Overall Responsibilities
The primary responsibility of this position is to support, lead, manage, and coordinate the MSH/BLC Lesotho ECCD program and study intervention. The Program Officer will be responsible for supporting and locally managing all aspects of the program including program planning and development, staff training activities, project implementation, relationships with BLC sub-grantees and donors, and organizational, operational and reporting activities. This position will also require an active role in liaiasing with and providing support to sub-grantees staff, including those from Stellenbosch University and local CBO, GROW. This position will also frequently report on project activity status to the Country Lead and BLC team.
Specific Responsibilities
1. Work closely with Country Lead and BLC team to support project design and to ensure high quailty program delivery, adaptation to local needs and conduct ongoing regular program reviews.
2. Build and manage productive professional relationships with key stakeholders and represent the BLC Project as delegated, liaising with USAID partners, curriculum developers, research advisors, implementing organization and the Government of Lesotho departments and agencies.
3. Maintain open communication with all MSH-BLC stakeholders.
4. Work closely with implementing partner staff to ensure clear communication and implementation effectiveness, program quality, and to achieve programmatic goals.
5. Facilitate stakeholder forums and meetings.
6. Assist in organizing, facilitating and participating in the trainings of data collectors and mapping activities of the Mokhotlong clinics, ECCD centers, and communities and households.
7. In consultation with the BLC team and Country Lead, site-manage the implementation of the ECCD project activities including scheduling activities, curriculum training of trainers, documentation of internal processes, assuring we are reaching programmatic goals and on-site problem solving.
8. Communicate with MSH country and regional offices, curriculum developers, research advisors, the implementing organization, and other external parties as requested, including contributing to written reports and/or presentations.
9.Document best practices and results to share at national and regional HIV/AIDS, OVC and/or community-based care knowledge exchange initiatives to make sure that the ECCD programming models are documented and contribute to worldwide knowledge.
10. Serve and participate as a member of the BLC Lesotho Country Team in making key program, administration and financial decisions for the ECCD project.
2. Build and manage productive professional relationships with key stakeholders and represent the BLC Project as delegated, liaising with USAID partners, curriculum developers, research advisors, implementing organization and the Government of Lesotho departments and agencies.
3. Maintain open communication with all MSH-BLC stakeholders.
4. Work closely with implementing partner staff to ensure clear communication and implementation effectiveness, program quality, and to achieve programmatic goals.
5. Facilitate stakeholder forums and meetings.
6. Assist in organizing, facilitating and participating in the trainings of data collectors and mapping activities of the Mokhotlong clinics, ECCD centers, and communities and households.
7. In consultation with the BLC team and Country Lead, site-manage the implementation of the ECCD project activities including scheduling activities, curriculum training of trainers, documentation of internal processes, assuring we are reaching programmatic goals and on-site problem solving.
8. Communicate with MSH country and regional offices, curriculum developers, research advisors, the implementing organization, and other external parties as requested, including contributing to written reports and/or presentations.
9.Document best practices and results to share at national and regional HIV/AIDS, OVC and/or community-based care knowledge exchange initiatives to make sure that the ECCD programming models are documented and contribute to worldwide knowledge.
10. Serve and participate as a member of the BLC Lesotho Country Team in making key program, administration and financial decisions for the ECCD project.
Qualifications
1. Minimum of a Bacheloers Degree in Public Health, Social Science, or related field with Southern Africa experience helpful.
2. At least 5 years' relevant work experience, in a senior position providing technical assistance to NGOs, CBOs, and FBOs in HIV/ AIDS prevention and OVC in Southern Africa.
3. Knowledge of best practices related to OVC and HIV/ AIDS, and ECCD programming.
4. Demonstrated ability to work with local partners in a productive and effective manner that respects their organizational strengths and addresses weaknesses, with sensitivity to cultural differences and understanding of the political and ethical issues surrounding OVC including education, psychosocial care, and HIV/ AIDS.
5. Demonstrated competence in assessing priorities and in managing a variety of activities in a time-sensitive environment, and in meeting deadlines with attention to detail and quality.
6. Commitment to working closely with MSH’s home office and partner organizations on a collaborative basis.
7. Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal English and seSotho language communication skills.
8. Ability to travel frequently within Lesotho.
9. Strong organizational ability and demonstrated experience in multi-task management.
10. Ability to work both as a leader and a motivating member of a diverse team.
11. Strong team building, conflict management, negotiation, inter-personal relations experience and skills.
12. High degree of personal and professional integrity.
Key Working Relationships:
1. Internal: Senior Technical Advisor for OVC and Country Lead, Grant Management Unit, MEC Team and M&E staff.
2. External: BLC sub-grantees and partners, project beneficiaries, local and traditional authorities, Community and relevant Government representatives and ministries at national district and community council levels, other CSOs, and USAID.
2. At least 5 years' relevant work experience, in a senior position providing technical assistance to NGOs, CBOs, and FBOs in HIV/ AIDS prevention and OVC in Southern Africa.
3. Knowledge of best practices related to OVC and HIV/ AIDS, and ECCD programming.
4. Demonstrated ability to work with local partners in a productive and effective manner that respects their organizational strengths and addresses weaknesses, with sensitivity to cultural differences and understanding of the political and ethical issues surrounding OVC including education, psychosocial care, and HIV/ AIDS.
5. Demonstrated competence in assessing priorities and in managing a variety of activities in a time-sensitive environment, and in meeting deadlines with attention to detail and quality.
