Helen Keller International Regional Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS) Program Officers Jobs in Kenya

Helen Keller International
 

Job Announcement: 2 Regional Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS) Program Officers 

Location to be determined

Established in 1915 with Helen Keller as a founding trustee, Helen Keller International (HKI) works to save the sight and lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. 

Headquartered in New York City, HKI currently offers programs in 21 countries in Africa and Asia, as well as in the United States.  

The organization combats the causes and consequences of blindness and malnutrition by establishing programs based on evidence and research.

Program Overview: The Vitamin A supplementation program is implemented by HKI in 13 countries in Africa (Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Mozambique, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Tanzania) with the dual objective of ensuring that 90% of children aged 6 to 59 months are supplemented with vitamin A every six months and ensuring that vitamin A supplementation (VAS) is owned by national governments and integrated in health systems. 

Scope of Position: Through a team of two (2) Regional VAS Program Officers (RVPO), the project will provide technical support to VAS country teams in the design, implementation and analysis of VAS activities and achievements. 

The RVPO hosted by HKI will report to HKI’s Regional VAS program manager. S/he will be focusing mainly in five (5) countries out of the 13. 
 

The position requires at least 30% travel within the allocated region.  
 

The location of the position can be in any of the 13 countries where HKI implements VAS programs (list provided above). 

The key objectives of the RVPO position are:

• Ensure 90% coverage of VAS through a combination of bi-annual campaigns (facility based through Child health days model or door-to-door with immunization)
• Develop ownership of VAS within the national health system of targeted countries

Specific Responsibilities
 

A detailed Job description is available upon request

For each of the five (5) supported countries, the RVPO will :

• Support the management of VAS program at country level as a country backstop
• Technical support to CO VAS teams
• Support innovation, documentation and research
• National and regional coordination

Qualifications & Competencies

• Master Degree in a field related to social sciences, public health nutrition, epidemiology or any other related discipline
• 5 years directly relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience in the management of nutrition programs, including VAS.
• Capacity building/training experience essential.
• Experience in design and conduction of surveys and evaluations.
• English and French proficient written and speaking level (One RVPO will cover Francophone countries, one RVPO will cover Anglophone ones).
• Ability to take initiative and work independently
• Commitment to Continuous Learning, capacity building and developing others
• Team Work and Cooperation
• Listening, Understanding and Responding
• Analytical thinking
• Strategic Orientation
• Problem Solving oriented

Terms and Conditions: fixed term renewable contract of 1 year following competitive national conditions in the country of the position with a preferred start date of February 1st 2015.

To Apply: Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to VAS.recruitment@hki.org noting the position title in the subject line.  

Applications will be accepted until December 26, 2014.

HKI encourages female and male of all ethnic group to apply.