Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin)
Merlin is the only specialist UK agency which responds worldwide with vital health care and medical relief for vulnerable people caught up in natural disasters, conflict, disease and health system collapse.
Closing date: 25 Jun 2005 -- (CLOSED)
Location: Liberia - Montserrado
PROGRAM: Liberia
LINE MANAGER: Project coordinator functionally, Country Health Director technically
START DATE: Immediate
DURATION: 7 months (until Dec 2005)
SALARY: £900 - £1500 per month dependent on relevant experience. Plus comprehensive insurance cover, accommodation, return flights, a per diem to cover daily living expenses, and holiday allowance ($145 per month).
Please note that this is an unaccompanied position.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be shortlisted on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.
Programme: Montserrado
Background
Merlin has been active in Liberia since 1997, assisting the population devastated by ten years of civil conflict. Merlin has developed an extensive reputation in the health sector, including support to primary and secondary level of care in five of the fifteen counties of Liberia. Merlin has established a good relationship with the Ministry of Health at central and local level and has worked in partnership with them to ensure that Merlin’s strategy and activities are sound and sustainable.
During the most recent conflict, Merlin was among a small handful of humanitarian agencies to remain in Liberia, providing emergency health services to around 240,000 IDPs throughout Monrovia, Montserrdo, Margibi and Grand Bassa. With DfID and OFDA funding, Merlin was able to provide rapid emergency health care services including primary health care services, cholera and diarrhoea treatment, water supply, latrine construction, garbage disposal, hygiene (cleaning and clearing), emergency referral services to hospitals, shelter – through distribution of plastic sheeting and other services. Since the cessation of hostilities and the return of many INGOs, Merlin has been able to re-focus on primary and secondary level health care.
Montserrado County is the most populated county in Liberia. The population is estimated at 1,646,421( ) Most of the 1.6 million people live in the capital of Monrovia, a city built to accommodate 800,000. Repatriation process of the IDPs from Monrovia to home of origin domicile has started, though received with reluctance due to deteriorating living standards in the countryside. Exact population data does not yet exist in Liberia. Estimates have been made by the government and international agencies. The catchment population of the facilities supported by Merlin is 137,000.
Merlin has been operational in Montserrado since 2003, supporting 8 primary health care clinics and providing health services to 3 IDP camps. Since Merlin re-established activities in the county utilization has continued to increase and is expected to continue increasing as more facilities supported by INGOs are gradually closing down.
Montserrado suffers from the continual inability of the MoH (and the Liberian health system in general) to respond to emergency, medium and long term needs of the chronically vulnerable IDPs, returnees and war affected host populations. Due to a nationwide lack of funding for the health care system from the Ministry of Health (MOH), primary health care clinics are supported completely by external funding.
General Description of the Programme:
Merlin is piloting an HIV/AIDS awareness programme in 8 communities in Montserrado County Liberia, with the aim of extending IEC/BCC and VCT strategies to all health projects in other counties. The advisor will provide leadership and support to the Merlin Liberia team in its response to HIV/AIDS. This function will focus on technical advice, program development, monitoring and evaluation, capacity building, advocacy and networking across all Merlin HIV/AIDS related programs. In addition, in the absence of a Project Coordinator, the Advisor may also assume management responsibilities for the 8 primary health clinics in Montserrado currently supported by Merlin.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
Program Leadership
- Supervise all HIV/AIDS activities of the Merlin supported PHCs in Montserrado County, including training.
- In close collaboration with project partners including Ministry of Health (MoH), National AIDS Control Program (NACP), and the County Health Teams (CHT) ensure the delivery of quality services.
- Ensure program stakeholders including adolescents participate fully in project cycle management including the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of project activities.
- Ensure that the project is in accordance with both Merlin’s and the Government of Liberia's Strategic Directions for HIV/AIDS.
- Carefully manage and monitor the project budget and provide recommendations and interventions to correct any deviations, whilst ensuring that budgets are based on the needs of beneficiaries and partners.
- Facilitate the recruitment of project staff and coordinate the capacity building and training of technical staff and partners.
- Provide leadership in maintaining positive, constructive and supportive communication within the project team and collaborative links with other stakeholders.
- Ensure the timely preparation of all reports to the donor requirements under the guidance of the Country Health Director (CHD) and the Country Director (CD).
Technical Advice
- Assist the Country Health Director in refining the Merlin Liberia HIV/AIDS Strategy, as required.
- Assist the Country Health Director in setting standards and guidelines for a suitable HIV/AIDS response and interventions.
- Together with the Country Health Director, work with CHT/MoH staff to integrate HIV/AIDS programs into area development programming.
Program Development
- Assist the Country Health Director in developing additional programs in response to HIV/AIDS, and project designs.
- Participate in assessments and surveys for new projects and new project areas.
Monitoring and Evaluation
- Assist the CHD in further developing quality HIV/AIDS program monitoring systems and procedures.
- Actively participate in evaluations of Merlin HIV projects and the HIV/AIDS components of integrated programs.
Capacity Building
- Together with the Merlin’s CHD, assess training needs of staff and partners and assist in developing and implementing appropriate capacity building programs in HIV/AIDS.
- Identify capacity building resources and disseminate them to Merlin staff.
Advocacy Objective
- Support Merlin in increasing its advocacy program for HIV/AIDS particularly relating to adolescents and youth.
- Assist in making advocacy a key component in the Merlin’s response to HIV/AIDS in Liberia.
Networking Objective
- Build and maintain relationships with other players who are responding to HIV/AIDS in Liberia including NGOs, UN agencies and donors.
- Represent Merlin at donor/NGO/government events and disseminate information from such events to Merlin staff.
- Facilitate the documentation of best practices and lessons learnt in HIV/AIDS responses and assist in disseminating them to Merlin staff, partners and the NGO/donor community.
Time Allocation
- 60% Montserrado HIV/AIDS Project activities implementation/Leadership
- 40% technical advice, proposal development, M&E, capacity building, advocacy and networking.
Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed above are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all inclusive.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:
- Relevant qualification with at least 2 years post graduation experience in country of origin;
- Minimum of 2 years previous experience (preferably in Africa) implementing HIV/AIDS programmes;
- Sound knowledge and skills in IEC development and BCC strategies;
- Excellent spoken and written English;
- Strong report and proposal-writing skills;
- Strong communication and team leadership skills;
- Committed team player;
DATA PROTECTION
Please note, on submitting your application, you are agreeing to Merlin holding and using the information that you have given for the purposes of recruitment and employment – should an offer be made.
In order to process your job application, it may be necessary for your CV to be sent to the Country Manager (in the country you are applying for) for consideration. If you do not agree with this, please can you state so when applying.
Reference Code: RW_6CYCAY-41
