player able to work in a high-pressure environment and manage multiple activities and priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent intercultural communication skills; able to lead and work effectively with an interdisciplinary team with minimal supervision.
• Willingness to contribute to D-tree’s and the MoH’s mission by occasionally conducting tasks that go beyond the job description.
• High level of attention to detail and excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Proficient spoken and written English and Swahili.
• Experience living and working in Zanzibar strongly preferred.
• Ability and willingness to travel nationally and internationally as necessary.

Salary Range:
87,750,000 TZS to 135,000,000 TZS gross annual salary inclusive of all cash compensation.

Salary scales are set according to an explicit compensation policy, and relevant market data is analyzed when setting ranges for each role. To ensure internal parity, D-tree will analyze the candidate’s overall number of years of experience as well as relevant technical expertise pertaining to the position and in comparison with staff in the same job group to make the offer salary. Because salary ranges are small and the internal parity review is thorough, offers are firm.
Apply Here