Project Officer – Malaria

Position: Project Officer – Malaria

Department: Malaria

Project: MCP/GF

Responsible to: Project Health Coordinator

Staff directly supervised: Field Officers

Relationships internally: All programme and support staff

Relationships externally: MoMS/MoPHS personnel, other governmental and non governmental counterparts, community members

Overall Objective of the Position

The Project Officer -Malaria will be based in Kisii and will oversee the planning, implementation and monitoring of all malaria control activities (currently 2 grants i.e. AED/SBCC and USAID/MCP/GF). The PO will report to the Project Health Coordinator.

Key Responsibilities:

• The PO Malaria will be the project lead to the malaria team.
• Participate in all district, divisional and grass-root level planning of malaria interventions
• Participate in various malaria control stakeholders’ coordination forums at local, district and provincial levels (as well as national level as delegated by line manager).
• Participate in training of health workers, CHWs, private sector players, religious leaders and other key community resource persons (CORPs) as outlined in the project proposal.
• Enhance coordination with DHMTs in all project districts by ensuring that all project activities are undertaken with the knowledge, approval and participation of the relevant MoMS/MOPHS officials.
• Participate and facilitate identification, mobilisation and engagement of appropriate community level partners for various project activities.
• Supervise, support and mentor the APO and Field Officers to develop and implement work plans of their day to day activities. On a continuous basis, appraise the performance and capacity building needs of supervised staff and plan and undertake appropriate trainings.
• Provide technical assistance, advice and backstopping in all project activities implemented by Field Officers, MOH counterparts and the community-level actors including CORPs.
• In liaison with the M&E Officer, oversee implementation of Malaria project’s monitoring and evaluation systems in accordance with Merlin’s, Ministries’ and donor guidelines.
• Ensure timely and accurate collection, collation, analysis and dissemination of malaria surveillance information in accordance with donor guidelines and in collaboration with MoH counterparts.
• Participate in writing project reports for both internal and external use including donor reports.
• Any other duties assigned by the line manager/ supervisor.

Job and Person Specifications

• Degree in public health, M&E, health statistics, Epidemiology or related field.
• Experience in communicable disease control and health systems strengthening
• Strong practical experience in information technology and in Excel, Access, and other database packages.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills, able to provide written communication in a timely manner
• Fluency in English oral and written communication
• Ability to transfer knowledge through formal and informal training methods.
• Ability to work well in a team environment.
• At least 3 years experience working in public health in developing countries with substantial experience in M&E, data collection and management.
• Experience in survey and study implementation
• Experience in training using adult learning methodologies

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