Community Health Services Technical Officer at Living Goods

The opportunity

USAID’s Health System Strengthening (HSS) Vision 2030 draws upon the progress over the past decade and the new challenges that have arisen, while reaffirming USAID’s longer-term goal of worldwide resilient health systems. The vision recognizes that integrated, systems-based approaches for strengthening health systems are now more critical than ever due to COVID-19 and other pandemics and asserts that:

• All people and institutions including communities, health workers, leaders and policy makers should be engaged in HSS efforts.
• Reliable links between the public and private sectors, including communities, lead to stronger health systems.
• Health systems are resilient when they are able to adjust resources, policy and focus to varying degrees to respond to challenges.
• Locally led, inclusive HSS efforts that account for social and behavior change lead to more sustainable results and greater self-reliance.
• Locally designed approaches take into account the unique conditions of country conditions and often result in higher quality health care reaching the most disadvantaged and vulnerable.

Living Goods is undertaking a USAID HSS project, and is seeking to fill the position of Community Health Services Technical Officers (2)

Community Health Services Technical Officer

Available Positions: 2 (Full-time)

Summary of the Position

Reporting to the Deputy Chief of Party, the incumbent will drive implementation of community health system strengthening operations. S/He will provide technical assistance and capacity-building of the county health management team on service delivery, supply chain management, quality improvement and management of community health workforce.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensure execution of community health component of the Afya Imara project at allocated clusters
• Advocate for adoption of DESC
• Ensure community health systems strengthening blocks is fully deployed in partnership with the county and other community health implementing partners.
• Implement the Afya Imara project workplan and collaborate with the CHMT to develop project cascade workplan.
• Ensure dissemination of the CHS polices strategies and guidelines to the CHMT.
• Advocate for the adoption and implementation of the CHS polices, strategies and guidelines at the county.
• Ensure community health supportive supervision is conducted.
• Organise and coordinate meeting with CHMT and key stakeholders.
• Advocate for CH health financing and frameworks at county level
• Advocate for set and operalization of Community Health Committees and County Budget Economic Forums
• Collaborate with CHMTs to ensure project targets are delivered against set KPIs
• Ensure quarterly performance review meetings are held in every county
• Work closely with the county pharmacist to strengthen and advocate for community commodity allocation – forecasting.
• Ensure establishment/ strengthened CHS governance structures – TWGs and CHCs.
• Represent the project at the county TWGs.
• Work with relevant National MoH Health Programs to build the capacity of the county ToTs on community technical modules based on needs.
• Advocate use of data for decision making
• Support in the implementation of KQMH and the development of QIPs
• Advocate and support uptake of e-learning platform by counties
• Support sensitization of CHMTs on CHV training and certification guidelines
• Document project learnings and activity progress reports

Key Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Community Health, Public Health, Nursing, Health Systems Strengthening, Social Sciences or related field. Advanced degree will be considered an advantage.

Key Requirements

• Minimum of Five (5) years’ relevant experience in implementation of community health program
• Exposure to community health policies, strategies, and guidelines
• Project management skills
• Solid grasp of DESC
• Relationship building skills and day to day alignment with key stakeholders at the county MOH teams to ensure successful project delivery
• Ability and willingness to travel (at least 70%) across counties
• Ability to analyse, comprehend and articulate operational goals
• Ability to synthesise community health data and use to inform decision making
• Good grasp of government operations, especially under the devolved system of governance
• Stakeholder management and engagement
• Conversant with USAID rules and regulations, including project implementation guidelines
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• A sound understanding of the Kenya Health System and prior technical assistance work experience with and/or involving close association with county governments is a definite plus.
• Experience working with community health workers and driving performance.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and writing skills
• Good computer and analytical skills a must
• Able to manage priorities, take initiative, and work without constant supervision.
• Collaborative team player.