Provincial Service Centre Technician -Data.FI South Africa Consultant

Provincial Service Centre Technician -Data.FI South Africa Consultant

Palladium implements the U.S.-funded Data.FI award, a $180 million, 5-year global project serving as the U.S. Government's primary mechanism for data, technology, and health information systems to support HIV activities across strategic PEPFAR countries. Data.FI accelerates data utilization, and strengthens health information systems, contributing to epidemic control and sustainability.

Palladium seeks two Provincial Service Centre Technicians to assist the National Department of Health (NDoH) in strengthening its Digital Health Unit, which plays a critical role in digitizing health information systems, improving data-driven decision-making, and enhancing service delivery across South Africa. The Unit supports platforms foundational to the National Health Insurance (NHI), including the Health Patient Registration System (HPRS) and other Health Information Systems (HIS), contributing to epidemic control and health system resilience. The Provincial Service Centre Technicians will provide technical and operational support to the NDoH NHI Digital Health Directorate Service Desk for Health Information Systems. This role ensures effective functioning of HIS platforms, user support, data quality assurance, and capacity-building activities to strengthen digital health systems nationwide. The incumbents will be based at NDoH offices in Pretoria.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

User Account Management

*Create and maintain internal and external curator accounts for HIS platforms.
*Amend user roles at provincial, district, and facility levels.
*Review and verify stakeholder user status lists; escalate issues as needed.
*Maintain daily tracking of user access requests and resolutions.
*Conduct desktop data verification and analysis.
*Prepare HIS data for audits by the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA).

Capacity Building

*Co-facilitate national HIS training sessions and resolve participant queries.
*Maintain and update FAQs from training sessions for dissemination.
*Plan and deliver Master Trainer and End-User training sessions; compile reports.
*Develop and update training materials for in-person and web-based programs.

Data Quality and Technical Assistance

*Support HIS development teams with data cleaning and quality assurance.
*Address queries and errors identified during data validation processes.
*Provide datasets in required formats for interoperability and operational processes.

Technical Support

*Provide technical assistance to HIS users, including frontline workers and managers.
*Monitor and resolve helpdesk tickets (OSTicket) within SLA targets.
*Act as second-tier escalation point; escalate unresolved cases to HIS developers.
*Provide remote technical support and assist provincial/district HIS champions.
*Facilitate escalation of hardware-related faults for facilities under warranty.
*Test and validate new HIS technologies prior to deployment.

Service Desk Management

*Supervise 1st and 2nd Tier Technical Support teams.
*Coordinate strategies for HIS improvements and evolving needs.
*Conduct performance reviews and identify training needs for service desk agents.
*Generate daily and monthly reports on service desk performance.
*Ensure compliance with SOPs and NDoH regulations for system access and security.

Reporting & Professionalism

*Attend and contribute to daily, weekly, and monthly progress meetings.
*Compile and submit comprehensive monthly activity and performance reports.
*Demonstrate professionalism, integrity, and positive work ethic in all interactions.
*Participate in NDoH meetings, workshops, and strategic sessions.

Key Deliverables and Performance Expectations

*Timely resolution of support tickets within SLA targets.
*Accurate user account management and documentation.
*Effective delivery and documentation of training sessions.
*Contribution to data quality and audit readiness.
*Compliance with SOPs, data security, and professional standards.

Required Qualifications:

*Diploma or 3-year degree in Health Sciences, Information Technology, or related field.
*Additional qualifications in Health Systems, Development, or Management advantageous.
*Minimum 3 years in health or related technical field.
*Proven experience with IT systems or Department of Health Information Management Systems.
*Practical experience with EVDS, HPRS, MHFL, EMR, or other national HIS platforms preferred.
*Strong understanding of health information systems and digital health environments.
*Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and helpdesk tools (e.g., OSTicket).
*Analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
*Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
*Ability to plan and deliver training for adult learners.
*Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively.
*Attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines under pressure.

Location: Pretoria, South Africa
Reporting to: Chief Director: Health Systems Digital Health (Secondment)
Duration: Secondment Consultancy (5-month period)

Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

Interviews conducted on a rolling basis.