Community Engagement and Referral Specialist at Jhpiego - John Hopkins University

Locations: Abuja, Birnin - Kebbi and Abakaliki, Ebonyi

Overview

• The MCGL/RISE Integrated Health Project Community and Referral Specialist/s will play a crucial role in strengthening community engagement and ensuring effective referral pathways for pregnant women, newborns, and children under five years old within the project areas.
• This position will be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with community leaders, community health workers (CHWs), and health facilities to improve access to quality MNCH +Nutrition services including malaria where applicable.
• S/he will also focus on enhancing demand creation activities, promoting healthy behaviors, and supporting the identification and referral of vulnerable populations thereby strengthening community-facility linkages for a seamless access to life-saving quality health services.
• Additionally, where required, S/he will be responsible for coordinating and supervising sub-awards to indigenous implementing partners leading MCGL/RISE community engagement efforts.

Responsibilities
Community Mobilization and Engagement:

• Develop and implement community mobilization strategies to promote awareness of MNCH + Nutrition +Malaria services and encourage service utilization, including antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, postnatal care, immunization, nutrition and malaria.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with community leaders including women and youth, religious leaders, and other key influencers to foster community ownership and support for the project.
• Work with existing community governance structures and committees such as Ward Development Committees (WDCs), to promote MNCH +N practices and monitor progress.
• Identify and address community-specific challenges and barriers to accessing MNCH + N services.

Strengthening Referral Pathways:

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive referral network of secondary healthcare facilities, including primary health centers, hospitals, and specialized clinics.
• Strengthen referral linkages between communities and healthcare facilities to ensure timely access to appropriate care.
• Support training of CHWs and other relevant community members on referral protocols, documentation, and follow-up procedures.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with health facility staff, including CHEWs, CHWs, midwives, nurses, and doctors, to facilitate smooth referrals.
• Monitor referral completion rates and identify bottlenecks in the referral system, working with relevant stakeholders to address them.

Advocacy and Networking:

• Advocate for improved access to MNCH +N services at the community and local government levels.
• Participate in relevant MNCH +N working groups and forums on behalf or Jhpiego
• Build relationships with other organizations, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and civil society groups working on working in the MNCH +N sector
• Facilitate regular multi-stakeholder meetings that promote inclusive participation and shared decision-making at the community level 

Training and Capacity Building:

• Contribute to the development and implementation of training programs for CHWs, healthcare providers, and community members on relevant MNCH +N topics.
• Facilitate trainings and workshops and mentorship to CHWs on MNCH +N topics, including antenatal care, safe delivery, newborn care, immunization, nutrition, and malaria.
• Support the development and implementation of community-based health education programs.

Data Collection and Reporting:

• Collect and analyze data on community engagement activities, referral patterns, and MNCH +N service utilization.
• Prepare regular reports on progress towards project targets, including key indicators such as antenatal care coverage, skilled birth attendance rates, and immunization coverage.
• Maintain accurate records of community mobilization activities and training sessions.
• Contribute to the development of project reports and presentations.

Other Duties:

• Participate in project planning meetings and contribute to the development of project work plans.
• Support the monitoring and evaluation of project activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Supervisor.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in public health, Nursing, Midwifery, Community Health, or a related field. A Master's degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 6-7 years of experience in implementing community-based MNCH programs in Nigeria.
• Proven experience in working with Community Health Workers (CHWs), strengthening community health systems and building relationships with community leaders.
• Strong understanding of MNCH_N challenges and opportunities in Nigeria.
• Experience in data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Fluency in English and the local language of the assigned location (Ebonyi, Kebbi, or FCT Abuja) is required.
• Experience working with US-funded projects is an advantage.

Working Conditions:

• Primarily field-based position with minimal office time (85% field work)
• Extensive travel within assigned communities, including remote and difficult-to-access areas