Field Officer - Community prevention, adherence and psychosocial services

Position: Field Officer - Community prevention, adherence and psychosocial services

Department: HIV/ TB

Projects: HIV/AIDS & - TB Projects

Responsible to: PHC

Staff directly supervised: None

Relationships internally: All programme and support staff

Relationships externally: MoMS/MoPHS personnel, other governmental and non governmental counterparts, CHWs, CB-DOTS, and community members

Overall Objectives of the Position

The Field Officer - Community prevention, adherence and psychosocial support services will be based in Kisii and will be responsible for extending HIV/AIDS/TB preventive interventions to the household and community level (level 1) by enhancing demand and utilization of services.

Promoting adherence to treatment by offering psychosocial support to the clients and communities – Level 1 and establishing linkages between health facilities and community to ensure appropriate referrals and client follow up.

Guided by the MoH’s community strategy, the FO will ensure community members are engaged in planning, implementation and monitoring of project activities thus promoting ownership and sustainability.

Responsibilities

• In close coordination with other Field Officers, develop monthly work plans and translate these into weekly and daily activity plans. These should be in harmony with the broader project implementation plan and timelines.
• Collaborate with MOPHS officials, provincial administration and community members to identify and engage village volunteers for training as community owned resource persons (CORPs).
• Conduct community entry, social mobilisation and participatory planning of community based HIV/AIDS/TB interventions.
• Work closely with health facility teams to ensure that referral and client follow up systems are functional.
• In partnership with MoPHS staff, plan and undertake regular supportive supervision, mentoring and coaching of CORPs and maintain their spirit of volunteerism consistently high (e.g. through non-monetary incentive schemes).
• In liaison with the Ministry counterparts strengthen the linkage between community and health facility through effective decentralisation and partnership between the service delivery levels.
• Work closely with the ministry counterparts to ensure effective functioning of the referral system from community to health facilities and in particular the various service delivery points (e.g. PSCs, TB, STI, HBC and PMTCT) to ensure that patients receive comprehensive care.
• Participate in establishing an effective community-based information system that is able to collate accurate and timely data and feeds into the formal health management information system (HMIS). This task will entail developing (or improving existing) data collection and reporting tools, mentoring CORPs on use of the tools and encouraging them to submit monthly reports.
• Participate in organization and facilitation of information sharing forums including stakeholders meetings, MDT meetings etc
• Promote Greater Involvement of People with AIDS (GIPA) in the implementation of Merlin supported activities.
• Advocate for gender mainstreaming in all aspects of the project.
• Represent Merlin in various forums as requested and/or approved by the line Manager.
• Write high quality reports of all field activities undertaken and submit to supervisor in a timely manner.
• To undertake any other duties assigned by the supervisor.

Job and Person Specifications

• Have a Diploma in Nursing and a training in counseling
• Have served for a minimum period of five (5) years, with HIV/AIDS programs
• Have demonstrated a high degree of initiative, flexibility and reliability;
• Have excellent oral and written communication skills, networking, planning skills;
• Ability to influence, mobilize and provide recommendations;

Highly Desirable

• Previous experience working for an NGO

Applications should be sent to the address below on or before 11/05/2011

Merlin Kenya / Somalia Programme.
P.O. Box 3350 – 00200,
Nairobi

Or via e- mail to: recruitment@merlin-eastafrica.org