Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

The Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) is an indigenous medical organization that was established in 1991 as a limited liability not-for-profit Joint-venture between the Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Defense and Makerere University Medical School (now Makerere University College of Health Sciences). JCRC is located on plot 101 Lubowa Hill Off Entebbe Road P.O. Box 10005 Kampala. Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) seeks to recruit competent, dynamic, motivated and innovative candidates for the following positions;

The Continuous Quality Improvement and Research Advisor will provide technical leadership for the design, implementation, and institutionalization of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), implementation research, and operational research activities across the DHAPP project. The Advisor will work closely with the Director of MEL, technical advisors, project leadership and health teams to establish and strengthen systematic, data-driven approaches for identifying performance gaps, analysing root causes, implementing improvement interventions, monitoring results, and scaling successful practices. The position will support the integration of CQI across priority clinical, laboratory, community, digital health, supply chain, infection prevention and control, and health systems interventions. The Advisor will use structured quality improvement approaches, including performance reviews, quality assessments, clinical and systems audits, root cause analysis, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, and other appropriate methodologies to improve service delivery, programme performance, and health systems outcomes.

Responsibilities or duties

Continuous Quality Improvement and Performance Improvement

• Lead the development, implementation, and periodic refinement of the DHAPP project CQI strategy, framework, tools, and processes in alignment with applicable project, Ministry of Health, DHAPP, PEPFAR, and other relevant quality improvement requirements.
• Establish and strengthen functional CQI structures and processes at facility, regional, and programme levels, including multidisciplinary quality improvement teams and routine mechanisms for identifying, prioritizing, and addressing performance gaps.
• Work closely with technical and MEL teams to ensure that routine programme data and quality findings are systematically used to identify priorities, monitor improvement, and assess the effectiveness of interventions.
• Plan and support QI-related trainings/learning sessions and technical assistance activities, including but not limited to: assisting with the design, delivery and management of QI trainings/learning sessions and other capacity building initiatives.
• Assist in strategic planning, including the development and implementation of QI activities at the regional, district and facility levels
• Support technical leads in the design, implementation and evaluation of project level QI collaboratives
• Guide facilities and all entities enrolled in national QI collaboratives and support their ongoing participation in such collaboratives
• Working with assigned M&E focal point, support collection, and update of data and their subsequent upload on applicable QI databases for ongoing use in performance improvement.
• Document QI training and technical assistance activities and produce reports for sharing.
• Liaise with other teams within the project to perform harvest sessions and develop “best practice” documents
• Plan for and ensure effective participation of the project in the annual national QI conference by supporting both project and facility teams to share their work through abstract development
• Support conduct of structured RCAs, implementation of mitigation measures (corrective actions) and monitoring of effective implementation of such measures
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Implementation and Operational Research

• Lead the development and implementation of the project's implementation and operational research agenda in collaboration with the Director of MEL, technical teams, project counterparts, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Identify priority research questions arising from programme implementation, CQI activities, routine performance reviews, service delivery challenges, transition processes, and emerging health systems issues.
• Support the design and implementation of operational and implementation research studies to assess barriers, facilitators, effectiveness, feasibility, acceptability, efficiency, and sustainability of programme interventions.
• Develop or support the development of research protocols, concept notes, study designs, data collection tools, analysis plans, and dissemination plans in accordance with applicable ethical, regulatory, PROJECT , and institutional requirements.
• Coordinate with relevant institutions and stakeholders to support ethical review, regulatory approval, implementation, monitoring, and documentation of approved research activities.
• Work with technical teams to ensure that research is practical, relevant to programme priorities, and designed to generate actionable findings that can inform programme improvement and decision-making.
• Build the capacity of designated project personnel and health facility teams in CQI methodologies, operational research, implementation research, data interpretation, documentation, and use of evidence for decision-making.
• Provide mentorship and practical support to project teams in developing research questions, implementing approved studies, analyzing findings, and translating evidence into programme improvements.
• Support the progressive institutionalization and transfer of CQI and research tools, processes, competencies, and leadership responsibilities to designated project counterparts in line with the project's transition and sustainability objectives.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Experience needed

A bachelor’s degree in medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Statistics, Laboratory Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Services Management, or another relevant health or quantitative discipline. Master’s degree in public health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Services Research, Health Systems Management, Quality Management, Medicine, Nursing, Implementation Science, Monitoring and Evaluation, or another relevant field will be an added advantage.

Demonstrated experience designing and implementing CQI initiatives and/or operational or implementation research studies within public health, HIV/AIDS, TB, laboratory, MNCH, or health systems strengthening programmes.

