Adolescent Health Specialist

Our client, Charles Drew University, is looking for eligible and qualified individuals to fill the position of Adolescent Health Specialist.

Position Title: Adolescent Health Specialist
Department: Programs
Locations: Lusaka, Zambia
Reports to: CDU Zambia Country Program Director

Description of Rise Up Project:

Charles R. Drew University is part of a Consortium of four historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States, which is working to support select Ministry of Health Level One hospitals in Zambia. The HBCU Global Health Consortium Project is designed to transform clinical HIV practice to provide high quality, comprehensive, inter-professional care and treatment to people living with HIV. The project seeks to train healthcare workers within high-burden HIV settings on how to reduce stigma and discrimination, while providing training on the impact of social determinants of health on health outcomes along the HIV care continuum. Ultimately, the goal is improving the quality of healthcare, clinic workflow, and team-building leading to improved health outcomes. This is a PEPFAR supported project.

Description of the Position:

The Adolescent Health Specialist will work closely with the HBCU Global Health Consortium Program Directors*, Rise Up House Coordinator, Peer Navigators and Kanyama/Matero/Chilenje Hospital staff, to implement “Rise Up!”. The Adolescent Health Nurse will be embedded at Kanyama/Matero/Chilenje Hospital where s/he will work closely with Hospital staff to coordinate and deliver adolescent friendly MCH and HIV services to youth enrolled in the program. In addition, s/he will work some weekly shifts alongside hospital staff, to deliver services to the general patient population within the Hospital MCH, ART and HIV Testing units. S/he will also provide off-site clinical services at a satellite location of Kanyama/Matero/Chilenje Hospital that has been established to serve as an alternative setting for the delivery of a wide range of youth friendly activities and services.

*The HBCU Global Health Consortium Program Directors for this part of the program are from Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles, California, USA

ESSENTIAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide adolescent friendly HIV clinical services for 15-24-year-old HIV-positive adolescent girls and young women served by the program in Lusaka, Zambia.
• Work closely with Kanyama/Matero/Chilenje Hospital HIV specialty staff to ensure core clinical services are provided in an adolescent friendly manner as defined by the Rise Up! program.
• Supervise Peer Navigators at Kanyama/Matero/Chilenje Hospital to ensure appropriate implementation of the defined “Navigation and Advocacy Package for AGYW”.
• Ensure day-to-day implementation of HIV clinical services aligns with the annual work plan, and program objectives and commitments.
• Working collaboratively with the Program Coordinator, Assistant Community Engagement Coordinator, Community Volunteers (Peer Navigators), and the Kanyama/Matero/Chilenje Hospital staff regarding all referrals.
• Attend Kanyama/Matero/Chilenje Hospital team huddles and departmental meetings on a regular basis and as needed in order to ensure coordination of referrals with appropriate treatment and care services, and all program related linkages.
• Participate in clinical supervision meetings of all Rise Up! program staff, as well as participate in regular distance led supervision by Program Directors when they are not in Lusaka.
• Liaise with HBCU Project Director, Senior Program Coordinator, Program Coordinator and Kanyama/Matero/Chilenje Hospital staff on project related issues.
• In collaboration with the Rise Up House Coordinator conduct regular monitoring field visits of program partner’s (identified DREAMS, HIV Testing partners, and other community partner organizations) sites to keep abreast of key issues associated with overall project efficiency and effectiveness and to ensure appropriate support and mentoring of the Community Volunteers and their day-to-day activities.
• Review regularly the identified evaluation data collected by the HIV clinical services to ensure quality and integrity, and submit as scheduled.
• Ensure that all reports are submitted in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with the Rise Up! program team with all related events such as workshops, assessment visits, annual work planning, and stigma reduction activities.
• In collaboration with the Rise Up! staff, contribute to annual work planning activities.
• Represent Rise Up! And HBCU as requested at various stakeholder meetings.
• Liaise with the HBCU Project Director, Senior Program Coordinator, Program Coordinator, and the HBCU Global Health Consortium Program Directors on project related issues.
• Liaise with other U.S. Government partners working in similar health program areas as requested.
• Other duties as assigned.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Registered Nurse or a related clinical degree with at least 3 years of experience in providing HIV treatment and care to adolescents (or similar experience with adolescents). Must have an active license that allows providing clinical services in Zambia. Training and ability to practice as a Midwife preferred but not required.
• Exceptional communication skills and ability to understand, relate to and motivate adolescent girls and young women, as well as to work effectively with program and hospital colleagues.
• Deep, demonstrated commitment to empowering and working with youth as partners.
• Experience in collaborating with multiple projects/partners; demonstrated ability to function effectively on a diverse team.
• Knowledge of program design and monitoring tools.
• Significant experience with the HIV/ART prevention, treatment and care continuum.
• Knowledge of financial and human resources management preferred but not required.
• Demonstrated group facilitation skills.
• Knowledge of Chawama Hospital/local health care systems and resources, as well as local DREAMS and HIV Testing partners.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Competency with computer skills (e.g. Word, Excel and basic data file management).
• Demonstrated leadership abilities, including well-developed organizational and time prioritization skills.

This position is for local Zambia hire.

Application Instructions

If interested in this career opportunity, kindly send ONLY your CV and a cover/ application letter to [email protected] by 14th September 2020 by 23:59 hours, Zambian time. Please do not submit additional materials. Kindly put your name and the position you’re applying for in the title of the email. Applicants who fail to follow these application instructions will be disqualified from further consideration.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates that have followed these specific instructions will be considered and contacted. Please note that if you have not heard from us by 30th September 2020, kindly consider your application unsuccessful. However, your CV will be kept in our database for any suitable positions that might arise in the future.