Community Referral Coordination Specialist at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Ref. Code: CRCS7119
Locations: Rivers, Enugu, Lagos and Benue
Department: Programs/FASTER
Band 7
Reports To: Zonal Coordinator
Position Type: Full Time

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

• Community Referral Coordination Specialist will provide technical support for quality assurance for the FASTER Nigeria strategies towards strengthening case management and referral coordination of PEPFAR OVC and Adolescent programs at the zonal/state level
• The Community Referral Coordination Specialist facilitates collaboration between the FASTER project and technical teams of State Government coordinating structures and PEPFAR OVC Implementing partners
• The role ensures timeliness and efficiency of all program activities for achieving FASTER objectives and targets in line with the CRS partnership management approach
• Working closely with the Senior Technical Specialist – Gender / Adolescent Program, Zonal Coordinator, the State Program Manager coordinates, S/he will oversee the OVC Case Management & Referral Coordination strategies of FASTER along the relevant FASTER priority actions, providing technical leadership in implementing and monitoring project deliverables and outcomes and ensure project outputs are provided as per the agreed work plan. at the zonal/state level.

Specific Job Responsibilities
Program Quality and Technical Coordination:

• Ensure quality assurance of FASTER at the State level with respect to technical strategies and activities designed to respond to the program priority actions to address OVC Case Management & Referral Coordination, Adolescent program and HIV/AIDS pandemic.
• Coordination and planning to ensure standardization of FASTER technical approaches, project goals and objectives for the FASTER project at the states level.
• Project focal point for strategies towards strengthening sub-national Coordination platforms for effective OVC Case management and referral coordination technical strategies.

Technical Leadership:

• Support the development of SOPs, job aids and guidelines on OVC Case Management and Referral Coordination for PEPFAR implementing partners and civil society organizations.
• Facilitate effective representation of the FBOs and FBO networks in HIV/OVC TWG activities at the state levels
• Support the strengthening of the capacity of OVC implementing Partners on HIV counselling and testing, PMTCT and Early Infant Diagnosis (EID), 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 infants delivered outside of facilities.
• Work with IPs to scale – up the use of age-specific HIV Risk screening tool for determining children and adolescents at risk of HIV and prioritizing them for HIV testing in community and facility settings.
• Support the development of effective strategies for linkage to care and treatment of children living with HIV.
• Support State GoN referral linkages to increase ART uptake and retention in care among children and Adolescent

Representation and Learning:

• In consultation with the Zonal Coordinator, represent the FASTER Project on relevant state technical forums and government engagement as required on OVC programs
• Ensure necessary technical assistance and training is provided to partners to develop capacity to implement HIV/AIDS support activities as per the project requirement.
• Support high level technical support for program innovation and learning; foster regular discussions with key stakeholders as appropriate; to facilitate cross sector learning on HIV, Adolescent program, OVC case management and Referral.

Qualifications and Skills

• A Bachelor's Degree in Health, Social Science or related discipline plus a Master's Degree in Public Health or its equivalent
• Minimum 5 years of experience in HIV/AIDS programming
• Minimum 4 years in the developing world in project management positions with progressive technical and management responsibilities.
• Experience working in PEPFAR pediatric HIV and OVC programming.
• Strong background in program implementation; experience in supervising and providing technical assistance for roll-out of evidence-based HIV and OVC 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.
• Experience managing teams and building partnerships in complex situations
• Proven leadership qualities, depth and breadth of technical expertise and experience, and strong interpersonal skills.

Required Foreign Language:

• Excellent written and spoken English.

Required Travel:

• Ability to travel up to 75% of time

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Project Director, Technical and MEAL Directors, Zonal Coordinator, 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.