Senior Advisor Community- Based Service Delivery and Engagement

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children. Our vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. In Zambia, Save the Children works in the following Thematic areas: Education, Health& Nutrition, Child Protection, Child Rights Governance and Child Poverty; including Humanitarian response.

Project Description

Save the Children seeks a Senior Advisor Community- Based Service Delivery and Engagement for the anticipated USAID Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent and nutrition (RMNCAH&N) Continuum of Care (CoC) program. USAID Zambia supports the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) to improve the health of mothers and children through strengthened capacity to engage with communities for health, to deliver quality services, and strengthening systems at national and subnational levels. This activity will provide technical assistance to the government-led RMNCAH&N Continuum of Care (CoC) program. It is a program that aims to provide quality health services as close to the community as possible through implementation of high impact interventions that saves lives. USAID will support the MoH CoC program in four provinces of Zambia (Luapula, Muchinga, Southern and Eastern) through the CoC TA Activity and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) Grant that provides funding to MoH CoC program.

Position : Senior Advisor Community-Based Service Delivery & Engagement

Duty Station : Lusaka but the post holder will be required to travel to the four project provinces (Eastern, Luapula, Muchinga, Southern) and target districts as needed.

This position reports to RMNCAH&N Technical Director.

Job Summary/Responsibilities

The position provides technical leadership to the RMNCAH&N project and at the national level to ensure increased use of high-quality community-based service delivery, supported by strengthened demand and community engagement. He/she, in close collaboration with government partners and community structures, leads the provision of technical assistance (TA) to (1) provincial and district health management teams (DHMTs), (2) community-based providers and volunteers, and (3) community-based organizations, structures and networks. The provision of TA aims to increase use of key high-impact services and practices, strengthen mutual accountability between communities and service providers, build governance capacity of community structures and networks, and reinforce linkages among DHMTs, facilities and community structures and networks to achieve better health outcomes.

Specific responsibilities may include but are not limited to;

• He/she is required to travel to the four project provinces (Eastern, Luapula, Muchinga, Southern) and target districts as needed. This position reports to RMNCAH&N Technical Director.
  Specific responsibilities may include but are not limited to:
• Provides technical leadership to MOH and other collaborating partners in the overall design and implementation of the community engagement strategy
• Provides technical leadership to MOH, and works in collaboration with international and national partners to review community -based service delivery and engagement strategies and design and test new approaches.
• Represents the RMNCAH&N project in the MOH Community and Health Promotion Technical Working Group (TWG) meetings and other TWGs and fora concerned with community-based service delivery, CHWs, volunteers, and community structures.
• Collaborates closely with team leaders, STTA partners, technical staff and government partners to ensure delivery of a quality community-based RMNCAH&N service package, linked to and integrated with facility-based services, and reinforced by strong community governance.
• Supervises team members who provide TA and support district and provincial Continuum of Care (CoC), SBC, and community mobilization and engagement efforts to increase use of high-impact RMNCAH&N services. (TBD)
• Forges strong partnerships with local CBOs that foster improved practice of positive behaviour among individuals and communities by improving knowledge, attitudes, skills, and changing norms.
• Builds capacity of national, provincial and district MOH personnel, using proven approaches, to improve community relationships and dialogue through use of Partnership-Defined Quality (PDQ), score cards, and/or other tools and approaches to increase mutual accountability, demand, and service utilization.
• Aligns with MOH and partners to ensure incorporation of resources for high-impact SBC messages and community engagement activities into annual budgets and work plans.
• In collaboration with the project’s M&E team, ensures that the project maximizes and reports outcomes for the community-based service delivery and community engagement components.
• Provide leadership to development of project annual work plans and budgets, training plans, quarterly reports and other documentation of best practices and lessons learnt as required.
• Ensures the timely and quality completion of program technical deliverables and reports in accordance with USAID guidelines.
• Maintains regular communication with the interagency RMNCAH&N CoC teams at national and provincial levels.
• Coordinates with other USAID and donor projects (CHAI, SIDA, RMNCAH&N CoC Steering Committee/Interagency) to ensure coordination of materials and tools to streamline efforts, and avoid gaps and overlap. Ensures materials are tested, proved effective and used efficiently and by the appropriate target group.

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Development, Social Sciences, Communication, or other relevant field
• 7+ years of professional experience working with communities and district/provincial health management teams to improve community engagement, SBC, and/or community-based health service delivery;
• Experience supporting and building capacity of community-based providers, volunteers, and community structures and networks is advantageous;
• Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-faceted health development program in collaboration with diverse partners and provincial and district MOH staff;
• Familiarity and relevant work experience with evidence-based RMNCAH&N interventions, SBC, community engagement and best practices, specifically at the community level;
• Familiarity working with USAID programs and with multilateral agencies, academic institutions, and Zambian health CSOs;
• Strong knowledge of community-level prevention and control approaches and significant experience in design and implementation of activities promoting citizen engagement and health service demand;
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills and ability to work in a large team-oriented setting;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English required;
• Highly organized and able to work successfully in a team that is geographically dispersed;

Child Safeguarding:

Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people.

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