The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. The IRC has been working in Kenya since 1992, providing crucial services across the two refugee camps, Dadaab and Kakuma, and a number of counties (Garissa, Turkana, West Pokot, Samburu, Kajiado, Lamu and Nairobi) implementing programs in the sectors of health, nutrition, governance & rights, women’s protection & empowerment, Economic Recovery and Development, as well as providing emergency response through a network of field offices and a range of institutional and community-based partnerships.

Job Purpose/Objective

The Laboratory in-charge will plan, lead, and supervise all laboratory operations in the IRC’s Dadaab program as defined by the IRC’s policies, protocols, procedures and standards. They will supervise laboratory technologists to ensure high quality diagnostic laboratory services are offered to the IRC’s clients.

Key Responsibilities:

Laboratory Management

Ensure the laboratory unit has all the requisite resources for effective and efficient work.Follow laid down KMLTTB regulations rules for the medical lab profession while adhering to MOH, WHO, CDC and SPHERE standards of patient care.Review and approve technical documents, reports, methods, specifications, SOPs and change controls as may be necessitated by changes in policies, procedures, or general practice.Serve as laboratory departmental liaison during government inspections and audits.Give technical support to all MOH laboratories supported by IRC.

Budget Management

Participate in budget and proposal design for available funding opportunities with respect to laboratory activities.Supervise and manage the use of resources to ensure allocated budgets are met.Improve operational and administrative processes to ensure cost-effectiveness and show good judgment in the utilization of funds, laboratory supplies and human resources.

Supplies Management

Advise the supply chain department and participate in defining medical supplier qualification requirements, quality assurance and cold chain/ storage advisories.Schedule and lead regular stock takes of lab supplies and submit reports on short expiries.Maintain adequacy and proper storage of lab supplies and blood products.Ensure the lab fridges’ temperatures and ambient temperature and humidity are charted daily, reporting any aberrations.

Equipment Management

Maintain optimum performance of medical laboratory equipment in all facilities.Promptly report any malfunctions and liaise with the supply chain department for timely repair or replacement.Update asset declaration with the supply chain department quarterly.

People Management

Provide effective leadership and guidance to technologists, assistants, and support staff.Recruit laboratory staff, ensuring they have the required education, training, and competence to provide medical laboratory services that meet the needs and requirements of the clients and clinical team.Assign lab staff duties and supervise their work performance.Identify capacity-building and growth areas among lab staff and cultivate their learning and development.Prepare quarterly leave plans for the laboratory team, ensuring adequate coverage in all three facilities throughout the year.Address staff complaints and concerns, solve problems and handle any difference of opinion within the department, employing a helpful and productive approach.Lead by example, being a positive role model to staff under their supervision by exemplifying the IRC Way of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality.

Technical Activities

Facilitate departmental strategic planning and coordination of departmental operations across the sites (main lab, health posts and other IP labs) and contribute to system-based management of laboratories.Lead specific initiatives across all sites to ensure standardization and effectiveness of key processes.Implement innovative programs, tests, methods, instrumentation, and procedures by investigating alternatives; preparing proposals; developing and performing parallel testing and monitoring progress.Define, develop, and deploy key quality systems for the operations of the laboratory.Design and implement contingency plans to ensure that essential services are available during emergency situations or other conditions when laboratory services are limited or unavailable.

Quality Management

Implement a safe laboratory environment in compliance with good laboratory practice and applicable requirements.Maintain high quality results by participating in the laboratory quality assurance program.Ensure results are relayed to end users in a timely manner.Serve as a contributing member of the medical team by providing clinical advice with respect to the choice of test, use of lab services and interpretation of test results.Ensure that any issue pertaining to quality is raised to the Health Manager.Prepare, analyze, and act on quality indicator reports (IQC and EQA).Coordinate EQA for all the laboratories, HIV program and TB program and ensure regular feedback from the reference laboratory is available.Identify areas for quality improvement and establish, monitor and evaluate continuous laboratory quality improvement plans.Ensure all sentinel incidents/events are recorded and reported to the Health Manager within 24 hours.Maintain sound laboratory infrastructure by prompt reporting of any infrastructural needs, concerns, or defects to the field construction team to facilitate timely assessment and initiation of repairs/ renovations.Guide the supply chain department through the selection of referral laboratories and supervise the quality of their service.

Infection Prevention & Control (IPC)

Maintain and implement IPC standards in the lab environment, and when carrying out tests.Ensure appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is available and consistently worn by all laboratory staff.Make sure of the proper disposal of medical waste.

Reporting and Coordination:

Lead specific initiatives across all testing sites to ensure standardization and effectiveness for key reporting tools in data collection and reporting.Develop and implement a laboratory reporting tree for notifiable diseases such as polio, measles, dengue fever and cholera, ensuring outbreaks are well documented and promptly communicated.Develop user-friendly reporting tools for all types of results including weekly, monthly and special reports and proactively seek the necessary feedback.Attend daily hospital handover meetings and communicate any updates pertaining to laboratory operations.Coordinate and maintain good working relationships with key partners such as MOH, NRL, KEMRI, CDC, NPHL, APHL and other Implementing Partners.

Client Satisfaction

Relate well to the patient population served and other cadres of health staff alike.Ensure client satisfaction through high quality of service, effective communication, prompt feedback and escalation of any unresolved issues to the Health Manager.Always maintain patient privacy and confidentiality.

Key Result Areas

Achievement of overall departmental strategic and operational goals.Proper coordination and implementation of lab systems including quality, SLAS and capacity building.Implementation of cost-effective measures and systems in laboratory supplies procurement and management.Accurate forecasting and budgeting to avoid service interruption due to stock outs.