Position: Sexual and Reproductive Health Coordinator Programme: Kenya/Somalia Nutrition Programmes Responsible To: Deputy Country Director for Programmes
Location: Nairobi (spending at least 50% of time in field locations in Kenya and Somalia, security permitting) Start Date: ASAP Duration: 12 Months Salary: £25,670 - £26,420 per annum dependant on relevant experience Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, and annual leave entitlement of 24 days per annum rising to 30 days at the completion of 12 months of continuous employment with Merlin.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.
Please note this is an unaccompanied position.
Merlin International Profile Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.
Context and Background
Merlin has been incorporating Maternal and Neonatal Child Health (MNCH) and sexual and reproductive health services into its primary health care programmes for the Kenya and Somalia programs. This integration of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services component into existing primary health care projects, in conjunction with the respective Ministries of Health, has seen success in a number of Merlin operating countries in central and east Africa. It is Merlin’s intention to capitalise on this experience, improve the quality of MNCH service and capture the lessons of this integration for further improvement and replication.
Merlin has been working in Kenya since 1998 and in Somalia since 2004. In Kenya Merlin is currently operational in two regions: western and northern Kenya and in three zones of Somalia. Merlin projects in Kenya range from the implementation of MNCH, nutrition and emergency preparedness programmes; HIV care, treatment and VCT services; malaria prevention and control and disease outbreak responses. In Somalia Merlin is implementing Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) that includes MNCH, Sexual and Reproductive Health services, nutrition programme in addition to HIV/AIDS, TB and primary health care programmes.
The MNCH experience within Kenya and Somalia has had considerable success in the process of integration of these services within existing local structures. Merlin’s work in Kenya and Somalia provides ample opportunity for providing lessons to the regional programming portfolio.
Main purpose of the role The Sexual and Reproductive Health Coordinator (SRH) is responsible for leading the MNCH and RH team and providing technical support and capacity building of the team for successful planning and implementation of programme activities. The SRH coordinator will work closely with Health Coordinators at country and project levels, Operational Managers and Programme Coordinator for program development.
Overall Objectives (scope) This position demands both the technical knowledge and the work experience, needed to coordinate Sexual and Reproductive Health programme. The SRH coordinator will be responsible for ensuring management of the Reproductive Health programme is executed in line with international humanitarian standards and donor guidelines with the assistance of the Country Health Coordinators and deputy country director for programmes. This position demands an ability to manage, organise and support all aspects of the programme; including other agency liaison, training and supervising regional and local staff using techniques and tools available and appropriate to Kenya and Somalia. .
Responsibilities Programme
• Assess and document RH service gaps in Merlin’s Kenya and Somalia program; • Collaborate with government agencies to ensure staffing needs are met; • Provide technical guidance, training, resources and tools to RH related staff in Kenya and Somalia field sites. • Establish a reliable referral system 24 hours a day 7 days a week for EmOC cases, collaborating with the Ministry of Health for infrastructure and support (i.e. communication and transportation). • Assess both national system and international organizations for acquisition of equipment and supplies such as UNICEF/MOH-provided drugs and UNFPA RH kits • Ensure dissemination, knowledge, and use of all protocols including those pertaining to GBV • Integrate medical management and treatment for cases of GBV and provide syndromic treatment of STIs • Work with providers and community members on attitudes and values leading to improved counseling skills and better care for clients; counseling will include not only informed decision making for family planning but also support on emotional issues via psychosocially sensitive interactions • Promote coordination among all relevant actors, including health, protection, camp management and any parallel (vertical initiatives) in GBV, HIV and BEmNOC. • Participate in inter-agency health coordination, RH coordination, and GBV coordination meetings. • Aggregate data, analyze data and present in user-friendly format for distribution to relevant representatives.
Training and capacity building • To assess the training needs of MNCH staff and develop a training programme to meet these needs. • Conduct training on BEmNOC for project staff and MOH counterparts implementing Reproductive Health programmes in Kenya and Somalia. • Ensure the establishment and strengthening or RH monitoring activities and train health staff (Merlin and partners) in emergency obstetric case detection and referral mechanisms.
Coordination • To liaise, according to Merlin distribution of responsibilities, with the Ministry of Health and other agencies (UNICEF, WHO, and UNFPA) to ensure appropriate provision of service and use of resources.
• To keep the project health coordinators and Country Health Coordinators appraised of all activities and any difficulties that may arise. • To report properly and in a appropriate time all relevant RH information required for the comprehensive development of the PHC program
Administration • To assist in compiling MNCH, RH and SGBV Project Proposals • To assist in compiling the MNCH, RH and SGBV activities inputs to donor project reports, with assistance from the appropriate staff. • Maintain proper systems of filing and ensure that the field office has all relevant technical material on site.
Security • Full adherence to Merlin Kenya and Somalia Security procedures. • Full adherence to Merlin Kenya and Somalia field communication protocols and standard operating procedures, informing fellow team members and the Program Coordinator immediately of any security incident. • To behave at all times in a manner which positively promotes Merlin and its work and actively maintaining Merlin’s acceptance strategy with both civilians and parties to the conflict.
Person Specification Essential Qualifications, experience and competences • MD or Nurse with Masters in Public Health and with comprehensive reproductive health expertise preferred. • Minimum two years overseas experience implementing and developing Sexual and Reproductive Health programs in emergency and post conflict environments with limited/degraded local resources and infrastructure in insecure environments. • Demonstrated experience in conducting monitoring and evaluation activities. • Experience in designing and implementing trainings and trainings of trainers. • Demonstrated experience with proposal development and writing. • Experience in representation and interaction with donors, government officials, international organizations, and NGO representatives concerning health issues and initiatives in complex humanitarian emergencies. • Familiarity or experience with Sphere Standards. • Strong computer skills including word processing, and excel and English fluency required.
Preferred: • Good team player, flexible and capable of working with a multinational country team. • Ability and willingness to travel to rural locations and live in sometimes basic conditions. • Appreciation of and sensitivity to local culture. • Ability to function and manage in situations of uncertain security. • Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken Eglish • Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office • Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures • Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines • Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues • An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values
How to Apply
To apply for this job, please go to www.merlin.org.uk/jobs and apply using our online recruitment system. In order to apply for a job with Merlin online you will need to complete a short registration process and create an account – the online recruitment system explains how to do this. Once your account has been created, you will be able to save the information that you have entered in your application and re-visit it at any time before you submit it.
If you are unable to apply online please download and complete an application form and email it to: applications@merlin.org.uk.
Please note that we do not accept CVs and any application must therefore be made online or by completing our application form. Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Data Protection In accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act Merlin will hold and use personal information that you have given for the purposes of recruitment and employment should an offer of employment be made. This information will be stored in manual and/or computer form. This information may also be disclosed to third parties in accordance with the Data Protection Act. In cases where a job offer is conditional on ensuring that potential employees’ names do not appear on counter terrorism lists generated by the United Nations, European Union or the United States due to donor funding requirements, Merlin will use the information that you have given for checking that your name does not appear on these lists.
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