Health Officer at Global Village Healthcare Initiative for Africa (GHIV Africa)

Location: Borno State
Contract Duration: 3 Months.
Reports to: Health/Nutrition Manager and Project Manager

Job Purpose: 

The objectives for Health officers are to raise awareness about good hygiene practices especially as it pertains to cholera prevention, lead in household disinfections, encourage behaviour change, and engage communities in adopting healthier habits. They will conduct hygiene education sessions, monitor practices, and follow up with communities to assess progress. Health officer will also assist in ensuring proper usage of the materials during disinfection. They will promote environmental cleanliness through waste management and latrine use, working closely with the CATI team to align efforts. Lastly, they will document activities, track results, and report outcomes to maintain accountability and transparency in their work.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) / CATI field teams in the implementation of WASH activities within target communities.
• Plan, coordinate, and monitor hygiene promotion, sanitation, and public health interventions in line with project objectives and donor requirements.
• Facilitate community engagement, triggering sessions, household visits, and behavior change communication activities.
• Provide technical guidance and on-the-job mentoring to field staff and community volunteers on WASH and public health practices.
• Support disease prevention and outbreak response activities through hygiene education and community awareness campaigns.
• Ensure accurate collection, verification, and timely submission of activity reports, beneficiary data, and monitoring tools.
• Coordinate with local authorities, community leaders, health facilities, and other stakeholders to strengthen project implementation.
• Monitor field activities to ensure compliance with organizational policies, safeguarding standards, and health and safety procedures.
• Identify implementation challenges and recommend practical solutions to improve program performance.
• Contribute to project assessments, planning meetings, and periodic review sessions.

Other Duties

• Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor to support programme implementation.

Education and experience 

• Bachelor\'s degree in Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Community Health, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, or a related health field. 
• Registration with the relevant professional regulatory body (where applicable). 
• Additional training in cholera management, outbreak response, IPC (Infection Prevention and Control), or emergency health programming is an advantage. 
• Previous experience working in humanitarian or development contexts is an added advantage.
• Minimum of 2–3 years of experience in public health, disease surveillance, outbreak response, or emergency health programming. 
• Previous experience in cholera response, CATI implementation, WASH-in-health activities, or epidemic preparedness is highly desirable. 
• Experience working with government health authorities, humanitarian organizations, and community structures. 
• Experience in community mobilization and health promotion activities.

Additional Requirements

• Knowledge of cholera epidemiology, transmission, prevention, and control measures. 
• Understanding of CATI methodology and rapid response interventions. 
• Knowledge of disease surveillance systems and case investigation procedures. 
• Familiarity with Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols. 
• Ability to identify, refer, and follow up suspected cholera cases. 
• Understanding of Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) and cholera case management principles. 
• Ability to analyze outbreak data and prepare situation reports.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to work effectively in emergency and high-pressure environments. 
• Good report-writing and data management skills. 
• Competence in Microsoft Office applications and mobile data collection tools (e.g., Kobo, CommCare). 
• Ability to train and supervise community volunteers and hygiene promoters. 
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills. 

Languages

• Fluency in the local languages spoken like Hausa and Kanuri.
• Working knowledge of English as the offical reporting language 

Desirable Attributes

• Ability to work in remote and hard-to-reach locations. 
• Cultural sensitivity and strong community engagement skills. 
• Team-oriented with the ability to coordinate across sectors. 
• Commitment to humanitarian principles and safeguarding standards.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• EMPATHY AND COMPASSION: Demonstrates a genuine concern for the well-being of vulnerable individuals.
• INTEGRITY: Maintains the highest ethical standards in all professional activities.
• RESILIENCE: Capable of working under challenging conditions and managing stress effectively.
• PROBLEM-SOLVING: Proactive in identifying issues and implementing solutions.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:

GHIV Africa is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Join us in making a difference in the lives of vulnerable communities in North-west Nigeria. Your expertise and dedication can help ensure the safety and protection of those in need.

Application will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The position will be close once a suitable candidate is identified. Early application is strongly encouraged.

Note: Indigenes from our implementing locations, as well as Women and persons with disabilities (PWDs) are strongly encouraged to apply.