Engagement of Community Health Supervisor (Lagos) at Mercy Corps Limited/Gte

Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on humanitarian assistance, economic development, and conflict mitigation. With the ongoing insurgency, and other forms of identity-related conflicts, causing the displacement of thousands of individuals and communities in North-East Nigeria (NEN), Mercy Corps started its humanitarian response in the region in 2014 to address rising humanitarian needs. As the crisis persists, Mercy Corps’ strategy has also expanded to address the root causes of the conflict and seek to build the long-term resilience of communities with integrated multi sectoral programs that focus on governance, the recovery of markets and livelihoods, improving nutrition and food security, improving social cohesion and protection, youth empowerment, and enhancing local conflict management.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Engagement of Community Health Supervisor

Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Contract

Girls Improving Resilience through Livelihoods + Health (GIRL-H)

• Girls Improving Resilience through Livelihoods + Health (GIRL-H) is a Mercy Corps-implemented program targeting adolescent girls, boys, and young people in Kenya, Uganda, Haiti and Nigeria. The programme aims to improve girls’ well-being by increasing their access to and uptake of life skills, health information, basic numeracy and literacy, and financial literacy, as well as foster pathways to formal education, economic opportunities, and civic engagement. The Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights component is embedded within the GIRL-H program to create an enabling environment by working with communities to transform unhealthy social norms and increase access to SRHR knowledge, products and services.

Goal

• To ensure that the adolescent and young people’s wellbeing is improved in Nigeria

The objectives of the GIRL-H SRHR program include:

• Increase awareness and knowledge on SRHR services and products among the participants
• Create an enabling environment where adolescents and young people can freely access SRHR services and products
• Increase the uptake of SRHR services and products among adolescents and young people aged 10-24 years

SRHR Program Components

• To address the sexual and reproductive health issues, GIRL-H will use the Socio-Ecological model as its fundamental foundational approach. In addition, the SRHR implementation will integrate various strategies such as Advocacy, Community Engagement, Capacity building, outreach services, and research for a flexible approach to meet differing youth needs. The following diagram explains the different outcome level of the program.

General position summary

• The SRHR Supervisor will be responsible for overseeing the activities of Health Mentors who will provide SRHR education and promote healthy practices to program participants in safe spaces. The position requires someone who has experience in public health or related field and is passionate about improving the health and well-being of vulnerable populations.
• The SRHR Supervisor will work closely with the program team to implement health education activities that align with the program's goals and objectives. The SRHR Supervisor will also be responsible for providing guidance and support to Health Mentors to ensure that they are delivering quality health education sessions that are culturally appropriate and relevant to the needs of the participants.
• The SRHR Supervisor will be responsible for implementing monitoring and evaluation plans to assess the effectiveness of health education sessions and the impact on program participants. The position will require someone who has strong communication and interpersonal skills, as they will be required to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders, including program participants, Health Mentors, and program management staff.
• The ideal candidate for this position will have a strong background in public health, experience in supervising and managing teams, and a passion for working with vulnerable populations to improve their health and well-being. The Health Supervisor must be able to work independently, as well as part of a team, and be able to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously.
• The safe space mentor will be under the immediate supervision of the SRHR Consultant. She/He will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing learning activities through the SRHR curriculum.
• A supervisor will oversee at least twenty (20) safe spaces. She/He will ensure sessions happen at least twice a week, eight (8) times in a month for 3months.

As a Health Supervisor who will supervise Health Mentors to carry out teaching activities at safe spaces for program participants, some essential duties include:

• Supervise Health Mentors: Oversee the activities of Health Mentors, including training, mentoring, and providing guidance and support to ensure that they are delivering high-quality health education sessions.
• Monitor and evaluate health education sessions: Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation plans to assess the effectiveness of health education sessions and the impact on program participants.
• Collaborate with program staff: Work closely with program staff to ensure that health education activities align with the program's goals and objectives.
• Coordinate logistics of health education activities: Coordinate the logistics of health education activities, including scheduling, venue selection, and materials preparation.
• Ensure adherence to safety protocols: Ensure that Health Mentors are adhering to safety protocols during health education activities to ensure the safety of program participants.
• Maintain accurate records: Maintain accurate records of health education sessions, including attendance, evaluations, and any other relevant information into the M&E tools.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community partners: Develop and maintain relationships with community partners, including healthcare providers, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Develop and manage budget: Develop and manage the budget for health education activities, including tracking expenses and ensuring that expenditures are within budgetary constraints.
• Participate in program planning and reporting: Participate in program planning and reporting, including providing input into program design and contributing to program reports.Top of Form
• Attend, submit monthly report to SRHR Consultant, provide feedback during monthly review meeting and conduct other activities as required by SRHR Consultant.
• Collaborate with healthcare providers and other support services to ensure that individuals receive the appropriate care and resources.
• Adhere to all procedures and code of conducts that ensures quality services and accountability to beneficiaries and report any abuse of beneficiaries by others.
• Conduct other activities as required by SRHR Consultant.

Qualities and criteria for selection
Some important qualities for a Health Supervisor who will be supervising Health Mentors to carry out teaching activities at safe spaces for program participants include:

• Must have experience of handling of girls’ and boys’ relevant health issues and cases.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of health-related issues and their impact on individuals and communities.
• Must be resident within the LGA of intervention (Epe, Ojo, Alimosho, Shomolu, Kosofe).
• Current or former Community health workers such as nurses, CHEWs, Midwife, health, and Hygiene workers are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Strong leadership skills: The Health Supervisor should have strong leadership qualities, including the ability to inspire and motivate Health Mentors to deliver high-quality health education sessions.
• Excellent communication skills: The Health Supervisor should be an effective communicator, with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with program participants, Health Mentors, and program management staff.
• Cultural competence: The Health Supervisor should have a deep understanding of the cultural context of the program participants and should be able to design health education activities that are culturally appropriate and relevant to their needs.
• Strong organizational skills: The Health Supervisor should be highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously, and to ensure that Health Mentors are delivering health education sessions in a timely and effective manner.
• Experience in public health or related field: The Health Supervisor should have a background in public health or a related field, with experience in designing and implementing health education programs.
• Experience in supervision and management: The Health Supervisor should have experience in supervising and managing teams, with the ability to provide guidance and support to Health Mentors to ensure that they are delivering high-quality health education sessions.
• Passion for improving health and well-being: The Health Supervisor should have a genuine passion for improving the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, with a commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of program participants.

Additional requirements (after recruitment)

• Must be trained by consultant and sign the Child Safeguarding and Do No harm Policies, the Code of Conduct and Confidentiality forms.
• Two (2) references must attest about her/him (a religious leader and another community leader within the LGA).

Application Closing Date
30th March, 2023.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send the required Documents below to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the email.

Note: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.