Community Engagement Officer

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Transcend Programme is a three-year project implemented through a partnership between Amref Health Africa in Kenya and Turkana County Government. Through a Primary Health Care Approach, the programme aims to ensure sustainable access to health services particularly Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) and family planning services, along with addressing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Specifically targeting Turkana West sub-county, Turkana County, the programme seeks to accelerate improvements in health outcomes among the host community and refugees.

JOB PURPOSE

Under the Transcend Project, the Community Engagement Officer will strengthen community health at the county level to facilitate acceptance for health services among the community members, including adolescent and youth. The Community Engagement Officer will be based at the County level and will support demand creation activities around targeted health facilities.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Community Engagement for FP/RMNCAH & NCD Services

• Work with the County Government to ensure that community health services are strengthened
• Cascade community health strengthening activities in Turkana county based on national community health strategy and guidelines
• Offer leadership to county community health TWG and stakeholders’ meetings to implement community health strategies and policies
• Work with CHMT, SCHMT and the Quality Improvement (QI) committee to identify QI gaps and develop and deploy innovative approaches to advance quality improvement at community level
• Support the deployment and operationalization of electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS) and enhance quality of data at community level, DHIS as well as into project reports
• Organize targeted community mobilization and awareness sessions to ensure uptake of targeted health services and ensure program reproductive maternal neonatal and child health (RMNCAH) and FP and NCD targets are met in the targeted facilities
• Engage community members, adolescents and youths and ensure their health service delivery gaps/challenges are identified and addressed to increase uptake including dialogues, health action days and community scorecards deployment
• Develop and deploy social behaviour change interventions using CHPs, radio programmes and other specialized delivery channels for health promotion and prevention initiatives
• Work with identified community resource persons to promote RMNCAH/ FP services uptake among the youth using peer led approaches
• Coordinate with and facilitate targeted health facilities and multi-disciplinary teams to provide quality integrated health services
• Organize and facilitate trainings for various community groups

Partnership and Networking

• Strengthen networks and linkages with public, faith-based and private sectors involved in community health programming
• Position Amref Health Africa as a leader nationally and at county level as regards community programming through meaningful engagement with the county and partners
• Maintain a good working relationship between Amref, Ministry of Health and other partners/stakeholders

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Prepare and submit project activity reports as required, including monthly, quarterly and annual reports
• Support in health data monitoring and audit as required by ensuring reporting in the eCHIS, Kenya Health Information System (KHIS) and project-based tools
• Update the community health workers registry and analyse the data for CHP career progression
• Identify areas for operation research in Community Based Health Care, responsive to Country and Global knowledge needs, working closely with other relevant departments
• Support/document successes, lesson learnt and challenges in implementation

Advocacy

• Advocate for community interest in programs and resource allocation at the county level
• Conduct assessments to identify the needs and priorities of the community and advocate for their inclusion into programs and county priorities
• Support advocacy for community health services Act implementation

Admin and Financial Management

• Support in day-to-day management of activity budgets including processing field imprests and other financial transactions
• Ensure timely accounting for the use of project resources by stakeholders and communities in liaison with finance teams

Program Development

• Participate in concepts development and writing of new concepts and proposals for fundraising
• Any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Community Health, Sociology or any other relevant field. Master’s degree is an added advantage.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of five (5) years’ in the implementation of public health, community development programmes or behaviour change programmes at community level
• Experience in demand creation activities for donor-funded health programmes is desirable

Skills

• Target oriented
• Strong organization, planning and problem-solving skills
• ICT proficient
• Good communications skills, oral and written
• Negotiation skills
• Presentation skills
• Good interpersonal skills

Competences

• Proactive
• High level of integrity and honesty
• Detailed oriented
• Team player
• Flexible
• Ability to work under minimal supervision
• Ability to work long hours