Description
The Policy and Advocacy Specialist will be responsible for providing technical expertise to the anticipated Community Health and Social Systems Strengthening Project in Tanzania. This project is intended to strengthen community care and social support systems, improving access to comprehensive services for people living with HIV, OVC and other vulnerable populations. S/he will engage in planning, managing, and implementing policy and advocacy activities to ensure that the project achieves its goal to expand the range of services provided to PLHIV, particularly children, at the facility and community levels across the country.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS- Assess, in collaboration with the MOHSW and other stakeholders, relevant policy gaps/challenges to ensuring adequate human resources at the community-level; social services to reduce barriers to care and treatment; and functioning referrals between health facilities, social services and support networks available at the community-level. Develop an advocacy strategy, with a special focus on PLHIV, other vulnerable persons, and the social welfare workforce in Tanzania.
- Provide technical assistance and other support for the activities of regional and local partners and help develop structures at district level to increase the capacity of these partners to carry out advocacy.
- Design and coordinate training events for local partners, and coordinate thematic research projects (including managing consultant researchers if needed).
- Review current laws, Ministry of Health and provincial level polices, and institutional-specific policies and protocols, provider licensing requirements, guidelines on role of private sector and faith based care to determine policy gaps and prioritize policy changes as related to PLHIV care.
- Identify key issues and constraints that can be overcome by policy, legislative or other initiatives, working in collaboration with MOHSW and provincial health agencies.
- Develop short and long-range plans and funding priorities with MOHSW and others to improve health and social welfare workers work environment.
- Engage local authorities and stakeholders in public/private sectors in activities to create favorable policy and advocacy environments to support PLHIV and support HR planning and management.
- Ensure policy and advocacy components span stakeholders and activities from national, local, provincial and community levels, with emphasis on engaging civil society) through policy forums, policy analysis, and review of model policies in public/private sectors.
- Support increased involvement of community actors in local government and national health planning, budgeting and monitoring.
- Support the creation of district advocacy teams (DATs) and provide follow-up to the districts related to child protection and social welfare issues.
- Increase the engagement of community care and social support providers in local government health planning.
- Provide communication, networking and advocacy skills to community care and support actors, such as PLHIV networks, vulnerable children's committees and District AIDS Coordinating Committees.
- Provide technical support to the National Steering and Technical Committees to guide effective implementation of the NCPA II.
- Provide technical support to NACP to update and harmonize standards, guidelines, and curricula as well as monitor and document implementation of these national guidelines.
- Strengthen strategic coordination across taskforces and technical working groups within NACP, DSW, MCDGC and other national-level actors that develop care and social support policy.
Requirements
- An advanced degree in Social Welfare, Public Health, Community Development, Public Administration, or a related advanced degree in Economics or Public Administration. Proven effective record of accomplishment in the development and design of policy and advocacy strategies in Tanzania.
- Experience in the areas of social welfare, OVC and child protection sectors and in mass media, advocacy, and training.
- Expertise in communicating to a wide variety of health care providers or other professional from a range of backgrounds and experience.
- Strong planning, facilitation skills; strong advocacy and supervision skills; strong monitoring and evaluation skills.
- Strong verbal and written English and Kiswahili language skills.
- Good computer skills in Word, Excel, Power Point.
Policy and Advocacy Specialist, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Reviewed by Unknown
on
1:35:00 AM
Rating: