Adolescent, Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) Advisor at Save The Children

The Adolescent, Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) Advisor will provide leadership in the development, implementation and monitoring of all ASRH interventions and activities under Maternal and Child Survival Programme (MCSP) in Nigeria. S/he will focus on improving the quality of health services for adolescents and young mothers/parents at the facility-level to receive the knowledge, skills and services they need to delay early childbearing and/or care for a healthy pregnancy, care during birth and postpartum period, practicing healthy timing and spacing of subsequent pregnancies. The ASRH Advisor will work under the direction of Save the Children’s Head of Health, but will work more closely with the MCSP Nigeria Senior Family Planning Advisor at the MCSP Headquarters office in Abuja.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Programme development and implementation

• With the direction of relevant thematic leads, s/he will support the development of concept notes, work plans, budgets and other related activities of ASRH within the programme in liaison with the Senior Family Planning Advisor in MCSP
• S/he will be responsible for the timely implementation of all ASRH-related work at the 2 implementing states of Kogi and Ebonyi
• Ensure all ASRH plans and activities are properly coordinated with the MCSP State teams and staff.
• Lead the implementation of all ASRH activities and interventions under MCSP in target pilot facilities:
  • Conduct trainings on ASRH to target health providers and partners towards improving the quality of health facility services to adolescents (Use of the Age & Life-stage Counselling Tools, Youth-Friendly Health Services, Family Planning/PPFP & HTSP, Interpersonal Communication Skills, Organizing Young Mothers’ Support groups, others)
  • Implement the Mothers support group series of activities of the Adolescent First-time mothers/parents intervention
• Develop and adapt all relevant ASRH IEC materials for the pilot facilities as well as ensure re-printing of important ASRH publications for dissemination to stakeholders/ partners (the Age & Life-stage Counselling Tools, the Nigeria National Adolescent & Youth friendly Job Aids and Cue cards, First-time Mothers/Parents curriculum for Mothers support group, others)
• Coordinate closely with the MCSP Senior FP Advisor and the MCSP M&E Advisor on undertaking the Formative Assessment on Adolescent First-time parents as integrated into the broader FP & Gender Assessment
• Ensure that monitoring and evaluation, and documentation of ASRH interventions and activities are carried out and reported to MCSP and SCI on a timely basis.
• Liaise regularly with the Save the Children team in Nigeria and with Save the Children’s MCSP team based at headquarters, including technical, program and finance and awards management staff

Advocacy and Coordination

S/he will take a lead on networking, advocacy work and strengthening linkages/coordinating with relevant stakeholders and government agencies (Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth and Development, Health providers and staff in the 4 pilot health facilities as well as their Local Government Authorities (LGAs), other NGOs implementing ASRH activities) thereby mobilizing partners and stakeholders in the establishment of technical working groups for ASRH at both Federal and State levels.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Essential:

• A Master’s degree in public health or a related field
• At least five years of experiences in ASRH and family planning in developing countries;
• Experience in monitoring programs and participating in evaluation.
• Knowledge of the Nigerian health system with in depth familiarity and knowledge about ASRH in country activities
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team setting with minimal supervision
• Excellent planning and organizational skills with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced work environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to travel within the country

Desirable:

• Fluency in English and any one of Hausa, Ibo or Yoruba, knowledge of related languages an added asset