Access to Quality Health Services Advisors at Cuso International

Cuso International is a development organization that works to reduce poverty and inequality through the efforts of highly skilled volunteers, collaborative partnerships and compassionate donors. Cuso International’s work is driven by authentic engagement with and accountability to the people and communities involved.

We therefore invite applications from qualified candidates for the position below:

Job Title: Access to Quality Health Services Advisor

Location: Nigeria
Length of placement (months): 12
Funding Eligibility Requirements: Open to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents

The volunteer's Role

• All placements will help contribute to the Access to Quality Health Services (AQHS) project of Cuso International’s Volunteers for International Cooperation and Empowerment (VOICE) program, funded by the Canadian government through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), and Cuso International. The AQHS project in Nigeria focuses on improving access to quality of care provided by frontline health workers and will target: Respectful care, Women’s participation in decision making and Access to health information and services for young people.
• The AQHS planned activities shall support amongst others, capacity building for staffs (nurses/midwives at practicum sites) for better supervision of potential CHEWs; Capacity building for staffs of relevant agencies to supervise health workers; Support capacity building of health workers on respectful care, SRH, community participation in service delivery. On the demand side, the AQHS project shall support NGO partners to build capacity of community groups on Gender, Policy Advocacy, Health Budget tracking, Maternal Health research, monitoring of service delivery. The weight on demand of the VOICE project is: Coordination, Advocacy and Collaboration.
• The Nigeria program will require with a broad range of skills, including organizational development, health research, monitoring & evaluation, program development, gender mainstreaming experts, communications, strategic planning, Information Communication Technology, public health, and mentors.
• Placements will be of varying length, but generally placements will be between three months and one year. There will also be possibilities for volunteers to contribute to the program remotely as e-volunteers. E-volunteers can be those who volunteer their time before or after a placement in-country, but also for those who are unable to travel overseas but would like to contribute.

The volunteers will conduct the following activities:

• Support the review of Primary Health Care Operational Plan and State Health Strategic Development Plan
• Research and needs assessment
• Provide technical input to NGOs and other partners delivering training or developing advocacy strategies for target beneficiaries and communities.
• Organizational capacity development of partner organizations and/or their networks.

Essential Academic Qualifications

• Various health-related qualifications

Essential Professional Background/Competencies

• Knowledge of development of operational plans, policy briefs, and health strategies, health research, monitoring and evaluation.

Desirable Academic Qualifications

• Relevant Degree and/or professional training is desirable
• Experience in development, global health issues, policy analysis is desirable
• Should be familiar with public health systems in developing countries

Desirable Professional Background/Competencies
Research skills:

• Skill and experience in policy analysis would be an asset
• Previous professional experience at the international level desirable
• Proficiency skills with documenting M&E plans desirable.

Language Requirements:

• English reading=4, writing=4, oral=4

Start Date
June 2016.

Application Closing Date
Ongoing.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online