Laboratory Manager

About Pharo Foundation

Pharo Foundation is a mission-driven, impact-oriented organization working to build a vibrant, productive, and self-reliant Africa. Our development efforts are focused on three core pillars:

• Education – Providing access to high-quality, affordable education that equips students for success in a rapidly changing world.
• Water – Ensuring that communities across Africa have access to clean, safe, and affordable water.
• Productivity – Removing barriers to employment and increasing economic opportunity for individuals and families.

Pharo Ventures, which is the Foundation’s for profit- arm, is building commercially sustainable businesses across East Africa to create thousands of jobs and generate inclusive economic growth. We complement the development work above by running for-profit ventures with our current interest being in agri-business and healthcare sectors.

Pharo Health

Pharo Health Ethiopia will be a portfolio company of Pharo Ventures and intends to transform the healthcare landscape in the Horn of Africa region by providing access to a network of premium specialty centers. At the first stage, Pharo Health will establish a centrally located one-stop health service hub in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This hub will be fully furnished with state-of-the-art advanced medical equipment, driven by in-house specialist consultants, thereby providing quality world-class healthcare. With the integration of a variety of specialist and auxiliary services we will provide a comprehensive patient journey without fragmentation. In addition, we will leverage on technology to guarantee precise and timely diagnostics whilst ensuring that we provide the best-in-class experience.

The vision is to expand the reach and health services to other parts of the country and beyond the borders of Ethiopia through establishing an efficient hub-and-spokes model.

About The Role

This is a Senior management role with strategic value in delivering the overall Pharo Health, Ethiopia business objectives. We are looking for an experienced Medical Laboratory Technologist with senior management experience to fill this role. The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership & direction for the overall operation laboratory department of Pharo Health, Ethiopia. In line with the Pharo Health strategy, the successful individual will initially be involved in setting up a state-of-the-art advanced medical laboratory department within the specialty center in Addis Ababa.

The tasks include but are not limited to selection of laboratory equipment & start up the operation and will then be responsible for managing the laboratory department, overseeing the day-to-day operations and managing the laboratory equipment & associated systems. Ultimately, success in this position will be determined by delivery of excellent clinical outcomes, exceptional patient satisfaction and solid financial results. The ideal candidate is someone who is highly motivated, a team player, strategic, and passionate about customer care & quality service provision.

Duties & Responsibilities

Overall Leadership

• Development of a strategy for expansion of medical laboratory diagnostic services within the Pharo Global Health ecosystem. This will include but not be limited to geographical expansion, adoption of new technologies, quality assurance, best practice in patient safety etc. Development and implementation of a digital health strategy will be critical.
• As part of the senior management team, support in the development of short term, mid-term and long-term goals for the organization (in line with the corporate strategic plan) and align/lead the process of goal development for the laboratory department,

Clinical leadership and governance:

This aspect of the role must be done in synergy with both clinical and non-clinical team members.

• Develop, implement & monitor the laboratory department’s policies, manuals, procedures, protocols, quality control programs and other related documents ensuring compliance with International, National & Pharo Health standards & requirements.
• Develop and implement appropriate systems and measurements to ensure that the needs of the internal and external customers are met.
• Maintain professional affiliations to enhance professional growth and development and to improve the organization’s visibility.
• Manage Laboratory Information Systems (LIS/LIMS) to ensure data integrity, security, and efficient result reporting to physicians.
• Maintain professional affiliations to enhance professional growth and development and to improve the organization’s visibility.
• Communicating and work collaboratively on all levels

Operations:

• Supervise day-to-day operations of the laboratory department.
• Oversee & optimize workflow management, efficient patient flow & patient scheduling and patient access.
• Develop concepts for new and improved services, programs, policies, and procedures
• Establish quality standards and manage quality assurance as well as safety programs ensuring regulatory compliance
• Hire, train, mentor, and evaluate the performance of the laboratory department staff.
• Manage the laboratory equipment maintenance, repair, calibration, and troubleshooting & all documents related to all the equipment and its maintenance & evaluation history.
• In line with the overall strategy, prepare and manage departmental workplans/budgets. Both revenue and expenses must be monitored in order to achieve the planned/expected level of financial outcomes.
• Monitor the laboratory department’s inventory, use & stock of consumables & supplies
• Analyze and review metrics
• Track and provide periodic achievement report as per set standards and timelines.

Qualifications, Knowledge & Skills

• A bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory technology or a related scientific field from a recognized university.
• Postgraduate experience and/or training in business related field will be an added advantage
• A minimum of 7 years’ relevant work experience of which at least 4 years should have been in management/supervisory roles.
• Experience of working in a healthcare institution with special emphasis on clinical laboratories.
• Experience of working in an institution that is ISO certified will be an added advantage.
• Experience of working directly with patients & customer service
• Experience in managing a team/s
• Experience in using laboratory systems and information technology skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to develop alternative solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with complex scheduling and coordination
• Skill in planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating a wide variety of activities
• Team oriented with the ability to partner across all functions within the organization
• Knowledge of the Healthcare Industry and regulatory requirements.
• Experience in introducing new machines, new tests or a new institution will be an added advantage