Physiotherapist -Roving

Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial international aid organization working in poverty, exclusion, conflict, and disaster situations. Working alongside persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, our actions and testimony are focused on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions, and promoting respect for their dignity and their fundamental rights. Humanity & Inclusion is a not-for-profit organization with no religious or political affiliation. It operates as a federation comprising a network of associations that provide it with human and financial resources, manage its projects, and implement its actions and social mission.

About the Project

Humanity and Inclusion (HI) is planning to implement an integrated physical rehabilitation and disability-inclusive project in collaboration with UNDP, NRC, regional DDR structures, health and rehabilitation service providers, and other relevant stakeholders.

The project aims to improve access to quality physical rehabilitation, assistive devices, and referral services for persons with disabilities and individuals experiencing functional limitations in conflict-affected and vulnerable communities across Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and Afar regions.

Job Summary

The Physiotherapist will be responsible for providing quality, person-centred physical rehabilitation and physiotherapy services to project beneficiaries.

The position will conduct physical and functional assessments, develop individualized rehabilitation plans, provide physiotherapy and home-based rehabilitation, train beneficiaries and caregivers, support assistive-device provision, facilitate referrals, and contribute to monitoring, documentation, quality assurance, and project learning.

The Physiotherapist will work closely with rehabilitation personnel, health professionals, P&O service providers, MHPSS service providers, teachers, caregivers, community structures, and other stakeholders to ensure coordinated and continuous rehabilitation services.

Key Responsibilities

Physical and Functional Assessment

• Conduct comprehensive physical and functional assessments of beneficiaries to identify impairments, functional limitations, rehabilitation needs, and participation barriers.
• Develop individualized rehabilitation goals and treatment plans in consultation with beneficiaries and caregivers.
• Assess mobility, gait, balance, strength, range of motion, coordination, pain, endurance, and functional independence.
• Regularly reassess beneficiaries and modify rehabilitation plans according to their progress and needs.

Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

• Provide individualized physiotherapy and physical rehabilitation services to assigned beneficiaries.
• Provide therapeutic exercises, strengthening, stretching, mobility and gait training, balance and coordination exercises, positioning, and functional rehabilitation as appropriate.
• Provide home-based rehabilitation programmes and follow-up support.
• Promote functional independence, safe mobility, prevention of secondary complications, and participation in daily activities.
• Ensure rehabilitation interventions are safe, appropriate, evidence-informed, and responsive to individual needs.

Beneficiary Screening and Identification

• Support the orientation and training of data collectors on the appropriate use of the Washington Group Questions (WGQs) for disability identification and screening in project target areas.
• Supervise and provide technical guidance to data collectors conducting disability identification and screening using the WGQs within the assigned project area.
• Ensure that beneficiary screening and identification are conducted accurately, ethically, confidentially, and in accordance with approved project procedures.
• Work closely with the Central Database Manager to review and analyze screening data and identify individuals requiring physical rehabilitation, assistive devices, or other specialized support.
• Support the categorization of identified beneficiaries according to their rehabilitation needs and eligibility criteria.
• Prioritize beneficiaries requiring urgent, specialized, or time-sensitive rehabilitation interventions and facilitate their timely assessment and referral.
• Verify and follow up on identified cases to ensure that beneficiaries requiring rehabilitation and assistive-device services are appropriately assessed and linked to available services.

Caregiver Training and Community Rehabilitation

• Train caregivers on home-based rehabilitation, positioning, mobility, exercises, transfers, and safe care practices.
• Demonstrate appropriate exercises and rehabilitation techniques to beneficiaries and caregivers.
• Guide prevention of complications and promotion of functional independence.
• Conduct follow-up visits and provide appropriate recommendations for continued rehabilitation at home.

Assistive Devices

• Conduct assessment of beneficiaries in need of assistive devices including wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, toilet seats, walking sticks…
• Prescribe assistive devices based on beneficiaries’ functional needs and living environments.
• Fitting, adjustment, and functional testing of assistive devices within the scope of professional practice.
• Train beneficiaries and caregivers on safe use, maintenance, and care of assistive devices.

Referral and Coordination

• Identify beneficiaries requiring specialized health, rehabilitation, P&O, MHPSS, or other services.
• Initiate referrals through established referral mechanisms.
• Coordinate with health facilities, rehabilitation providers, P&O services, MHPSS providers, and other relevant service providers.
• Follow up on referrals and document referral outcomes.

Documentation, Monitoring and Quality Assurance

• Maintain accurate, complete, and confidential beneficiary and clinical records.
• Document assessments, treatment plans, interventions, progress, referrals, and follow-up.
• Contribute to routine monitoring and quality-assurance activities.
• Monitor beneficiary outcomes against individualized rehabilitation goals and project indicators.
• Participate in field supervision, case reviews, supportive monitoring, and service-quality improvement activities.
• Collect beneficiary feedback and contribute to improving rehabilitation services.
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, confidentiality, accountability, informed consent, and data-protection requirements.

Reporting and Learning

• Prepare and submit regular activity and rehabilitation reports as required.
• Contribute to project monitoring and donor reporting.
• Document lessons learned, good practices, challenges, and recommendations.
• Participate in project review, learning, handover, and close-out activities.
• Support the project team in reviewing achievements against planned outputs and outcomes.

Contract Duration: 3 months

Please note that this position is subject to funding.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy/Physical Therapy from a recognized institution.
• Valid professional registration/licence to practice in Ethiopia.
• Minimum of 2–3 years of relevant professional experience in physiotherapy and physical rehabilitation.
• Demonstrated experience in physical and functional assessment and individualized rehabilitation planning.
• Experience providing therapeutic exercise, mobility and gait training, positioning, functional rehabilitation, and home-based rehabilitation.
• Experience working with persons with disabilities and vulnerable or conflict-affected populations is highly desirable.
• Experience in community-based rehabilitation and caregiver training is an advantage.
• Experience with assistive-device assessment, fitting, and user training is highly desirable.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams and referral networks.
• Knowledge of the Washington Group Questions and disability-inclusive programming is an advantage.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, confidentiality, informed consent, and protection principles.
• Strong communication, documentation, reporting, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to remote project locations.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of relevant local languages (Afaan Oromo (Oromifa) and Amharic), is mandatory.

Key Competencies

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong clinical and rehabilitation skills.
• Person-centred and rights-based approach to service delivery.
• Commitment to disability inclusion and equal access to services.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong teamwork and coordination skills.
• Good problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to work effectively in challenging field environments.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Commitment to safeguarding, professional ethics, confidentiality, and accountability.