Pathfinder International is a global leader in sexual and reproductive health. We place reproductive health care at the center of all that we do—believing that it is not only a fundamental human right, but is critical for expanding life opportunities for women, families, communities, and nations, and paving the way for transformations in environmental stewardship, decreases in population pressures, and innovations in poverty reduction. Pathfinder provides women, men, and adolescents with a range of quality health services—from contraception and maternal care to HIV prevention and AIDS care and treatment. Pathfinder strives to strengthen access to family planning, ensure availability of safe abortion services and post-abortion care, advocate for sound reproductive health policies, and, through all of our work, improve the rights and lives of the people we serve.
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Program Overview
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Pathfinder is seeking a Senior Technical Advisor for Community-based Programming to support the Community Care and Social Services Strengthening for HIV-Affected Populations in the United Republic of Tanzania project.
The goal of this five year project is to strengthen community care and social support systems, improving access to comprehensive services for people living with HIV, OVC and other vulnerable populations. Within the context of the Tanzanian HIV/AIDS epidemic, community care and social support systems refer to structures and mechanisms used by communities to interact, coordinate and deliver home-based care; social protection and welfare for OVC and other vulnerable populations; legal services; nutrition support; mental and psychosocial support; and referral and access to health services and follow-up. The project will support an implementation model that builds on existing governmental, private sector, and community programs, enhancing the delivery of the continuum of care services.
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Position Purpose
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The Senior Technical Advisor for Community-based Programming will provide strategic vision and technical leadership to carry out community mobilization initiatives to discourage harmful traditional practices, encourage male involvement, gender equity, healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy (HTSP), girls’ education, partner communication and women’s empowerment. S/he will work with local stakeholders (e.g., local government agencies, health facilities, NGOs, women’s groups, religious leaders and other influential community leaders) to strengthen community systems with the aim to improve the local environment for community care and support of HIV-affected and other vulnerable populations.
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Key Responsibilities
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- Strengthen the capacity of local leaders and health care providers to undertake problem analyses and think creatively to propose new and non-traditional ways to mobilize resources and increase community-level buy-in to sustain high quality community care and social support services.
- Build local capacity to improve public sector systems and management, and mobilize community resources to expand basic knowledge about HIV prevention, care and treatment, OVC, child health and nutrition, and the need to ensure resilient referral networks and social safety nets.
- Provide support to community leaders to increase access to community health and social welfare service by making these services more widely available through community-based clinics, market-based agencies, community-based agents, workplace providers, schools and religious institutions.
- Create and guide community-led opportunities for leadership, skills development, advocacy and resource mobilization to sustain community-based health and social welfare services.
- Develop messaging to increase community awareness of living with HIV and healthcare management.
- Facilitate dialogue and engagement of key stakeholders and groups to strengthen understanding and engagement in local government planning and policy.
- In collaboration with the Programs Department, identify potential gaps or deficiencies in program performance (within Pathfinder and amongst implementing partner organizations), and develop technical tools and approaches to address these gaps.
- Provide technical input to strengthen relationships between health care facilities and clinics, and the communities they serve to improve quality of care, patient respect and the overall health service delivery environment.
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- Advanced degree in international development, social services, public health or related field.
- 7 + years’ experience implementing health and/or social sector programs in developing countries, preferably Tanzania, with at least 5 years’ experience providing technical assistance at the community-level.
- Demonstrated experience in program design and integrated approaches to community-based activities including BCC and advocacy.
- Recent, hands-on experience working effectively with local partners, civil society and faith-based organizations, community leaders and local government authorities to build local capacity and carry out social empowerment, advocacy, and initiatives to support HIV affected and other vulnerable populations.
- Experience in designing, implementing, and monitoring USAID supported health programs.
- Proven ability to create and maintain effective working relationships with host country national and local level government officials, stakeholders, INGOs, implementing partners and U.S. government agencies.
- Excellent inter-personal and communication (verbal and written) skills.
- Expert computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
- Fluency in spoken and written English required.
- Willingness and availability to travel in-country up to 25% time, and internationally as needed.
- Familiarity with the political, social, economic and cultural context of working in Tanzania.
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