Drivers at Helen Keller International - 4 Openings

Helen Keller International is a global health organization dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition and diseases of poverty. Cofounded by Helen Keller – and guided by her fierce optimism and belief in human potential – the organization delivers life-changing health solutions to vulnerable families where the need is great but access to care is limited. In the US, Africa, and Asia, Helen Keller’s proven, science-based programs empower people to create opportunities in their own lives and build lasting change.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Driver

Locations: Adamawa, Akwa Ibom , Katsina and Taraba
Reports To: Finance and Admin Officer

Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS)

• Helen Keller works closely with the Government of Nigeria to ensure high coverage of more than 80% of the target population of children aged 6 to 59 months old with Vitamin A. Helen Keller also supports the national and state-level advocacy, planning, training of health workers, community sensitization and demand creation, delivery of Vitamin A capsules, program monitoring and evaluation. In 2001, Helen Keller integrated Vitamin A supplementation into Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin (CDTI) as a cost-effective, sustainable strategy and a strong platform for community mobilization.
• Vulnerable groups, including children 6-59 months old and post-partum women within 8 weeks of delivery, were targeted. However, since 2009, Helen Keller aligned with the Federal Government of Nigeria and adopted the bi-annual Maternal Newborn and Child Health Weeks (MNCHW) as a high-impact strategy to distribute Vitamin A capsules alongside other low-cost interventions that have been proven to be highly effective in reducing mortality rates and improving maternal and child health. Helen Keller currently supports Vitamin A Supplementation in Nassarawa and Benue states and has received additional funding from GiveWell to expand the implementation of its VAS program and conduct yearly post event coverage evaluation surveys across four new states in Nigeria (Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Katsina and Taraba).
•  This position reports to the Logistics Associate, who is responsible for vehicle management.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Safely operate vehicles to ensure the safety of all passengers, pedestrians, other drivers and the vehicle in town and on field visits.
• Conduct vehicle checks (daily, weekly, monthly and before/after trips to field), and notify the staff person responsible for vehicle management of any vehicle problems.
• Deliver and pick up passengers and materials/ documents at airports, offices, businesses, etc. in a professional and courteous manner.
• Ensure that vehicles have the appropriate tools to enable users to perform minor maintenance and repairs in the field.
• Clean the vehicle inside and outside when necessary.
• Manage vehicles with care and use them with respect. Drive Helen Keller vehicles in a safe and secure manner in accordance with local law and the policies of the organization.
• Respect local traffic laws and drive within established speed limits.
• Understand the basic operations and maintenance requirements of Helen Keller vehicles. Perform minor maintenance and repair as required.
• Secure the vehicles when not in use.
• Provide support to Helen Keller field office staff and visitors in transporting materials to project sites, including loading and unloading Helen Keller vehicles as required.
• Fill in Vehicle Logbook after each trip with complete information and Fuel Log.
• Accept shifts/schedules as assigned, including weekend and after hours by rotation.
• Other duties as assigned.

Specific Responsibilities
Vehicle Driving:

• Possess a valid local driver’s license.
• Read and understand HELEN KELLER’s Vehicle Management policies and procedures related to vehicle management and driving protocols.
• Respect local traffic laws and drive within established speed limits.
• Deliver and pick up materials and documents at offices and businesses in a professional and courteous manner.

Vehicle Management & Maintenance:

• Conduct vehicle checks (daily, weekly, monthly and for trips), and signal any actual or potential problems to the staff person responsible for vehicle management;
• Ensure that vehicles have the appropriate tools and equipment on board to enable users to perform minor maintenance and repairs in the field.
• Understand the basic operations and maintenance requirements of HELEN KELLER vehicles. Perform minor maintenance and repair as required.
• Carefully assess surroundings before parking, particularly at night. It is the driver’s responsibility to be attentive to potential threats.
• Clean the vehicle inside and outside when necessary.
• Provide support to Helen Keller staff and visitors in transporting materials to project sites, including loading and unloading Helen Keller vehicles as required;
• Fill in log sheets after each trip with complete information and Fuel Logbook.

Vehicle Safety:

• Manage vehicles with care and use them with respect. Drive Helen Keller vehicles in a safe and secure manner in accordance with local law and the policies of HELEN KELLER.
• Do not accept unknown parcels, baggage or other questionable loads into the vehicles.
• Do not accept unknown riders - particularly individuals carrying weapons, wearing military uniforms, or those linked to conflicts - inside HELEN KELLER vehicles.
• Verify that passengers riding in HELEN KELLER vehicles wear seat belts at all times. Drivers are responsible for enforcing this rule in their vehicles.
• Yield the right-of-way to other drivers, pedestrians, bicycle and motorcycle riders, even if progress is slowed.
• Provide contact location to staff when in the field.
• Notify the staff person responsible for vehicle management of any movement of any vehicle from the office, any deviation from the planned route of travel, or changes of schedule.
• Inform the staff person responsible for vehicle management or Country Director of any danger – immediate or potential – to the security of Helen Keller staff or equipment due to demonstrations / riots in town, roadblocks, requisitions of vehicles by armed persons, shooting, etc. in order to alert staff.
• Ensure the safety and comfort of passengers at all times.

Qualifications

• Secondary-level Diploma.
• 5 years’ experience driving professionally; experience in mechanics desired.
• Valid, current driving license with a clean driving record (no accidents).
• Verifiable references.
• Professional, courteous and punctual.
• Willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
• Good working knowledge of all major local road networks and city streets.
• English language skills highly desired.

Application Closing Date
5pm; 7th July, 2021.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates may send a comprehensive Resume with a Cover Letter as ONE MS Word document to [email protected] using the position title and specifying the state you are applying for as the subject of the email.

Note: There are no relocation allowances available for this position.