Management Sciences for Health (MSH) is seeking a Gender Based Violence Lead for a potential five-year MCC-funded program for a potential 5 -year contract in Lesotho. The purpose of the program is to provide technical expertise and support to the MOH to achieve improved health outcomes by strengthening the Lesotho primary health care system. This will be done by improving the quality and availability of essential primary health services, improved management capacity of DHMTs to plan and deliver PHC services and improved services through better data use for decision making at the DHMT level. In addition, a core function will be to ensure DHMT capacity building and PHC capacity building includes Gender Based Violence (GBV) clinical treatment and response protocols are in line with the requirements of the Domestic Violence Bill (and Act once passed).
OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES
The GBV Lead position will be responsible for supporting relevant ministries and inter-agency task forces to institutionalize the requirements of the Domestic Violence Bill / Act throughout the MOH and other relevant ministries and support the roll-out of related guidance and protocols at the health facility level. This position will provide strategic leadership and technical expertise, and lead the coordination of efforts on the GBV-related components of the program including advocacy, prevention, (including prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA)), support and referral services, and building response capacity and community engagement.
SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITY
- Provide technical leadership and managerial oversight for, and ensure the efficient implementation of, the GBV project strategies and activities and the timely reporting of those activities to the project team, MCC, and MSH headquarters.
- Conduct a mapping exercise of district-level delivery providers for GBV prevention and response services in both government and civil society organizations, leveraging former mappings.
- Support the MOH and other relevant ministries in the development and roll out of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and standard operating procedures (SOPs) and identify and respond to capacity building needs in this area.
- Provide technical assistance to the MOH to update and roll out scope of work for district focal points, or nursing staff, providing GBV services and referrals, based on new Domestic Violence Bill/Act.
- Support leadership, management and governance of national inter agency technical working group (TWG) to support MoH, and MoGYSR, law enforcement and civil society representatives to develop SOPs for reporting and referring GBV cases such as intimate partner violence, sexual violence and non-partner assault across health, police, justice, and social services from the community to the national level.
- Liaise closely with the Department of Gender (Ministry of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation) and the Ministry of Health and high level GBV technical working groups (TWGs) to ensure project cohesion, effective advocacy, consistent messaging, and maximization of resource utilization.
- Support the MOH (and relevant ministries) in the development, validation, and operationalization of a standardized approach to charting and on-site facility recordkeeping for GBV at district level and facility levels.
- Work with relevant human resource personnel at the national level, to update job specifications for focal points or nursing staff who are providing GBV services and referrals.
- Support the MoH to focus and strengthen the engagement and delivery of GBV services and referrals at the PHC level.
- Develop and collaborate with ongoing efforts to strengthen the capacity of health care workers to identify cases of GBV and refer survivors to appropriate confidential support services and health care.
- Collaborate with key stakeholders including health services, social and legal support services, and police to institutionalize effective and cohesive responses to GBV at the community level.
- Support efforts to develop and improve health sector GBV reporting mechanisms to strengthen the MOH’s capacity to track prevalence and develop appropriate mitigating response mechanisms.
- Assist in the development, roll out and monitoring of GBV specific communication campaigns and messaging to be disseminated through the Village Health Workers and other national champions and community leaders.
- Assist the MOH to integrate GBV initiatives into broader strategies, plans and training and coordinate across sectors.
- An advanced degree at the master’s level or above in public health, social work, gender studies, international development, or related degree.
- A minimum of eight (8) years’ working experience in program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in a conflict or post-conflict context for health system strengthening and referral networks.
- Demonstrated experience in GBV prevention and response programming in the health sector. Experience with psychosocial, socioeconomic, and/or legal interventions preferred.
- Demonstrated experience in operationalizing government policies and Acts preferably in the health sector.
- Demonstrated experience in capacity building across a wide range of stakeholders.
- Must have a proven track record of building teams and fostering collaboration to achieve goals, meet milestones, and produce high quality written qualitative, quantitative, and narrative deliverables.
- Track record of strong commitment to sharing knowledge, documenting experiences, supporting creative initiatives, and sharing credit.
- Demonstrated strategic agility, diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
- Experience working in Lesotho will be highly preferred.
- Fluency in English is required. Southern Sotho will be highly beneficial.
- Willingness to travel throughout Lesotho is essential.
MSH is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, religion, creed, citizenship, national origin, age, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job requirements. MSH will take affirmative action to ensure that qualified applicants are employed and that employees are treated without regard to their race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran and disability status. In compliance with U.S. Department of Labor Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act, MSH has developed and maintains an affirmative action program and plan.