Safe Motherhood Project Officer Job in Kenya - Merlin

Position: Project Officer

Responsible To: Project Health Coordinator

Responsible For: MCH/Safe Motherhood Project

Works With: Merlin staff and MoH partner facility staff

Location: Lodwar Town, Turkana with frequent travel to field sites

Starting Date: ASAP

Overall Objectives (scope)

Overall objectives (scope) of the position is to contribute to the improvement of health status of vulnerable women and children through the strengthening of civil society safe motherhood initiatives in Central and South Turkana Districts of the Rift Valley province in Kenya

Specific Objective:

To enable civil society organizations to increase access to quality maternal, child and neonatal health care services to the population of Central and South Turkana Districts of the Rift Valley Province of Kenya.

The post holder will work under the supervision of the Project Health Coordinator and in close collaboration with district health authorities and partner organizations (PAG, RCEA and TUPADO)

Job Responsibilities

Project management and implementation

• The senior MCH Nurse / Project Officer will oversee the implementation of the safe motherhood initiatives by partner CSO agencies and MOH to improve the accessibility, utilization and quality of maternal and neonatal health care services including essential obstetric care services.
• Organise and coordinate the conduction of Knowledge, Attitudes and rapid safe motherhood assessments in target communities
• Provide technical assistance and mentorship to the implementing partner health facilities staff on essential reproductive health care protocols/standards based on Ministry of health guidelines.
• Provide coaching and mentoring on MCH aspects to health centre and dispensary personnel in the district.
• Oversee the implementation of outreach health activities by partners and the DMOH to improve access to integrated primary health care services for isolated pastoral communities
• Conduct training needs assessment in MCH, Reproductive Health and BCC aspects for partner Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)
• In collaboration with MOH organise and implement training sessions on all areas of reproductive health (antenatal care, postnatal care, obstetrics, essential neonatal care, STI management, medical care and counselling on SGBV, abortion care and family planning) for health workers and community health workers.
• Create/adapt and develop standard procedures and protocols based on MoH guidelines on essential components of MCH and reproductive health to be used in community health education

Job Representation and Coordination:

• Coordinate and plan activities with the management of the health facilities and the local health authorities and local community leaders
• Network with other actors in health, psychosocial care, social mobilisation and protection to assure a multi-sector response to reproductive health needs.

Programme Support

• Provide technical support to project team members
• Develop and review project work plans for technical soundness.
• Assist Project Health Coordinator to establish systems and standards for regular assessment, monitoring and evaluation of the programme against its objectives and expected outputs.
• In collaboration with the MoH and implementing partner health facilities develop/adapt simple data collection tools and registers for the monitoring of safe motherhood and reproductive health activities
• Document any lessons learnt for future programme implantation strategy / or research purposes.
• Submit weekly, monthly and quarterly progress reports to Project Health Coordinator.

Staff Management / HR

• Assist with recruitment of project personnel as appropriate (Midwives/Nurses, Community Mobilisers)
• Support project personnel, with the aim of ensuring that individuals work effectively together to achieve project objectives.
• Responsible for organizing training of local partner staff to ensure the maximum use of their skills and their full and effective participation in project activities whilst conforming to Merlin and MOH protocols.
• Ensure that staff are fully conversant with and trained on national guidelines, protocols and data collection forms.
• Conduct induction in the field for new staff on Merlin health policy as well as project aims, objectives, and activities.

Other

• To respect all Merlin organisational and country specific policies, procedures and regulations.
• Carry out any other responsibilities as requested by the Health Coordinator or Programme Coordinator

Person Specification

Essential

Qualifications, experience and competences

• Recognised qualification in Midwifery/or Fully qualified Registered Nurse with extensive experience in midwifery
• Must be registered with the Nursing council of Kenya
• Minimum 5 years of work experience as an MCH Nurse/ midwife
• Minimum 2 year of field experience as an MCH project Officer in humanitarian aid /development projects for international NGOs in resource poor settings.
• Extensive knowledge of maternal health, modern family planning practices and procedures and other sexual and reproductive health services
• Training experience and community education skills.
• Experience in STI/HIV programming an asset
• Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English and proficient in the use of MS word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures
• Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines
• An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values

Data Protection

Please note, on submitting your application, you are agreeing to Merlin holding and using the information that you have given for the purposes of recruitment and employment – should an offer be made.

In order to process your job application, it may be necessary for your application to be sent to the Country Director (in the country you are applying for) for consideration. If you do not agree with this, please state so when applying.

How to apply

All applications should be sent to:

HR Department,
Merlin, Nairobi Office,
P.O Box 3350 – 00200,
Nairobi, Kenya

Or email to: recruitment@merlin-kenya.org

Application deadline is 20th of September, 2011 at 5.00pm.

Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted

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