Demonstrated experience in developing research protocols, data collection tools, analysis plans, technical reports, research briefs, abstracts, manuscripts, or other knowledge products.

Specialized training in HIV/AIDS is an added advantage.

At least 7 years’ experience in supporting the implementation of CQI activities at project level.

Experience in providing Technical Assistance to large scale HIV/AIDS HSS interventions within MoH structures and systems.

Comprehensive knowledge and experience in HIV/AIDS/TB management.

Good working knowledge of HIV/AIDS/TB programs, strategies, processes and techniques

Other Qualities/Attributes:

Integrity, Emotional control, Confidentiality and Openness, Team player, Ability to work with highly demanding situations

• Lead the development, implementation, and periodic refinement of the DHAPP project CQI strategy, framework, tools, and processes in alignment with applicable project, Ministry of Health, DHAPP, PEPFAR, and other relevant quality improvement requirements.
• Establish and strengthen functional CQI structures and processes at facility, regional, and programme levels, including multidisciplinary quality improvement teams and routine mechanisms for identifying, prioritizing, and addressing performance gaps.
• Work closely with technical and MEL teams to ensure that routine programme data and quality findings are systematically used to identify priorities, monitor improvement, and assess the effectiveness of interventions.
• Plan and support QI-related trainings/learning sessions and technical assistance activities, including but not limited to: assisting with the design, delivery and management of QI trainings/learning sessions and other capacity building initiatives.
• Assist in strategic planning, including the development and implementation of QI activities at the regional, district and facility levels
• Support technical leads in the design, implementation and evaluation of project level QI collaboratives
• Guide facilities and all entities enrolled in national QI collaboratives and support their ongoing participation in such collaboratives
• Working with assigned M&E focal point, support collection, and update of data and their subsequent upload on applicable QI databases for ongoing use in performance improvement.
• Document QI training and technical assistance activities and produce reports for sharing.
• Liaise with other teams within the project to perform harvest sessions and develop “best practice” documents
• Plan for and ensure effective participation of the project in the annual national QI conference by supporting both project and facility teams to share their work through abstract development
• Support conduct of structured RCAs, implementation of mitigation measures (corrective actions) and monitoring of effective implementation of such measures
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
• Lead the development and implementation of the project's implementation and operational research agenda in collaboration with the Director of MEL, technical teams, project counterparts, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Identify priority research questions arising from programme implementation, CQI activities, routine performance reviews, service delivery challenges, transition processes, and emerging health systems issues.
• Support the design and implementation of operational and implementation research studies to assess barriers, facilitators, effectiveness, feasibility, acceptability, efficiency, and sustainability of programme interventions.
• Develop or support the development of research protocols, concept notes, study designs, data collection tools, analysis plans, and dissemination plans in accordance with applicable ethical, regulatory, PROJECT , and institutional requirements.
• Coordinate with relevant institutions and stakeholders to support ethical review, regulatory approval, implementation, monitoring, and documentation of approved research activities.
• Work with technical teams to ensure that research is practical, relevant to programme priorities, and designed to generate actionable findings that can inform programme improvement and decision-making.
• Build the capacity of designated project personnel and health facility teams in CQI methodologies, operational research, implementation research, data interpretation, documentation, and use of evidence for decision-making.
• Provide mentorship and practical support to project teams in developing research questions, implementing approved studies, analyzing findings, and translating evidence into programme improvements.
• Support the progressive institutionalization and transfer of CQI and research tools, processes, competencies, and leadership responsibilities to designated project counterparts in line with the project's transition and sustainability objectives.

• CQI strategy development and implementation
• Data analysis and interpretation
• Research protocol development
• Technical assistance provision
• Capacity building
• HIV/AIDS/TB management
• Performance improvement methodologies
• Root cause analysis
• Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles
• Quality improvement approaches
• Implementation research
• Operational research
• Knowledge product development
• Report writing
• Abstract development
• Teamwork
• Integrity
• Emotional control
• Confidentiality
• Openness

• Bachelor’s degree in medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Statistics, Laboratory Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Services Management, or another relevant health or quantitative discipline.
• Master’s degree in public health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Services Research, Health Systems Management, Quality Management, Medicine, Nursing, Implementation Science, Monitoring and Evaluation, or another relevant field will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing CQI initiatives and/or operational or implementation research studies within public health, HIV/AIDS, TB, laboratory, MNCH, or health systems strengthening programmes.
• Demonstrated experience in developing research protocols, data collection tools, analysis plans, technical reports, research briefs, abstracts, manuscripts, or other knowledge products.
• Specialized training in HIV/AIDS is an added advantage.