Technical Officer, Paediatrics/OVC at Heartland Alliance

Project Background

Heartland Alliance Ltd-Gte is currently implementing a USAID funded Accelerating Control for HIV Epidemic (ACE) Project in Lagos, Edo, and Bayelsa States. Implementation is targeted at promoting new and underutilized partnerships to accelerate the achievement of the HIV epidemic control in Nigeria through the delivery of high impact HIV prevention, care, and support services to general populations who are living with HIV and those at risk of contracting HIV.

The program is intended to provide evidence-based services that will deliver measurable results by addressing programmatic and systems barriers to epidemic control, including but not limited to, the following areas: HIV Case Finding and Linkage (HTS), Adult Care and Treatment, Paediatrics/Adolescent Care and Treatment, Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), Cervical cancer screening, TB/HIV Care, Laboratory, Health Systems Strengthening to Support Clinical Services, Expertise with the Private Sector and Operations and Implementation Research.

We seek applications from qualified persons for the position below:

Job Title: Technical Officer, Paediatrics & OVC   

Reports to:  State Program Manager

Location(s): Bayelsa, Edo and Lagos

Slots: Bayelsa (1), Edo (1), Lagos (1)

Job Summary

• Plan and coordinate paediatric screening using risk stratification tools across supported sites.
• Support the conduct of genealogy testing for 0-14 years across supported facilities and communities.
• Ensure same day linkage of all identified positives to care with adequate care givers counselling.
• Ensure full disclosure and OTZ activities are activated across sites offering paediatric services to ensure 100% retention and improve treatment outcomes.
• Ensure all children living with HIV (CALHIV) are on optimized regimen.
• Ensure that all CALHIV are enrolled on OVC program in collaboration with the OVC IPs.
• Build the capacity of health care providers on quality paediatric ART service delivery.
• Perform quality of care assessment and ensures that CALHIV receives high quality of comprehensive ART services in accordance with national treatment guidelines.
• Support the uptake of Differentiated Service Delivery for CALHIV to improve treatment outcomes and create efficiencies including MMD refill.
• Ensure line list of clients for viral load sample collection is generated.
• Ensure all CALHIV have routine and follow up viral load sample collection.
• Ensure all unsuppressed clients commence enhanced adherence counselling.
• Determine the root cause analysis of clients that are unsuppressed and strategic interventions to mitigate it.
• Ensure mother/baby pair services is optimized.
• Collaborate with the OVC partner to ensure youth friendly services are strengthened in supported facilities.
• Ensure AYPIN platforms are fully leveraged on for HIVST distribution for adolescent network testing and PrEP.
• Ensure support care givers education, literacy programs in collaboration with OVC IPs.
• Ensure proper documentations in respective source documents including OTZ.
• Perform other assigned responsibilities as occasion demands by Supervisor.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or competency required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Education and/or Experience:

• MBBS/MD with 3 to 4 years relevant experience in clinical care with a sound understanding of Paediatric HIV/AIDS /OVC services in resource constraint settings.
• Demonstrated skills in Paediatric HIV prevention, care, and treatment
• Ability to use evidence to design and implement targeted interventions with highest degree of efficiency and impact.
• Familiarity with Nigerian public sector health system, NGOs and CBOs is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of Nigerian clinical setting, including government and non-government settings.
• Proven ability in supervising staff.

Other Competencies:

• Time Management – Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time and complete projects in a fast-paced, changing environment with minimal supervision.
• Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; edits work for spelling and grammar; varies writing style to meet needs; presents numerical data effectively.
• Adaptability - adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Cultural Sensitivity – Respects cultural environment in which person is working and does not act in a manner that is outwardly offensive to the local community.
• Non-discriminatory- Does not discriminate persons based on sexual orientation or gender identity, age, preferred jobs, or behavioural habits.

Language Skills:

• Excellent oral and written English communication skills.
• Knowledge of Local Language preferred.
• Demonstrated competency in public speaking.

Computer Skills:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems, Power Point.
• Other software routinely used by Heartland Alliance.