PUBLIC HEALTH PROMOTER (Horn East and Central Africa Food Crisis)
Fixed term contract
BACKGROUND:
Millions of people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia who are suffering from severe food shortages. This is the worst food crisis of the 21st Century so far - over 11 million people are now affected.
After two successive poor rains millions of people are struggling to get food. Crops have failed and in parts of the region 60 percent or more of herds have perished. Staple foods have become scarce and the price of available food has increased, making it unaffordable for many. Acute poverty in the worst affected areas has made people less able to cope with the situation.
DRC –Cholera Response
Following the outbreak of cholera in the city of Bolobo, an Oxfam team was dispatched and started a programme of chlorine distribution at 25 sites, along with water treatment at a town well, and a public health campaign. Cholera has also been reported in the capital Kinshasa, which is very worrying because of the dense urban population and an additional health team are being sent in.
DIMENSIONS:
• Managing/ supervising resources within defined boundaries or a specialist area, which may include people, assets and/or budgets.
• Providing professional advice to senior managers on areas of work covered in their remit.
• Influences the development of strategy and ensures and supports operational implementation.
• Provide capacity building and institutional support for local partner agency
• Develops solutions to diverse and complex problems within organisational policy.
• Interprets and applies operational and specialist information in a variety of formats from a variety of sources.
• Flexibility to anticipate and resolve challenges within corporate or divisional parameters, with moderate scope.
• Decisions are made, with a specialist/ divisional context, to further the objectives of Oxfam and the division with reference to the external HR environment.
• Contribute to and influence operational planning.
• Influence managers, staff and volunteers in Oxfam and develop effective networks with external bodies.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• As part of a multi disciplinary team, carry out an assessment of the public health needs of the affected population and analyses of threats to their life, health and dignity.
• Depending on the findings of the assessments, make clear recommendations for health promotion initiatives that are consistent with Oxfam's policies and guidelines. These should take into account the cultural, political and geographical constraints peculiar to affected areas.
• Working closely in particular with engineering colleagues design, implement and monitor the health promotion component of Oxfam's water and sanitation interventions ensuring that, regardless of the time frame, the community is involved in all decisions.
• Map out public health interventions supported by other INGOS, UN bodies and religious groups and identify ways in which Oxfam could work together with these organisations.
• Identify potential local partners and assess their capacity both in terms of resources and management, including their capacity to implement the safe and effective delivery and distribution of relief items without coercion. Give support as required.
• Through joint cooperation with logistics, ensure that all hygiene kits are distributed fairly to beneficiaries and, where possible, carry out post distribution monitoring to assess the effectiveness of the system.
• Ensure that an empowering approach to working with communities is used and that hygiene promotion implementation takes into account cultural issues. This will be based on the principle of entitlements, with promotional work involving awareness of beneficiary rights regarding aid.
• Take into account at all times Oxfam's gender policy and ensure that representatives of all sectors of the community are consulted and involved in programme planning and delivery.
• If appropriate, be responsible for recruiting, training and managing small teams of local staff and volunteers. This may involve planning work schedules, field based mentoring and supervision and carrying out performance appraisals.
• Ensure that interventions strive to conform to Sphere standards and adhere to Oxfam guidelines and protocols.
• Represent Oxfam when appropriate at coordination meetings with the national authorities, UN bodies and international and national NGOs.
• Present regular written reports on progress against objectives as required by the programme manager and ensure that a final report is completed on completion of the contract.
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:
• A degree or equivalent in public health or social sciences related discipline. Extensive community experience may substitute for formal qualification (but qualification will not substitute for experience).
• The post holder should substantial practical experience in appropriate community based public health programmes. Some of this time should have been spent in recent emergency relief programmes.
• In addition to the above, knowledge and experience in at least one of the following areas is essential: hygiene promotion, community development, or health education.
• Skills in assessment, analysis and planning.
• Training, mentoring and counterpart development skills.
• Commitment to humanitarian principles and action and to Oxfam's Equal Opportunity and Gender policies. Demonstrated experience of integrating gender and diversity issues into public health programmes.
• Good oral and written communication skills and the ability to use standard computer software packages.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work well in a team. Diplomacy, tact and negotiation skills are essential.
• Personnel management skills.
• Experience of working under pressure and in response to changing need is desirable.
• Excellent written and spoken English. Working knowledge of another language is desirable.
To apply
To find out more about this role and to apply, please visit www.oxfam.org.uk/jobs and quote ref: INT4685.
Closing date: 24 July 2011.
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