Provincial Community Mobilisation Officer at Jhpiego

Jhpiego is an international, non-profit health organization affiliated with The Johns Hopkins University. For 40 years in East and Southern Africa, Jhpiego has empowered front-line health workers by designing and implementing effective, low-cost, hands-on solutions that strengthen the delivery of health care services, following the household-to-hospital continuum of care. Jhpiego partners with organizations from the community to the national levels, building sustainable, local capacity through advocacy, policy development, human resources for health and quality and performance improvement approaches.  For further information about Jhpiego, please visit our website at www.jhpiego.org.

Jhpiego invites applications for the following positions for the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) VMMC Project.

All successful candidates selected for these positions will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Jhpiego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

PROVINCIAL COMMUNITY MOBILISATION OFFICER

Overview:  To take the lead in the provincial coordination and implementation of the sustained demand creation activities for the VMMC program  by providing technical guidance and oversight and, ensuring that strategies are age targeted and specific while respecting the cultural settings in which programs are being implemented.

Responsibilities:

• Facilitate development of provincial/district-specific demand creation plans.
• Liaise with PMO/DCMO to develop demand creation plans for hard to reach areas
• Liaise with Provincial and district structures and other implementing partners to develop and implement communications plans.
• Participate in all relevant VMMC technical advisory groups at provincial level and provides technical support.
• Works with Technical Advisor for Advocacy, Mobilization and Communication to coordinate demand creation efforts with service delivery and provincial mentors to ensure availability and quality of efforts.
• Coordinate and facilitate any group-based training activities.
• Collaborate with local organizations including CBOs and CSOs to conduct demand creation activities to ensure effective dissemination of key messages.
• Manage the dissemination and distribution of communication materials to create visibility and increase awareness and knowledge of VMMC services.
• Work closely with service delivery sites to create demand so as to ensure a good uptake of MC services
• Work with the Jhpiego Zambia male circumcision team to provide strategic guidance in the areas of advocacy for VMMC in the project provinces and oversees the technical approach to advocacy for the project.
• Utilize the project’s VMMC communication and advocacy strategy to coordinate the development of provincial demand generation plans for each target population.
• Initiate and participate in evaluation of targeted demand generation strategies and assessment activities related to advocacy, community mobilization and communications with the goal of improving project outcomes.
• Provide technical and strategic guidance in the area of community mobilization; supporting the program’s provincial-based technical teams to meet their objectives of increased numbers of VMMC performed
• Mobilise and sustain a community-based network of community mobilizers and advocates to carry out project activities; and working closely with provincial and national partners who collaborate on these objectiv

Qualifications

• Degree in Communications, Public health or related field with 6-7 years’ experience;
• Minimum three years of relevant experience in HIV prevention and health communication programs;
• Familiarity with demand generation for VMMC and behavior change approaches and best practices and demonstrated experience in creating demand for VMMC or other public health interventions particular for hard to reach population groups;
• Experience working with international and local NGOs and community-based organizations, as well as the MOH/MCDMCH;
• Experience holding community meetings and public speaking in English and at least 2 local languages;
• Excellent problem-solving, decision-making and organizational skills, with ability to prioritize multiple tasks and work effectively in a demanding environment;
• Familiarity with media community in Zambia;
•  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, written and spoken;
•  Proficient computer skills, including MS Office Word, PowerPoint and Excel;
• Willingness to travel frequently to clinical facilities and community events throughout the provinces

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