Program Officer at St. John Ambulance
PROGRAM OFFICER
Background
St. John Ambulance is a first aid and health charity
established under the St John Ambulance of Kenya Act Cap 259 with a mandate to
provide relief to the injured and sick without discrimination through first
aid, emergency response and health programs. The organization is recognized as
a national leader in the provision of First Aid training and emergency medical
services with a strong footprint across the country.
St John Kenya is implementing the Highway Emergency Response
Project, aimed at improving survival and recovery outcomes for victims of road
traffic crashes along underserved and high-risk transport corridors in Kenya.
The project focuses on strengthening prehospital emergency care, ensuring
timely and safe transfer of critically injured patients to health facilities,
and enhancing coordination among ambulance services, hospitals, police, and
local communities. As part of this initiative, St John Kenya seeks to recruit a
highly motivated Program Officer to support the effective
implementation of the project.
The role involves overseeing the establishment of emergency
first aid posts and trauma clinics to provide rapid response to road crashes
and enhance road safety. Additionally, some first aid posts will be upgraded
into trauma clinics to reinforce emergency care and reduce highway fatalities,
while ambulances will be strategically deployed at hubs to ensure prompt
evacuation and referral of critically injured patients.
Through this project, St John Kenya reaffirms its commitment
to saving lives and fostering a safer transport environment for all road users.
Job Summary
The Program Officer will play a pivotal role in supporting
the implementation of the Highway Emergency Response Project while providing
both clinical and operational oversight for pre-hospital emergency care. He/She
will supervise nurses, paramedics, and first responders attached to the
project, ensure adherence to clinical protocols, and coordinate the safe
transfer of victims to designated health facilities. The role also involves
monitoring performance, managing project staffing and volunteers, overseeing
efficient utilization of resources, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality,
timely, and effective emergency response services.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Clinical Oversight & Supervision
Provide technical leadership and supervision to community
nurses, paramedics, and ambulance crews. Ensure strict adherence to standard
treatment protocols, triage procedures, and first aid guidelines. Oversee the
stabilization and safe transfer of crash victims to designated hospitals while
maintaining the highest standards of clinical care.
2. Program Implementation & Coordination
Coordinate day-to-day operations of ambulances and first
responder teams. Support the development and implementation of emergency
response protocols and referral pathways. Ensure effective coordination and
linkages between ambulance services, hospitals, police, and other relevant
stakeholders. Lead community sensitization efforts, simulation drills, and road
safety awareness campaigns to strengthen community preparedness and response.
3. Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
Track and analyze key performance indicators, including
response times, stabilization outcomes, and referral efficiency. Document case
data and lessons learned while preparing timely and comprehensive reports.
Support impact assessments and drive continuous quality improvement in
emergency service delivery.
4. Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships
Build and maintain strong relationships with county
governments, traffic police, and health facilities to facilitate seamless
coordination. Represent the project in clinical and technical forums related to
emergency medical services (EMS) and road safety. Foster partnerships with
hospitals to strengthen referral systems and ensure continuity of care for
crash victims.
5. Staffing & Human Resource Management
Work closely with the HR department to manage all staffing
needs for the project, including recruitment, onboarding, deployment, and
performance management of nurses, paramedics, and first responders. Ensure
staff capacity-building through training, mentorship, and continuous
professional development to enhance the quality of emergency response services.
6. Volunteer Management
Work closely with St John Kenya’s volunteer network to
engage, deploy, and support volunteers participating in the project. Ensure
that volunteers receive proper orientation, training, and mentorship to
effectively contribute to first aid delivery, community sensitization, and
emergency response activities.
7. Administrative, Financial & Operational Support
Oversee scheduling, rostering, and deployment of ambulance
staff to ensure optimal coverage. Manage the supply chain for first aid kits,
ambulance equipment, and consumables. Collaborate with the Project Manager and
Finance team to monitor the project budget, track expenditures, and ensure
cost-effective utilization of resources. Ensure compliance with financial,
clinical, and operational standards as well as donor reporting requirements.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s
degree in Nursing, Clinical Medicine, Emergency Medical Care, Public
Health, or a related field.
- At
least 3–5 years’ experience in pre-hospital emergency care, trauma
response, or EMS.
- Proven
supervisory and coordination experience with clinical staff.
- Strong
knowledge of first aid, triage, stabilization and referral protocols.
- Demonstrated
experience in budget monitoring, resource management and financial
accountability within project settings.
- Excellent
interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
- Proficiency
in report writing, data analysis and health information systems.
- Demonstrated
ability in clinical decision making and problem solving under pressure.
- Strong
leadership, team management and staff supervision skills.
- Ability
to balance programmatic, clinical and operational responsibilities
- High
level of cultural sensitivity, teamwork and community engagement.
- Commitment
to patient safety and continuous improvement in the quality of care.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications should be sent to recruit@stjohnkenya.org by
September 5, 2025 with only ‘POSITION APPLIED FOR’ as the subject
line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
St John Kenya is an equal opportunity employer and women,
youth, minority, marginalized groups and persons living with disabilities are
encouraged to apply. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.