Health Advisor at Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian non-profit organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood, and enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We believe in the power and potential of every child, but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years and are now active in more than 70 countries, driving changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge. Plan International is registered in Nigeria with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Health Advisor

Location: Sokoto

Role Purpose

• The purpose of this role is to provide strategic and operational advice and support to all health-related activities, projects, team members and partners in the technical delivery of all health component at Plan International.
• The health advisor is expected to provide strategic leadership in Health programmes and will be responsible for the quality and effectiveness of Plan International Nigeria’s education emergency response in Northeast of Nigeria.
• The Health Advisor strengthens the country office’s overall capacity to be prepared for and respond to health programmes in accordance with Plan’s principles and practices.

Dimensions of the Role

• Support the development, implementation and periodic review of all health components of the project, including engagement with broad range of project stakeholders.

Accountabilities

• Lead on the assessment of health facilities in line with minimum standards and working with stakeholders and partners to ensure the health facilities meet the standards in health-related projects.
• Provide technical leadership to project leads, Managers and Coordinators implementing health Programmes. 
• Lead on the development and disseminating the Health-related strategy; developing, leading and managing quality program design; and developing and testing tools that can be used in the field.
• Contribute to also improve operational systems, internal capacity building (including mentoring staff trained in researches that are Health related.
• Lead on the development and implementation of all health training activities on the project, ensuring the highest quality of standard.
• Support the implementation of a gender responsive community and health facility referral process in all health-related projects.
• Network with other agencies, UN bodies, donors and other critical stakeholders whilst also working closely with other members of development Teams to advance children, adolescent and youth rights (especially for girls).
• Contribute to project research and support Monitoring and Evaluation processes.
• Work with the head of social development programmes to regularly develop and disseminate knowledge management materials.
• Support the Head of social development programmmes to identify and celebrate campaign and event days related to health project.
• Participate in the joint monitoring of the health sector with Government and other partners.
• Work with health project officers to ensure community structures have the requisite technical health knowledge, including comprehensive sexuality education.
• Provide technical insights in the development of curricula, advocacy and community mobilization strategies, including IEC materials and radio messages to ensure service delivery issues are captured.
• Support Country Office Gender and Social Inclusion Manager in identifying, disseminate and address gender barriers to health programming outcomes.
• Provide technical support to partner activities to ensure consistency with health project objectives.
• Lead on the technical report writing under the supervision of the Head of social development programmes.
• Support regular advocacies to local stakeholders to improve and sustain project buy-in and operations.
• Support the establishment and maintenance of good working relationship with the relevant State actors, local government authorities and other stakeholders.
• Assume any other responsibility as assigned by the Head of social development programmes.

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge
Qualifications and Experience:

• 4-6 years’ experience providing technical support to health projects in Nigeria
• University Education in Medicine or Health related course. An advanced degree such as MPH, MSc in relevant health field will be an added advantage.
• Experience in utilizing adolescent peer education methodologies and comprehensive sexuality Education in communities will be a plus.
• A history of productive involvement with local partners, including from government, traditional leadership, and civil society
• Demonstrated knowledge and background in community mobilization and engagement on health projects.
• Demonstrated Knowledge in gender transformative programming
• Demonstrated problem solving skills, collaboration experience, creativity and willingness to innovate
• Experience working with multiple donors
• Experience drafting project reporting and monitoring project progress
• Excellent written and spoken English language skills
• Knowledge of Hausa language preferred but not required.

Skills & Knowledge:

• Basic financial and administrative skills
• Communicates clearly and effectively appropriate to the audience
• Possession of good report writing skills
• Passion for learning and development.
• Good computer literacy skills.
• Team player.

Behaviours:

• Provides good and adequate administrative support to enable the project meet its agreed program outcomes.
• Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity of yourself and others, able to make complex decisions whilst working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-national team under difficult circumstances and ability to work with trustworthiness and integrity and have a clear commitment to Plan International Nigeria's core values.
• Resilient and flexible individual who has demonstrable experience in working in Health or with children in development and humanitarian settings or fragile contexts.
• Actively seeks for support in addressing difficulties in execution of duties.

Application Closing Date
25th November, 2021.