OB: JOB DESCRIPTION – Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)
Title: COVID-19 Community Engagement Associate Officer

Number of places: 01

Location of position: Central Region

Duration of contract: 12 months renewable

Reports to: Country Lead- UNITAID COVID 19 Project

Context

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) is the recognized global leader in the fight against childhood HIV and AIDS and an advocate for every child to live a full and healthy life into adulthood. It works in 19 countries and more than 5,500 health facilities around the world to prevent the transmission of HIV to children and help those who are already infected. Today, thanks to the extremely successful work of the Foundation and its partners, pediatric AIDS has been virtually eliminated in the United States. With a global workforce of more than 7,000 staff, nine out of 10 of whom work in the field, the Foundation’s global mission is to implement programs for the prevention, care and treatment of HIV; advancing innovative research; and conduct strategic and targeted global advocacy to bring about dramatic change in the lives of millions of women, children and families around the world. Also in its efforts to end pediatric AIDS and TB and ensure universal access to quality HIV and childhood TB services, EGPAF supports innovative models of community engagement to address the needs of women, children and families affected by HIV and tuberculosis. For more information, visit our webpage: www.pedaids.org. Also in its efforts to end pediatric AIDS and TB and ensure universal access to quality HIV and childhood TB services, EGPAF supports innovative models of community engagement to address the needs of women, children and families affected by HIV and tuberculosis. For more information, visit our webpage: www.pedaids.org. Also in its efforts to end pediatric AIDS and TB and ensure universal access to quality HIV and childhood TB services, EGPAF supports innovative models of community engagement to address the needs of women, children and families affected by HIV and tuberculosis. For more information, visit our webpage: www.pedaids.org.

 Project overview

The emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic has posed new challenges to already strained health systems around the world. As part of the UNITAID COVID 19 project, EGPAF will work with national COVID-19 task force teams to accelerate end-to-end access to new solutions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through testing approaches , isolation, care and treatment tailored to the needs of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Cameroon, Kenya and Mozambique. Community engagement is one of the key objectives of this project for a strong awareness, mobilization and involvement of communities in the response to COVID-19. Identifying community engagement approaches will support implementation as part of the COVID-19 response.

Purpose of the position

With funding from UNITAID, EGPAF Cameroon is seeking to recruit two regional deputy officers for outreach, community mobilization and demand creation for testing, referral to follow-up, contact tracing and mobilization for vaccination for the Catalyzing COVID-19 ACTION (CCA) project. This Catalytic project will contribute to the reduction of mortality and serious illnesses due to COVID-19; further identify and treat/isolate to reduce transmission of COVID infection and improve pandemic preparedness and early detection of outbreaks.

job summary

Under the supervision of the Country Project Manager and in collaboration with the Project Technical Manager for Testing, Care and Treatment, Health Districts, Regional Public Health Emergency Operations Centers and local partners, the COVID-19 Community Engagement Assistant will work to coordinate work plans and identify community response needs. He or she will work to ensure the success of the community response through effective, appropriate and quality implementation of interventions aimed at strengthening and increasing community mobilization, involvement and participation in the national response for the fight against COVID 19. He or she will provide support with training, supervision,

 Core Responsibilities

Support the implementation of community strategies according to national guidelines for the response to COVID-19 including mobilization, awareness and use of health services,

Contribute to the development of innovative strategies to increase Community involvement and engagement in the COVID-19 Response

Promote, support and ensure the use of community health workers for community case finding and linkage to health facilities,

Support capacity building of Community Health Workers and these volunteers, through training and ongoing mentorship, to deliver COVID-19 related services at the community level

Work with regional CCA project coordinators, sites projects and districts for the search for contact cases around positive cases in the community, for sensitization and mobilization in favor of testing and vaccination,

Work with schools, churches, social sectors, community organizations and local NGOs to sensitize and engage them to support community mobilization and engagement for rapid COVID-19 symptom and screening, and referral to follow-up of positive cases.

Support the conduct of rapid formative assessments on community perceptions of community COVID-19 testing and vaccination

Assist in designing/updating messages for demand creation and preparedness community with active engagement of key sectors/community leaders

Organize rapid COVID-19 testing campaigns based on formative assessment and key promotional messages

Assist with regional planning, monitoring and coordinating the implementation of community activities and providing regular updates to the Country Manager and Regional Delegation team;

· Assist the Project Manager in managing relations with the Ministry of Public Health and other partner organizations and community actors at the regional and district level for ownership of the project’s innovative community approaches;

· Support the Ministry of Health and the EGPAF Strategic Information and Evaluation team to collect the data needed for decision-making;

Support the collection, verification and analysis of community data and submit monthly summary reports to the EGPAF team and that of the regional delegation

Work with CCA Project Manager and Regional Coordinators, District Focal Points to oversee community COVID-19 activities (awareness raising, mobilization, community testing and linkage to care and contact tracing)

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in public health , social sciences or any other equivalent degree,

· At least 3 years of experience in community mobilization in Cameroon

· Documented evidence of training on COVID-19 as part of continuous professional development would be an asset

· A very good command of Microsoft software (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) is mandatory

· Language: bilingualism (French and English). However, fluency in French is a key requirement. Also, being able to write and mentor someone else in the other language is absolutely required;

· Ability to work alone and in a team and strong interpersonal communication skills

· Strong work ethic and ability and willingness to work under pressure;

· Ability to work in a team and willingness to learn;

· Good knowledge of the region is a major asset.

 Professional skills:

The Foundation expects all employees to possess the fundamental skills of interpersonal relationships, communication, accountability, continuous learning and achieving results. The ideal candidate will be either proficient or advanced in the following set of skills specific to the officer level of this position:

• Team building – team building is a person’s ability to inspire and foster commitment, spirit, pride and team confidence. He/she also facilitates cooperation and motivates team members to achieve group goals.

• Customer Service – Customer service is an individual’s ability to anticipate and meet the needs of internal and external customers while delivering high quality products and services and committing to self-improvement. continuously

• Decisiveness – Decisiveness is a person’s ability to make informed, effective, and timely decisions, even when data are limited or solutions produce unpleasant consequences. He will also perceive the impact and implications of decisions.

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age , disability or genetics. In addition to the requirements of federal law, EGPAF complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in each location where the Foundation has facilities.

This position is subject to donor funding.

Apply ONLY online via the form available at: https://phe.tbe.taleo.net/phe02/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=PEDAIDS&cws=41&rid=2912