Job Description

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Introduction

SOS Children’s Villages International is the umbrella organization to which all SOS Children’s Villages including SOS Children’s Villages Somalia Association is affiliated. SOS Children’s Villages Somalia has officially been working in Somalia since 1985. SOS is currently working in 134 countries worldwide. We are committed to the welfare of children – often throughout the whole of their childhood, and to strengthening families and communities as a preventive measure in the fight against abandonment and social neglect. We also run education and health facilities. With the SOS Children’s Village concept, the organization pioneered a family approach to the long-term care of orphaned and abandoned children. SOS Children’s Villages upholds child protection policy and our selection processes reflect our commitment to the protection of children and youth from abuse. SOS Children’s Villages Somalia current works in three regions; Banadir Regions (Heliwa, Wadajir, Dharkenley and Dayninle districts) southwest-state (Baidoa, BurHakaba, Berdale,Qasaxdhere and Hudur) Hirshabelle State (Jowhar,Adale & Balcad)

SOS Children’s Villages invite applications from suitably qualified and interested candidates who fulfill the eligibility criterion for the below position.

Position title     :         Health Digitalization Officer.

Reporting to      :         Humanitarian coordinator

Location           :         Baidoa -SWs -Somalia

Job summary:

The Health Digitalization Officer plays a critical role in advancing humanitarian digital health transformation by supporting the design, deployment, operationalization, and optimization of digital health information systems across supported health facilities. The role focuses on strengthening routine health data systems, digitizing service delivery processes, improving data quality and use, and ensuring that digital tools effectively support evidence-based decision-making, accountability, and health outcomes.

The Officer will act as a bridge between health programs, Vendors, IT teams, national health authorities, and implementing partners, ensuring digital health systems are user-friendly, secure, interoperable, and aligned with national and organizational digital health strategies.

Job Responsibilities:

Main duties and Responsibilities:

1.   Digital Health Systems Implementation & Support

• Support the implementation and rollout, configuration, and routine operations of digital health platforms such as DHIS2, Electronic Medical Records (EMR/C+DDS), Pharmaceutical & Logistics Information Systems (LMIS, PIMS) and Mobile data collection tools (ODK, Kobo, CommCare).
• Translate programs needs system specifications, workflows, and feature enhancements.
• Ensure integration of multiple systems (e.g., linking DHIS2, logistics, surveillance, and patient care modules).
• Provide first line and second-line technical support to health facilities, programming teams and staff using digital systems.
• Manage and assist in system configuration, user accounts management, basic troubleshooting, roles, permissions, and access controls in line with data governance policies.
• Troubleshoot system issues, document incidents, and escalate complex problems to IT teams or vendors.
• Support offline/low-connectivity system use and synchronization in hard-to-reach areas.

2.   Health Data Management, data quality & use

• Ensure accurate, timely, and complete capture of health service data across digital platforms.
• Implement data quality assurance frameworks (validation rules, completeness metrics, accuracy audits).
• Establish standardized metadata, code sets, data dictionaries, and interoperability standards.
• Conduct routine Data Quality Assurance (DQA) activities including:
• Completeness, timeliness, consistency, and accuracy checks
• Cross-system data reconciliation (facility registers , C+DDS, PIM and DHIS2)
• Support data cleaning, validation rules, and indicator configuration.
• Develop and maintain dashboards, visualizations, and automated reports to support:
• Program monitoring
• Early warning and alerts (e.g., disease trends, stock-outs)
• Management and donor reporting
• Promote a culture of data use by supporting interpretation and use of data for decision-making at organization, facility and district levels.

3.   Training, Capacity Building & User Support

• Conduct structured and on-the-job training for health workers, data clerks, supervisors, and managers.
• Develop and update: User manuals, SOPs, Quick reference guides, Training curricula and job aids
• Provide continuous mentorship, refresher sessions, and supportive supervision.
• Support onboarding of new staff and transition from paper-based to digital workflows.

4.   System Improvement, Innovation & Integration

• Identify operational gaps, user challenges, and opportunities for system improvement.
• Support upgrades, new modules, and feature enhancements.
• Contribute to system interoperability initiatives (e.g., DHIS2 ↔ C+DDS ↔ LMIS).
• Document lessons learned and best practices from digital health implementations.
• Collaborate with CMU, IT teams, vendors, and partners to ensure system functionality and sustainability.

5.   Data Protection, Security & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to Data protection and privacy policies, National health information governance frameworks and Donor compliance requirements
• Promote best practices in Password management, Role-based access, Secure data storage and transmission
• Support routine system backups and disaster recovery procedures.
• Report and respond to data breaches or security incidents in line with SOPs.

6.   Coordination, Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement

• Coordinate digital health activities with SOS HIMS Officer/Coordinators, Ministry of Health, CMU, Consortium partners and NGOs, IT teams and external vendors
• Participate in technical working groups, assessments, and digital health planning forums.
• Prepare regular progress reports on System performance, User adoption, Data quality and Digitalization milestones
• Contribute to proposals, assessments, and donor reporting related to digital health.

Experiences and Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in health informatics, Information Technology, Computer Science, Public Health and Health Information Management
• Relevant certifications or training in digital health systems is a strong advantage.

Technical Competencies & Knowledge

• Health Information Systems: Strong experience with DHIS2, Open MRS/OpenEMR, Open LMIS, DHIS2 Tracker, mobile data collection (ODK/Enketo/KoboToolbox), PIMS or similar.
• System Integration & Interoperability: Experience with FHIR, HL7, RESTful APIs, JSON/XML, and bridging between data systems.
• Database Technologies: Proficient with SQL, relational databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL), and basic understanding of database design.
• Analytics & Visualization: Skilled in Power BI, Tableau, Superset, Qlik, or DHIS2 pivot tables and visualizers.
• Programming / Scripting: Experience with Python, R, JavaScript (preferable but not mandatory).
• Cloud & Server Management: Comfortable with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), Linux server operations, Docker and containerization fundamentals.
• GIS & Spatial Data: Knowledge of GIS platforms (QGIS, ArcGIS) and integration with health data.

Experience

• Minimum 1–3 years’ experience working with health information systems or digital health initiatives.
• Experience supporting health facilities or humanitarian programs preferred.
• Prior experience with DHIS2 or EMR systems is a strong asset..

Skills & Competencies

Technical Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent documentation and reporting skills
• Ability to translate technical concepts into user-friendly language

Soft Skills

• Strong communication and facilitation skills
• Patience and ability to support non-technical users
• Ability to work independently in field-based environments
• Strong coordination and teamwork skills

Personal Attributes

• High attention to detail
• Strong sense of data ethics and confidentiality
• Proactive, adaptable, and solutions-oriented
• Commitment to humanitarian principles and accountability

Child Safeguarding Policy:

SOS Children’s Villages Somalia holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring decisions will give due emphasis to assessing candidates’ value congruence and thorough background checks, police clearance reference check processes. SOS Children’s Villages organization is committed to safeguarding the rights of the children and therefore, is expected that every individual who joins with SOS Children’s Villages Somalia understands his/her responsibility in protecting and keeping children always safe

Skills Required

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