Project Officer, IHD at Aga Khan University Hospital

Job Summary
The Aga Khan University’s Institute for Human Development (AKU IHD) is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge with direct relevance for policies, programs, and practices that enhance life experiences at all stages of human development. The Early Childhood Development (ECD) Workforce Hub is housed and led by AKU IHD. The Hub seeks to address challenges in the delivery of high quality ECD programs and services with regard to access, knowledge and evidence generation for the benefit of marginalized communities. The Hub develops and provides demand driven ECD professional development courses, offers technical support to ECD stakeholders, and makes global research findings into accessible communication materials for target audiences including policy makers, frontline workers, communities and parents or caregivers of young children.    
This role is critical in supporting effective delivery of training and support on early childhood development in collaboration with community-based organizations, healthcare facilities and community health promoters, collection and management of quantitative and qualitative data for monitoring and evaluating project outcomes. In addition, the incumbents will play a key role in coordinating and implementing project activities to ensure effective delivery of interventions.   
We are looking for highly motivated and experienced professionals with a background in early childhood development or related fields to join our team as Project Officers in Lamu and Isiolo Counties.

Responsibilities

Technical Support

• Assist in training and providing ongoing mentoring and support to community health promoters (CHPs) and community members to support ECD.  
• Monitor, review and update project workplans for effective and timely delivery of project milestones.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of play areas within health facilities.
• Organize and participate in community outreach activities to raise awareness about ECD services.
• Support in the development and local adaptation of training materials. 
• Support procurement and distribution of project materials and supplies, including educational and play materials.

Research

• Participate in workshops to plan research activities and familiarize with data collection tools, consent procedures, and project protocols.
• Assist in reviewing and piloting research tools, and support logistics for participant recruitment, mobilization, consenting, and data collection.
• Conduct quantitative data collection using ODK software.
• Conduct key informant interviews and focus group discussions, take detailed field notes, and prepare interview summaries.
• Support data transcription, cleaning, and organization for analysis.
• Support the preparation of scientific manuscripts for publication.
• Maintain and manage data, files, and project documentation.

Quality Assurance and Reporting

• Liaise with stakeholders, including community partners, local authorities, and beneficiaries, to ensure effective communication and collaboration.
• Coordinate project update meetings, documentation and sharing of the minutes.
• Compile and submit activity reports, including regular updates on project progress and quarterly project progress reports.
• Participate in regular team meetings, workshops, and conferences.
• Contribute to the development of presentations as and when required.
• Document evidence of processes and activities through photos and testimonials in collaboration with the Communications Officer. 
• Document lessons learned and best practices to inform project implementation

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in ECD, Nursing, Developmental Psychology, Public Health or a related field 

Relevant Experience

• Strong background in delivering or supporting ECD interventions in community or health facility settings.
• Experience in mobilizing and working with caregivers and community stakeholders to promote child health and development. 
• Experience in conducting training sessions for community-based organizations, supporting in developing training materials and adapting them for local contexts. 
• Demonstrated experience in supporting research projects and collecting qualitative and/or quantitative data.
• Proficiency in using smartphones or tablets for data collection (e.g. ODK or similar platforms).
• Fluency in English and Swahili languages is required. Proficiency in other local languages spoken in Isiolo and Lamu is an added advantage.  
• Solid analytical and report writing skills.

Personal Characteristics & Behaviours

• Knowledge of cultural contexts in Isiolo and/or Lamu.
• Ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Maintains integrity, respects confidentiality, and adheres to research or organizational ethics.
• Committed to learning and innovation and adaptive approaches.