6. Commitment to working closely with MSH’s home office and partner organizations on a collaborative basis.
7. Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal English and seSotho language communication skills.
8. Ability to travel frequently within Lesotho.
9. Strong organizational ability and demonstrated experience in multi-task management.
10. Ability to work both as a leader and a motivating member of a diverse team.
11. Strong team building, conflict management, negotiation, inter-personal relations experience and skills.
12. High degree of personal and professional integrity.
Key Working Relationships:
1. Internal: Senior Technical Advisor for OVC and Country Lead, Grant Management Unit, MEC Team and M&E staff.
2. External: BLC sub-grantees and partners, project beneficiaries, local and traditional authorities, Community and relevant Government representatives and ministries at national district and community council levels, other CSOs, and USAID.
Background Information
Management Sciences for Health (MSH) saves lives and improves health by helping public and private organizations throughout the world to effectively manage people, medicines, money, and information. Working from more than 30 country offices and our Arlington, Virginia and Cambridge, Massachusetts US headquarters, our staff from 65 nations is highly regarded for its technical expertise, integrity, and commitment to making a lasting difference in health. We live our mission to save lives and improve the health of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people by closing the gap between knowledge and action in public health.
MSH seeks a Program Officer with experience in supporting and managing education programming and/or community-based care programs for Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC) and/or), for a Regional and Bilateral Capacity Building Project in the Southern Africa region. The program aims to contribute to the USAID Regional HIV/AIDS Program (RHAP) goal to strengthen the overall sustainability, quality, and reach of evidence-based interventions in the region. With a primary focus on implementing activities in Lesotho, the project is intended to increase the capacity of governments and indigenous civil society organizations to respond effectively to the survival and development needs of OVC as well as their caregivers, especially those living with HIV/AIDS by raising the standards of care and ensuring that implementing partners and service providers are working in coordination.
The primary aims of the ECCD Special Initiative Program include:
• Increase HIV testing in children (0-6 years)
• Increase early childhood stimulation (0-6 years)
• Increase adherence to ART in children who are affected by or living with HIV/AIDS
• Increase uptake of ART (0-6)
• Increase child nutrition (0-6)
PROGRAM BACKGROUND
PEPFAR/USAID, in collaboration with the Government of Lesotho and local community-based
organisations, are aiming to increase HIV-testing and treatment, and improve early childhood development for young children in Lesotho. This program, referred to as the ECCD Special Initiative, will take place in the areas surrounding Mokhotlong, a mountainous area with limited NGO presence. The three project stages under proposal are based on the Medical Research Council's guidelines for the development of complex interventions: development, evaluation, and dissemination. Primary project aims and research questions are:
• To develop and pre-pilot a scalable, culturally-relevant, evidence-based program to increase HIV testing and treatment, improve parenting, child development and nutrition amongst children aged 2-6 years old in Lesotho
• To evaluate the program's effectiveness using a gold-standard Randomised Controlled Trial design
• To disseminate findings and utilise evidence generated in order to improve further programs and to inform wider programming.
This study has been designed as a collaboration between PEPFAR/USAID (Lead organisation), the PEPFAR OVC Technical Working Group (Technical support); Management Sciences for Health (local grant-providing and technical assistance), GROW (implementing partner), Stellenbosch University, University College London and Oxford University (Researchers).
MSH seeks a Program Officer with experience in supporting and managing education programming and/or community-based care programs for Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC) and/or), for a Regional and Bilateral Capacity Building Project in the Southern Africa region. The program aims to contribute to the USAID Regional HIV/AIDS Program (RHAP) goal to strengthen the overall sustainability, quality, and reach of evidence-based interventions in the region. With a primary focus on implementing activities in Lesotho, the project is intended to increase the capacity of governments and indigenous civil society organizations to respond effectively to the survival and development needs of OVC as well as their caregivers, especially those living with HIV/AIDS by raising the standards of care and ensuring that implementing partners and service providers are working in coordination.
The primary aims of the ECCD Special Initiative Program include:
• Increase HIV testing in children (0-6 years)
• Increase early childhood stimulation (0-6 years)
• Increase adherence to ART in children who are affected by or living with HIV/AIDS
• Increase uptake of ART (0-6)
• Increase child nutrition (0-6)
PROGRAM BACKGROUND
PEPFAR/USAID, in collaboration with the Government of Lesotho and local community-based
organisations, are aiming to increase HIV-testing and treatment, and improve early childhood development for young children in Lesotho. This program, referred to as the ECCD Special Initiative, will take place in the areas surrounding Mokhotlong, a mountainous area with limited NGO presence. The three project stages under proposal are based on the Medical Research Council's guidelines for the development of complex interventions: development, evaluation, and dissemination. Primary project aims and research questions are:
• To develop and pre-pilot a scalable, culturally-relevant, evidence-based program to increase HIV testing and treatment, improve parenting, child development and nutrition amongst children aged 2-6 years old in Lesotho
• To evaluate the program's effectiveness using a gold-standard Randomised Controlled Trial design
• To disseminate findings and utilise evidence generated in order to improve further programs and to inform wider programming.
This study has been designed as a collaboration between PEPFAR/USAID (Lead organisation), the PEPFAR OVC Technical Working Group (Technical support); Management Sciences for Health (local grant-providing and technical assistance), GROW (implementing partner), Stellenbosch University, University College London and Oxford University (Researchers).
