IECHP Manager at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) - Holland

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an international, private, non-governmental, non-profit humanitarian organization. Our organization offers assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters, to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation. We have been working in Nigeria since February 1996. A Memorandum of Understanding between Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Federal Government of Nigeria facilitates this. We are at present co-operating with the Federal Ministry of Health, State and Local Government departments of health on various health projects.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: IECHP Manager

Location: Abuja (with requirements to travel to different project locations)
Contract Type: Indefinite

Main Objective and Responsibilities of the Position

• Assess, define, implement and supervise all the Health Promotion (Information, Education and Communication) activities in the catchment areas of all the projects
• This will be achieved by assessing knowledge of the target groups in a participatory way on common health risks, access to care, health seeking behaviour, on-going support to the social mapping, increasing the knowledge and practices of the target population, promotion of MSF services and support of preventive activities and collaboration to improve the services, by managing the HP team members involved in the activity according to MSF protocols and values.

General Job Accountabilities

• Analysis of the context and application of the context (local culture, traditions, habits, health perception) assessment to support the social mapping (villages, populations, actors); and adapt effective health practices.
• Define and update the annual project and budget plan with relevant HP/IEC strategy per project and related activities (e.g. identify objectives, target population, campaigns, messages, activities, specific actions, etc.).
• Implementation of community engagement strategies to enhance community’s responsibility taking and problem solving to prevent diseases and improve health seeking behaviour.
• Identify indicators in order to monitor HP activities results, achievements through use of concrete tools to measure and follow up those activities.
• Supervise the HP/IEC teams and their activities, in and outside health facilities, reporting difficulties and progress as well as adapting format and content when necessary.
• Assess, develop and adapt HP/IEC materials according to the needs of the project. Ensure content and format have been pre-tested with target groups in order to ensure the adequacy, relevance, full understanding of the messages.
• With specific focus to develop and implement Sexual and Gender Based Violence HPCE message, visual materials and different methods as appropriate per the context; and to support training and familiarization of the materials with the MSF locally recruited staff.
• Being fluent in SGBV protocol(s) and ensures its application. Help identifying possible victims of SGBV and refer them to the medical team for treatment according to protocol(s).
• Liaise with other relevant actors (national and International NGO’s, authorities) also involved in prevention activities, analyzing interventions and building cooperative relationships and advocacy, in order to enhance the influence of the campaigns and messages and to improve awareness among the targeted population.
• Plan and supervise the HR associated processes (recruitment, training, evaluation, development and internal communication) of the HP team members in all the projects. This will be done in close coordination with the HR department, the administration manager and project coordinator and according to MSF vision, values and procedures.
• Ensure regular collaboration and coordination with the MSF medical team, to guarantee that the HP is part of medical activities and contributes to the medical objectives of the project.
• Liaises with medical staff on key beneficiaries to follow up in the community, for case-finding or defaulter tracing, and refer (back) to the clinic.
• Ensures that HP participates in counseling services when specific skills are needed, especially including Prevention Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) and Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VTC).
• Lead participatory approaches, like participatory mapping, regular engagement with key communities’ stakeholders, focus group discussions with target groups in order to ensure the adequacy, relevance, broadcasting and full awareness of the messages ensuring they are worded in a pedagogic manner.
• Contribute in the monthly medical reports according to guidelines (SitReps, statistical reports, etc.).
• Ensure the mobilization of specific target groups for preventive health programs (e.g. nutritional screening, mass immunization campaign, etc.).

MSF Section / Context Specific Accountabilities
MSF OCA currently operates projects in Sokoto, Benue and Zamfara states in Nigeria. The HPCE Manager will be providing technical support to four projects - Zamfara, Gummi, Sokoto (with Noma, NERU, and ITFC pillars), and Benue projects.

