Senior Technical Specialist - Gender / Adolescent Program- FASTER Nigeria at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Application Ref. Code: STSGAF7119
Location:  Abuja, Nigeria
Band: 8
Position Type: Full Time
Reports To: Technical Advisor – OVC & Referral Coordination
 
Project Background

• FASTER (Faith-based Action for Scaling up Testing and Treatment for the Epidemic Response) project is designed as a new component of the global FOCUS (Faith-based Organization Capacity Strengthening for Universal HIV Services) project. Funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), FOCUS was developed with the intent of building FBO network capacity, assisting FBOs to contribute to HIV multi-sector planning for expanded service delivery, and documenting successful approaches. Led by CRS, FOCUS builds understanding of how to leverage the faith-based community’s contributions at sub-national and national levels, reinforcing mutual responsibility and country-driven leadership.
• FASTER takes FOCUS’ objectives to the next level by creating an enabling environment in Nigeria where government, civil society, the private sector, and FBOs can accelerate normative pediatric HIV case finding, testing, linkage to care and treatment, and adherence support by strengthening and streamlining joint coordination and provision of pediatric HIV service delivery.

Job Summary

• The Senior Technical Specialist – Gender / Adolescent Program will provide technical coordination and for quality assurance for the FASTER Nigeria strategies towards strengthening PEPFAR programs focusing on Adolescents. 
• Under the supervision of the Technical Advisor OVC and Referral Coordination s/he will work with government stakeholders and Implementing Partners (IPs) in the program needs assessment for Pediatric and Adolescent Care & Support services.
• S/he will contribute to strengthening strategies for case finding of pediatric and adolescents living with HIV, their enrolment into care, community to facility linkages, intra facility linkages, strengthen EID services, working closely with relevant adolescent program technical leads of PEPFAR implementing partners.
• Specifically, s/he will support the pilot and scale-up of the PEPFAR Operation Triple Zero (OTZ) adolescent program. 
• The incumbent will also support strategies that aimed at improving disclosure and adherence among children and adolescents living with HIV. 

Specific Job Responsibilities
Program Quality and Technical Support:

• Project focal point for strategies towards strengthening National and sub-national Coordination platforms for effective adolescent HIV programs
• Support GoN and PERFARs efforts to pilot and scale up use of evidence based technical strategies for adolescent programming. 
• Support the development of SOPs, job aids and guidelines on OTZ for PEPFAR implementing partners and health institutions. 
• Support strategies that strengthen inter/intra-facility linkages towards improved health systems for Adolescents and Young Persons with focus on service delivery, Health Information systems, strengthen IPs, State and National Coordination platforms for effective Adolescents service delivery to improve case management and referrals that will ensure that Adolescents living with HIV are identified, linked and retained on treatment.
• Support the strengthening of the capacity of OVC IPs on Gender/Adolescents program, improving referral and counter-referral systems between communities and facilities. 
• Support the scale up of community-based model for the engagement of community structures to improve case-finding for Adolescents outside of facilities.
• Support the development of guidelines and SOPs on age appropriate HIV Risk screening for children and adolescents in community and facility settings.
• Support the roll – out of Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD) models to improve ART uptake and treatment retention amongst children and adolescents in Faith – based and Non – Faith based institutions.
• Support the technical documentation of appropriate application of programmatic best practices.
•  Utilize and develop appropriate tools to track program performance (site capacity assessment tool, regular financial analysis, treatment initiation, adherence monitoring/patient retention.

Representation and Learning:

• In consultation with the Technical Advisors, represent the FASTER Project on relevant technical forums and government engagement as required on Adolescents/OVC programs.
• Provide technical support for program innovation and learning; foster regular discussions with key stakeholders as appropriate; to facilitate cross sector learning on OVC and Adolescents programs.
• Support the FASTER project to roll out leaning briefs, peer reviewed articles, success stories and innovative that work in Pediatric HIV Care and Treatment.

Qualifications and Skills

• A primary qualification Health or Social services plus a master’s degree in Public Health or its equivalents 
• Minimum five years of experience in HIV programming and up to three years in Adolescents/HIV/AIDS programming
• Experience working in PEPFAR pediatric HIV and Adolescents/OVC programming.
• Strong background in program implementation; experience in supervising and providing technical assistance for roll-out of evidence-based HIV and Gender/Adolescents programming strategies.
• Ability to work both in a team and independently and ability to transfer knowledge through formal and informal training
• Technical experience with programming to address cross-gender issues and concerns among children and adolescents is highly required.
• Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Strong communications and presentation skills; able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences and strong interpersonal skills.

Required Foreign Language:

• Excellent written and spoken English.

Required Travel:

• Ability to travel up to 50% of time

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Project Director, Technical and MEAL Directors, Technical Advisors and Nigeria FASTER Project Team
• External: NASCP, NACA, SASCP, SACA, HIV and OVC Program Implementing Partners

Agency Wide Competencies:
These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results:

• Integrity
• Strategic Mindset
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Develops Talent
• Builds Relationships
• Accountability & Stewardship