VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT – CSS: Benue and Cross River (NEPWHAN)

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT!

Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria NEPWHAN, 35 Justice Sowemimo Street, Off T.Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro Abuja

1. Position: Assistant State Program Officer (ASPO)

State: Benue

2. Position: Transport Officer (Driver)

State:  Cross River
Background
The role of effective community systems cannot be overemphasized in the context of HIV and TB programming in Nigeria and elsewhere. On the Round 9 Phase II of Community Systems Strengthening grant of the Global Fund, capacity of 420 CBOs was built to generate demand for ATM services in GF supported facilities across the 36 States and FCT. A lot of lessons were learnt from the implementation of that phase; some of these lessons include: weak coordination of various community components of the GF grant resulting in parallel implementation across PRs; lack of effective linkage between community and facilities, weak capacity of some CBOs etc. These lessons therefore informed the redesigning and consolidation of CSS strategies in the new round of funding known as New Funding Model (NFM).
The NFM’s overall intention is to focus on high impact and strategic intervention approach.   To achieve this, efforts are now redirected at ensuring effective coordination of the various community components on the HIV Actors in particular. Attention is focused on social mobilization for uptake of HCT by pregnant women and general population. The grant is presently being implemented in the twelve plus one PMTCT States which are; Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Cross Rivers, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Nasarawa, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba states and FCT. The intervention is specifically being implemented in the 107 LGAs where GF health facilities have been activated and attention is being focused on mobilizing pregnant women and general population for HIV Counselling & Testing (HCT).
Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) was selected as one of the 3 Principal Recipients (PRs) to execute community component (CSS) of GF NFM on HIV grant.  Similarly, ARFH selected the Network of People living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) as one of its Sub-Recipients (SRs) to implement the Global fund Community Systems Strengthening (CSS) of the project in four states (Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Cross River and Nasarawa).
Program Goal:

1. To reduce new HIV infections, and improve the quality of life for the infected and affected.
2. To provide Nigerians with universal access to high-quality, patient-centered prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services for TB, TB/HIV, and drug-resistant TB by 2020.
3. To contribute to the restoration of public confidence in primary health care services in Nigeria, and thereby reverse declines in the utilization of primary health care facilities

The Objectives of the CSS grant in the NFM are:

• To improve the health seeking behavior of individuals and communities through health promotion, health education and awareness.
• To increase access to and utilization of HCT and TB Services.
• To provide effective support for patients in care especially HIV and TB/MDR-TB Patients.
• To ensure effective coordination of community based intervention towards strategic delivery of NFM goals.
• To contribute to enabling environment for the implementation of community level implementation of the GF NFM grant.

The Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) is an indigenous non – governmental organisation and the national umbrella body that coordinates and administers all support groups, constituencies, associations and organizations of persons living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.  NEPWHAN was founded in 1998 and it has a support group membership of over 1030 which cut across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
In response to the need for an effective State Level Project Implementation, which would enhance Programing, Monitoring and Evaluation and Financial Management capacity of the implementing CBOs, NEPWHAN is looking for a knowledgeable and motivated candidate to fill the position of State Program Officer (SPO).
Job Descriptions for the Position
The State Program Officer (SPO) will be responsible for the overall coordination of the Global Fund NFM Grant under ARFH/NEPWHAN especially as it relates to Program, M&E and Financial activities
Programmatic Roles: Assist the SPO to carry out the following:

1. Visit each CBO to review and approve monthly work plans
2. Providing day to day supportive supervision and mentorship to the implementing Community Based Organizations following approved monthly work plan
3. Provide oversight to CBOs during the implementation of Project activities
4. Represent PR/SR in the States at every strategic and coordination meetings and document minutes of such meetings
5. Support proper documentation of project records at CBO offices.
6. Facilitate coordination meeting and document the minutes of the meeting.
7. Assist in the identification of potential implementation problems and bottlenecks and recommend appropriate strategies to address them.

Monitoring and Evaluation Roles: Assist the SPO to carry out the following:

1. Work with CBOs to develop their M&E Operational plan and support the correct implementation and use of routine data collection tools.
2. Support the CBOs to maintain effective database systems (paper and electronic – state summary template)
3. Collect, Review, Correct and Summarize CBOs data on a monthly basis
4. Conduct routine monitoring and supportive supervisory visits to GF supported facilities where CBOs are aligned, including the conduct of data verification and validation and data quality assessments (DQAs) using standard checklists.
5. Summarize Analyze and Submit State Monthly data to SR National M&E unit.
6. Submit State Monthly Summary reports and CBOs summary reports to relevant state partners (SACA, SASCAP, STBLCP, SMEP)
7. Actively represent the PR/SRs at state level M&E related meetings and activities (M&E Technical Working Group, State Non-Health Sector Data Validation Meetings, State Management Team, State level DQA etc.)
8. Provide regular feedback to CBOs on key findings from data review verification exercise using the CQI tool
9. Follow up on implementation of recommendations by developing a monthly tracking template
10. Regular Tracking of MIS Tools availability and usage
11. Ensure any disparities between CBOs planned and actual outputs are addressed;
12. Ensure that data is used to highlight important programmatic gaps and coordinate national office in addressing these gaps.

Financial Roles: Assist the SPO to carry out the following:

1. Review and approve all CBOs concept notes and disbursement request and send approved copy to the National office at the agreed timeline.
2. Ensure the implementation of the financial guidelines provided to the CBOs
3. Review and clear all financial transactions and retirements on monthly basis
4. Review and approve monthly financial report and send to the National office at the agreed timeline.
5. Alert the SRs immediately on any financial misconduct

Carry out any other tasks assigned from the national office
Requirements:
Assistant State Program Officer

• Support the SPO in project implementation
• The ideal candidate must hold a minimum of OND/NCE in Management Sciences or Social Sciences or other related disciplines.

• Must have at least two (2) years’ experience in working with the community, preferably in CBO or support groups setting.

• S/he should have a good hands-on experience with Microsoft office package and ability to demonstrate above-average computer literacy in Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Other skills required for this position are; excellent communication (verbal and written), organizational and administrative skills.

• Potential candidate should possess solid working knowledge (practical skills) in Community Systems Strengthening to support AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM) programs in the country.

• The ideal candidate must be attentive to details, highly organized, flexible and self-motivated.
• S/he must be able to meet tight deadlines and targets with prioritized efficiency.

 
Transport Officer/Driver

• The ideal candidate must hold a minimum of Senior School Certificate or its equivalent.

• He should have at least five (5) years’ experience in working as a driver within the indigenous community of Cross Ricer State.
• He must be able to communicate in English Language

• The ideal candidate must be attentive to details, highly organized, flexible and self-motivated.
• HE should be able to meet tight deadlines whenever required.

Method of Application:
Interested applicants should send their applications electronically to the National Coordinator, Network of People living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria NEPWHAN through:   nepwhanmedepartment@gmail.com and copy patnce2000@yahoo.com, ismaeeldanesi@gmail.com  and victoromosehin@yahoo.com
The following documents should be attached to the application:

• Detailed Curriculum Vitae in MS Word Document.
• One page capacity statement explaining why you think you are the best and most qualified candidate for this position.
• Please specify the position for which you are applying in the subject line of the email.

Deadline for Applications:

• Not later than Four (4) days (May 13^th, 2016) of this post. Late submissions will not be considered.