Chief Operating Officer Kenya Aga Khan University

Location	Kenya
Programme	Social Development - Health
Agency	Aga Khan University
Deadline	14 Oct 2011

Aga Khan University: (AKU) provides post-graduate training of health service professionals, teachers and managers of schools, and the development of research scholars. It was granted its charter in 1983 as Pakistan's first private, autonomous university. More information ....

The Position
Chartered in 1983, Aga Khan University is committed to excellence in education, research and service. The University strives for quality, international standards and relevance in all of its programmes and selects its faculty, staff and students on the basis of merit, irrespective of gender, race, religion or domicile. AKU is a major component of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which consists of institutions that collaborate for development in response to social, economic and cultural challenges in specific regions of the developing world.

The University's Faculty of Health Sciences was planned with the support of Harvard University, McGill University and McMaster University. It presently includes a Medical College and a School of Nursing, which are located together with their principal teaching site, Aga Khan University Hospital, in Karachi, Pakistan. In addition, in Karachi, the University has an Institute for Educational Development and a substantial Faculty of Arts and Sciences which is being developed on a new 1,100-acre campus.

As an international institution, the University has established academic programmes beyond Pakistan, through an Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations in UK and programmes in Advanced Nursing Studies and Postgraduate Medical Education in countries in East Africa. AKU is currently planning a major expansion of its existing work in East Africa, in the fields of medical, nursing and teacher education.

In July 2005, AKU integrated into its academic and service activities, a teaching hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Established in 1958 and currently a 254-bed facility, the Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi had been operating under the aegis of Aga Khan Health Service, Kenya. Renamed Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH,N), the new institution is AKU's principal Health Science teaching facility in East Africa. AKUH,N is focusing on high quality of care, research and postgraduate medical education in all major clinical specialties including medicine, surgery, radiology, pathology, anaesthesia, obstetrics-gynaecology and paediatrics.

AKUH,N is also continuing to play a vital role as a major teaching site for the Advanced Nursing Studies programme of AKU, which has provided continuing professional education for practicing nurses in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda since 2001. With this new development, AKU aims to strengthen existing partnerships with the ministries of health and other universities in the region offering health sciences education, with a view to share experiences, strengthen public sector delivery systems and collaborate on teaching and research.

AKUH,N's new Heart and Cancer Centre (HCC) has recently become operational. The Centre provides high quality care to patients afflicted with heart and cancer diseases in a high-tech and comfortable environment. In addition, it offers comprehensive Obstetrical Services on a dedicated floor. Facilities within the HCC include new operating theatres, modern critical care units and state of the art radiology and diagnostic services. A comprehensive continuum of cardiac services from diagnostic to catheterisation to open-heart surgery and a comprehensive continuum of cancer services from surgery to radiation treatment is available. The new obstetric service includes contemporary amenities such as a water birthing unit. All programmes within the HCC will have regional reach and beyond and will be underpinned by Aga Khan University's health sciences' teaching and research mandate and will provide clinical excellence and high quality.

Applications are invited from appropriately qualified candidates for the position of Chief Operating Officer, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi.

Position Summary:

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is responsible for the smooth and efficient operation of Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH,N). In this capacity, the COO carries the responsibility for integrating the strategic plan of the organization with the operations. He/she provides management oversight for the development of high quality, cost effective and integrated clinical programs within the hospital. The COO is responsible for ensuring efficient services that are designed to meet the needs of patients, physicians, the public and staff. He/she focuses onsystems, program development, quality, fiscal management, compliance and clinical management measures, physician relationships, outreach strategies, work culture enhancement and internal communication and consensus-building.

Additional responsibilities:

To assist the CEO, AKUH,N in ensuring that the Hospital operates in accordance with the mission and policies set by the Board of Trustees.

To develop and foster effective collaboration between clinical departments, medical staff leadership, faculty and other affiliated services to ensure an integrated approach to providing services, and fulfilling the hospital's clinical, research and educational goals and objectives.

To lead the annual goal setting process and participate in the development of strategic plans of the clinical and support departments to realize the mission of the Hospital and deliver exemplary care.

To oversee the facilities and plant management function and be ultimately responsible for the maintenance of all plant and equipment.

To work through the management team and medical leadership of the hospital, serving as a resource to help reduce costs, enhance revenues, achieve effective utilization and quality goals and objectives, analyze and utilize information to develop and support management decisions.

To work towards maintaining the Hospital on a financially self sufficient basis that will cover operating costs and produce a surplus to be applied to ongoing capital needs of the hospital and other programs in East Africa.

To ensure that the "culture" of AKUH,N is team-based, fact-based and customer-based and work towards achievement of the Vision of AKUH,N.

To facilitate the improvement of core processes and systems of the Hospital to achieve set targets and satisfy both the external and internal customers by ensuring provision of service excellence and quality care, at cost-effective rates.

To oversee the strategic and operational aspects of the Outreach operations ofAKUH and expand outreach activities and referral networks to ensure effective partnerships are formed which will facilitate the development of a comprehensive and geographically dispersed integrated health care system.

To participate in a regional healthcare system and enhance collaboration with the Aga Khan Health Service hospitals in Dar-es-Salaam, Mombasa and Kisumu, in the areas of Laboratory, Facilities Management, Bio Medical Engineering and Procurement.

The Requirements
Applicants for the position should have:

A Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration or equivalent education in Business Administration.

Ten or more years experience in senior administrative leadership positions in healthcare institutions or health system management.

Evidence based working knowledge of budgeting, business development and strategic planning. An understanding of how to achieve results in an academic environment; information systems capabilities and an appreciation for the data which will be required to make meaningful management decisions, will be important.

Leadership and financial acumen, as well as excellent organizational and communication and writing skills.

Salary & International Package
Salary and package to attract the best candidate

Chief Operating Officer

Kenya

Aga Khan University