Founded by a group of committed Kenyans, Lwala builds the capacity of rural communities to advance their own comprehensive well-being. We support communities to design, implement, and evaluate solutions to their most pressing health challenges.
Then, we build coalitions of communities, health workers, government, and universities to generate evidence of impact and infuse these insights into the formal health system in Kenya and beyond. This bottom-up change promises holistic solutions that are custom-built for the systems they are meant to reform.
Job Summary – Purpose
The position is responsible for ensuring that the Lwala Community Hospital provides professional, ethical, high-quality, and dignified health services in line with Kenyan standards and our goal to elevate Lwala Community Hospital as a Center of Excellence, a hospital modeling, teaching and advancing dignified, holistic, patient-centred primary health care.
In this role, you will be responsible for driving highest quality and excellence in the provision of healthcare services, act as the medical lead for the hospital, a clinical advisor, and leadership of the team.
To ensure success, the medical officers shall exhibit extensive clinical knowledge in the main diseases in the area and demonstrable experience in a similar managerial role. You will be expected to align your medical expertise with best practices in health administration.
Key Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Medical Officer include but are not limited to:
Leading in clinical expertise to patient care and providing guidance to the clinical team.
Ensuring the highest standards in patient care are reached and maintained.
Verifying complex diagnoses and facilitating treatment plans.
Keeping informed on advancements in the field and contributing to medical research programs.
Ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations and safety standards.
Reporting to the leadership, as well as liaising between administrative and medical staff in matters related to continuous quality improvement.
Identify and coordinate referrals of patients for further management.
Supporting training, mentorship of staff on new guidelines, and administering relevant and timely continuous medical updates.
Develop clinical protocols and procedures in line with the current SOPs.
Proactively advise the leadership on relevant medical supplies from time to time.
Ensure students and interns on attachment are appropriately placed within the medical department and appropriately supervised.
Supervising practicum and field experience students from Vanderbilt University and other partnering institutions.
Participate in conducting internal quality checks at the hospital.
Chair the relevant committee meetings e.g. DTC and ensure the drugs protocol is available and reviewed periodically.
Ensure clinical management audits are conducted and reports shared and analyzed for decision making.
Lead the discussion on priority emergencies or leading conditions.
Coordinate the case summaries for complicated cases and review them with external consultants.
Ensure relevant Health informatics are implemented to improve patient care and easy access to services, this may include telehealth, tele education, etc.
Performing administrative duties related to the management of the hospital including but not limited to budget management, and revenue generation among others.
Carry out other relevant duties as may be assigned from time to time.
Qualifications and Experience
1. Level of Education/Academic Qualification
Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery (MBCHB) from a recognized university and licensed to practice in Kenya
At least 3 years’ progressive experience in consulting with patients in a busy hospital.
Experience having been a hospital administrator or superintendent will be an added advantage
3. Other Competencies/Abilities/Skills Required
Systems thinker: You think in terms of the whole operating structure.
High degree of independence, flexibility, initiative and commitment.
Strong technical, interpersonal communication, and patient engagement skills.
Strong analytical, judgment, and decision-making skills.
Realistic – able to deal with practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
Genuine interest in patient care and wellness.
Strong communication and presentation skills, training/meeting facilitation skills.
4. Relevant Work Experience
At least 3 years of relevant work experience in direct health service delivery.
Ability to travel and work with rural communities in Migori County
Characteristics
Commitment to impact – The individual should be passionate about Lwala’s mission and the population we serve, and relentless in pursuit of generating evidence and learning to understand our impact as we test our community-based innovations and scale with government and partners.
Communication skills – Strong written and verbal communications skills are essential, in particular, the ability to communicate complex thoughts and ideas simply and effectively and tailor communications to the non-technical audience.
Energy, motivation and stamina – The role can be demanding and, at times, subject to external pressures for timely completion. The candidate must be adaptive, creative, organized, and highly motivated.
Authority / Independednt Action
The job is performed in accordance with standard procedures and guidance with occasional need for independent decisions. It is guided by the professional standards outlined in the respective professional field and must be performed without compromise to those standards.
It makes recommendations to the management on issues relating to the management of clinical services – supplies, drugs, and equipment that enable effective service delivery.
Resource Management Responsibility
The job provides responsibility for human and material resources.
Working Conditions
Working Environment
The job is conducted in the health facilities within the sub-counties which Lwala supports in the implementation of health solutions. The position may require the incumbent to travel from facility to facility within Migori County.
Occupational Hazards
There is exposure to risks that come with handling people with diverse medical conditions, especially infectious diseases as well as handling dangerous medical equipment and substances. Periodical exposure to adverse weather conditions and risky situations is a possibility.
Lwala Community Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and does not ask for fees at any stage of the recruitment process. Successful candidates must abide by Lwala’s Antifraud & Bribery Policy and Safeguarding Policy, including protection of children and vulnerable adults.
