Technical Advisor - Case Management and Referral System at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job Summary

• The Case Management and Referral System Technical Advisor will focus on strengthening the existing case management systems of PEPFAR OVC Implementing Partners (IPs) and CSOs/CBOs based standardized approaches and tools for identification, assessment, case plan development, service provision or referral, monitoring and case closure.
• Particular attention will be given to providing technical assistance and support to IPs and CSOs to develop household case plans that focus on graduation and transition and to monitor their implementation as one way to track progress towards graduation.
• The position will work closely with the Government System Strengthening Technical Advisor to ensure that critical information collected within the case management process is used to inform government strengthening efforts. S/he will also work with the Zonal State Coordinators to ensure appropriate linkages with and information sharing between SACAs, SMWASD and LGAs and the PEPFAR OVC IPs and CSOs.
• There will be coordination between and information sharing amongst this position, the Organizational Development Technical Advisor and the HES Technical Director, especially as it relates to graduation and transition to ensure that existing or adapted case management approaches, tools and tracking better support households in making progress towards graduation and reduced economic vulnerability.
• This position will co-lead with the Household Economic Strengthening (HES) Technical Director, training of PEPFAR OVC IPs/CSOs, to assess and track household progress towards graduation based on benchmarks identified in collaboration with IPs/CSOs.
• In addition, this position will be responsible for overseeing the facility catchment area study, supporting IPs to diagnose gaps in existing bi-directional referral mechanisms, and using this information to refine referral mechanism.
• S/he will be responsible for providing technical guidance to strengthen referral networks amongst social service providers and between social service providers and health facilities.
• This will include identification of successful referral models within Nigeria, developing and providing training in relevant guidance, delivery mechanisms, and promising practices.
• S/he will work closely with 4Children to develop appropriate SoWs and source STTA to strengthen PEPFAR OVC IP case management and referral systems, paying particular attention to strengthening bi-directional referrals and supporting the integration of OVC-centered services into facility settings, where appropriate.
• This position will maintain regular contact with 4Children staff that are looking at case management and referral mechanisms, globally, and will utilize tools, approaches and promising practices when and where appropriate.

