Job Description

Job Title:  

Hygiene Officer, (KGH / MCOE)

Work Location:

Koidu Government Hospital Koidu Town, Kono District, Sierra Leone

Department:

Operations

Requisition Number

 4494

Report to:

Environmental Services Manager 

Line Management

Yes/No

Organisation Profile

Partners In Health (PIH) is an international health organization relentlessly committed to improving the health of the poor and marginalized. PIH partners with local governments to build local capacity and works closely with impoverished communities to deliver high-quality health care, address the root causes of illness, train providers, advance research, and advocate for global policy change. Our delivered services in the field are based in our partnership with the Governments and Ministries of Health and the support to education, training and mentorship to Health care workers and students is one of our pillars for the Health care system strengthening.

PIH currently has implementation programs in Haiti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Peru, Mexico, Russia, Sierra Leone and Navajo Nation. Through our partnership with Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, we support a wide range of programs in dozens of other countries around the world. 

Our Work In Sierra Leone:

Partners In Health (PIH) began supporting the government of Sierra Leone in response to the Ebola epidemic in October 2014. Recognizing the large need for continued investments in the health system after Ebola, PIH is committed to long-term health system strengthening in support of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), guided by the same principles as our emergency response and our work around the world: public sector accompaniment, integrated and comprehensive services, social justice, nimbleness and flexibility, partnership, community ownership, and evidence-based interventions. In the aftermath of the epidemic, PIH is committed to supporting the delivery of comprehensive health services in Sierra Leone, from the community level to the health centre and to referral hospitals.

Position Overview

The Hygiene Officer at Partners In Health Sierra Leone will supervise the Cleaning Team of Janitors and Laundry Attendants at Koidu Government Hospital he will oversee Cleaning, waste segregation in the wards in Collaboration with the IPC Team, Collection/distribution of Laundry to ensure the timely cleaning and laundry at the Campus. The Hygiene Officer will collaborate closely with clinical and technical teams to support sustainable practices across the Campus and integrate infection, prevention, and control (IPC) measures into hospital operations.

The ideal candidate will have extensive hands-on implementation experience in healthcare facilities in the Global South with demonstrated experience in managing environmental services, clinical laundry operations, and IPC.

The role will collaborate closely with the PIH Sierra Leone clinical and operations teams and other program-supporting staff. We seek candidates who are proactive, organized, and detail-oriented, with a service-oriented mindset and strong cross-cultural communication skills.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

90% Team Management 

• Ensuring the day-to-day implementation and administration of assigned activities at the Hospital, including but not limited to, Cleaning and Laundry management
• Ensuring that the PIH/MOHS procedures and protocols are followed by the teams to guarantee the operational quality of the Hospital;
• Ensuring the distribution of the materials and tools used in Cleaning and Laundry hygiene (e.g. physical organization and inventory of stocks, receiving and processing orders for Cleaning and hygiene material, checking that the amounts received are recorded, and check monthly consumptions, etc.);
• Supporting the Environmental Service Manager in the team planning (e.g. staff rosters and admin, HR processes, etc.) and informing and involving the Environmental Service Manager in case of any major management or technical issue, and providing all required reporting
• Planning and supervising the HR processes (recruitment, training, performance evaluation, tasks definition and internal and external communication) of the staff under his/her responsibility in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required for the activity
• The Hygiene Officer in close collaboration with the IPC Team ensures that all SOP and universal precautions are in place and followed. He/she identifies the needs for training and discusses those with the Environmental Services Manager.
• Ensure that organizational aspects in the facility are respected, the correct ‘clean and dirty flows’ inside the healthcare facility and together with the Environmental Service Manager and Environmental Service Senior Officer, that the essential requirements are available in the health structures.
• Improve compliance with aseptic care technique and the correct use of antiseptics, detergent and disinfectants, through training and audits.
• As a core member of the Infection Prevention and Control Committee, make sure full attendance of meetings is regular, lively, and pro-active, facilitating the development and following up the Infection Prevention and Control Action Plan.

10%Reporting:

• Ensure timely data reports, consumables consumption reports, etc., for Cleaning and Laundry management are reported to the Environmental Services Manager as a contribution to Campus reports(daily, Weekly, Monthly)

Supporting the Environmental Services Manager in the team planning (e.g. staff rosters and admin, HR processes, etc.) and informing and involving the Environmental Services Manager in case of any major management or technical issue, and providing all required reporting.

Education and Work Experience Requirements:

Required: 

• Technical diploma, desirable specialization in Hygiene and sanitation, IPC, and other related degrees.

• 3+ years of experience as a Hygiene Officer, or a similar role, with hands-on implementation experience at healthcare facilities in collaboration with the MOHS in Sierra Leone.
• Demonstrated experience supervising an environmental services team and managing clinical laundry operations. 

• Strong knowledge of environmental hygiene and IPC protocols, with familiarity with Sierra Leone Ministry of Health standards.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability and motivation to build, train, and mentor a team of basic-skilled professionals. 

• Ability and motivation to work on-site at the KGH/MCoE campus in Koidu Town, Sierra Leone. 

Preferred: 

• Successful candidates will demonstrate a history of improving compliance with national Ministry of Health standards. 

• A bachelor’s Degree and/or professional certification in environmental hygiene or Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) will be an added advantage.

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Partners In Health Sierra Leone is dedicated to preventing unwanted behaviour in the workplace, including sexual harassment, exploitation, abuse, financial misconduct, and ensuring the welfare of those we serve. We expect all staff, consultants, contractors, vendors, and volunteers to uphold these values as outlined in our code of conduct.

The successful candidate will receive appropriate training and must adhere to the organisation’s safeguarding policies. Employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory references and screening checks, which may include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

As a participant in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, we request information from previous employers about any instances of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment. Additionally, Partners In Health Sierra Leone will share records of such misconduct with other agencies upon staff departure, ensuring transparency and accountability. By applying, candidates acknowledge and agree to these recruitment procedures

Social Justice

We are a global health and social justice organization that responds to the moral imperative to provide high-quality health care globally to those who need it most. We strive to ease suffering by placing patients at the center of all care, bringing the benefits of modern medicine to all.

“We refuse to accept that any life is worth less than another”.

Method of application

Interested candidates are required to apply through our website: www.pih.org/employment. In your application, please ensure to include names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of three (3) referees not later than 12:00pm GMT (Midnight) on Wednesday June 25th, 2025.