Child Health Officer at Save The Children

Role Purpose

• Under the guidance of the adviser, the Child Health Officer will support Child Health thematic intervention of the SDI signature project.
• The Child Survival Programme in Save the Children in Nigeria is growing in portfolio.
• Child Health is a new area identified as key component of our signature programme in Nigeria.
• Therefore the Child Health Officer in Lagos will be part of the team that will be responsible the smooth implementation of the relevant child health components of the Stop Diarrhoea Project in Shomolu LGA of Lagos State.
• He/she will provide technical input in project roll out, and implementation; including ensuring that project outputs delivered are of high quality.
• He/She will provide technical input in the area of child health in Lagos State while coordinating with the MNCH Advisor on the GSK Health Worker training project and other partners involved in child health activities such as UNICEF, WHO, PATHS2 and CHAI

Scope of Role:

• Reports to: Child Health Adviser
• Staff directly reporting to this post: None
• Budget responsibility: None

Key Areas of Accountability
Child Health Policy and Programming:

• Support the Government of Lagos State to revise/update her Child health policy and treatment guidelines in line with National recommendations
• Make technical input into the planning and design and of project specific operational researches, including baseline and end line evaluations.
• Work closely with State/LGA authorities to ensure the availability and use of updated treatment guidelines for the management of diarrhoea is available and used in all supported PHC
• Provide overall child health technical guidance on day to day project issues and challenges.
• Work together with other staff/ to ensure that key trainings (IMCI, iCCM, RI etc) provided to PHC staff is of high quality and tailored to identified needs
• Be able to systemically review new evidence on child health interventions and apply such to overall program implementation and quality improvement.

Technical and Advisory Support:

• provide technical support and timely feedback to State and LGA teams on effective implementation and quality of care of child health programmes
• Support M&E of child health programme; develop monitoring checklists; conduct supportive supervision visits, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
• Build capacity of field & partner staff on child health and quality of care
• She/he will also work closely with the MNCH adviser on GSK Project in Lagos state to ensure that quality training is delivered along the continuum of care and ensure synergy for trainings to
• ensure full integration of our child health project with the MNH projects
• Support the development, review/adaptation of training materials, job aids, counselling and behaviour change materials for child health in Lagos state in collaboration with the MNCH Advisor
• Track and prepare monthly and quarterly reports on progress and indicators, child health technical support activities; including documentation of key lessons learnt and successes
• Contribute to the development of publications for peer-reviewed journals.

Planning, Documentation and Budgeting:

• Support the development of activity plans and budgets for technical support activities
• Participate in preparation of overall work plan and budget for Child Health programme in Lagos State
• Collaborate with SMOH Child Health Desk, UNICEF and other relevant partners at the state levels to ensure integration and high level implementation of child health activities.
• Participate in developing different levels of progress report and supporting PQA on child health interventions.
• Representation and relationships
• Engage and maintain good relationships with key stakeholders on child health (relevant SMoH dept, UNICEF, WHO)
• Actively participate in State/LGA level technical working groups on Child Health and relevant policy forums.
• Actively contribute to national policies/strategies on child health
• Support advocacy colleagues with technical messaging on child health, external reports and publications
• Work closely with other thematic teams in Nigeria Country office and the Lagos State offices.

Programme Management:

• Ensure the maintenance of healthy partnerships with relevant government counterparts and other partners at Federal and State levels. Management of child health related interventions.
• Other - Other ad hoc tasks as requested by Line Manager.

Skills and Behaviours (our Values in Practice)
​Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically Collaboration:
• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

Skills and Experience

• A Medical Doctor with a minimum of 2 years demonstrable experience in child health interventions or related programme is essential.
• A public health background with demonstrable experience on PHC at LGA/SMoH level will be an advantage.
• Essential: basic clinical and public health qualifications.
• Essential: very good understanding of national health policies and strategies, programmes and stakeholders on Child Health in Nigeria
• Essential: Demonstrable management experience and very good understanding of child survival issues and common childhood illnesses in Nigeria
• Essential: very good understanding of childhood immunizations and immunizations programming/ coverage issues in Nigeria
• Desirable: clinical experience in Paediatrics or Community Paediatrics in Nigeria
• Desirable: master trainer/ ToT on IMCI and iCCM
• Desirable: analytical & research skills, experience in conducting health systems research, ability to analyze data using SPSS/ EPInfo/ STATA etc

Additional Qualifications:

• Work experience in health/public health and or in a health/public health organisation, including as a trainer/technical assistance provider in the area of RH/MCH with government of Nigeria or an International NGO.
• Experience with providing institutional support and technical assistance to decentralised health system and or NGOs on issues related to RH/MNCH service provision.
• Experience in RH/maternal newborn and child health programming including facility and community based health service improvement is essential.

Additional skills:

• Ability to work effectively both independently (with minimal supervision) and as a member of a team
• Commitment to gender equity, child rights, community empowerment, and grassroots development approaches
• Effective planning and organising skills
• Effective interpersonal skills - oral and written communication skills