AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)
Founded in 1987, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is a global organization providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to over 1,900,000 patients in 45 countries. In Malawi, AHF is working in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to strengthen access to quality treatment for HIV/
AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). AHF Malawi is providing these services in 27 hard-to-reach health facilities in Dedza, Lilongwe, Ntcheu, Chikwawa, and Nsanje Districts.
To accomplish its goals in the nation, AHF Malawi is seeking highly qualified and experienced candidates for the following employment opportunities.
Laboratory Services Supervisor
Position Title: Laboratory Services Supervisor
Reports to: Medical Coordinator
Duty Station: Nsanje District Hospital (1)
Overall Responsibility
Directly provide laboratory oversight in all AHF supported sites and ensure adherence to standard laboratory protocols in the country program as stipulated by Ministry of Health and AHF standards. The incumbent will ensure provision of high-quality laboratory services, support HIV services and maintain quality standards of care for all patients through direct patient care, staff mentorship, supervision, and leadership.
Essential duties and responsibilities
Technical
- Plan, prepare and supervise laboratory services in line with national Ministry of Health standards and the organization’s policies in all AHF Malawi supported sites.
- Support laboratories to attain and manage needed accreditation.
- Oversee laboratory services provision and ensure standard, and current practices are in place for maintaining high quality laboratory services and maximizing the use of all resources.
- Ensure compliance and implementation of laboratory protocols and support other affiliated laboratory staff such as laboratory technicians, assistants and HIV Medics involved with the lab
functions. - Coordinate training, mentorship and team building exercises for laboratory staff.
- Establish, execute, review, and evaluate laboratory procedures and policies and standard operating procedures for operating functions of AHF supported labs.
- Ensure performance of analytic, pre and post analytic functions to attain lab function goals and the stable conformance of these by all laboratory staff.
- Manage in collaboration with AHF lab technicians all Laboratory documents, leading the lab team in maintaining laboratory records, reports, and files.
- Perform activities to fulfill report requirements and record retention as established by accrediting agencies.
- Prepare, implement, and evaluate capital budgets for lab items and annual operating budgets for lab support activities.
- Analyse existing gaps and suggest procurement of lab equipment, including monitoring their regular service maintenance and service agreements on the equipment.
- Manage purchase of lab reagents and consumables, their inventory, storage, and supplies usage.
- Conduct laboratory tests in a safe and responsible manner.
- Coordinates and ensures the compilation of monthly laboratory inventory at all AHF Healthcare Centers.
- Coordinates the Performance of quality control checks and maintenance of Laboratory Equipment, and other laboratory tests performed within the labs.
- Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with agencies and implementing partners that support viral load sample processing, transportation, and dissemination of results.
- Provide support for ab services for AHF supported sites that do not have resident technician from time to time.
- Prepare, establish, and maintain a viral load sample monitoring system, complementing other existing systems for efficient monitoring of samples and results within AHF.
- Establish and maintain sample transport networks for Advanced HIV disease samples from spoke sites to hub sites, with efficient records keeping, results tracking and feedback.
- Set performance targets for staff, conduct staff appraisal, disciplining and addressing complaints of employees under his/her supervision.
- Assume additional responsibilities as necessary (i.e.: attendance at all assigned committees).
Qualifications, Experience, and other attributes
- Must have a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences from a recognized institution and duly certified with Medical Council of Malawi. Additional qualification in health systems
management or public health will be an added advantage. - Five years’ experience in lab management. Three years’ experience in HIV/AIDs programming, leadership, administration, and program management with knowledge of clinical protocols and procedures in the management of HIV related diseases.
- Experience in planning and budgeting is required.
- Experience in quality management and assurance practices is desired.
- Proficiency in MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint
- Sensitivity to issues surrounding HIV and AIDS.
- Must be able to travel and invest 70% of his staff time in rural sites.
- Ability to prioritize tasks in a rapidly changing environment.
- Ability to develop proposals, write abstracts and understand basic research concepts.
- Good communication and interpersonal skills.
Method Of Application
Interested candidates should submit their CVs with three traceable referees and cover letters to the following e-mail addresses: [email protected].
Closing time and date for receiving applications is 12:00 noon on 15th March 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Kindly include your preferred duty station (where appropriate) in your application letter.