External Affairs Specialist - Inclusive Health at Lwala Community Alliance (LCA)

Roles and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Director of External Affairs - Policy, Partnerships and Advocacy, the position holder will responsible for;

Partnership and Coalition Building

• Act as a liaison between the Division of Eye Health, the Council of Governors, Lwala Community Alliance, the Clear Vision Coalition, and disability organizations
• Act as the main bridge between national eye health leadership, Department of Primary Health Care, the Division of Community Health, and the counties.
• Support partnerships with donors and the Clear Vision Coalition around affordable eyeglasses and community delivery models.
• Support partnerships and coalition building with the wider disability inclusion groups.

National Advocacy

• Support development and refinement of national eye health and inclusive policies, guidelines, and standards.
• Advance integration of eye health and refractive error services within PHC and community health strategies, and curriculum.
• Support policy shifts that enable task-sharing and non-clinical provision of basic vision services and eyeglasses.
• Prepare policy briefs and technical inputs for national-level decision-making.
• Leverage Lwala’s community-led model as a learning platform for integrating basic eye care and inclusive Primary Health Care
• Provide technical input to ensure community realities shape national and county policies for inclusive health care National level advocacy with the Ministry of Health and the Social Health Authority to incorporate reading glasses and the needs of persons with disabilities in its benefits package

County Support

• Support counties to adapt and implement national eye health and inclusive health policies and standards.
• Facilitate county learning forums and peer exchange on eye health and refractive error programming, and disability inclusion.
• Track county adoption of eye health and inclusive health policies and integration within PHC plans.

Communications

• Document and package lessons from Lwala-supported eye health and disability inclusion initiatives.
• Lead and develop relevant information products, including policy briefs to influence policy
• Lead reporting to donors and external stakeholders.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform any other duties as may be directed by management from time to time.

What Success Looks Like

• Policy and system shift: National advocacy with MOH, SHA, and COG advances eye care and disability inclusion within CHW curricula, the SHA benefits package, and PHC policies.
• Strong county ownership: CHMTs lead and coordinate integrated eye care delivery, with consistent availability of glasses through well-managed donor and distributor partnerships.
• Data that drives action: Key eye care and disability indicators are in ECHIS/KHIS routinely measured and tracked that informs county and national decision-making.
• Sustainable supply at scale: Eye care and assistive products, including glasses, are embedded in the CHP kit and national supply chain systems, enabling reliable last-mile delivery.

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Health Systems, Health Policy, or a related field.
• 7–10 years’ experience in health systems, policy, and advocacy, with demonstrated ability to measure policy or systems change.
• Strong understanding of Kenya’s health system, including PHC and the UHC agenda.
• Proven experience working with government and non-state actors and navigating national government, Council of Governors, and Lwala policy positions.
• Strong systems thinking, analytical rigor, and strategic yet practical problem-solving skills.
• Ability to clearly articulate and influence eye health and disability-inclusive policies, strategies, and standards.
• Strong writing, synthesis, and communication skills.