Applicants Welfare & Development Centre (AWANDEC) is a non-governmental, non-political organization established in March, 2000. It is registered with the Akwa Ibom State government through Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare in 2003, and the Federal Government of Nigeria through Corporate Affairs Commission in 2010 with Registration Certificate (CAC/IT/NO. 38557).
AWANDEC aims her interventions to positively touch the lives of vulnerable groups through service delivery, advocacy and engagement with duty bearers to help meet the felt needs of these marginalized groups in our local communities.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Program Officer – HIV Care & Support
Location: Okobo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Project: ICHSSA 1
Department: Programs
Employment Type: Full-time
AWANDEC presently partners with Center for Clinical Care and Clinical Research in Nigeria (CCCRN) to implement the Integrated Child Health and Social Service Award – Lot 1 (ICHSSA 1) which is a five-year agreement funded by USAID. ICHSSA 1 commenced on December 19, 2019 and is implemented in partnership with Catholic Relief Services alongside other local resource experts. The project seeks to ensure that Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) are cared for, and protected by their households, communities, and local and state government to reduce their vulnerability to HIV.
The project expected results is highlighted as follows:
- Households have increased access to basic services and care for OVC
- Communities ensure that OVC secure their rights
- Local and State Government deliver basic services, detect and respond to child rights violations
- Prioritized targeted services for specific OVC subpopulations delivered
AWANDEC works in four (4) Project LGAs namely; Okobo, Mbo, Udung Uko & Urueoffong/Oruko LGAs of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
Job Summary / Responsibilities
- S/he will provide technical support primarily in the implementation of community-based HIV Care and support programs for project beneficiaries affected by HIV.
- S/he will be responsible for strengthening linkages and referral coordination between the community-based care and support activities and health facilities providing HIV treatment towards ensuring a continuum of care.
- Ensure the documentation of OVC project attribution to the care and treatment partners’ overall achievement along the 95-95-95 epidemic control cascade.
- Alongside CCWs, S/he will lead the process of monitoring of quality HIV care at the household and ensure drug adherence and viral load suppression.
- Administer quarterly HIV Care & support, Nutrition assessment checklist as applicable to ICHSSA 1 beneficiaries and refer appropriately.
- Support the CCWs in the development of “care plan” for vulnerable households and tracking service delivery.
- Provide support to community case workers to refer and provide escort of ICHSSA 1 beneficiaries to HIV service points for uptake of HIV-related services.
- Alongside CCWs, S/he will mobilize ICHSSA 1 beneficiaries for community outreaches for HTC and conduct follow-up visits to HIV-positive beneficiaries for continuous adherence support.
- Participate in monthly LGA-level referral coordination meetings across the 4 ICHSSA 1
Project LGAs.
- Participate in the development of an HIV service delivery directory and facilitate knowledge sharing to participants at Community case workers’ Review meetings and stepdown trainings.
- Document all HIV prevention care and support activities and report monthly, quarterly and annually and at other times as may be required by the ICHSSA 1 project.
- Support Community Case Workers to fill referral forms appropriately.
- Provide regular supportive supervision to the Community Case Worker’s to ensure adherence to technical standards, best practices and donor guidelines for all HIV treatment care and support activities of the project.
- S/he will also support the strengthening of the capacity of Community case workers in the area of HIV prevention awareness creation, community mobilization for HIV counselling and testing, PMTCT/Early Infant Diagnosis (EID), and improving referral and counter-referral systems between communities and facilities.
- S/he will support the implementation of evidence-based interventions aimed at addressing HIV risk behaviors, HIV transmission, and gender-based violence.
- Any other duty as may be assigned by the supervisor.
Qualification and Skills
- BSc / BA in a relevant Health Degree, a minimum of 2 years professional experience with community-level HIV prevention, Care and support programs.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with implementing partners, Community Based Organizations, and Community case workers.
- Experience in supporting community-based HIV Testing and Counselling programs.
- Good knowledge of the Government of Nigeria HIV Care and Treatment Guidelines (Pediatric & Adult).
- Familiarity with PEPFAR-OVC programming and principles.
- Excellent English oral and written communication skills required.
- Good computer skills; skilled in MS Office including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
- Demonstrated ability to assess priorities and handle multiple tasks simultaneously to meet deadlines with attention to details and quality.
Key Working Relationships
- Internal: Program Manager; Gender/CSS; Nutrition/HES, M&E and Finance officers.
- External: Linkage Facilitators, ICHSSA 1 Care & Support Specialist, Program Specialist; Other CSO Partners.
Application Closing Date 18th March, 2024.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to email their CV / Resume and Cover Letter (as a single MS Word document) to: [email protected] copying [email protected] with the Job Title as the subject of the email.
Note:
- Applications not sent in the required format will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for assessment and interview.
- This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with this assignment.
- Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
- AWANDEC is an equal opportunity organization.