Technical Scope

• Develop a strong understanding of the different components of the programming in each location (nutrition activities, SGBV, noma, epidemic response, water and sanitation, primary healthcare, community-based surveillance etc) as well as the key documents (Project planning document, HPCE strategy, SGBV strategy, MH strategy, etc).
• Contribute to the medical strategy in each project and reinforce the understanding of the Health Promotion and Community Engagement (HPCE) role in the project’s activities.
• Update and/or develop the HPCE strategies in each project location and develop ways to reinforce the link between the communities and the programmes, in collaboration with the MTL and PC.
• In collaborations with project team, evaluate the quality of HPCE activities by following up on monitoring tools, and contribute to the improvement plans.
• Monitor the implementation of the HPCE activities in all projects, including community engagement activities, rumour tracking data collection and reporting on a weekly basis to the MTL/PC, and exit interview surveys.
• Develop and modify HPCE materials for each project in accordance with the project's medical objective, and ensure that all HPCE materials are appropriately translated into the local language and visually adapted to the local culture.
• Develop and guide the HPCE teams on individual and group health promotion techniques and communication skills and methods for community engagement.
• Develop ways to strengthen the community engagement component through regular engagement with the communities’ main stakeholders and the development of community feedback mechanisms.
• Promote a person-centred care approach within the various programmes by developing methods to incorporate patient and community perspectives in HPCE activities.
• Seek regular updates on the latest guidance and resources available through MSF sharepoint point and relevant technical advisors.
• Support the HPCE team in the technical aspects of HP on a day-to-day basis.
• Support the HPCE teams in overseeing and monitoring activities through a remote management model.
• Provide HPCE support to the NERU pillar of Sokoto project when required during emergency responses.
• Develop and adapt HPCE materials according to EPREP scenarios. Ensure content and format have been pre-tested with target groups in order to ensure the adequacy, relevance, full understanding of the messages.
• Support the mapping of key stakeholders in the project locations.
• Liaise with other relevant actors (national and International NGO’s , authorities) also involved in prevention activities, analyzing interventions and building cooperative relationships and advocacy, in order to enhance the influence of the campaigns and messages and to improve awareness among the targeted population.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding all information observed or registered.

Data management and reporting:

• Ensure health promotion activities are routinely and accurately reported in the DHIS in all the project and monthly reporting to the MTL.
• Develop tools and reporting formats to track the project HPCE activities.
• Ensure implementation and running of community-based surveillance across IDP camps is appropriately carried out for cholera, measles, meningitis, Lassa fever, noma and other epidemic prone diseases.
• Prepare the mission HPCE MMR after gathering the project HPCE main achievements, challenges, and plans from all projects with your input and share the report with Medco’s and project MTLS and PC’s the first week of each month.

HR management and development:

• Conduct biweekly meetings with all project HP supervisors (face to face or online), promoting a ‘community of practice’ in the mission and, as needed, with MTLs to provide remote technical support timely, collect any feedback from the project side, and provide support accordingly.
• Develop and support capacity building plan for the HPCE teams within all projects according to individual and project needs.
• Training and development of the HP supervisors in the various projects to work autonomously and enhance their ability to develop and implement strategies, effectively manage their teams and develop HPCE materials adapted to the context.
• Carry out HP training for MSF and MoH outreach staff with focus on health education sessions delivery, methods and techniques.
• Analyses HR needs for the HP programs in the project and updates accordingly in the HP strategy.
• Ensures objective settings, timely evaluations of health promotion team are done with the HP supervisors.
• Participate in the recruitment of the HP team as per request from the project management team/mission coordination.

Communication and Team Cooperation:

• Maintain good team work spirit in his/her team and promote good working relationships.
• Work in close collaboration with the MTLs in the projects, ensuring that they are informed and updated on activities and challenges.
• Organise and coordinate project visit plans with the projects and communicate a clear ToR to be shared with the MTLs and PCs. Following each visit, a trip report with clear action points and recommendations to be shared with the project.
• Collaborate with the different medical flying positions, with regular discussions on the strategies in the different projects to promote a stronger integration of the activities.

Requirements
To apply for this role applicants MUST meet the following criteria:

Educational Qualification

• Accepted Bachelor or University Degrees in: Health Promotion, Public Health, Social Sciences (Anthropology, Ethnology, Sociology), Behavioural Sscience, Social Communication, Pedagogy, Educational Designing, Nursing (Community Health), SoMial Marketing or related studies.

Experience:

• Essential: working experience in related areas (health promotion, disease prevention and patient literacy, community mobilization, behaviour change communication, creative social/community designing, social education designer, project coordination, qualitative research) and relevant team management experience, preferably with MSF or other international or national NGO focusing on medical activities – minimum 2 years.

Languages:

• English essential, Hausa is desirable.

Knowledge:

• Essential computer literacy (Microsoft Word and Excel).

Competencies:

• Results and Quality Orientation, Teamwork and Cooperation, Behavioral Flexibility, Commitment to MSF Principles, People Management, Analytical thinking, Stress Management, Service Orientation, Cross cultural awareness

Application Closing Date
27th June, 2023; 5:00 PM

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
And
Send Cover Letter, latest Curriculum Vitae (CV), and photocopies of only necessary credentials with telephone contact details (daytime) to: [email protected] with the subject of the email.

Note

• Only one application should be submitted as multiple applications will not be considered.
• Only applications submitted online will be accepted.
• Lastly, only one online application form should be submitted as multiple submissions will not be considered.
• NO Transportation and/or allowance will be provided during the recruitment process.
• Any documents sent to MSF-Holland (CV, cover letter, copies of diploma, recommendations letters) will not be returned by MSF-Holland.
• MSF is an equal opportunities employer and promotes diversity within the organization.