JOB ADVERTISEMENT

Family Planning Officer

Job Type:          Full Time

Location:           Freetown Sierra Leone with frequent travel to operational districts

Start Date:        1st December 2023

End Date:         30th November 2028; Annual contract (renewable)

Reports to:        Program Coordinator (Nutrition) 

Open to Expatriates: No 

Grade: I

Introduction :

Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with

communities that are striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By delivering the

essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition, and clear vision, we help millions of

people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in 20 countries – across Africa, Asia,

Europe, and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we ensure

every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

Helen Keller has been operating in Sierra Leone for nearly 20 years in support of the

reproductive health, nutrition and Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs) components of the

National Health Development Plan of the Ministry of Health, as well as food security component

of the Ministry of Agriculture. The organization is committed to generating evidence, carrying

out robust research and a high input into research publications.

Helen Keller is recruiting for a Family Planning Officer for the FCDO funded Saving Lives Phase

III program in Sierra Leone. The program aims to support the Government of Sierra Leone

(GoSL) to deliver on improving maternal, child and reproductive health outcomes in country

while strengthening health systems for a sustainable solution.

The Family Planning Officer will be responsible and accountable for assuring the family planning

(FP) related component(s) of the Saving Lives program is implemented in a technically sound

manner and results are delivered as per the agreed/approved project. He/she will provide

technical guidance in planning, implementing, and monitoring of all family planning related

activities under the project including but not limited to FP trainings, supportive supervision,

coordination, etc., with special focus to the most vulnerable and unreached population groups.

He/she will work closely with the Public Health Specialist in the Consortium Coordination Unit

and report to the Program Coordinator (Nutrition) at Helen Keller International.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Advice & Guidance

• Provide overall technical expertise, guidance and managerial oversight for the family planning (inlcuding CAC, PAC, LARC, QoC, etc.) component and activities of the project in all 6 operational districts;
• Work with the District Family Planning Officers and the FP focal points in the District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) to assess, monitor and identify potential barriers for service update of FP services and develop mitigation plans to address/mitigate these barriers;
• Work closely with the District Family Planning Officers and the FP focal points in DHMTs to organize targeted family planning outreach camps to enhance access to clients in hard to reach/low coverage communities;
• Provide technical support for implementation and cascade of the costed FP work plan of the Ministry of Health (MoH) in the 6 operational districts.

• Ensure planning, designing and effective implementation of demand generation activities for FP services in the 6 operational districts with special focus on addressing barriers to service uptake, community awareness and misconceptions.
• Ensure availability and use of job aides and IEC materials for demand creation and other community sensitization activities like radio discussions, community meetings, etc.
• Lead/co-lead the training of healthcare workers on family planning in partnership with Ministry of Health in all 6 districts.
• Carry out at least quarterly supportive supervision to districts with special focus on competency check and mentoring/coaching of healthcare workers trained on FP.
• Support the DHMTs to ensure inclusion of FP activities in the annual work plans/Saving Lives work plans.
• Act as a resource person and troubleshooting focal point on all family planning matters related to the project for the districts.

M&E and Reporting: 

• Ensure adequate monitoring, reporting and quality assurance of FP project activities against agreed outcomes/results including routine data collection from health facilities and DHMTs.
• Contribute to all donor reports on FP activities for the period, impact, achievement of results, etc., including but not limited to success/human interest stories.
• Escalate any potential risk to your supervisor and provide regular feedback from key stakeholders aimed at encouraging learning and adaptation.
• Ensure reporting against the log frame on FP related targets on a regular basis;
• Support/contribute to all evaluations, assessments of the project;

Coordination and Representation: 

• Establish and maintain good working relationship with the Family Planning lead at Ministry of Health and other relevant MoH and DHMT staff;
• Establish and maintain good working relationship with relevant technical leads from all consortium partner organization;
• Represent Helen Keller Intl at all relevant FP/RMNCAH TWGs, workshops, inter-sectoral meetings, Consortium meetings and donor meetings, as needed;
• Carry out any other task delegated by the Program Coordinator (Nutrition).

People Management: 

• Line manage District Family Planning Officers in all 6 districts, contributing to their capacity building and career development through technical support and on-the-job training and coaching, including a thorough induction at the start of their contract;
• Work closely with the Public Health Specialist in the Consortium Coordination Unit to ensure effective delivery of FP related targets and activities;
• Ensure that each member of the team fully understands deliverables, which are expected of them, by setting SMART objectives;
• Ensure that all staff are aware of and comply with all of Helen Keller Policies and Procedures;
• Monitor and review performance of your direct reports and hold them accountable for executing their job as per the agreed job description and performance objectives; give corrective feedback where required and take decisive action in the case of poor performance; conducting regular Performance Reviews; setting and identifying areas of staff development needs as per the Helen Keller policy;
• Ensure that work within your FP team (s) is planned and organised in a way which will meet the organization’s and project’s needs in the most cost-effective manner possible; ensuring that team members are given appropriate workloads and are working efficiently.

 Other:

• Understand organizational safeguarding and gender policies.
• Understand how to embed safeguarding into the foundation of good quality program design and delivery.
• Promote accountability and ensure compliance with all Helen Keller Policies and code of conduct including but not limited to safeguarding considerations to ensure maximum protection of program participants and the efficient and transparent use of Helen Keller resources.
• Promote equality, especially gender, as a cross cutting theme within the organization and across programs, in line with Helen Keller Policy.
• Represent, promote and protect the reputation of Helen Keller in external settings, ensuring that the organization’s experience and expertise is well communicated and consistently presented, in a professional manner.
• Attend district level meetings and other workshops, working groups, and coordination forums as required to ensure close coordination and collaboration.
• Any other reasonable tasks as assigned by the Program Coordinator.

Qualification and experience

• Midwife, nurse, medical doctor, or a bachelor’s degree with family planning related experience
• Minimum of 5 years of proven experience in design/implementation of FP programs in Sierra Leone.
• Demonstrated experience of having improved FP service uptake, access to FP services, improving QoC, for LARC, PAC/CAC and postpartum FP.
• Demonstrated experience in implementing/leading FP trainings, mentorship, and coaching schemes.
• Experience in having worked with DHMTs.
• In-depth knowledge of MoH FP policies, guidelines, training manual, etc., a MUST.
• Ability to lead and manage a technical team.
• Must be able to work in a dynamic and complex environment.
• Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal guidance;
• Experience in Microsoft word, Excel, and PowerPoints.
• Excellent written and verbal English language skills.

To apply, please send your CV and cover letter to [email protected] or hand-deliver to: Helen Keller Int Office at 16H James Macarthy Drive, off Spur Road, Wilberforce, Freetown.

• • Please mark your application as per the post above (referencing the SUBJECT heading)

• Closing date for the receipt of applications for the above vacancy is November 23rd, 2023, at 17:00hrs. 

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

“Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.