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Health Programme Manager
Source: GOAL - Ireland
| Deadline: | 30 May 2008 |
| Organisation: | GOAL - Ireland |
| Location: | Sierra Leone |
| Type: | permanent |
| Salary: | TBA (000's USD) |
| Description: | General Description of the Programme
GOAL has been working in Sierra Leone since 1999, supporting a Community Based Street Children and Sexually Abused Women/Girls Programme in Freetown, as well as a Supplementary Feeding and Primary Health Care Programme in Kenema. In 2002/3, GOAL projects evolved into an Integrated Health Programme in Kenema, and a Disadvantaged Children and Youths' Programme in Freetown. Both have transitioned from an emergency-led approach towards longer-term sustainable development. Kenema
GOAL started post-conflict operations in Kenema and has continued to support development activities since the end of the war in 2002. As in many rural areas, there is limited access to health services and protected water sources and latrines. Due to poor nutritional practices and limited health and hygiene knowledge, rural populations are especially vulnerable to disease4.These needs are compounded by the remote setting and poor road network that further limits the ability of MOHS to deliver primary healthcare and outreach services. GOAL's response has been to confirm a medium term commitment to an integrated programme approach that addresses underlying issues surrounding poor health: including safe water and sanitation, healthy behaviours, malnutrition and access to health services. A core component of the programme is the strengthening of GoSL service delivery linkages. Our key partner is the District Health Management Team (Ministry of Health and Sanitation), led by the District Medical Officer. Our current drive is to focus on linking community and clinic interventions along with capacity building mechanisms and ensure that feedback from community based monitoring efforts is received at the clinic level. Relevant actors include volunteers, community structures and line ministry outreach mechanisms along with traditional leaders. In 2007 GOAL moved away from clinic rehabilitation as we found that service delivery impact was primarily dependent on MOHS human/ logistical resource constraints and supervisory capacity rather than availability of tangible inputs such as structures and equipment. A second important shift has been consolidating a wide range of health promotion messages into community based integrated management of childhood illnesses, nutrition and hygiene promotion. A streamlined mechanism of community support has also been designed to raise community health issues, rather than working through multiple cadres of volunteers. The programme will also scale up nutrition interventions by linking community growth monitoring activities to community gardens that specifically target mothers of children under five, and piloting the positive deviance approach to promoting nutrition. g community growth monitoring activities to community gardens that specifically target mothers of children under five, and piloting the positive deviance approach to promoting nutrition. In the coming three years, GOAL intends to target Gorama-Mende and Gaura chiefdoms. In 2008, GOAL programmes will target 107 communities in Gorama-Mende. A participatory needs assessment was undertaken in 2007 and analysis indicates there is almost no watsan infrastructure and most communities are not accessible by vehicle. The engineering component of the programme includes a "Cash-for-Work" feeder road construction project that will improve vehicle access to enable provision of watsan infrastructure support, inject cash into poor, remote communities, and improve access to social infrastructure (clinics, markets etc.) The programme is supported by a field office in Kenema and a sub-office in Masingbe. Both provide warehousing, office facilities, and accommodation. It is anticipated that the Health Coordinator will spend significant amounts of time in the field. Regular time in Kenema will be scheduled, along with visits to Freetown. General Description of the Role, Health Programme Manager [Kenema] The Health Programme Manager in Kenema will be responsible for the overall support and management of the health component of the integrated GOAL programme in Kenema, working with a team of three local managers. The position demands the equal capacity to manage the health component, staff and resources as well as provide a capacity building and training role. The capacity building role will also focus on building skills in strategy development, advocacy and developing partnerships with the Kenema DHMT. Coordination with other stakeholders at the national level is required through close collaboration with the Health Development Coordinator [Freetown] in order to keep abreast of pertinent issues facing the health sector in Sierra Leone and building this into the programme design on an on-going basis. With guidance from the Area Coordinator, it will also be critical to work with the engineering and community development teams to ensure well coordinated and sequenced implementation of activities for maximum impact given community priorities and the May to October rainy season. The Health Programme Manager will also provide technical and monitoring support to the DHMT with respect to clinic management, community level health education, nutrition and HIV/ AIDS. GOAL may also respond to emergency needs that may arise as per DHMT's requests (E.g., Lassa Fever, Cholera, natural disaster). Management To ensure appropriate, timely and quality technical, training and monitoring support to the DHMT is provided in the management of the performance and effectiveness of all PHUs, the use of the Health Information System (HIS) and in the provision and take-up of Primary Health Care. (In coordination with other stakeholders such as IRC) to ensure that support is provided to the DHMT in adequately resourcing all GOAL targeted PHUs and that the drugs supply from the District Pharmacy is monitored along with the cold chain and EPI coverage. With the Area Coordinator to develop partnerships with the DHMT and collaboration, coordination and partnerships with other NGOs and CBOs working in the health sector in Kenema and country-wide. With the DHMT, support MoHS directives, ensure community sensitization and structures are set-up with the community development staff to support sustainability of the PHUs. To ensure that participatory planning and coordination with MoHS, other local government and community structures in all relevant aspects of the programme. To manage the community health component of the programme, including the HIV/AIDS awareness raising activities. To manage the nutrition component of the programme and it's further conceptual development in terms of incorporating small-scale kitchen gardens with women's groups at the community level. To monitor trends in morbidity in comparison to previous months/years and with the Area Coordinator identify new interventions based on these trends when and where appropriate. To be responsible for reporting on the Health Component part of the programme. To keep abreast of all national initiatives and developments within the health sector and build up the local level advocacy component of the programme. With the Area Coordinator to ensure that adequate monitoring and evaluation systems are in place and that programme learning is incorporated into the project cycle. With the Area Coordinator and Country Director, assist in the preparation of proposals. Counterpart and Capacity Building To be responsible for the management and development of national nutrition, community health and HIV managers, this includes their ongoing job responsibilities and training opportunities. To ensure that capacity is built of all local staff in the health component and that areas of skills development are identified with the Area Coordinator. Other To carry out all other duties as deemed necessary by the Country Director. Requirements 3 + years of previous overseas working experience in a managerial capacity within a health programme with an International NGO essential. Post-graduate public health qualification, specializing in development sector, preferred. Knowledge of community development methodologies and the ability to work in a participatory manner developing shared ownership and vision essential. Appropriate skills and experience in the capacity building and training of national staff and partners essential. Experience in monitoring and evaluation essential. Experience in proposal development, budget preparation and report writing essential. Good computer skills with a working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel essential. Oral and written English essential. Knowledge and experience of nutritional programmes within a developmental and/or food security context desirable. Knowledge and/or experience of cost-recovery processes in Africa or other countries desirable. Experience in developing programme strategies in a transition period between emergency and development environments desirable. This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available. GOAL reserves the right to change this document. |
Contact Details
| Name: | Human Resources |
| Email: | applications@goal.ie |
