Community Linkages Director, ZIHA Abt Associates

Job Description

Opportunity

Zambia Integrated Health Project (ZIHA) is a $120 million project to support the Government of Zambia’s achievement of HIV/AIDS epidemic control and establishing a sustainable, government-led HIV response by 2023 in provinces where USAID is the primary clinical support partner. The purpose of USAID Zambia Integrated Health is to improve health outcomes of Zambians through equitable access to high-quality, client-centered HIV, TB/HIV, MNCH, and FP/RH services, products, and information, and to strengthen the integration of services when applicable. These services will reduce mortality, morbidity, and HIV transmission for focus subpopulations in Northwestern, Copperbelt, and Central provinces, contributing to long, healthy, and productive lives. As part of the Implementation Team, the Community Linkages director develops and oversees implementation of a project-wide strategy to ensure effective linkages between health facilities and communities for demand and supply of HIV prevention services (VMMC, PreP), HIV testing, counseling, care, and treatment services, with a focus on linkage to treatment and retention, MCH and FP services. The Community Linkages director will collaborate with NGOs, government, and other institutions and organizations to implement effective community interventions to increase uptake of HIV testing, linkage to treatment and retention, and will provide technical leadership and guidance to provincial teams and grantees in the implementation of community-based activities.

Key roles and responsibilities

• Provide senior-level technical support to District and community based staff in the management of community mobilization efforts.
• Serve as a technical resource for the integration of community level activities into ZIHA’s approaches and work plans
• Technical support and supervision to define a community awareness/mobilization strategy for ZIHA for improving demand and supply of HIV testing, prevention, counseling, care, and treatment services, FP and MCH services.
• Lead strategic planning for community mobilization and community partnership development.
• Strengthen ZIHA’s capacity to create a sustainable system of supervision and mentorship to reinforce and build community groups’ adherence and psychosocial capacity over time.
• Document best practices for community-based activities, including technical reporting on activities undertaken, partnership development and effectiveness, and programmatic impact
• Monitor the identification and selection of the community-based organizations (CBOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that will implement ZIHA’s community-based activities in the provinces
• Supervise the support, planning, guidance and supervision of ZIHA’s community strategies and outreach programs.
• Develop systems to measure the impact of ZIHA’s community-based interventions, including improved adherence to ART, psychosocial support, VMMC and PreP uptake, increase in HIV testing, linkage to treatment, and uptake of MCH, PMTCT and FP services.
• Support the development of effective referral systems from the community to health facilities.
• Technical support and supervision to develop a community awareness/mobilization strategy for reducing defaulters and loss to follow-up, and improving adherence and retention of patients.
• Coordinate supervision visits to the field with donors and other teams
• Participate in any other activities as need arises or as may be assigned by the supervisor

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in relevant field
• At least 8 years of experience overseeing community-based projects or interventions in HIV projects.
• Experience working on international donor-funded projects preferred.
• Previous experience working with NGOs is an advantage
• Team player with good communication skills
• Proven ability to relate and cooperate with PHO/DHOs, international donors, NGOs, CBOs, communities, and other stakeholders
• Ability to travel regularly to ZIHA’s focus provinces and districts
•  Strong English skills

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree + Nine years of relevant experience, or Master’s Degree + Seven years of relevant experience, or PhD + Four years of relevant experience

Abt Associates is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce. Abt Associates provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits. Local candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

Disclaimer: Abt Associates will never ask candidates for money in exchange for an offer of employment.

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