Description:
The Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP) is USAID’s flagship award for maternal, newborn and child health. In Kenya, MCHIP provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation (MOPHS) and its Department of Family Health (DFH) to strengthen its program management and monitoring and evaluation capacity and to support its development and implementation of national maternal and child health policy and strategy.
MCHIP provides direct technical support to the DFH Division of Child and Adolescent Health (DCAH) and also collaborates with the MOPHS Department of Environmental Health (DEH) and the Department of Primary Health Services and its Division of Community Strategy (DCS). Priority interventions include diarrheal disease prevention and treatment with oral rehydration therapy (ORT) and Zinc, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and community case management of childhood illness (CCM).
At national and provincial level, MCHIP/Kenya works closely with the USAID AIDS Population and Health Integrated Assistance (APHIAPlus) projects and with WHO, UNICEF, PSI, PATH and other NGOs. Although the majority of its work is at national level, MCHIP also provides direct technical assistance to USAID-supported districts and those districts introducing child health activities that are of national interest, particularly those linked to the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia (GAPP).
MCHIP is seeking a senior child health and diarrheal disease expert to manage the MCHIP child health and WASH activities in Kenya. The selected individual will serve as the Senior Child Health Technical Advisor on the MCHIP/Kenya team, working under the direct supervision of the MCHIP/Kenya Project Director. Technical support will be provided by the MCHIP Child Health Senior Technical Advisor in Washington. It is anticipated that this position will involve approximately 30% time traveling/working in supported provinces and districts
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Work with the MOPHS and partners to develop and revise national policies and strategies for improving access to and delivery of evidence-based child health interventions, including ORT/zinc and community case management of childhood illness.
- Serve as a technical advisor to the DCAH, staying abreast of global evidence and assisting MOPHS to evaluate, adapt and rollout new child health interventions
- Contribute to strategic planning, implementation and monitoring of diarrheal disease activities by the MOPHS, DCAH and partners to improve national coverage, related data analysis and use, and reporting.
- Working with DCAH, DCS and other partners, support the national effort to develop and implement Integrated Community Case Management of Childhood Illness, including documentation of best practice, implementation of operational research and development of national ICCM policy and strategy.
- Provide technical assistance for the development of training curricula and the national rollout of child health training programs through partners.
- Support DFH/DCAH in its leadership of child health interagency coordination committees and technical working groups at national and subnational level.
- Develop and maintain close contact with UNICEF, WHO and any other partner organizations, including professional schools, that are working on, or that have the potential to work on, evidence-based child health interventions.
- Contribute to the preparation and implementation of the MOPHS’ national, provincial/country and district Annual Operational Plans (AOPs) ensuring that diarrheal disease control, WASH and CCM are given attention.
- Assist the DCAH, DEH and DCS to compile, analyze and use child health service delivery data for performance monitoring, evaluation and corrective action.
- Contribute to MCHIP/Kenya annual workplanning and quarterly and annual reporting.
- Maintain close contact with other members MCHIP/Kenya team and MCHIP headquarters.
- Other duties as assigned by the MCHIP/Kenya Director.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Medical Doctor required; Masters in Public Health or higher degree preferred
- At least ten years of experience required in the field of public health, including a minimum of five years working in child health programs
- Prior health sector management experience required at national or provincial level in Kenya
- Proven ability to provide strategic technical direction and support national level policy development
- High level advocacy, communication and coordination skills required, i.e, ability to support the MOPHS in mobilizing multiagency coalitions for achievement of MDG#4
- Experience with the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) is a must; IMCI trainers and supervisors preferred
- Prior experience required working in health improvement at community level
- Team player with demonstrated ability to produce quality results
- Highly motivated and able to work in a high pressure environment requiring multi-tasking
- Experience in working in a fast-paced multi-agency/organizational environment
- Computer literacy, particularly in the use of MS Word, PowerPoint.
- Current resident and legally authorized to work in Kenya.
Salary commensurate with experience.
Interested candidates should submit their resumes and cover letters online.
Senior Child Health Advisor, MCHIP/Kenya-- Washington, DC
