Community Health and Linkages Officer

Job Description

FACT Zimbabwe is a Christian based organisation that was instituted in 1987. Since establishment, FACT Zimbabwe has been a leading national HIV and development organisation implementing various projects directly and through partnerships. FACT seeks the services of staff as detailed below;

1. 2. JOB TITLE: Community Health and Linkages Officer
DEPARTMENT: Safeguarding and Sustainable Livelihoods SSL
3. DUTY STATION:
GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE JOB: The District Community Health and Linkage Officer is responsible for all aspects of the district’s facility, family, and community engagement in the SPACE for OVC Program. S/he will contribute to a work culture that promotes trust, honesty, and confidentiality. S/he is able to plan, organize and, train community cadres and caregivers on updated HIV and other health guidelines. S/he oversees the community-level activities that promote Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT), support closure of the pediatric treatment gap, and address the unique barriers to retention in care and viral suppression experienced by children, adolescents, and youth living with HIV, including expanded access to integrated mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). S/he is able to initiate community groups to facilitate community-level support to improve treatment care and support outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Results Areas
• Improve access to HIV care and treatment services for children, adolescents, and youth
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Delivery of Results
• Public/ Private Networking and Partnership-Building

Key Performance Area #1: Improve access to HIV care and treatment services for children, adolescents, and youth LOE % 45%
• Conduct gap analysis on OVC implementation and capacity among health care workers and community cadres.
• Responsible for the design and implementation of case-finding strategies for safe and ethical index testing, HIVST, & Prevention Services.
• Responsible for developing the program’s child-centered/family-centered care plans for activities
• Ensure a Differentiated Service Delivery mechanism for OVC.
• Provide technical support and oversight on community-based activities conducted by Mentor Mothers, CCWs,
• Work closely with the MOHCC, OI/ART Team and clinical partners to ensure 95% linkage to ART
• Collaborate with MOHCC/DSD and clinical partners to support, review, train, and mentor staff on HIV Prevention, HTS, safe & Ethical Index Testing, and on Standard Operation Procedures in line with national and program directives for children, adolescents, and youth
• Oversee and manage the budget in liaison with the finance department
• Collaborate with other stakeholders in monthly/quarterly/semi-annual meetings and line ministries.
• Organize the formation of support groups and/or regeneration of support groups (PMTCT mothers baby pairs, young mothers’ group, Integrated mother Baby Pair groups, and groups for children and adolescents living with
HIV (CALHIV) and provide continuous mentorship at each supported facility within the district.
• Support the integration of MHPSS into service provision for C/ALHIV, including task sharing with non-mental health specialists,
• Build capacity of community cadres on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, train and support young PLHIV to serve as peer facilitators
• Compile all the progress reports, and monthly/quarterly review report and presentation.

Key Performance Area #2: Delivery of program and M & E activities in the district LOE 35%
• Offer technical on-site support to health care workers and community cadres.
• Offer on-the-job training and mentorship to health care workers on identified case management challenges to upgrade their skills.  Coordinate and support HTS linkages, referral, and referral tracking for OVC exposed to HIV and ensure closure of referrals.
• Monitor project progress and performance in line with the project M&E plan.
• Produce monthly district report to include best and promising practices and lessons learned
• Participate in learning and capacity-strengthening activities
• Participate in preparation for supportive supervision, DQA and SIMS assessments and ensure recommendations are implemented in collaboration with the line ministries and relevant stakeholders.
• Document and disseminate best practices by the program in the overall implementation and on pediatrics ART in particular

Key Performance Area #3: Liaise with partners and stakeholders LOE: 15%
• Support advocacy, and demand creation/ awareness on program deliverables to necessary partners and stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of program activities.
• Provide technical support in creating and strengthening linkages and networks between facility and community activities ensuring there is a seamless implementation of activities leading to improved health outcomes at the facility and community level.
• Participate in district monthly/quarterly clinical and community partners meeting
• Collaborate and network with District Health Teams, the Health Centre committee, Community Carder, Case Care Workers, the District Development Coordinators (DDC), DSD, rural council authorities, the District
AIDS Action Committee, caregivers, and other NGOs through scheduled formal meetings, non-formal meetings, and discussion forums.
• Refer caregivers to economic strengthening community groups to enable parents/ caregivers to generate income for self-reliance
• Engage community leaders for support in male involvement programs through meetings and community sensitization
• Facilitate discussion forums through established support groups and offer monthly support and supervision to these groups and compile reports on lessons learned
• Create linkages with PLHIV organizations and other clinical partners at the community/district and provincial level and mobilize support and referral for OVC by mapping all areas where these groups are found and working together for positive OVC outcomes
• Refer OVC for services and track referrals for completion.
• Link beneficiaries and caregivers to appropriate services such as health information, HTS, education, child protection, economic strengthening, and others as required

COMPETENCIES FOR THE POST
• Nursing Diploma/ Degree in health-related studies. Degree in Social Sciences an added advantage.
• Experience in Primary Health Care
• Palliative Care for children is an added advantage
• A minimum of three years of experience in NGO community work
• Technical and training skills and competence in Reproductive Health, OVC, PMTCT, home-based care, Palliative care, and counseling, mental health and psychosocial support, community health care, and Family Planning including HIV/AIDS programs
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to adapt and work harmoniously with people from diverse cultural settings and backgrounds
• Computer literacy in Microsoft office package and electronic communication technology

How to Apply

a. Click the button below and complete the form not later than 3 October 2024.
b. Send a detailed CV to vacancy@fact.org.zw highlighting the post.
Please ensure that both steps are carried out to complete the application process.
-Background checks will be done for successful candidate to ensure child safeguarding and protection in all our work. FACT commits itself to protecting children whom its staff, volunteers as well as outsiders may get into contact with. The organization is mandated to serve the best interest of all children through protection from abuse, harm and exclusion, child participation and development in all its programs.
– FACT is an equal opportunity employer which does not discriminate in terms of race, tribe, place of origin, political opinion, colour, creed, gender, pregnancy, HIV/AIDS status or, subject to the Disabled Persons Act [Chapter 17:01].
– FACT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
NB: Only short listed candidates will be notified.