American Red Cross
Location: Nairobi, Kenya with up to 50% travel in region and globally
Status/Duration: Two-year, full-time contract (renewable)
Supervisor: Field Representative, Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI)
The American Red Cross (AmRC) prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. The American Red Cross International Services Department (ISD) helps vulnerable people and communities around the world prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises through mobilizing the power of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. With programs and partners across the globe, and as part of the International Federation of Red Cross and the Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI), AmRC is working to strengthen the global Red Cross Red Crescent Network to deliver critical assistance to some of the most vulnerable communities in the world.
AmRC, in partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Foundation (UNF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), leads M&RI. As a partnership, M&RI has for over a decade provided support to Ministries of Health conducting periodic immunization campaigns and has begun leveraging support to strengthen routine immunization programs. AmRC seeks a Technical Advisor to provide technical assistance to Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies and ministries of health to plan and implement activities in support of supplementary immunization activities, including outbreak response, and routine immunization system strengthening efforts particularly via the 5-Point Plan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqpeIgs62s4&feature=youtu.be).
Responsibilities:
In conjunction with the M&RI Director and the Field Representative, the Technical Advisor will work with National Societies, to build their capacity to educate and mobilize community members during vaccination campaigns and provide technical advice to support and strengthen routine immunization programs.
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Provide technical support to National Societies based on their role in planning, implementation, and evaluation of vaccination campaigns, outbreak response and other immunization activities.
- Provide technical support on communications, volunteer management, supervision, coordination, advocacy, training, and monitoring and evaluation. Support will be provided remotely and through periodic in-country support visits.
- Promote and facilitate a solid working relationship among the National Society, its government (especially health-related ministries) and other immunization partners, including UNICEF, WHO, and civil society organizations, among others. Ensure National Society participation in the Interagency Coordinating Committee for Immunization (ICC) and other relevant coordination bodies at the national, provincial, and district levels.
- Work with National Societies to develop and strengthen an effective volunteer management and supervision system to determine realistic targets for volunteer participation during and after vaccination campaigns and in their support for routine immunization strengthening efforts particularly via the 5-Point Plan.
- Assess project proposals, provide feedback, participate in preliminary assessment missions and report to AmRC and M&RI/immunization partners regarding capacity, gaps, needs and concerns about planning for vaccination campaigns. Work with in-country partners to revise and refine proposals, plans of action, and timelines.
- Enhance and utilize existing guidelines and tools for social mobilization and community education for vaccination campaigns, outbreak response and other immunization activities.
- Assist National Societies to monitor the knowledge and experiences acquired to ensure organizational memory of the strengths and constraints for future programming.
- Produce regular situation reports for circulation within AmRC to ensure that stakeholders are kept informed. Ensure lessons learned are shared with the AmRC M&RI team and reflected in future programming.
- Provide support to AmRC staff and volunteers implementing immunization-related activities globally.
- Support Ministries of Health in implementing immunization activities with a focus on building and strengthening local partnerships.
- Participate in relevant fora, including regional and national technical working groups, meetings, conferences, and other events to provide technical input, liaise with partners, and expand the profile of AmRC.
- Provide strategic guidance and support the expansion of the AmRC portfolio in immunization, leveraging experience with M&RI and the broader AmRC support provided to countries.
- Assist the Field Representative in managing the Kenya M&RI office and delegation.
- Assist the Field Representative in providing support to in-country visitors and teams. Ensure adequate planning and activities to fill time in a productive way.
- Assist AmRC with funding proposals and donor reports.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Required 4-year university degree in public health, international development, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum 4 years relevant experience required with at least 6 years of experience preferred. Experience working in Africa or Asia is required; experience in these settings with a humanitarian aid organization strongly preferred.
- Must have technical knowledge of immunization programs including experience with immunization campaigns.
- High degree of competence in planning, project design & management, monitoring and evaluation, financial management, and management/reporting.
- Experience with community/volunteer-based organizations is required with ability to coach and train local staff.
- Proven ability to establish and maintain strong working partnerships with international organizations, government bodies, UNICEF, WHO and local immunization partners including NGOs.
- Excellent inter-personal and cross-cultural skills with strong ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing as well as computer literacy in Word and Excel.
- Must display flexibility, adaptability, initiative and a high degree of competence in team building, teamwork and a commitment to the Red Cross principles.
- Fluency in French and/or Portuguese is an advantage (not a requirement).
- Must possess strong personal integrity and ability to adapt to changing situations.