Amref Health Africa seeks to employ a Community Health Services Assistant

REPORTING TO FP/RMNCAH & Nutrition Lead
DEPARTMENT/PROJECT USAID Imarisha Jamii
PHYSICAL LOCATION Turkana County

Amref Health Africa was founded in 1957 and has since grown to become the largest African-based international health development organization; currently implementing more than 140 programs, directly reaching more than 12 million people across 35 African countries. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, Amref Health Africa has offices in eight countries in Africa, namely, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, South Sudan, Zambia and Senegal. Amref’s work in each country responds to local needs and priorities, strengthens existing capacities in communities to have
ownership of their health and strengthens the local health systems. An additional eleven advocacy and fundraising offices are located in Europe and North America. Amref has a staff complement of over 1,500.

Amref Health Africa is driven by its vision of ‘Lasting health change in Africa’ and its mission ‘To increase sustainable health access to communities in Africa through solutions in human resources for health, health service delivery, and investments in health’.

SCOPE OF WORK
The Community Health Services Assistant will support activities at community level that facilitate acceptance for FP/RMNCAH & NUTRITION services among the community members, including adolescent and youth. The Community Health Services Assistant will be based at the Sub-County level and will support demand creation activities around targeted health facilities and community units.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Community Engagement for FP/RMNCAH and Nutrition Services
• Organize targeted community mobilization and awareness sessions to ensure uptake of FP/RMNCAH and nutrition services and ensure targets are met in the targeted facilities.
• Ensure optimal integration of HIV/AIDS, FP/RMNCAH and nutrition service delivery in Health Facilities and community health units.
• Work with various stakeholders in fostering social accountability to enhance delivery of quality FP/RMNCAH and nutrition services.
• Work closely with the Nutrition Officer in the implementation of BFCI and other nutrition interventions at the community level.
• Lead the identification of specific community groups (MtMSGs and FtFSGs included) whose capacity will be strengthened to enhance adoption of feasible enterprises/IGAs.
• Engage community members, adolescents and youths and ensure their FP service delivery gaps/challenges are identified and addressed to increase uptake.
• Support CHVs to organize community dialogue and action days sessions with local leaders, cultural leaders, youth to address barriers to FP uptake.
• Organize media and radio programmes to discuss issue of FP and promote FP uptake.
• Work with identified youth champions to promote FP uptake among the youth using peer led approaches.
• Collaborate with SBC officers in identification and segmentation of community groups for targeted behavior change interventions.

Partnership and Networking
• Engage the Sub-County Health Management Teams (SCHMT) and local leadership in the process of mapping CHUs for mentorship.
• Liaise with relevant partners, stakeholders and collaborators to facilitate activities at community level.
• Maintain a good working relationship between Amref, Ministry of Health and other partners/stakeholders.
• Build the capacity of the CCHSFP to plan, budget, organize and facilitate relevant community level technical modules trainings for the community level health workers.
• Work with the CCHSFP to provide technical support in the operationalization of the CHS Act 2019 for Turkana County (Guidelines and SOPs development).
• Work with the County to build the capacity of CHA/Os to analyze referral data for decision making by CHVs and HCWs.
• Work with the County to build the capacity of the CHAs/Os to mentor and supervise CHVs on case identification, track defaulters and refer them back for different FP/RMNCAH services.
• Build the capacity of SCHMT to plan and implement mentorship of CHVs on iCCM & DMPA-IM/SC in order to improve commodity availability and management.
• Build the capacity of CHA/Os to strengthen Community Quality Improvement Teams (cQITs) and Community Work Improvement Teams (cWIT).

Monitoring and Evaluation
• Engage the Sub-County Health Management Teams (SCHMT) and local leadership on monitoring and evaluation processes regarding community level activities.
• Support/document successes, lesson learnt and challenges in implementation.
• Prepare project activity reports as required, including monthly, quarterly and annual reports.
• Conducting regular field visits to project beneficiaries in collaboration with key stakeholders to monitor progress.
• Work with the SCHMTs to build the capacity of CHA/Os to analyze referral data for decision making by CHVs and HCWs.
• Work as a team member for implementation of project activities, including work planning, budgeting and accounting of finances, M&E and periodic reporting.
• Work with the community health strategy focal person to support the community level health workers to collect, consolidate and validate reports for community health services through the link health facilities
• Document achievements, lessons learnt, and best practices throughout the project implementation.
• Monitor program outputs and results and work closely with the Monitoring and Evaluation team to ensure that results are documented and reported accurately and in a timely manner.

Submission of Timely and Accurate Report
• Collect, compile, summarize and submit monthly, quarterly and annually activity reports on timely basis.

Program Development
• Participate in concepts development and writing of new concepts and proposals for fundraising.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Community Health, Sociology or any other relevant field.
• At least three (3) years’ experience in implementation of public health, community development programmes or behavior change programmes at community level.
• Experience in demand creation activities for FP/RMNCAH & Nutrition programmes is desirable.
• Knowledge of Project management including implementation, monitoring and evaluation, of Community Health Services and reporting. Programme development including proposal writing.

SKILLS
• Target oriented
• Strong organization, planning and problem-solving skills
• ICT proficient
• Good communications skills, oral and written; presentations skills
• Negotiation skills; Good interpersonal skills

COMPETENCES
• Proactive
• High level of integrity and honesty
• Detailed oriented
• Team player; Flexible
• Ability to work under minimal supervision; Ability to work long hours

How to apply
Interested? Please visit our website https://amref.org/vacancies/ to make your application. You will be directed to our online portal where you will need to create an account in order for you to be able to submit your application. Your application should include a cover letter detailing why you are the best fit for this position and your CV with relevant skills and experience. Closing date will be December 31, 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Duly note that Amref Health Africa does not require applicants to pay any money at whatever stage of the recruitment and selection process and has not retained any agent in connection with recruitment.

Amref Health Africa is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. Amref Health Africa is an equal opportunity employer and has a non-smoking environment policy.