Overview
The Community Systems and Capacity Building Lead will provide technical oversight and direction for an anticipated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) project focusing on scaling-up Comprehensive High Impact Community Based HIV Prevention, Testing and Treatment initiation services in five PEPFAR districts in Lesotho. This Team Lead will support the second strategy under this project: Strengthen community systems and build local partner capacity for sustained HIV response and epidemic control. S/he will work with community structures to support creation of a coordinated HIV response and provide technical support and mentorship for care and treatment, prevention, and support. The Community Systems and Capacity Building Advisor will ensure timely and cost-effective district level implementation and reporting to the project management team. This position is contingent upon award.
Lesotho nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.
Responsibilities
- Engage community leadership structures, including youth- and women-lead organizations, in the creation of a conducive community HIV response.
- Provide technical support and mentorship for community-based organizations, faith-based organizations and other community structures emphasizing strengthening community-based and community-led systems for prevention, treatment, care, and support.
- Develop a capacity building plan for identified local partners involved in the community HIV response.
- Capacitate local community partners, including youth- and women-lead organizations, on project management, data use and sustainable evidence-based community HIV response.
- In consultation with the PI/PD and M&E Advisor, develop and adapt strategies and interventions to ensure development of tools, processes and materials to enhance community engagement, advocacy and reporting
- Oversee activities related to community mobilization, education, and demand creation for testing and prevention services, including partnering with local and faith-based organizations
- Oversee annual work planning and support annual budgeting for all Strategy 2 related activities
- Ensure that project implementation activities are in line with the work plan and timeframe and activities achieve quarterly and annual project targets.
- Foster and instill a culture of data for decision-making, and ensure that staff have access to data, and use data to inform and guide decisions about project implementation, and making course corrections and changes in strategy.
- Work closely with the grants and program team as well as M&E team to support organizational capacity development, M&E capacity development and TA approaches to improve data use by local community partners
- Manage the capacity building activity budget and ensure staff adhere to budget lines. Coordinate with the project manager to ensure prompt reporting on expenditure and resource gaps.
- Work closely with the Senior Management Team to ensure compliance with financial, HR and administrative procedures, and ensure efficient use of project resources.
- Manage, mentor and motivate field teams to undertake their roles and responsibilities effectively.
- Manage staff performance and coordinate closely with the HR team to address performance gaps as well as recognizing high performers.
- Represent project progress, achievements and lessons learned to CDC and PEPFAR.
- Maintain excellent relationships with community organizations as well as the donor, MOH, partners and stakeholders.
- Maintain effective internal communications to ensure that all relevant department functions are kept informed of strategies.
- Document successes, lessons learned and challenges in implementation.
- Support drafting of project reports and results to the donor, including routine monthly, quarterly, annual and other reporting requirements as requested; and ensure sharing of information and knowledge with other country programs, and with the donor, to contribute to systems that support knowledge management.
- Author/co-author abstracts presentations, manuscripts, and success stories; collaborate with the communications specialist to develop stories for internal/ external use, and work with the communications specialist to deliver on the project’s communication plan, and ensure consistent utilization of the organization’s brand.
Required Qualifications
- Master’s in Community Health, Public Health, Nursing and or related advanced degree with at least three years’ experience in programming, (preferably HIV/AIDS programs, with increasing responsibilities), OR
- Bachelor’s degree in Community Health, Public Health, Nursing plus at least 7 years’ (experience in capacitating local community based organizations, preferably in Lesotho).
- Demonstrated current knowledge and experience in programs for community systems and capacity building, especially for youth- and women-led organizations.
- Strong understanding of PEPFAR and Lesotho Government HIV priorities, and familiarity with MOH guidelines, policies and strategic priorities.
- Experience in managing and motivating teams, supervising staff, and addressing performance challenges.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including TEAMS
- Articulate in written and spoken English with effective communication skills, and excellent interpersonal and written and oral presentation skills.
- Ability to work in a complex environment charged with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform.
- Sensitive to issues working with marginalized groups within the Lesotho context.
- Motivated, passionate, and hardworking.
Preferred Qualifications
- Lesotho nationals are strongly preferred.
- Experience in programming, preferably HIV/AIDS programs, with increasing responsibilities
- Experience in capacitating local community based organizations, preferably in Lesotho.