CARE INTERNATIONAL – SOMALIA

Title:Senior Public health Officer

Internal/External Vacancy

CARE International is an international NGO working in Somalia. CARE and its partners work with vulnerable communities to address the underlying causes of poverty and promote peace and development, as well as mitigating immediate suffering and displacement caused by drought, conflict, floods and disease outbreaks among others . We invite applications from experienced and talented individuals for the position of Senior Public health Officer based in Kismayu and with travels to field sites in South central Somalia. This assignment will be for a period of twelve (12) months.

Position Summary

CARE International in Somalia is seeking an energetic, self-motivated professional to join the hygiene and behavior change coalition, COVID 19 response team which aims to minimize the transmission of and harmful impact of COVID-19 by delivering inclusive and interactive gender responsive mass media and digital communications, supported by product availability and community interventions that improve personal and environmental hygiene practices, and reduce stigma and discrimination. Reporting to the Public Health Programme Manager, she/he will be responsible for conducting rapid assessments, planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring hygiene promotion intervention under the behavior change coalition project. The successful candidate will be required to have demonstrated experience in and knowledge of behavior change and hygiene promotion in the context of Somalia.

Key Responsibilities

· Working closely with CARE health, nutrition, Food security and education teams to integrate hygiene promotion programming across the sectors to mitigate COVID 19.

· Promote basic health by training and supporting local community health workers, Hygiene volunteers to assist in surveillance, hygiene education and contact tracing of persons with or suspected of COVID 19

· Promote increased awareness of improved sanitation and hygiene practices through effective approaches for IDP/Returnees and host communities to prevent and mitigate COVID 19

· Conduct hygiene promotion activities for IDPs, returnees, and host communities at public gathering places, schools, health facilities, and during event days

· Establish and train school and youth groups to improve hygiene and sanitation practices

· Support provision and follow up of Hygiene kits for most vulnerable IDPs groups in the target areas affected by COVID 19

· Work closely with relevant partners government line departments, Communities leaders and other non-governmental organizations to provide effective hygiene and sanitation services

· Facilitate in the selection, designing, pre-testing, developing, dissemination and evaluation of appropriate hygiene educational messages for effective hygiene promotion program;

· Facilitate in organizing hygiene promotion trainings and workshops for the water management team and other community groups (women groups, health committees, water committee) and coordinate in preparation and organizing all the required training materials

· Work with relevant government and non- government partners to establish appropriate and alternative hygiene and sanitation models, and document and share challenges and success

· Facilitate in documenting health related data and keep records on activities of hygiene promotion and sanitation

· Ensure that sanitation and hygiene promotion activities are implemented through approaches and methods promoting local capacities and sustainable behavioral change

· Take part in WASH surveys and project evaluation in data collection, data entry, analysis and reporting

· Prepare monthly reports and submit to the supervisor on the work progress of hygiene promotion and sanitation activities

· Represent CARE in WASH cluster meeting while sharing the organization program activities.

· Participate in other WASH activities as assigned by the supervisor

Required Qualifications

· A health professional with a first degree in public health, behavior change or equivalent related field.

· Significant professional experience, at least 3 years, of working as a Public health officer for international NGOs

· Excellent understanding of the Hygiene promotion and behavior change sector within the humanitarian aid context of Somalia

· Clear understanding of the integration of WASH with other thematic areas, including health, nutrition, education and food security

· Proven representation skills in different forums including cluster meetings and government meeting

· Strong advocacy skills as well as communication skills both written and oral

· Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, considering cultural dynamics

· Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in a stressful and security sensitive environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.