BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian international NGOs, provides relief, rehabilitation and development support to vulnerable people and communities over 40 countries. We began work in Ethiopia in 2000 in response to severe drought in Ethiopia’s Somali region and are currently providing assistance to Ethiopians and refugees in ten regions in Ethiopia, implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

Program Background:

The health sector in Ethiopia currently implements activities in three distinct settings: A refugee health program that is involved in delivery of community based reproductive health services as well as HIV/AIDS prevention activities; and a child survival community-based treatment program and community surveillance for measles, tetanus, and polio and also Emergence Response Mechanism (ERM). The IRC also secured funding from GAVI to reach zero doses’ children and underserved communities.

Job Purpose:

The GAVI senior project Officer will be part of the team in the Tigray region in three Zones (Northwest, Central and South) and works toward ensuring Zero dose Children (ZDC) and missed communities in targeted fragile and conflict settings are served by quality immunization services integrated in Primary Health Care (PHC) platforms. They will support the team in conducting trainings for community level and facility-based health providers to ensure that ZDC are reached with high quality immunization services. They will lead strengthening of surveillance systems by engaging with the communities by working with the HEWs, Human health workers, animal health workers and other community level collaborators such as Community Health Volunteers (CHVs/HDAs) to improve the awareness of the community to identify and report vaccine preventable diseases and priority zoonotic diseases.

Scope/Job purpose:

Under the guidance of field office, monitors and coordinates immunization activities with district offices and partners on polio outbreak response and routine EPI to improve the quality of SIAs and immunization services including hard to reach children.

Key Roles and Responsibilities: -

Project Implementation

• Assist in the micro-plan preparation for immunization and SIAs campaign including for routine EPI and with emphasis on inaccessible, border and poorly performing areas.

• Work with the team to map out missed communities, ZDC and hard to reach populations to develop strategies that will ensure adequate reach of immunization services.

• Facilitate effective cold chain logistics, including adequate forecasting, quantification and requisition of vaccination supplies, timely delivery of vaccines and health supplies for campaigns and routine activities, vaccine stock management, and appropriate maintenance and expansion of cold chain.

• Develop weekly movement plans to project support areas in line with the project activity work plans to ensure regular support supervision and mentorship of field teams, last mile delivery of HMIS, vaccine and other needed supplies to health services delivery points.

• Conduct regular Infection prevention and control (IPC) assessments at the supported health service delivery points to ensure high standards of IPC are maintained. Develop IPC action plans with the relevant teams and use this for continuous quality improvement.

• Work with communities and key collaborators to design, and effectively disseminate risk communication and community mobilization (RCCE) materials on immunization to generate community acceptance and consensus.

• Support the project teams to detect, identify, report and manage adverse events following immunization (AEFI) in supported project locations.

• Highlight gaps, using field reports and empirical data on performance and technical coverage in EPI activities that need to be addressed.

• Represent IRC in monthly coordination meetings at woreda based with district health staff and partners working in the woredas.

Grants Management:

• Responsible for preparation of activity, procurement, and spending plan.

• Responsible for revision and updating detailed activity, spending and procurement plans accordingly.

• Ensure budget activity lines are assigned well as per the description in the proposal.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Compile, and report project progress reports (weekly and monthly) to Senior project officer.

• Ensure timely compilation of social mobilization field data, including social mobilization checklists within the overall polio and RI monitoring and evaluation framework.

• Supervise and evaluate the program activities and make sure that monthly & quarter indicators met or not.

• Provide technical support to evaluate the efficiency of the program implementation and recommended changes in goals, objectives, intervention strategies, measurable outputs, and timelines.

Key working relationships:

          Internal

• Closely works with Senior GAVI Officer and support staff so that to realize optimal and efficient project implementation.

External

• Ensures strong linkages with Woreda health bureau, and other implementing partners.

• Actively participate in health coordination meetings and other relevant meetings with implementing partners.

Job Requirement

Personal Specifications:

• Ability to work under pressure, long work hours and high workload.

• Good interpersonal skills- verbal and written skills.

• Self-motivated, honest, highly responsible, and punctual.

• Work as part of a team as well as to work autonomously when required.

• Ability to constructively address gaps and weaknesses.

Education/Experience/Language

• Public Health, health Officer, Nursing, and other related fields qualification from a recognized college/University.

• Work experience: Minimum of six years of relevant experience for diploma holders, four years of relevant experience with the first degree and two years of relevant experience for postgraduate

• Work experience in immunization, and PHEM is an asset.

• Good project management skills. Ability to plan, coordinates, and manage implementation of ZDC under hard to vaccinate areas.

• Understanding of Expand program of immunization (EPI) and diseases surveillance /PHEM/ policy in Ethiopia.

How to Apply

Candidates meeting the above qualifications are encouraged to apply only through the below IRC On-line recruitment website: 

External https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/37791?c=rescue

Internal https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/2/home/requisition/37791?c=rescue

Please include 3 references from current and former employers.

Applications will not be returned. IRC discourages phone calls or personal visits.

Only applicants meeting the minimum qualification will be short listed and contacted.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Your application letter/cover letter must include the following information. 

• Name of the position you have applied for

• Date of application

• Summary of  your qualifications and experience

• Motivation/objective of why you have applied for the job

• Permanent Address and present address (if different from permanent) and telephone number if possible also email address

• Disclose any family relationships with existing IRC employees.

IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer.  IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.