DISTRICT PROGRAM OFFICER Job at Marie Stopes Zambia

Marie Stopes Zambia (MSZ) is a marketing-focused, results-oriented social enterprise, which uses modern management and marketing techniques to provide reproductive and sexual 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

JOB PURPOSE

To support communities in targeted provinces in Zambia increase adoption of high impact HIV  and family planning (FP) services and protective behaviours among at-risk populations. Create demand for and strengthen linkages to high impact HIV and FP services and promote community actions to reduce young women’s vulnerability to HIV.

MSZ seeks three (3) qualified District Program Officers with clinical experience and training in HIV (PMTCT, ART and HCT) to help implement a youth specific USAID funded project. The talented individuals must have proven skills and experience and will be required to work collaboratively with the Management Team to achieve the project objectives. The Program Officers will be based in three districts – Solwezi, Mufulira and Kapiri Mposhi.

Key Responsibilities

Community Based Service Delivery:

• Support community outreach activities from assigned facilities
• Develop and maintain outreach schedules in collaboration with facility in-charges that include commodity forecasting to ensure HIV and FP services are delivered
• Work with community leadership to develop male support for SRH/HIV services including ART adherence support
• Provide monthly reports pertaining to community outreach and activities of community mobilizers
• Coordinate data collection and ensure timely submission of monthly statistical reports from outreach teams
• Ensure client tracking and follow up are done after contact with community mobilizers
• Coordinate and provider door to door HIV and FP services

Youth Friendly Services

• Coordinate the activities of peer educators linked to facilities with adolescent friendly services and other safe spaces for girls in the community
• Implement community planning, advocacy events and activities targeting adolescent girls and young women
• Create linkages with community life skills programs including good parenting
• Implement safe spaces for girls that address risk of Sexual Gender Based Violence, unplanned pregnancy and HIV infection

Clinical Service delivery

• Provide and/or facilitate access to contraceptive services including emergency contraception, HTC, ART and PMTCT
• Implement and maintain high standards of Infection Prevention
• Provide training and mentorship to community based providers
• Ensure high clinical quality standards are maintained in service delivery through outreach or static service provision
• Support medical emergency management

District Support

• Work closely with MCH department at DHO and keep districts up to date on progress of work in facilities
• Provide mentorship and on the job support to facility staff in SRH service delivery
• Create networks with community leadership including police, schools, churches and other groups to ensure buy-in of service delivery
• Provide support to designated facilities to create or improve existing strategies to integrate FP/HIV.

Skills and Experience
Qualifications:

• Zambian Registered Nurse or Midwife (essential); any other Social Science, Public Health training (desirable).
• Knowledge of Clinical Health, Community Outreach, Family Planning (LARC), VMMC, HTC, ART, PMTCT and PAC
• Fluent in English- both oral and written (essential); fluent in Bemba and or Nyanja (preferred)

Experience:

• At least 5 years clinical experience in providing FP, HTC, ART, PMTCT and VMMC
  Proven track record of people management and leadership skills of not less than 2 years in a senior management position;
• Experience in working with neighbourhood health committees, safe motherhood action groups and other community based agents

Skills:

• Able to develop and articulate clear strategic thinking
• Negotiation, influencing and conflict management skills
• IT literate with strong computer skills
• Effective leadership and management skills
• Strong written, reading and spoken English language skills
• Advocacy skills: able to influence stakeholders through effective communication in a  demanding external environment
• Results orientated

Personality/Aptitudes

• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate at all levels
• Committed to Reproductive Health
• Empathy and understanding of human behaviour and motivation
• Flexibility, openness and broad-mindedness
• High standards of performance and commitment to excellence
• Innovative
• Outgoing/personable
• Strategic thinker
• Able to work on own initiative to achieve results

Attitude / Motivation:

• Keen to pursue personal development
• Strong commitment to the goal and vision of Marie Stopes International
• Results driven
• Good networker and communicator
• Must be pro-choice and support reproductive health rights for adolescents

CLOSING DATE

Suitable candidates are required to send their application & curriculum vitae to jobs@mariestopes.org.zm

Closing date for applications is Friday 24th June, 2016.

Please note that due to the high number of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates will be sent an MSZ application form for further screening.