Specific Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and guidance in the assessment, planning and implementation of capacity strengthening activities to support PEPFAR OVC IPs as they work with CSOs/CBOs in relation strengthening to case management systems and referral networks. Leverage the sustainability planning process to assess the existing case management processes and referral networks; ensure that all costed State and IP sustainability plans incorporate improvements in case management systems and referral networks; participate in National, Zonal/State meetings to support this planning.
• Coordinate the implementation of and dissemination of findings from the health facility catchment area assessment and mapping exercise to better understand the programmatic implications of the pivot, focus on scale-up LGAs and the ability of clients to access community-based services in collaboration with MEAL Manager and 4Children Core Team.
• Support the implementation of an organizational network analyses (ONA) in collaboration with STTA, Government System Strengthening Technical Advisor and the Zonal State Coordinators.
• Develop terms of reference for a technical working group (TWG) for case management and referral networks; solicit membership and support regular meetings and the development of products that support GON Ministries, PEPFAR OVC IPs and their partners to improve case management and referrals.
• Lead the development and implementation of strategies, approaches and tools to strengthen case management and referral networks among SMWASDs, SACAs, PEPFAR OVC IPs, health facilities and their partner CSO/CBOs. Liaise with FMWASD and TWG to ensure alignment with National guidance and tools.
• Support the role out and dissemination of updated guidance, standard operating procedures and other job-aids to facilitate case management and referral at the household and community levels to health and social services.
• Oversee quality improvement initiatives and learning exchanges related to case management and referral networks among GON, PEPFAR OVC IPs and their partners.
• Develop scopes of work and oversee consultancies and short-term technical assistance as needed in relation to case management and referral networks.
• Work closely with HES Technical Director, PEPFAR OVC IPs and collaborating CSOs/CBOs to strengthen their case management capacity and develop standardized tools and approaches to increase the ability of volunteers and households to track their own progress towards graduation.
• Develop household graduation benchmarks in collaboration with the HES Technical Director and PEPFAR OVC IPs and CSOs; ensure a mechanism for assessing and tracking benchmarks towards graduation is integrated into the case management system.
• Strengthen coordination and networking, linkages and communication among SACAs, SMWASDs, other GON entities, LGAs, and CSOs/CBOs in collaboration with the Government System Strengthening Technical Advisor, Organizational Capacity Strengthening Technical Advisor, Zonal State Coordinators and PEPFAR OVC IPs.
• Provide technical guidance to strengthen referral networks/mechanisms amongst social service providers and between social service providers and health facilities.
• Identify successful referral models within Nigeria, developing and providing training in relevant guidance, delivery mechanisms, and promising practices.
• Conduct monitoring field visits to PEPFAR OVC IPs/CSOs to provide mentoring technical assistance.
• Provide timely inputs to 4Children Nigeria annual planning, monitoring, reporting and budgeting processes.
• Ensure a culture of accountability and learning through regular monitoring to project sites, providing oversight of studies and assessments and proper documentation of tools and to contribute to learning and building the evidence around case management and referral networks.
• Document project results and impacts in various forms, including media stories, promising practices, lessons learned, case studies, client satisfaction, etc.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree required, preferably in medicine or nursing or public health and social work (e.g. Community Health Medical Doctor, dual Master’s degree in Social Work and Public Health).
• Minimum five years’ experience in an advisory role in relation to HIV care and treatment and/or OVC programming, including expertise in case management system and referral network design, assessment, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; familiarity with the use of organizational network analysis in relation to referral networks a plus.
• Experience working in both healthcare and community settings.
• Experience using quality improvement science at the health facility and community levels; ability to lead improvement collaboratives highly desirable.

Demonstrated ability to design and conduct trainings.

• Demonstrated ability to develop user-friendly guidance, tools and standard operating procedures for use at the health facility, CSO/CBO and community levels and the ability to provide training, technical assistance and mentoring in their use.
• Knowledge of GON and PEPFAR programming, process, guidance and frameworks is strongly preferred.
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Experience coordinating assessments, data collection and similar activities preferred.
• Capacity to work closely with, understand, and support diverse partners including but not limited to State and LGA government actors, PEPFAR OVC IPs, civil society and faith-based organizations as well as healthcare providers and social service providers.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage complex and sensitive organizational relationships particularly between health facilities and community-based providers of social services.
• Strong analytical, negotiation and mentoring skills.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English.
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook; familiarity with network analysis software a plus.

Qualifications

• Advanced university Degree required, preferably in Medicine or Nursing or Public Health and Social work (e.g. Community Health Medical Doctor, dual Master's Degree in Social Work and Public Health).
• Minimum five years’ experience in an advisory role in relation to HIV care and treatment and/or OVC programming, including expertise in case management system and referral network design, assessment, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; familiarity with the use of organizational network analysis in relation to referral networks a plus.
• Experience working in both healthcare and community settings.
• Experience using quality improvement science at the health facility and community levels; ability to lead improvement collaboratives highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to design and conduct trainings.
• Demonstrated ability to develop user-friendly guidance, tools and standard operating procedures for use at the health facility, CSO/CBO and community levels and the ability to provide training, technical assistance and mentoring in their use.
• Knowledge of GON and PEPFAR programming, process, guidance and frameworks is strongly preferred.
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Experience coordinating assessments, data collection and similar activities preferred.
• Capacity to work closely with, understand, and support diverse partners including but not limited to State and LGA government actors, PEPFAR OVC IPs, civil society and faith-based organizations as well as healthcare providers and social service providers.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage complex and sensitive organizational relationships particularly between health facilities and community-based providers of social services.
• Strong analytical, negotiation and mentoring skills.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English.
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook; familiarity with network analysis software a plus.