EngenderHealth is a global organization committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality. We support individuals in making free, informed decisions about sexuality and childbearing so they can live the lives they want. We collaborate with local communities and civil society organizations to prioritize health and rights. And we partner with health systems and governments to provide sustainable, high-quality services and a policy environment that supports access to care.

PROGRAM(S): USAID/Ethiopia Lowlands Health Activity (USAID/E LHA)

REPORTS TO: Health Service Delivery Team Lead

JOB SUMMARY

The Adolescent and Youth Health (AYH) Advisor will play an important role as a key member of the technical advisors within the service delivery team of USAID LHA. He will work along with the maternal, family planning, child, immunization, and nutrition advisors, as well as other key technical staff from consortium partners of USAID LHA. Together, they will provide comprehensive technical support to enhance the quality of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) services, as well as Nutrition services, specifically in pastoral areas across four regions (Afar, Somali, Oromia, and Southern Region). AYH Advisor will assume full responsibility for providing direct technical assistance and oversight on AYH interventions integrated into comprehensive USAID LHA programs in the pastoralist communities. The primary focus of this role is to ensure the active participation of adolescents and young people in the decision-making process related to their sexual and reproductive health, and their overall well-being. The AYH-Advisor role is a dynamic position that involves roving duty stations in phases. This includes field assignments at field offices (pastoralist area) and work at the central office. During the field assignment phase, the advisor will collaborate closely with field teams, consortium members, local communities, health workers, and other stakeholders to implement and support AYH program activities. In the central office assignment phase, they will provide technical support, coordinate with other team members, and participate in activity, planning, monitoring, and evaluation. Occasional travel to field sites may be necessary. The rotation and duration of assignments may vary based on activity needs and operational requirements.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Collaborate with the Health Service Delivery team and other technical teams of USAID LHA to develop an activity work plan for Adolescent and Youth Health (AYH). Take the lead in implementing the work plan effectively and ensure timely tracking of deliverables according to the agreed-upon work plan.
• Take the lead in conducting sensitization and advocacy efforts to promote the implementation of different initiatives aimed at improving Adolescent and Youth Health (AYH) services in the activity implementation area.
• Provide technical guidance and expertise on Adolescent and Youth Health (AYH) matters to USAID LHA team members and external stakeholders, including Participation in the national technical working group.
• Collaborate with Field level program officers, consortium partners, and field-level stakeholders including health service delivery points to foster a supportive environment for advancing the AYH service in the pastoralist community.
• Lead development of contextualized AYH program implementation guide/operating procedures, strategic approaches for direct engagement of diverse groups of young people, and AYH service quality audit tools that can apply to different service delivery models in the pastoralist community.
• Provide technical support for youth integration strategy, youth Friendly Services (YFS), meaningful engagement of the young people, and digital platforms for youth-focused information dissemination in the pastoralist community.
• Collaborate with the LHA team to integrate GYSI principles in AYH care. Adapt training curricula to address gender dynamics and power in inter-provider communication, promoting client-centered AYH care that recognizes social norms’ impact on client-provider interactions
• Collaborate with KMER LHA Technical team to assess barriers and challenges in Adolescent and Youth Health (AYH) within the implementation area.
• Identify and propose existing evidence-informed interventions/approaches to directly engage, diverse groups of young people, key influencers, and adult gatekeepers for AYH service in pastoralist communities.
• Lead to facilitate the active involvement of young people in decision-making structures across public and private sectors, including health facility governance, youth advisory groups, and Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives’ community of practice to enhance AYH at pastoralist community.
• Led and co-authored publication of documents such as technical brief, lessons learned, and best practices in concert with the Knowledge management team, and other LHA teams and shared with stakeholders using available platform.
• Provide technical assistance and oversight in training and mentorship capacity building to healthcare providers and community workers on AYH interventions such as youth-friendly service.
• Compile monthly, quarterly, and annual reports on Adolescent and Youth Health (AYH) program activities, ensuring comprehensive capture of all data and information to be reported to the donor.
• Stay updated on the latest research and best practices related to Adolescent and Youth Health (AYH), and contribute ideas to incorporate them into program design and implementation.
• Represent EngenderHealh in meetings, conferences, and workshops related to family planning and maternal health at local, national, and international levels
• Perform other duties as assigned by his supervisor.

REQUIREMENTS

• Advanced degree in health with specialized training/experience in AYH program implementation (at least 5 years of experience in AYH).
• Demonstrated experience in implementing national Adolescent and Youth Health (AYH) strategies.
• Demonstrated experience in developing guidelines, protocols, program implementation manuals, and training materials.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and delivering AYH training programs and capacity-building initiatives

ESSENTIAL SOFT SKILLS

• Committed to EngenderHealth’s core organizational values of reflection, inclusion, integrity, respect, and transformation.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and develop the technical capacity of technical field-level staff.
• Excellent skills in facilitation, team building, and coordination.
• Excellent communication and writing skills, as well as negotiation and management skills.
• Proven ability to multi-task, work independently, flexible, and adaptable.
• Excellent computer skills, with knowledge of necessary analytic software applications
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and demands, establish priorities, and work effectively in a deadline-driven environment; accuracy and attention to detail in the performance of duties are of critical importance.
• Outstanding ability to interact with experts and collaborators across multiple disciplines, program areas, and cultures with exceptional ability to lead, mentor, and support teams.
• Ability to tailor data collection approaches to local needs, interests, and capabilities.

PREFERRED SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND FUNCTIONS

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders
• Fluency in English language proficiency is strongly preferred.
• Ability to be assigned to roving duties as needed at field sites.