Merlin Project Officer (Health and Nutrition) Job in Galkacyo, Puntland

Position: Project Officer (Health and Nutrition) 

Open to Somalia nationals

Responsible To: Project Health  Coordinator (PHC), Technically working closely with PM/FC/PHC/CHD

Relationship Internally: All management and staff

Relatioship Externally: Government and non-government counterparts, communities and their representatives, UN agencies, other national and international stakeholder organisations.

Base Location: Galkacyo, Puntland with frequent  travelling to programme sites in the district, mostlyin the Mudug region 

Merlin is a UK based international humanitarian Organization providing health care to populations in crises. 

Merlin has been working in Somalia since 2004 and is currently implementing emergency health and nutrition programmes, HIV/AIDS, TB, reproductive health emergency preparedness programmes in Puntland, Awdal in Somaliland, Galgaduud and Mogadishu regions of Somalia.

The goal of the Somalia mission is to address humanitarian and health crises within Somalia while increasing capacity of local structures to deliver effective and quality health care services.

Overall Objective of the Position:

The Project Officer  who will be based in Galkacyo, but works in the PHC projects in Mudug and Nugaal regions. S/he will have overall responsibility for the techinical management of Merlin’s health projects in the Mudug province in collaboration with other Merlin staff. 

The PO  will have overall responsibility for the management and development of Merlin primary health care programmes in the Mudug and Nugaal provinces while ensuring implementation of the projects are in line with the Puntland and international  policies and guidelines including Merlin’s internal procedures.

Main Duties:

Programme Management/Development:

• Overall technical responsibility for the implementation of all Merlin supported health programmes in Mudug province.
• Develop and implement quality programmes in the province in close coordination and collaboration with the regional/district health authorities.
• In conjunction with the PHC/PM, co-ordination and represent Merlin with the national, provincial and district health authorities and ensure all project activities are carried out with their approval in line with national startegy and, as far as possible, their participation. Ensure that local health authorities receive regular activity reports.
• Ensure that project activities are implemented in line with the project objectives and work plans.
• Liaise with key representatives of the Puntland Ministry of Health at national, provincial and district levels to ensure that the programme remains in line with national strategy and to ensure the sustainability of activities at the end of the project period.
• Plan and implement project health activities including the day to day activities and longer term strategy. This may include changes to the project direction or priorities in collaboration with Merlin technical teams in Nairobi and Garowe.
• Ensure that project expenditures are within the agreed and approved project budget and conduct expenditure against budget monitoring on a monthly basis.
• Ensure accurate collection and analysis of data, compile epidemiological reports for inclusion in project situation reports and any other pertinent reports, including dissemination of the same.
• Regularly monitor progress of project implementation and conduct assessments of the health needs of the community and prioritize project activities based on findings. 
• Together with the FC/PHC/PM responsible for encouraging community participation in health activities to ensure the long term ownership and effectiveness of the programme.
• Ensure that the medical supply stocks are sufficient and that drugs are stored and used correctly.
• Work with district health facilities, community representatives and persons responsible for training health workers at different levels to ensure close links between health facilities and communities.
• Prepare project monthly, quarterly, mid-term and final reports for submission to Merlin sub-office Garowe as well as donors on a timely manner.
• Assist the PM/PHC in designing new programmes including undertaking assessments, proposal and log-frame writing, and budget preparation.

Human Resource Management

• Assist with recruitment of technical project personnel and support them in ensuring that individuals work effectively together to achieve project objectives.
• Responsible for organizing training of all health staff and local partner staff to ensure the maximum use of their skills and their full and effective participation in project activities whilst conforming to Merlin and MOH  protocols, including donor requirements.

Others

• To respect all Merlin organisational and country specific policies, procedures and regulations.
• Carry out any other responsibilities as requested by the immediate supervisor

Qualification and Experience:

Essential

• Medical doctor or post graduate degree in health related field such as public health with with minimum of 5 years experience in managing health programmes in a developing countries context, or;
• Clinician holding (clinical medicine and surgery diploma) from recognized university with public health background or
• Graduate nurse with public health care management with 5 years expirience in rural context Africa in particular somalia
• Previous experience in managing Primary Health care and Nutrition programmes. 
• Proven experience in project proposal development, logical framework and report writing
• Experience in budget management
• Experience of assessing evolving health needs quickly and calmly under pressure as required.
• Previous experience within a humanitarian aid organisation
• Good computer skills to allow reporting and representation.

Desirable

• Experience of working in Puntland  and knowledge of the Puntland context is advantage 
• Experience in the processes and techniques involved in developing and using appropriate IEC/BCC resources and materials.
• Conversant and skilled use of SPSS, STATA and Epi-Info packages

General Competencies

People Skills: Ability to work independently and as a team player who demonstrates leadership and is able to support and train local staff and also able to work with disaster affected communities in a sensitive and participatory manner.
 

Communication Skills: Well developed written and oral communication skills.
 

Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to Merlin's core values and humanitarian principles.
 

Awareness and sensitivity of self and others:  

• Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity. 
• Have experience and the ability to live and work in diverse cultural contexts in a culturally appropriate manner. 
• Has the capacity to make accurate self-assessment particularly in high stress and high security contexts.

Work style: Is well planned and organized even within a fluid working environment and has a capacity for initiative and decision making with competent analytical and problem solving skills

Essential

• Flexibility and relationship building skills.
• Ability to successfully work in a multi-cultral and diverse team
• Excellent communication skills, with good spoken and written English and Somalia languages ( mandatory)
• Ability to understand the cultural and political environment and to work well with local representatives and programme staff in a consultative and participatory approach.
• Willing to travel extensively and ability to work in dynamic work environments
• Understanding of security management necessary to live and work in insecure environments.
• Proven problem solving and organisational skills (desirable)
• Excellent management and capacity building skills to enable the motivation, encouragement, participation and development of team members (desirable)

How to apply:
 

Please send your application, CV and scanned copy of your credentials (certificates including transcripts), to this email  recruitment@merlin-kenya.org, latest on 20th Oct 2012 5:00 PM. 

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.