Rehab4U OT Technical Specialist in Momentum Wheels for Humanity / formerly UCP Wheels for Humanity

Position Summary:

Momentum Wheels for Humanity is implementing the five-year USAID Rehabilitation for Ukraine (Rehab4U) Activity in Ukraine. The project aims to create sustainable, quality physical rehabilitation services within the health system across all levels of care, including the primary health care (PHC) level, by addressing both urgent, short-term gaps and long-term systems requirements. Sustainable, quality, physical rehabilitation services will enable all Ukrainians to optimize their functioning, fully integrate within society, and participate in the economic recovery and growth of the country.

Under the Activity, the OT Technical Specialist will provide technical expertise in the field of Occupational Therapy and serve as the principal liaison with the Ukrainian Society of Ergo Therapists (USET). She/he  will provide technical oversight of OT-related professionalization, workforce development, and training activities and serve as a technical trainer for relevant MWH OT trainings. The OT Technical Specialist will support the Objective 2 Lead in the planning, design, and implementation of program activities, contribute to donor reporting, and liaise with the Technical Director to ensure cohesive and technically sound program design and implementation.

Project Descriptions:

OT Technical Specialist shall be responsible for the effective implementation, coordination, and management of developing PHC/community-based rehabilitation model, strengthening workforce capacity of rehabilitation experts, reinforcing the capabilities of the selected Center of Excellence, building up Assistive Technology service provision, strengthening educational activities for PTs, OTs and P&O experts under the USAID Rehab4U initiative in Ukraine.

This includes overseeing needs assessment to identify priority PHC/community rehabilitation and AT needs across the selected 15 target hromadas and development/adaptation of training materials to support the implementation of the agreed-on pilot PHC/community-based rehabilitation model of care. This includes overseeing the enhancement of Physical Therapy (PT), Prosthetics & Orthotics (P&O), and Occupational Therapy (OT) programs in collaboration with local universities, ministries, and professional associations.

Reporting to the DCOP, and COP, the OT Technical Specialist will have the following responsibilities. The employee must be willing and able to work in Ukraine.

About Momentum Wheels for Humanity:

Since 1996, Momentum Wheels for Humanity has increased access to mobility and improved quality of life for children, teens, and adults with physical disabilities in more than 50 low- and middle-income countries. We build and strengthen rehabilitation services within health systems through training and capacity building, policy and standards development, and supply and distribution of wheelchairs and other life-changing equipment. For more information, visit https://momentum4humanity.org/.

Detailed Responsibilities:

Employee shall assume the following specific responsibilities for the length of the employment:

Task 1: Educational Needs Analysis and Occupational Therapy Advocacy

• Conduct an in-depth analysis of the educational needs of the occupational therapy (OT) workforce in Ukraine.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to identify gaps and prioritize actions to address workforce development challenges.
• Support the conduction of an annual Occupational Therapy Conference in collaboration with USET.
• Promote knowledge-sharing, networking, and professional development opportunities for OT practitioners, educators, and students.
• Provide OT-related inputs to support the development of multi-disciplinary service guidelines for treating and managing priority conditions at the secondary care level

Task 2: Capacity Building and Programs Development aligned with international professional competencies and national education standards

• Support the establishment and enhancement of high-quality OT master's programs at three selected universities through grants and tailored capacity-building initiatives.
• Conduct situational analyses of resources at selected universities to align their OT master's programs with national and international standards.
• Design and develop a comprehensive ToT course for university faculty, incorporating international best practices and adjusting them for Ukrainian context.
• Oversee the delivery of the hybrid ToT course, including both online and in-person components.
• Coordinate the training of at least 15 OT faculty members to enhance their expertise
• Support three universities in launching or updating OT master's-level programs and ensure their effective implementation.
• Lead the development of a standardized specialization program for OT practitioners to ensure consistent training and professional development.
• Collaborate with USET and MOH to secure approval and alignment of the specialization program with Ukrainian healthcare regulations.
• Support three universities in implementing specialization programs for OT practitioners based on the standardized curriculum and ToT course content.
• Monitor and evaluate the launch of these programs to ensure alignment with project objectives.
• Collaborate with USET to develop and publish a comprehensive Scope of Practice document for the OT profession in Ukraine.
• Ensure the Scope of Practice serves as a foundational document for establishing an Occupational Therapy Professional Standard.

Task 3: Reporting and documenting project activities

• Represent MWH as needed in relevant coordination meetings and other strategic bilateral or multilateral meetings with government and other international and local stakeholders
• Participate in MWH Ukraine and HQ team meetings
• Contribute inputs to ad hoc donor and internal reporting promptly
• Provide support as needed to consolidate and format inputs for donor narrative reports and draft success stories for reports
• Produce a succinct monthly report that encompasses and highlights significant accomplishments of duties, important longstanding issues encountered, and proposed recommendations to ensure that all issues are flagged and addressed
• Report regularly to Objective 2 Manager, Lead, DCOP, COP on progress, challenges, and recommendations for all assigned tasks
• Collaborate with international and national consultants, stakeholders, and university representatives to ensure smooth implementation of activities.
• Perform other related tasks as needed.

How to Apply 

Please submit a cover letter and resume in English to [email protected], rolling until filled. Please include “Application for The OT Technical Specialist: YOUR NAME” in the subject line. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Due to volume of replies, please do not contact the office directly.

Momentum Wheels for Humanity is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Momentum Wheels for Humanity encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status. Persons with a disability who are equally qualified for the position will receive first review priority.