Programme Officer - Sexual And Reproductive Health Rights Thematic Area at Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN)

Job Description

KELIN is looking to hire a Programme Officer for the sexual and reproductive health rights thematic area. The Officer will be based in our Nairobi Office, Kenya. The Officer will be tasked with the implementation and coordination of various programmes within the thematic area and ensuring linkages and synergies with other ongoing KELIN programmes. This post requires an experienced, proactive and results driven person, networker and advocate to guide the implementation of the existing projects, capacity and systems strengthening and activities. The candidate must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, strong writing skills, community organizational and mobilization prowess and the ability to facilitate high level consultative processes and mobilize joint actions with other likeminded civil society organizations.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze laws, bills, regulations, polices and operational frameworks at the international, regional national and county levels to identify gaps and ensure they integrate human rights principles and rights based approaches;
• Prepare reports of recommendations, based on the analysed laws, bills, regulations, polices and operational frameworks on how to advocate for the integration of the relevant human rights principles and address the gaps identified;
• Work with community based structures and organizations to ensure access to information and services, referral mechanisms and access to justice in case of rights violations;
• Work with county and national government structures to strengthen responsiveness to violations related to sexual and reproductive health;
• Work with multi sectoral service providers and partners to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health and rights for all stakeholders and in particular women and girls;
• Facilitate international, national and county based dialogues on access to sexual and reproductive health and rights;
• Support the development of appropriate and relevant advocacy and IEC materials and publications;
• Promote the participation of all stakeholders in programme design and implementation; and
• Establish and ensure active and functional technical working groups and project steering committees that will guide the overall implementation of projects within the thematic area.
• Advocacy and Partnership development
• Identify and build strong alliances and partnerships with organisations working on sexual and reproductive health, gender violence, unsafe abortion, HIV prevention, health governance and human rights in order to strengthen action and service delivery;
• Identify and build strong alliances with communities and implement appropriate activities to highlight advocacy issues in the media.
• Policy development
  • Promote the development, review and/or strengthening of, as well as implementation of relevant national legal and policy frameworks that facilitate access to sexual and reproductive health information and services
• Capacity building
  • Support, build and strengthen the capacity of a variety of stakeholders including but not limited to county level governments, pro-bono lawyers, the police, medical providers, and civil society partners to engage in sexual and reproductive health and rights advocacy and policy dialogue
• Programme Planning and management
  • Assist the Programme Manager in the development of the annual work plans and budgets, as well as reporting to various donors;
  • Assist the Programme Manager monitor the programme implementation environment;
  • Ensure links and alignment with other areas of KELIN’s work;
  • Represent KELIN in various forums and events as and when necessary;
  • Undertake resource mobilization for sustainability of the thematic area;
  • Manage relationships with key stakeholders, donors and KELIN’s implementing partners;
  • Perform any other duties as required by the Programme manager.
• Research and writing
  • Research and write components of larger research being undertaken by as it relates to the SRHR thematic area; and
  • Publish at least one peer-reviewed article per annum on issues of SRHR.

Key Competencies and Requirements

• A degree in public health, law, human rights, or social sciences.
• A Masters Degree in any of the above areas will be an added advantage.
• At least three years post graduate experience in designing, managing and implementation of sexual and reproductive health rights.
• Youth targeted programmes and human rights programmes will be an added advantage;
• Advanced knowledge of the legal environment on sexual and reproductive health and a well-informed understanding of the linkages between health and human rights;
• Experience in conceptualization, design, and implementation of sexual and reproductive health and rights programmes;
• Knowledge and appreciation of devolution processes is an advantage;
• Project management skills;
• Previous experience in implementing similar projects is also an advantage;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to think and operate strategically;
• Ability to provide leadership and work independently as well as part of a team;
• Strong analytical, organizational, planning and problem solving skills;
• Self motivated and dynamic;
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a rapidly changing environment;
• Keen sense of professionalism, ethics, integrity and commitment to KELIN’s mandate

KELIN values diversity in all areas of its operations. We welcome and encourage diverse applications. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.