Advisor I, Community Access at Ipas Africa

Overview

The Community Access Advisor I works to assure meaningful and effective integration of women’s reproductive health perspectives across Ipas’ Africa Alliance program outputs. The Advisor I provides strategic guidance and technical assistance in implementing and managing projects and collaborates with partners and other stakeholders to advance the key objectives of the community access work. This position coordinates and implements training and awareness raising programs and workshops in different community groups (faculty, unions, adolescents, women’s groups, others) to increase knowledge, reduce barriers and address stigmas related to sexual and reproductive rights.

Responsibilities

• Develops community access project designs, timelines, budgets, and work plans in collaboration with in-country team
• Establishes and develops links with organizations, institutions and interested groups to promote knowledge, skills and social support so women can exercise their sexual and reproductive rights
• Designs and implements community based interventions, training programs and awareness raising workshops in coordination with institutions/organizations with established partnerships
• Supports partner organizations in the development of effective strategies and helps monitor work plans and budgets, ensuring the scope of the project is within Ipas’ strategy and donor requirements
• Participates in the development and facilitation of capacity building trainings for partner NGOs and community-based organizations (CBOs)
• Participates in the monitoring and evaluation processes of programs and projects and ensures that CBOs and women’s groups are complying with Ipas’ standard operating procedures regarding proposals and reporting activities
• Tracks project activities and generate reports and success stories for purposes of sharing with the donors and other stakeholders so as to showcase lessons learnt and project processes.
• Researches, prepares, reviews, and disseminates relevant research publications, Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) messages, community program materials and training curriculum to be used by Ipas’ in-country programs
• Works with vendors and designers to ensure that materials are produced in a way that best reflects Ipas’ mission; ensures that all training and orientation materials include content that is applicable to different community groups
• Provides technical assistance to allied groups on methodologies and logistics required to share knowledge
• Participates in resource mobilization efforts of the organization through proposal writing and further ensures good relationship with donors
• Performs other duties as assigned
  
  

Internal & External Customers / Suppliers as well as Third Parties

• Collaborates with Community Access and Programs Advisors and Managers to develop, improve and implement community access activities and projects
• Works with the Health Systems unit in reference to creating links between the unit’s initiatives and coordinating activities with health personnel
• Communicates with the Research & Evaluation unit around field data and internal studies
• Reports to the in-country Director in reference to community access program implementation, deadlines and issues
• Communicates with outside project consultants to ensure projects are implemented in the appropriate manner and that community specific content is emphasized where applicable
• Manages relationships with partner NGOs, CBOs, and women’s groups, monitoring and assisting in program implementation reporting and management
  
  

Requirements

Minimum requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences including Community Development, Sociology, or in a related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working in the field of engagement and mobilization of communities through participatory approaches
• Must have proven facilitation and communication skills
• 2-3 years’ project management experience
• Good report writing skills
• Must have the ability to work with differing community populations including adolescents and women’s groups, especially in the areas of communication and training
• Must be able to negotiate and communicate with leadership of state and private organizations

Preferred Requirements

• Knowledge and experience in community mobilization, capacity building and training of community groups
• Working knowledge of grant management
• Working knowledge of community entry strategies
• Computer literacy in basic MS Word packages
• Experience in monitoring and mentoring communication initiatives in the field