Purpose: Marie Stopes Zambia (MSZ) seeks a Youth Engagement Officer to lead on scaling up youth interventions around Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), develop and refine communication strategies for targeting youth and provide training to and capacity building of service providers to facilitate youth-friendly service delivery. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring MSZ remains a results focused organization, achieving the greatest health impact possible. The Youth Engagement Officer will use both internal and external evidence to assist the Management Team with strategic development and will work in conjunction with the Programmes team to ensure projects deliver expected results.
Location: Ndola, Zambia
Marie Stopes Zambia (MSZ) is a results-focused social enterprise, which uses modern marketing techniques to provide family planning and reproductive healthcare. MSZ is part of the global network that is Marie Stopes International (MSI). MSZ subscribes to the MSI goal and mission, which is to prevent unwanted births and to ensure the individual’s right to Children by Choice not Chance.
It is a role requirement that the job holder must fully comply with, promote and live MSI CORE VALUES:
mission driven, customer focused, results orientated, pioneering, sustainable, people centered
It is a role requirement that the job holder must fully comply with, promote and live MSI CORE VALUES:
mission driven, customer focused, results orientated, pioneering, sustainable, people centered
Key Responsibilities
- Work with programmes team to develop and refine a youth engagement strategy to scale up SRH service delivery to adolescents in Zambia
- Work across all MSZ teams to increase organizational capacity to deliver youth oriented services and health promotion campaigns
- Work with and provide technical support on Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health to the district health offices
- Lead on the reporting and managing of MSZs youth oriented programs
- Help district Health Offices to develop youth friendly services in health facilities
- Assist MSZ to develop tools and health promotion messages to increase uptake of contraception among young people aged 15-19 years
Build Internal Capacity - Develop, review and refine strategic documents and tools related to implementation of a youth engagement programme
- Train and support MSZ and district health staff and community mobilizers on how to engage youth and provide a conducive environment for service delivery
- Provide field support and mentorship to all MSZ channels and district Health Offices in implementing the youth engagement programme
- Support field teams and district health offices in development of youth specific activities and interventions
- Work closely with the Marketing and Communications team to develop and refine SRH behavior change messages and campaigns targeting youth, as well as enhance MSZ brand recognition for adolescent services
Management of the Youth Engagement Program
Prepare annual work plans and budgets for the youth engagement programme and monitor progress against key objectives and targets - Document success stories, best practices and case studies to broaden the evidence base around youth engagement strategies
- Conduct periodic assessments on youth engagement programme requirements and develop feedback mechanisms for client input into the programme
External Partnerships
- Establish collaborative relationships with other youth-focused organizations implementing SRHR programmes
- Represent MSZ in the National Adolescent Technical Working Group and other similar forums
- Help coordinate the district ASRH technical working group
- Planned activities implemented on time and on budget
- Clear strategies for youth engagement developed and implemented for all MSZ channels
- Number of success stories, case studies and best practices published and disseminated to appropriate audiences
Skills and Experience
Qualifications:
- A first level degree in social sciences, in a field related to development (significant and appropriate experience will be considered if no post-graduate qualification)
- Experience:
- Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing youth engagement strategies in SRHR
- Demonstrated experience of project cycle management including budgeting and work planning
- Knowledge of policy environment, national strategies and targets for adolescent SRHR
Skills: - Excellent written communication skills
- Must be familiar with working in rural areas with focus on participatory processes
- Must be willing to undertake regular visits to the field and interact with different stakeholders
- Must have excellent communication/interactive skills and must function well independently, as well as part of a team
- Experience of behavior change communication methods and youth counseling
- Fluency in both written and spoken English; and knowledge of one or more local languages
Attitude / Motivation:
- Demonstrates MSZ team member behaviours.
- Pro MSI philosophy of social enterprise and cost recovery
- Pro-choice
To apply for this job email your details to jobs@mariestopes.org.zm
