Woreda Human Resources for Health (HRH) Health System Strengthening Officer (6 Positions)

Ethiopian Medical Association (EMA) is the national professional association representing medical doctors in Ethiopia. Since its establishment in 1948, EMA has stood as a historic, resilient, and trailblazing institution at the forefront of Ethiopia’s health sector as a pioneer and model for other professional associations, sustaining six decades of Annual Medical Conferences and over 60 years of continuous medical journal publication. EMA is a national professional leadership institution shaping Ethiopia’s health future. Through unwavering endurance amid national challenges, EMA has consistently been a first responder during health emergencies and a trusted leader in advancing professional standards.

EMA strengthens competence and quality across the medical field through contributions to innovations and implementation of medical education curricula and accreditation, dedicated Continuing Professional Development (CPD), institutional capacity building, improved education, Institutional Review Board (IRB) establishment, and the standardization of medical services and practices. As a guardian of ethics and medico-legal integrity, EMA safeguards professional conduct while ensuring physicians’ perspectives shape national health policies and strategies. Recognized as the authoritative voice of Ethiopian physicians, it actively represents members nationally and globally, contributes to health system design, and influences policy development.

At its core, EMA fosters unity, belonging, and professional identity, a home where physicians, from young graduates to senior leaders, develop ownership, leadership experience, and a shared

sense of purpose. Strong, credible, and collaborative, EMA continues to bridge institutions and international best practices, reinforcing its role as a strong, organized, and indispensable pillar of Ethiopia’s medical profession.

Vision Statement

A strong and united medical association advancing a healthier Ethiopia.

Mission Statement and Core Values

EMA exists to advance the medical profession in Ethiopia by contributing to excellence in medical education and lifelong learning, empowering physicians, upholding ethics and professionalism, advocating for physician well-being, and contributing to a high-quality and equitable health system.

Core Values: Integrity, excellence, professionalism, collaboration, unity in diversity, service, and innovation.

The Ethiopian Medical Association (EMA) has established a partnership with Jhpiego Ethiopia under the U.S. Department of State (DOS)-funded Human Resources for Health (HRH) Project.

1. Position Title: Woreda Human Resources for Health (HRH) Health System Strengthening Officer
2. Work Unit: Program Department
3. Duty Station: Different Regional office (Semera, Mekele, Bahir dar, Jigjiga, Shashemene and Sodo)
4. Position Type: Full-Time fixed term
5. Required Staff to the Job Holder: Six
6. Salary: Based on Organizational Scale

The Woreda Human Resources for Health (HRH) Health System Strengthening Officer will support the Jhpiego-led HRH Project funded by the U.S. Department of State. Serving in an integrated HRH role, the primary purpose of this position is to strengthen health workforce management across the healthcare system, primarily within the public sector while supporting select private sector engagements at the local government authority level. Specifically, the role will focus on enhancing pre- and in-service education for multidisciplinary health cadres, building capacity in Leadership, Management, and Governance (LMG), and strengthening overall human resource planning, development, and management.

The Woreda HRH Health System Strengthening Officer supports the implementation of integrated HRH interventions that strengthen woreda and health facilities’ leadership, governance, management, and workforce systems, while institutionalizing data-driven HRH planning, learning, and decision-making to create the organizational and institutional conditions necessary for health professionals to perform effectively and deliver high-quality health services. This will include providing support to improve organizational structure and staffing, HR leadership and governance development; evidence-based planning for human resources; strengthening integrated Human Resources Information System (iHRIS), effective HR management including recruitment, deployment, motivation, and retention; and health education and health workforce regulation.

The ideal candidates will have technical expertise and prior experience in HRH program implementation, and experience working with health management structures of the local Government and other key stakeholders. Working closely with the Jhpiego’s Hub HRH Coordinator and other Area Implementation Team (AIT) members, S/he will complete deliverables on time, and achieve results effectively.

Reporting Structure

• Position Reports To (structural): Project coordinator at the Ethiopian Medical Association
• Position Reports To (functional): Hub HRH Coordinator
• Position Supervised: None

Specific Duties and responsibilities

Under the guidance and leadership of the Hub HRH Coordinator, Woreda Human Resources for Health (HRH) Health System Strengthening Officer are expected to strengthen the Woreda Health Offices (WoHOs), and their respective Primary Health Care Units (PHCUs) capacity to manage and improve their health workforce capacity, productivity, retention, and service quality while ensuring alignment with national HRH and PHC priorities. S/he will contribute to organizational and human resources management capacity assessments, program learning, monitoring and evaluation and research.

• Provide first-line technical support to WoHOs and PHCUs for implementation of interventions related to competency-based pre-service education, continuing professional development, professional regulation, workforce competency assessment, leadership development, workforce planning, HRH management, digital HRH, HRH information systems, organizational development, and adaptive learning.
• Support implementation of local capacity building, coaching, and mentorship on health workforce planning, long term forecasting of HR needs, leadership, governance, and management capacity and other HRH functions at Woreda and health facilities levels.
• Institutionalize use of the Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) Tool at facility level for workforce planning
• Implement innovative deployment, motivation, and retention schemes that address workforce shortages and high turnover rates.
• Coordinate peer-to-peer learning across PHCUs.
• Support WoHO and PHCUs on HRH data collection, compilation analysis and use of HRH data for decision making. Support on proper implementation of the iHRIS at woreda and facility level.
• Support on public private partnership to have a comprehensive HR data from the private health facilities
• Coordinate supportive supervision visits to health facilities on HRH function including on iHRIS implementation
• Perform other duties appropriate to the position as assigned by the Hub HRH Coordinator or his/her designate
• Perform related duties assigned by the Ethiopian Medical Association (EMA)

Required Skills & Abilities:

• Strong organizational skills
• Very good writing skills
• Team player
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with diverse groups
• Strong presentation skills
• Strong communication skills: developing communication products including success stories for HRH interventions

Required qualifications and competencies:

• Medical doctors with postgraduate studies in health professions education, public health, or postgraduate degree in public health, international development, public administration, management, social sciences or related fields
• Five to six years of experience in the following areas: Implementing HRH programs; HRH Management and quality improvement programs; Providing HRH and leadership and management training with regional, zonal, and district health offices; Providing technical assistance to woreda staff working on Human Resource for Health.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Fluency in the local language of the implementation area is a plus.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to travel as required
• Ability to build synergies across technical disciplines, leverage private sector resources, and nurture