DHIS2 Implementation Specialist, Health Domain

  • Full-time

Company Description

We are a well-funded not-for-profit project tasked with building the open-source DHIS2 platform, the world’s most widely-deployed health information system. The project is based at the HISP Centre at the University of Oslo (UiO) where we operate as an independent software development organization.

With us you get a chance to work on problems which really matter: Improving the health and well-being of people around the world through access and use of information. Our platform is used in more than 90 countries worldwide and has the scale and adoption which will allow you to make an impact globally.

We give you a lot of flexibility and freedom and there is no micro-management or strict hierarchies. At DHIS2 we believe you will do your best work if you fully understand the context in which the system operates. As a result you are encouraged to engage directly with our projects, take part in the design process and get feedback from users in the field.

Job Description

About this role

As an implementation specialist, you will support the development of global goods and guidance, provide targeted technical assistance to HISP groups and country implementations, assess functional requirements for health domain use cases and strengthen feedback loops for learning from real-world implementation. This role will also play a project management function and support coordination across internal and external stakeholders. This portfolio of work spans:

  • WHO Metadata Packages
  • Implementation Guidance
  • Implementation support (see DHIS2 Impact Stories)
  • Project management

In this role, you will have the opportunity to work with a wide variety of domain specialists and users, ranging from global subject matter experts at WHO, UNICEF, CDC and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health to country implementers, national health programmes and end users requiring targeted support based on local needs.  We produce DHIS2 metadata packages as an implementation product to accompany the core DHIS2 software. The metadata packages serve as a reference implementation for standards-based design in country systems and are used as a basis for generating training content, user stories, functional requirements, interoperability proofs of concept and guidance on integrated HIS architecture– all grounded in the most pressing real-work public health use cases. 

Our work spans across functional groups and domain expertise, providing you a wealth of opportunities for new exposures & professional growth. 

What you’ll do

The health domain implementation specialist  will contribute to metadata package development, global goods and guidance in close collaboration with other functions of the global Implementation, Software and Research teams. HISP has a long tradition of learning through country implementation and local innovation to improve our global public goods. This position is expected to work with and through the regional HISP network to support country implementation. The position is also expected to play a project management function, mobilizing cross-functional teams to achieve deliverables, developing workplans for package development and piloting activities,  and communicating externally with donors and stakeholders. 

You will work collaboratively with global subject matter experts (e.g. WHO, CDC, UNICEF, NIPH), DHIS2 experts, project managers, field implementers and end users to:

  • Assess & document requirements for public health use cases 
  • Design DHIS2 configuration to meet complex workflows and analytics needs; develop and disseminate WHO Metadata Packages & related technical/design/implementation  guidance for public health use cases as a global implementation product
  • Contribute to strengthening of metadata package development processes, documentation and demo databases
  • Conduct pilot testing of WHO packages & provide support to strategic country implementations
  • Assess the uptake of standards-based configuration & recommend improvements to global goods & guidance
  • Provide project management support to key workstreams; establish workplans and coordinate internal and external stakeholders for package development,  field pilots and other project activities
  • Represent UiO in global and regional fora related to the dissemination of metadata package and implementation learning from public health use cases

Our portfolio spans a broad range of health interventions. Major areas of work within the health portfolio include:

  • Disease surveillance: VPDs, IDSR, TB, HIV, Malaria, Acute Febrile Illness
  • OneHealth (human and zoonotic diseases)
  • NCDs: hypertension, diabetes, cancer registries
  • Immunization
  • Mortality surveillance & CRVS strengthening
  • Data triangulation and dashboard packages (including triangulation of logistics and health service delivery data)
  • Routine health information system strengthening

Travel is expected, once COVID-19 travel restrictions have been lifted.

What you might learn

  • Agile development processes through collaboration with software product development
  • Exposure to new health interventions and programs; and other domains (logistics, education)
  • DHIS2 configuration & functionality to meet complex implementation requirements

Qualifications

Qualifications

  • At least three years experience in providing support to public health programs on information systems, monitoring and evaluation
  • Knowledge of DHIS2 design and configuration principles
  • Field-based implementation experience and M&E experience strongly preferred
  • Master’s degree in a related field such as public health  or informatics (e.g. MPH, MSc), or equivalent experience. 
  • Experience managing complex projects or portfolios in low resource settings
  • Excellent writing, communication, and organizational skills.
  • Fluency in English is essential; working proficiency in other languages (such as French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic) a plus
  • Comfortable working remotely with a geographically distributed team
  • Experience with international donor community is a plus
  • Ability and willingness to travel internationally as needed.

 

Personal qualities

 

  • Enthusiasm for international development efforts and ability to work well both independently and within a team, at national and international level
  • Motivated self-starter who can work proactively and independently to push tasks forward
  • Ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders and strive for consensus
  • Flexible and positive to ongoing change of responsibilities
  • Strong ability to handle parallel tasks and processes under pressure
  • Solution-oriented
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities
  • Enjoys working in a collaborative environment and communicating across many types of partners and stakeholders with diverse backgrounds and experience

Additional Information

Location and Employment Details

Remote (Oslo Time Zone +/- 2 hours). This is a full-time position on a 1-year renewable contract.