Position: Field Officer, Ssembabule

Location: Ssembabule with regular travel to villages in nearby districts

Application Deadline: 7 February 2021

SUMMARY

The Field Officer will work with HAC staff and partners (majorly Govt. Health Facilities and rural communities) to conduct community organizing activities, expand work to new villages and Districts where need be, collect relevant data, and network with relevant officials.

BACKGROUND

The mission of Health Access Connect is to link remote communities to healthcare. HAC currently pursues this mission through three programs:

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  1. Medicycles: We use microfinance boda bodas to bring Ugandan government health workers to set up one-day mobile clinics in remote villages. In those clinics health workers give HIV testing, anti-retroviral treatment, immunizations, perinatal services, family planning, and many other services available in rural health centres.
  2. Technical Advising: We collaborate with Africa Resource Centre (ARC) and the Uganda Ministry of Health to teach and empower PEPFAR implementing partner (IP) organizations to implement alternative drug distribution point models in an effort to a) improve a) antiretroviral therapy (ART) and general treatment health service provision and b) decongest health facilities.
  3. Treat & Teach: We improves access to family planning in the communities of Masaka and Kalangala districts by a) providing low density high frequency certificate training to health workers, b) setting up outreach clinics in remote communities, c) generating demand by collaborating with community health workers (VHTs), and d) reducing commodity stock outs by providing buffer stocks and improving commodity tracking at partner health facilities.

Field Officers are primarily responsible for expanding and monitoring the Medicycles program. The Medicycles program has three components: 1) transportation and microfinance, 2) monthly one-day clinics, and 3) oversight and wealth pooling by community leaders. HAC’s role is to identify villages to target with health officials, organize community leaders, coordinate with health center admins, and work to assure continuity of care. Our vision is  to continue to scale the program to serve remote areas (at least 5km from nearest health facility) throughout Uganda, and to document our model to make it open source so that providers in other regions of the world can use it to serve people in remote areas. Our current project goals are to expand to new areas in Kalangala, Rakai, Lwengo, Masaka, Lyantonde and Sembabule Districts and to implement our M&E Framework to understand the health needs and health-seeking behaviors of our target populations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Field Officer will:

  • Make and maintain contacts with health workers, district health officials, and district officials
  • Make and maintain contacts with leaders of targeted villages and community groups within those villages
  • Organize community groups in villages that do not have community groups with the capacity to manage the project
  • Conduct meetings to explain the project and prepare community groups to mobilize and organize mobile clinics/outreaches
  • Organize village meetings with health workers when health workers and community groups are ready to start clinics/outreaches
  • Report on conditions on the ground to relevant offices.
  • Attend field work or trainings when requested by the Directors
  • Submit field reports and weekly plans, including allowance requested, to the Program Manager at least 48 hours in advance of when response and transport allowance are required. Allowances for future activities cannot be given unless the field reports have been submitted for completed activities.
  • Assist the Field Coordinator in compiling monthly reports
  • Collect data forms from health centres and field sites when requested
  • Attend monthly Staff meetings and make presentations about their work.
  • Take photographs of HAC work when possible.

BACKGROUND & QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED 

  • Diploma
  • Strong writing skills in English
  • Verbal proficiency in Runyankore and Luganda
  • Computer skills: proficiency in Microsoft Word and email and some experience using Excel

PREFERRED 

  • Bachelor’s degree in Public Health or Social Sciences related field
  • Experience working in the public health sector, community engagements and mobilisation.
  • Experience using Google Drive products and Salesforce or other project management software

ADDITIONAL QUALITIES 

  • Experience or willingness to travel and work in remote, rural locations
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with others
  • Self-driven and able to work in new, unstructured environments
  • Strong problem-solving abilities
  • Highly organized
  • Attention to detail
  • Valid riding Permit

COMPENSATION

This position is designed as a full-time (40 hours/week) position. Applicants can submit salary requirements with their applications. Field travel expenses will be paid for by Health Access Connect.

HOW TO APPLY

Visit the Field Officer Job Application where you can answer a few questions, provide references, and submit a cover letter and CV by 7 February 2021.

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