Technical Officer

Malaria Consortium is an international organisation working primarily in Africa and Asia on communicable disease control. Malaria Consortium works closely with Ministries of Health, academic institutions and a range of partners, and is involved in all aspects of malaria control from policy and strategy development to Implementation, monitoring and evaluation and operational research. Malaria Consortium also works on the control of other communicable diseases, including tuberculosis, diarrhoea and neglected tropical diseases.

Malaria Consortium Uganda is implementing an integrated malaria control project in five districts in the Western region of Uganda, namely Buliisa, Hoima, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi and Kibaale. The Pioneer project, funded by Comic Relief, spans a four year period and is aiming to demonstrate a lasting impact on malaria morbidity and mortality.

Job Title: Technical Officer
Department: Technical

Reports To: Western Region Coordinator based in Hoima. However, technical line management and supervision will be from the Pioneer Project Coordinator based in Kampala.

Direct Reports: None

Indirect Reports: None

Job Purpose:

To provide technical and implementation support to all Pioneer project activities in the mid-Western region, ensuring the technical quality of all activities in support of the project’s overall goal and theory of change, through regular liaison with and supervision from the Kampala-based Pioneer Project Coordinator. To provide ongoing technical support to the Ministry of Health (MoH)/ National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), district health teams and other partners and stakeholders as relevant to the project scope and in accordance with its approach to understanding and influencing positive change in health. This role has an important capacity building function, which involves working closely with the project’s partners, including the district health teams, health workers and VHTs.

Key Accountabilities:

Implementation and work plans

Support the planning, delivery and evaluation of all project activities at the field level, including the effective management of severe malaria at the community level, introduction of RDTs at rural health facilities, and a range of health systems strengthening (HSS) and behaviour change initiatives.
Conduct regular routine assessments and supervision visits to programme related sites and activities.
Oversee the preparation of monthly field work plans and activity budgets, ensuring the timely submission of these to the Project Coordinator
Monitoring and Evaluation:

Work closely with the Pioneer M&E Officer and Pioneer Project Coordinator in the monitoring and evaluation of project activities’
Support the effective field implementation of three operational research studies, ensuring data collection quality.
Support the collection of routine health data from Village Health Team members, health facilities and district health teams.
Reporting:

Maintain regular communication with the Pioneer Project Coordinator and compile weekly work plan updates from the field.
Provide monthly progress/activity reports to the M&E Officer for compilation and submission to the Pioneer Project Coordinator.
Support the M&E Officer to ensure that all relevant project documentation is disseminated to the district health teams.
Participate in relevant meetings, presenting project results and experiences as required.
Partnerships:

Develop effective and collaborative relationships with all project partners, including the district health teams and the project’s partner MACIS and network CSOs.
Ensure that complementary approaches are established with other Malaria Consortium projects with similar geographical locations or technical approaches.
Ensure effective coordination with and capacity building support to the MoH/NMCP at the district and community levels.
Communications:

Provide effective support to all Comic Relief visits relating to both project planning, delivery and review, and for the purposes of Comic Relief fundraising and marketing.
Capture and document field activities, case studies and experience from the field during the course of routine work.
Requirement:
PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications:

Essential:

A degree in Clinical Medicine or Community Health or an equivalent
A minimum of 3 years clinical experience
Experience in the planning and implementation of communicable disease control/malaria control interventions, behaviour change communication initiatives /health education, health worker trainings and supportive supervision of health workers
Experience in community-based health care delivery
Experience in capacity building/ transferring of skills
Experience in working closely with local government
Experience in developing work plans and activity budgets and in following work plans with minimal supervision
Desirable:

A post graduate degree/diploma in Clinical Medicine or Public Health or an equivalent
Experience in using participatory adult learning techniques
Work Based Skills and Competencies: Essential:
Collaborative and supportive approach to working with project partners
Good presentation skills and ability to write reports to a deadline
Strong analytic and strategic planning skillsComputer literacy including in Microsoft Word and ExcelRunyoro language skills
Desirable:

Competency in statistical analysis software packages (STATA, SPSS, Epi Data)
ANY OTHER KEY INFORMATION:

The Pioneer Technical Officer will be based in Malaria Consortium Uganda’s regional office in Hoima town and will make frequent travel to the project sites in the Western region. Occasional travel to Kampala will be required.

Salary: - USD/month
Experience: 3

How to apply:
Candidates who fully meet the above requirements should submit a detailed CV, a covering letter explaining how and why you are suited to the role, and the contact details of three referees quoting the reference number MCUG/TEC27/01/001 to p.kisembo@ malariaconsortium.org not later than Friday, 10th February 2012.