Job Vacancy at Christian Aid for Thematic Health Advisor/Senior Programme Officer – Community Health
Role definition
Role purpose
To lead the delivery of the Health thematic objective for the Sierra Leone Country Programme. The role is expected to lead technical project designs, working with regional health staff to ensure effective support to local partners. The role will coordinate the development of health strategic plan, with clear milestones for Christian Aid Sierra Leone’s (CASL’s) delivery targets in Sierra Leone. The role will support the design if effective monitoring systems for community health programmes and will demonstrate high level of capacity to deliver Health Programmes, including reports, on time.
Additionally, this role is expected to lead on Safeguarding at Country Level. To ensure the coordination of training, support and guidance on Safeguarding matters to colleagues and partners and to ensure organizational Safeguarding Policy is adhered to at Country Level.
The role is also expected to support the development, coordination, implementation, and monitoring of the organization’s gender action plan with a priority on ensuring Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in all our Programme work.
The role requires a self-motivated, dynamic and innovative person with extensive knowledge in Health, Safeguarding and GESI issues to support the team in providing technical input and ensuring effective management and development of programme quality.
Key outcomes
Timely and effectively execution of health programmes through a strong portfolio of partners to be able to respond and support Christian Aid’s advocacy, fundraising and communications agenda. Work on grant proposals based on strong planning and evaluation procedures using Christian Aid’s internal systems. Significant contributions to decisions on health programmes in the country in line with Christian Aid’s strategic focus areas. Strong linkages between CASL, partners and the government. Learning from implementation of health programmes is shared across CASL and wider health programmes locally and internationally.
Support the Country Office as focal person on Christian Aid’s safeguarding policy and procedure and facilitate regular opportunities to discuss concerns about practice within teams to help develop a safe working environment and an open and supportive management culture adherence at Country level. Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that awareness is regularly raised amongst communities we work with to ensure they understand safeguarding issues and the behaviours they should expect of representatives of Christian Aid and how they can give feedback and complaints confidentially.
Work with programme managers / staff to ensure that programmes where we directly implement are integrated into local plans and priorities and that interventions are coordinated with relevant stakeholders at national and local levels. Ensure that constructive links are maintained with relevant stakeholders and external agencies, including concerned government departments.
Monitor and analyse developments on Health at national level and work closely with the Programme Manager and other colleagues on the Programme team to ensure a sound health programme design and management and identify strategic actions to be undertaken to improve the quality of programme implementation. Distil and document lessons for policy dialogue, public advocacy and future programming and organise dissemination of learning within the country programme.
Exercise quality assurance oversight and institute early warning systems to detect weaknesses in project implementation and advise management on corrective interventions. Provide technical assistance to partners in assessing the strength of their approach to health, ensuring gender mainstreaming across the programme cycle. Provide advice on appropriate health approaches, and ensure appropriate indicators in the performance measurement framework, including monitoring and reporting of programme results/outputs and objectives against agreed indicators.
Monitor and report on the implementation of the strategic health priorities and develop and maintain positive working relations with a wide network of partners, including Government, development partners, parliament, media and NGOs.
Role agility
Surge capacity for emergency responses - No
In order to respond to ever changing demands within the environment, Christian Aid operates within an agile framework (both in workforce and operational) that requires from all employees, a high level of responsiveness and adaptiveness to processes and structures, making flexibility and a project based working approach the norm. To sustain this system, managers may/will agree further details of specific tasks and duties as part of the performance agreement. Any reasonable duty may be assigned that is consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility, and employees may be required to change the focus of their role and to support emerging areas of work from time to time.
Role context
The role will report to the Programme Manager. It will not have direct reports but will be required to oversee the implementation of our corporate response to Health and supporting Safeguarding and GESI across elements of Christian Aid’s programme in Sierra Leone. This role holder will be required to build a network of key contacts both inside and outside of Christian Aid. The role will be expected to support the local team and will have the necessary interpersonal skills and a proven track record for doing this. The role will involve travel nationally to ensure the effective implementation of health serving as focal point for safeguarding and GESI work across the country programme portfolio.
Role requirements
Relationships
External. Alongside the SPOs, Team Leader and/or Programme Manager, the role has a critical and ongoing engagement with partners and other relevant stake holders at regional/district level.
Internal The role sits within the programme team, and will demand frequent and ongoing engagement with other Programme staff in Sierra Leone and the wider organisation
Decision making
Budgetary/savings responsibility No
Analytical skills
Ability to analyze and scan the operating context and collaborate with colleagues and partners to design interventions that respond to and fit with the context, and which will maximize CA’s impact. Ability to analyze stakeholders, power holders and the partnership portfolio and then make programming recommendations. Ability to develop succinct reports and communications materials for sharing with stakeholders.
Developing self and others
Ability to regularly create space for learning in the team through planning of team and partner reviews. Investment in 1-2-1s and performance management. Ability to inspire team members to strive for excellence, providing programming and self-development advice and support.
Role related checks
Police/Child protection clearance Standard Counter terrorism screening Not required
Person specification
Applied skills/knowledge and expertise
Essential
Degree or equivalent in Public health/Health
Significant experience of working with local partners, and of providing partner support and capacity building
Strong relationships/networks within the health community in Sierra Leone, especially within the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and other Health NGOs.
Significant experience leading project/programme designs/proposal writing
Understanding of gender and inclusion-sensitive programming
Hands-on experience of monitoring and supporting community-based development programmes.
Considerable understanding and experience of safeguarding policy and procedures
Excellent report writing, communication (written and verbal) skills
Desirable
Knowledge of and experience in working with partnerships, including churches, and with other team members
Excellent analytical skills
Knowledge of and experience in health systems and health care programming in Sierra Leone or other developing countries
Ability to network effectively, with the ability to develop a wide range of relevant contacts
Comfortable working within a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural team
Further details of specific tasks and duties will be agreed with the line manager as part of the performance agreement. Any reasonable duty may be assigned that is consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility.
This role profile is not prescriptive; it merely outlines the key behaviours the role-holder requires to be successful in the role; the key behaviours and responsibilities are subject to change. Any changes will be made in consultation with the role-holder.
You will be expected to abide by the Code of Conduct, policies and procedures within Christian Aid which may be updated from time to time.
You must empathise with the aims, beliefs and values of Christian Aid as it seeks to work on relief, development and advocacy for poverty eradication.
How to apply
For more information on application procedures, visit Christian Aid website on http://www.christianaid.org.uk/job
and follow the steps to apply online. Please note: Hard copies of application will not be accepted.
Please forward any queries you have regarding this vacancy on email to:
Closing date for application is 27th July 2021
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
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