Health Officer

Johanniter International Assistance is recruiting a Health Officer.

Organization description

Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e.V. is a German non-governmental organisation, dedicated to excellence in the field of first aid, ambulance service, social service programmes and other projects in the medical and social field. The Federal Headquarters (HQ) are based in Berlin, Germany. Johanniter International Assistance is the operational unit for humanitarian aid, development co-operation and emergency relief, implementing and supporting projects in Health, Nutrition, WASH as well as Food Security & Income Generation worldwide. (www.thejohanniter.org)

Job Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Overall job purpose

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, Health Officer is responsible for providing technical expertise on health interventions and other health related functions to improve the basic primary health care for targeted beneficiaries including those with difficulties and special vulnerabilities. He/She is accountable to support the implementation of a comprehensive non-medical support package including non-WASH small scale rehabilitation works and provision of non-medical equipment and supplies. He/She oversees the SBCC sessions on maternal and child healthcare, antenatal care, childhood illness, immunization, malaria prevention, child care practices, nutrition practices, and child development together with individual counselling. He/She ensures proper coordination and collaboration with municipalities, other authorities, and beneficiaries. The position requires extensive field work and movement in Cabo Delgado.

Reporting lines

• Reporting to: Health and Nutrition Manager (first level)
• Health and Nutrition Coordinator (next level supervisor)
• Gives technical advice to: Health Assistants, Nutrition Assistants, Partners organizations, Volunteers
• Receives technical advice from: Health and Nutrition Coordinator, Health and Nutrition Manager, Project Managers; and Senior Programme Manager
• Standing in for: Health Assistants, Nutrition Officer, Health and Nutrition Manager
• Represented by: Health and Nutrition Manager, Project Managers and Health and Nutrition Coordinator

Tasks

Strategy and Vision

• Actively supports the values of Johanniter and shapes programme work according to these values.
• Together with the Health and Nutrition Manager/Coordinator, Senior Programs Manager and Project Manager, ensures the development and implementation of the Johanniter International Assistance strategy in her/his area of responsibility.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of the global strategy of Johanniter International Assistance.

Health service delivery

• Responsible for the implementation and monitoring of Health activities based on National Protocols and Guidelines at the district/field level.
• Responsible for the implementation and monitoring of non-medical support packages (non-WASH small scale rehabilitation…).
• Support the implementation of environmental health in collaboration with WASH projects team.
• Lead, organize and supervise JIA’s health Assistants, health centres and mobile clinics team staff and community health workers project teams at the district/field level.
• Ensure that PHCCs and MMUs regularly provide the essential PHC services including OPD consultations, Reproductive Health, EPI, malaria control, health promotion, hygiene promotion, collection of appropriate data and information.
• Provide continuous support to JIA health technicians, partners organizations, health workers and Community health workers (supportive supervision, on the job training, regular meetings, and field visits.
• Coordinate and follow up pharmaceutical, essential drugs, medical and non-medical equipment/materials and commodities requests, tracking, deliveries and stock management reports.
• Support the logistics activities for the health projects as required.
• Build capacity of health workers, community health workers on health and related health issues.
• Produce weekly and quarterly activity work plans.
• Attend focused group discussions and other related Community level meeting to identify constraints to success of health interventions.
• Assist in planning and implementation of assessments and health surveys as required.
• Ensure the setting up of regular data collection, campaigns, health surveillance and monitoring of beneficiary trends.
• Support engagement of communities in improved basic health care practices.
• Formulate health SBCC approaches in collaboration with health project staff and the communication department.
• Provide inputs to the integration of beneficiaries’ participation into all aspects of health projects.
• Participate in coordination meetings related to health projects, health cluster meetings, and other meetings as required JIA and provide feedback to the Health and Nutrition Advisor on relevant issues.
• Liaise JIA with communities, outreach staff, supported PHCCs and local authorities.
• Any other responsibilities that may be assigned from time to time by the immediate supervisor.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Supervise the health assistants to ensure that raw data are collected, prepared and submitted on a timely basis to PMEAL Officer for compilation and documentation.
• Responsible for monitoring the impact of the project, promote learning, support decision making and documentation of best practices.
• Participate in writing timely and accurate weekly sitreps, monthly, quarterly and donor reports (quantities and qualitative) in ensuring the input of all key PHCCs, PHCUs and MMUs facility staff concerned.
• Facilitate in documenting case studies, lessons learned and success stories generated from program implementation to feed into monthly, quarterly and annual reports as per JIA’s procedures.
• Maintain detailed records of the overall health projects activities in the district/field level.
• Facilitate joint monitoring to health facilities, use of Quality Control Checklists, compilation and submission of supervision reports to relevant authorities.
• Lead in the quality benchmark monitoring in supported health facilities on a monthly basis.
• Contribute to JIA’s monitoring and evaluation activities.

Capacity building

• Develop partner communities and organizations capacities for improving access to basic primary health care.
• Build up the capacity of project team basic primary health care package, on environmental health, infection prevention control, as well as on health awareness messages and practices.

Protection

• Contributes to an inclusive work environment.
• Actively promotes and fosters the rights and social positioning of vulnerable groups (women, children, elderly, persons with disability) and ensures their active participation in projects.
• Mobilizing and making communities aware on project objectives, outputs and activities and MEAL systems and Child Safeguarding Policies.

Representation

• Liaise, on behalf of JIA, with Government structures in district as may be delegated by the Health and Nutrition Manager/Coordinator/Senior Program Manager.
• Coordinate with district health authorities and other agencies such as SDSMAS on issues of Community involvement in health services delivery.
• Represent JIA at community-related coordination meetings at the district, and provincial levels whenever called upon.

Person Specification

Professional Qualification and Experience:

• Medical degree or diploma in Nursing/Midwife, Public Health or other health related field;
• Degree in Social Behaviour Change Communication, community promotion, community development is desirable;
• Minimum 3 years of proven work experience in similar position;
• Experience of working in the field of Health and communication within an INGO in Mozambique;
• Experience in Infection Prevention Control (IPC) at healthcare facilities level;
• Experience in Public Health intervention and programming;
• Experience in maternal and child healthcare programs;
• Demonstrate technical knowledge and experience in Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI);
• Knowledgeable of the national protocols for IMCI management;
• Experience in humanitarian emergency context;
• Knowledge in WASH management in healthcare facilities;
• Experience in implementation of social and behaviour change and Community engagement activities and in in sensitization in health at community level;
• Full commitment to humanitarian principles, gender equality, and the rights of displaced persons and protection of children;
• Proven previous experience working with displaced people.

Skills

• Familiarity with health in emergency programming;
• Professional technical skill desired training in Public Health;
• Proactive and problem-solving attitude;
• Good planning and analytical skills;
• Good leadership and supervisor skills;
• Good report writing skills;
• Willingness to work in areas receiving displaced people in Cabo Delgado;
• Excellent computer skills and competency in Microsoft Office;
• Detail-oriented individual with good multi-tasking abilities and good communication skills both oral and written;
• Fluent in Portuguese. Knowledge of the local languages desired, Intermediate level of English is required;
• Proactive, open-minded and creative individual able to find innovative solutions to challenges;
• Able to work well both within a team and independently; culturally sensitive and flexible to adjust quickly to challenging and fast-changing context; coping well with stress and in intense and difficult environment;
• Committed, mature individual able to take responsibilities and make decisions in a transparent and accountable way; ability to set clear objectives and successfully achieve them.