Save the Children Community Development Officer Job in Bungoma Kenya

Vacancy: Community Development Officer
 

Team / Programme: Programmes

Location: Bungoma 
 

Grade: 4

Post Type: National (1 year with possibility of extension)

Position Code: CDO BUG

Child Safeguarding: Level 3 - the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people

Role Purpose: SCI Kenya is in the process of implementing a signature maternal and newborn health (MNH) programme that is expected to significantly contribute to achievement of Kenya’s MDG 4 and 5 targets. 

The programmatic model will actualize continuum of care approach mixed with an integrated package of quick wins, a minimum community health care package and a strengthened health system approach to maternal and Newborn health programming across Save the Children’s Theory of Change. 

Save the Children will work with the government of Kenya at both national and county levels and communities to address the maternal and neonatal health challenges in the country in a way that would deliver significant impacts for women and children by the end of the 5 year period.
Scope of Role: 

Working closely with the Community development coordinator, the post holder will play a key role in implementation of demand creation activities for the signature project. 

The post-holder will also support strengthening of community health structures including community health units, and bolstering utilization of transforming traditional birth attendants as birth companions and community midwifes for improved maternal and new born health.  

He/she will be able to engage with different stakeholders at the sub county level including developing a good working relationship with the ministry of health officials.

Dimensions: Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. 

Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH.

 In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined the programmes of SC UK, SC Canada and SC Finland to create a single operation in Kenya. 

In February 2014, we completed a second transition, which saw us join forces with the British INGO, Merlin, and merge their health and nutrition programmes with our own. 

Save the Children now has an operational presence in Bungoma, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Garissa, Mandera, Nairobi, Turkana and Wajir. 

We work through partners in many other parts of the country. We have a staff complement of around 300 staff and an operating annual budget of approximately US$25 million in 2014.

Reports to: Community Development Coordinator  (CDC)

Staff Directly Reporting to this Post:  None

Key Areas of Accountability:

1. Programme support

• In Collaboration with the community development coordinator (CDC), strengthen community units to foster functionality
• Ensure community units conduct social mobilization of communities to participate in Participatory learning action cycle.
• Works with community health extension workers to ensure community units to engage in income generating activities and locally appropriate sustainable initiatives. 
• Liaise with sub county community health strategy focal persons to undertake supportive supervision to CHUs
• Support Community health volunteers in liaison with Facility in-charges to implement community based referral mechanism in a sustainable manner
• Mentor CHEWs and Assistant chiefs to organize and execute monthly men’s baraza to discuss MNH issues within supported CUs
• Mentor CHVs to disseminate useful messages on essential MNH practices through household visits and community meetings as per the BCC strategy
• Ensure data from community units are captured correctly using electronic system provided by the project to CHEWs and CHVs.
• Ensure CHCs and community leadership that the project interacts with have the capacity to, and are engaging in advocacy for realization of their health rights.
• Be the main link between save the children and community units through MoH officials at the sub county level.
• Work with the finance department to prepare financial requests and ensure the timely reporting of expenditure for activities executed
• Provide timely and quality monthly  progress reports and field visit reports
• Provide support to field and Programme operations as required.
• Contribute to the overall effectiveness of community strategies adopted by the signature Programme.
• Perform other reasonable tasks assigned by the CDC.

2. Representation

• Represents SCI  professionally  by attending external meetings/forums with partners, other NGOs and other agencies as required

3. Monitoring, Learning and Reporting

• Ensure the timely transmission of quality data from community units to the eCBHIS
• Work with the coordinator in the compiling of internal and external reports for submission.
• Provide inputs and data for programme reports to be compiled by the coordinator
• Works with the community coordinator to prepare newsletters, case studies and other publication of project related information for dissemination

Skills and Behaviours (our Values in Practice)
 

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate remedial actions when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Public/Environmental Health and/or Social sciences with 3 years’ work experience
• Experience in mobilizing communities for MNH project and working with the ministry of health and with an NGO is a plus
• Proven experience working with community unit workforce
• Demonstrated experience in working with community units on a large scale for improved health outcome
• Excellent English writing skills are essential, familiarity with the Luhyia and/or sabaot language will be an added advantage.
• Computer skills, in particular MS Word, Excel and Outlook
• Well-developed research, analytical, monitoring and evaluation, and report-writing abilities;
• Commitment to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding and other global policies, and values.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are required to submit a CV and mandatory cover letter indicating the Position Title Code on the subject line to kenya.jobapplications@savethechildren.org  by 22nd November 2014. 

Only shortlist candidates will be contacted.