Head of Technology, Training and Innovation

Lifebox is a global non-profit that saves lives through safer surgery and anesthesia. Co-founded and chaired by Dr. Atul Gawande, Lifebox works to increase anesthesia safety, reduce surgical infection rates, and strengthen operating room teamwork through tools, training, and partnerships. Since its founding in 2011, Lifebox has worked in over 116 countries and trained more than 11,000 healthcare providers.

Purpose of Role

Lifebox has bold and ambitious goals around the development and dissemination of low-cost, accessible tools, technology and training for safer surgery and anesthesia. These include the development of new innovations and devices, work around access to medical devices and technology transfer, and taking action to mitigate the impact of our work on planetary health. The Head of Technology, Training and Innovation will provide senior leadership for the development and implementation of a strategy to achieve these goals. The role is expected to have two direct reports, three staff in total, and a $1.5 million annual budget as of December 2021.

Roles and Responsibilities

We are looking for an individual who can take on the challenge of leading these efforts, however we recognise that no candidate will have expertise in all of the areas outlined. Please let us know in your application if you have expertise in some areas, and the passion and drive to learn to do the other parts. The successful applicant will be able to draw on a wide range of volunteers, consultants and partners to provide additional advice and support.

Strategy development and implementation

• Develop and manage the delivery of a strategy for the ideation, testing and dissemination of context-appropriate, climate-smart technology, training and innovation for safer surgery and anesthesia. Ensure that this strategy is well integrated into Lifebox’s work, and endorsed by key stakeholders; and manage a small team to implement the strategy;
• Lead Lifebox thinking and planning around technology transfer to LMICs and the environmental impact of our work – this may involve research, advocacy, project implementation and partnerships;
• Hold oversight of medical device requisitioning and setting global standards for appropriate medical devices. Typically, for Lifebox this involves using human-centered design principles to identify and describe a need, followed by request for proposals, testing, contracting and quality
• Manage a team which holds oversight of training development including Lifebox’s online Learning Management System (lifeboxlearningnetwork.com), ensuring that training materials and methodologies are fit for purpose, adapted to the needs of trainees, regularly updated in line with feedback and best pedagogic practice and properly documented for M&E;
• Work closely with the clinical team, potentially directly overseeing Fellows, to ensure that all technology, training and innovation work is clinically relevant to Lifebox partners and objectives;
• Identify the need for and source additional technical expertise and input where

Innovations and partnerships

• Engage and network with key external stakeholders in the technology, training, innovation and climate-smart sectors – including NGOs, academic and commercial partners;
• Work in close collaboration with the clinical team to create opportunities for innovation (both technical and non-technical) within LMIC settings, and to identify and facilitate the development and testing of potential new innovations which contribute to Lifebox’s aims;
• Ensure that new tools and innovations are context-appropriate, follow human-centered design principles, and meet a critical need or gap for end-users;
• Work in close collaboration with institutions and stakeholders for knowledge and skill transfer when

Medical device supply chain oversight

• Ensure that Lifebox’s contracts with medical device suppliers are fit for purpose, with appropriate and cost-effective structures for shipping, distribution and other supply chain aspects in place;
• Manage a small team responsible for timely, efficient and cost-effective coordination with suppliers and distribution of devices;
• Provide advice and guidance on medical device distribution and

Person Specification

Essential

• Demonstrable experience leading scaling of new innovations in global health;
• Significant experience    of    managing   medical    device   projects   (procurement, distribution and/or marketing) at a senior level, preferably in resource-limited settings;
• In-depth understanding of global medical device supply chains;
• Proven ability to think creatively, develop new solutions, and challenge assumptions;
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, partners and contractors from different professional backgrounds, across disparate geographical settings;
• Good understanding of global health issues, current trends and priorities;
• Excellent written and spoken English;
• Good communication skills, both written and oral; able to communicate clearly and persuasively with different audiences at a senior level;
• Excellent IT skills across all Microsoft packages and/or the Google suite equivalents;
• Strong commitment to Lifebox’s mission and vision;
• Experience working or volunteering in a resource-limited

Tell us more

If you also have experience in any of these areas, please tell us about it!

• Experience or a good understanding of human-centered design concepts and approaches;
• Past experience or commitment to learning how to lead in the environmental impact of device development, distribution and other aspects of global surgery work; ability to propose and implement new, climate-smart ways of working;
• Experience of managing and/or delivering training programs globally;
• Experience in the design and development of medical devices;
• Fluency in additional languages, particularly French or Spanish

Reporting to: Chief Program Officer

Location: Sub-Saharan Africa preferred, other locations may be considered in exceptional circumstances

Key relationships: Program and clinical team; partners, consultants and academic bodies; manufacturers; Leadership Team

How to apply

Closing date: 27^th February 2022 @ 23:59 GMT

Please click on the ‘apply for job’ button to submit your application. For this role, kindly submit a MS Word version of your CV and a cover letter detailing your motivation and how you are suited to this role.

Please name your submitted files with the following reference: LIFE_HTTI

Please note that the interview dates for this role will be confirmed with you should your application be successful.

Red Sea is committed to meeting the standards set out in their Equality and Diversity recruitment policy; this includes not discriminating under the Equality Act 2010 and building an accurate picture of the make-up of the workforce in encouraging equality and diversity.