Senior Health Officer - GAVI REACH

BACKGROUND:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. The IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. We began work in Ethiopia since 2000 and currently implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response. 

The IRC has a focus on narrowing the gender gap in humanitarian aid and ensuring that we contribute to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in both our programs and operations by working to establish a context where our clients (including those from minority groups) enjoy the same rights and opportunities as well as an equal access to services. The IRC also has a strong commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive culture, where safeguarding is upheld in our workplace and programs. We are determined to protect our clients and staff from safeguarding violations through prevention and, where misconduct is alleged, to address it without fear or favor.

Job Overview:

The Gavi REACH Senior Officer will join the team across three zones in the Tigray region—Northwest, Central, and South—focusing on ensuring that Zero Dose Children (ZDC) and overlooked communities in fragile and conflict-affected settings receive high-quality immunization services as part of Primary Health Care (PHC) platforms. They will assist the team in delivering training to community-level and facility-based health providers, aiming to reach ZDC with superior immunization services. They will also take the lead in bolstering surveillance systems, engaging with communities alongside Health Extension Workers (HEWs), health workers, and other local collaborators like Community Health Volunteers (CHVs/HDAs) to heighten community awareness for identifying and reporting vaccine-preventable and priority zoonotic diseases. She / he supervises the planning, execution, and assessment of immunization programs within the organization's areas of operation, focusing on enhancing community-based disease surveillance, increasing immunization coverage, and verifying the quality of immunization data.

Major Responsibilities:

• Coordinating in the micro-plan preparation for immunization and SIAs campaign including for routine EPI and with emphasis on inaccessible, border and poorly performing areas.

• Work with Gavi REACH team to map out missed communities, ZDC and hard to reach populations to develop strategies that will ensure adequate reach of immunization services.

• Coordinating effective cold chain logistics, including adequate forecasting, quantification and requisition of vaccination supplies, timely delivery of vaccines and health supplies for campaigns and routine activities, vaccine stock management, and appropriate maintenance and expansion of cold chain.

• Support team in developing weekly movement plans to project support areas in line with the project activity work plans to ensure regular support supervision and mentorship of field teams, last mile delivery of HMIS, vaccine and other needed supplies to health services delivery points.

• Develop IPC action plans with the relevant teams and use this for continuous quality improvement.

• Work with TRHB and key collaborators to design, and successfully disseminate risk communication and community mobilization (RCCE) materials on immunization to generate community acceptance and consensus.

• Support the project teams to detect, identify, report and handle adverse events following immunization (AEFI) in supported project locations.

• Highlight gaps, using field reports and empirical data on performance and technical coverage in EPI activities that need to be addressed.

• Represent the IRC and actively engage in weekly regional health cluster meetings, RMNCH, and other technical working groups.

Grants Management

• Responsible for preparation of activity, procurement, and spending plan.

• Responsible for revision and updating detailed activity, spending and procurement plans accordingly.

• Ensure budget activity lines are assigned well as per the description in the proposal.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Compile and report project progress (weekly, monthly, quarterly, biannual, and annual) to the supervisor and Gavi REACH Managers and Coordinators.

• Ensure the timely compilation of social mobilization field data, including checklists, within the polio and RI monitoring and evaluation framework.

• Supervise and assess program activities to settle if monthly and quarterly indicators have been met.

• Provide technical support to evaluate the effectiveness of program implementation and recommend adjustments in goals, objectives, intervention strategies, and measurable outputs. timelines.

Safeguarding Responsibilities:

• Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to establish team engagement and cohesion in IRC [team/office].

• Champion ongoing learning, transparent dialogue and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies.

Job Requirements: 

Educational Requirements:

• Diploma/BSc/MSc or equivalent experience in Nursing, Public Health /MD from a recognized university/ College.

• Minimum work experience of 5 years for a Diploma, 2 years for a BSc, and 1 year for MSc/MD.

Preferred experience & skills:

• Meets timelines for all reporting and delivery of outputs.

• Results-based attitude, as well as excellent organizational skills, are advantageous.

• Excellent digital literacy, with a good knowledge of MS-office Windows including Word, Excel, Power point and Access would be an advantage.

• Proven behavior of professional and personal ethics, clarity, and willingness.

• Basic supervisory/managerial skills with strong inter-personal skills.

• NGO experience in emergency health response project activities is preferable.

• Validated experience in working with communities in participatory approaches and capacity building of health centers.

• Ability to plan, coordinate, and supervise implementation of health emergency intervention projects.

• Good technical and report writing skills with digital literacy and knowledge.

• Excellent written and verbal skills.

• Self-motivated, honest, highly responsible, and punctual and ability to constructively address gaps and weaknesses.

• Proficiency in handling pressure in remote locations and a deep understanding of the cultural nuances specific to the local area.

• Work experience in immunization, and PHEM is an asset.

• Good project management skills and experience.

• Capability to coordinate, and supervise the implementation of Zero-Dose Children (ZDC) initiatives in hard-to-reach regions.

• Understanding of Expand program of immunization (EPI) and disease surveillance /PHEM/ policy in Ethiopia.

• Excellent communication skills as well as an overall ability to be clear and concise in all communications.

• Strong organizational and time-management skills; proven record to prioritize and deliver on time.

• Possessing strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Proficient in working independently as well as within a dynamic, cross-functional team.

• Highly skilled in the Microsoft Office Suite.

• Validated capability to work effectively with partners.

• Adept at leading and positively navigating change in a proactive manner.

Language Skills:

• Excellent verbal and written communication in English

• Knowledge of local language is advantageous.

Certificates or Licenses:

• Renewed professional license.

How To Apply

How to apply:

Candidates meeting the above qualifications are encouraged to apply only through the below IRC On-line recruitment website: 

IRC Career Site:  https://careers.rescue.org/us/en/job/req53385/Senior-Health-Officer-GAVI-REACH

• Please include 3 references from current and former employers.
• Applications will not be returned. IRC discourages phone calls or personal visits.
• Only applicants meeting the minimum qualification will be short listed and contacted.
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Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Your application letter/cover letter must include the following information. 

• Name of the position you have applied for 

• Date of application 

• Summary of  your qualifications and experience 

• Motivation/objective of why you have applied for the job

• Permanent Address and present address (if different from permanent) and telephone number if possible also email address 

• Disclose any family relationships with existing IRC employees. 

IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer.  IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients. 

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances