Clinical Service Specialis

Job Description

Job Summary

The Clinical Service Specialist is responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating, implementing, and monitoring HIV Testing Services (HTS), new HIV case identification, and linkage to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) services under the PEPFAR-supported community HIV prevention, care, and treatment program.

The position focuses on developing and implementing innovative and context-appropriate HIV testing and case identification strategies to improve access to HTS and ensure timely linkage of newly diagnosed individuals to appropriate treatment and care services.

The Clinical Service Specialist works closely with government and private health facilities, People Living with HIV (PLHIV) associations, community-based organizations, community structures, and implementing partners to strengthen HIV testing services within the project catchment areas.

In addition, the position is responsible for coordinating the implementation of HTS components under the Lifesaving HIV/AIDS and Health Activities, providing technical assistance, mentorship, and coaching to Community Health Workers, Social Service Workers (SSWs), and healthcare providers at facility and community levels.

The role also involves supporting program planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting; facilitating baseline and end-line surveys and impact assessment activities; and documenting best practices and lessons learned to improve program quality and effectiveness.

Major Roles and Responsibilities

Program Planning, Coordination, and Implementation

• Plan, organize, direct, coordinate, and monitor the implementation of HTS service components under the assigned project.
• Develop and adapt program implementation strategies to improve HIV testing coverage, new case identification, and linkage to ART services.
• Ensure efficient utilization of available human, financial, and material resources to achieve program objectives.
• Prepare and submit monthly, quarterly, biannual, and annual program plans.
• Coordinate and facilitate trainings, orientations, and review meetings for clinical service providers and other relevant stakeholders in consultation with the immediate supervisor.
• Ensure the appropriate distribution, availability, and utilization of medical equipment, drugs, condoms, and other essential program supplies.
• Communicate and coordinate with relevant partners to address shortages of medical supplies, equipment, condoms, and other essential tools.
• Build the technical capacity of project staff, implementing partners, and relevant stakeholders on issues related to HTS and HIV prevention, care, and treatment.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues, community volunteers, local government offices, healthcare facilities, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure that HTS services align with national and global HIV/AIDS priorities, including the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets and the global goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
• Promote effective collaboration with government health offices, public and private health facilities, community-based organizations, and local community structures.
• Promote the wellbeing of children and ensure adherence to safeguarding and child protection principles throughout program implementation.

Technical Assistance, Mentorship, and Capacity Building

• Provide technical assistance, mentorship, and coaching to Community Health Workers, SSWs, project staff, and healthcare service providers at facility and community levels.
• Conduct regular field visits to assess the quality and effectiveness of HTS service implementation.
• Identify technical and operational gaps and provide appropriate recommendations and follow-up support.
• Facilitate experience-sharing sessions, supportive supervision, and performance review meetings.
• Support project staff and partners in adopting best practices and improving the quality of HIV testing, case identification, and linkage services.
• Ensure that service providers adhere to national HTS guidelines, protocols, and quality standards.

Program Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Establish and strengthen monitoring systems to collect baseline and periodic data for tracking HTS performance, measuring progress, and supporting evidence-based decision-making.
• Participate in continuous data collection, analysis, documentation, and management in accordance with MSD's Monitoring and Evaluation guidelines.
• Monitor the availability and proper utilization of essential medical equipment, drugs, condoms, and other program supplies at service delivery sites.
• Monitor project implementation and assess progress against planned targets and expected results.
• Submit biweekly HTS service performance reports to MSD and donors.
• Prepare and submit timely and accurate periodic program reports.
• Conduct regular field monitoring visits and provide constructive feedback and recommendations to improve program performance.
• Monitor the quality, completeness, and accuracy of program data and service delivery reports.
• Participate in documenting program achievements, best practices, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Support the organization in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of program activities.

Research, Surveys, and Impact Assessment

• Organize and facilitate baseline and end-line surveys in collaboration with relevant project teams and stakeholders.
• Support the planning and implementation of impact assessment and operational research activities.
• Facilitate the collection, compilation, and analysis of relevant program data to assess project outcomes and impact.
• Contribute to the documentation and dissemination of research findings, lessons learned, and best practices.
• Utilize monitoring and research findings to recommend improvements in program implementation and service quality.

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with government health offices, public and private health facilities, PLHIV associations, community-based organizations, and implementing partners.
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders to strengthen community-based HIV testing, new case identification, and linkage to treatment services.
• Facilitate joint planning, implementation, monitoring, and review of HTS activities.
• Promote effective communication and collaboration among project staff, service providers, community volunteers, and partners.
• Support coordinated efforts to address implementation challenges and improve service delivery within project catchment areas.

Other Responsibilities

• Participate in organizational and project-level planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation activities.
• Support the identification of implementation gaps and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
• Contribute to organizational learning through the documentation and sharing of successful approaches and lessons learned.
• Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned by the immediate supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education/Training: BSc/BA, MSc/MA in Health (Public Health, HO, Nursing and health related fields) from reognized college/university.

       Experience:

• 4 years & above for BSc/BA and 3 years for MSc/MA holders.
• The work experiences must be direct & proven. NGO Experience is  advantageous.