The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, was established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic opportunities, as well as providing emergency aid in natural disasters, war, and other conflicts. After passing a century, which it celebrated in 2019, it is now a global movement made up of 29 national member organizations which work in 120 countries.

Activity Overview

Immunization is one of the key life-saving interventions the government of Ethiopia has scaled up to address under five mortality. There are noteworthy successes through EPI. Ethiopia is certified for polio free since 2017 and maternal and neonatal tetanus are eliminated. Coverage from successive Ethiopian Demography and Health Survey revealed a positive rise in the coverage of vaccine antigens. The magnitude and trends of vaccination inequalities in Ethiopia persists by equity markers despite steady improvement in overall coverage. The major variation in coverage is geographic where there is high variation in coverage among different regions in the country. According to the Ethiopian mini DHS 2019, there are over 1.2 million zero dose and under immunized children in Ethiopia.

For over two decades, Save the Children has been supporting immunization program in Ethiopia to contribute for the reduction of child mortality from vaccine preventable diseases. Through the different projects that has been implemented over the years, Save the Children supported expansion of access for immunization services, supported demand raising for immunization in the community and has supported an enabling environment for equitable service delivery and improved financing for immunization. Currently, Save the Children is implementing GSK funded Immunization Program in Ethiopia that supports equitable and sustainable access to life-saving immunization and essential healthcare by focusing on zero-dose and under immunized children for a new phase of the partnership with GSK. Save the Children partnered with GSK to create an innovative partnership to help reduce preventable deaths and illness in children under the age of five, from vaccine preventable diseases by combining Save the Children’s vast experience in supporting children and mothers’ health in communities around the world with GSK’s research and expertise in partnership with Ministries of Health, local and academic partners. The program is expected to ensure equitable and sustainable access to life-saving immunization and essential healthcare, working together with local communities and partners and leveraging on Save the Children’s and GSK’s joint expertise to reach zero-dose and under-immunized children. The GSK funded immunization program is multi country and will be implemented in Ethiopia and Nigeria. This post is for the Program in Ethiopia responsible to facilitate, coordinate and lead implementation of the project along with the project plans and deliverables.

ROLE PURPOSE:  

The Immunization Project Coordinator is responsible for implementing the interventions and activities under GSK Immunization Project. S/he will support interventions on: strengthening cold chain system, delivery of routine immunization service using different strategies, support quality of EPI documentation, and support the planning and implementation of immunization campaigns. The Immunization Project Coordinator will also be responsible for the timely coordination, preparation, facilitation, implementation, and evaluation of all training/capacity-building activities as specified on the project work plan. The Immunization Project Coordinator will work closely with the woreda health office head and EPI focal persons in the respective GSK Immunization Project Implementation  woredas. S/he will ensure efficiency and timely implementation of the immunization project interventions in the project implementation areas.   S/he is responsible for the preparation and submission of regular project reports and case stories and meet deadlines for reporting and regular program updates. S/he will coordinate and facilitate advocacy activities, events, dialogues to improve resource allocation for immunization program, for improved commitment and prioritization and to ensure delivery of equitable service throughout the project areas and the region.

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

Reports to: Field Office Manager – Gode – FO

Staff directly reporting to this post: N/A

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Project Management 

• In collaboration with Health, Nutrition and WASH Program Manager, develop project detail work plan, budget forecast and procurement plan for the project implementation woredas.
• Ensure procurements specified in the project documents are planned, requested, purchased, delivered and distributed and reported on a timely manner
• Closely work with the Health, Nutrition and WASH Program Manager, Sr. Technical Specialists at CO, and SBC Coordinator to come up with culturally appropriate EPI messages to raise awareness of community members and influence their behaviour positively on EPI.
• Provide monthly update on project progress and flag any concerns in a timely manner for Health, Nutrition and WASH Program Manager and FO Management
• Manage all activities, resources and assets for the projects under supervision
• Identify critical issues in the implementation of projects and take the necessary actions to address problems and constraints
• Prepare periodic reports on the implementation of project activities as per the requirements of SCI, regional MOUs and specific project donor
• Ensure that strategies for phasing out are taken care of during implementation; and project close outs are properly planned and executed
• Closely work with RHB/Zonal and Woreda Health Offices for the smooth implementation of the project and for ensuring project sustainability
• Support Health, Nutrition and WASH Program Manager for any project activity and budget revisions, support prepare justification for request of amendments in keeping with donor regulations and procedures, closely working with the relevant award and management team to ensure timely action.
• Ensure effective and efficient utilization of project budget and other resources for intended purpose; follow up on budget utilization and project expenditure
• Prepare/Review and submit for Health, Nutrition and WASH Program Manager timely donor reports, including development/review and verification of both narrative and financial reports and confirmation of accuracy and consistency between narrative and financial reports.

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical assistance and facilitate logistics support for Woreda health office and health facilities in the development of woreda level bottom-up immunization micro plans ensuring every eligible child is mapped, identified and targeted for reach with different strategies
• Coordinate with government, and project partners working on EPI at different level in the project area through organizing woreda level EPI taskforce meetings, enduring documentation and implementation of action points to improve leadership and governance of immunization program in the area.
• Support regular delivery of static, outreach and mobile vaccination sessions in the implementation areas
• Organize, support/facilitate trainings for EPI Managers, HWs, HEWs, CVs, and other community members, on immunization, and community mobilization
• Conduct mentorship and post training follow up visits and regularly assess the improvement on the capacity of HWs and HEWs
• Support community and facility based surveillance and early response for Vaccine Preventable Diseases
• Support regular transportation of vaccines to all HFs and support proper handling of cold chain equipment. Facilitate maintenance of un functional vaccine refrigerators
• Provide technical and coordination support during national and sub national immunization campaigns
• Support proper documentation of EPI activities through technical assistance and provision of recording and reporting formats (EPI and outreach monitoring charts, tally sheets, and refrigerator temperature monitoring sheets) and
• Ensure data quality through regular data validation and data triangulation and support use of data for decision making
• In collaboration with SBC Coordinator, Health, Nutrition and WASH Program Manager and GSK Project Senior Technical Specialists, build capacity of community structures at grass root level to support EPI activities in the implementation woredas
• Facilitate, conduct regular consecutive dialogue and consultative meetings to influence woreda and zonal government partners’ engagement on immunization program and allocation of budget for immunization service delivery improvement, maintenance of CCE, capacity building of HWs/HEWs, and for sustaining project interventions and gains
• Establish, support, and empower community influential members to hold government and vaccination service providers accountable to provide equitable and quality vaccination service
• Organize review meetings with the woreda health office to review the activities of HWs/HEWs and CVs as well as for experience sharing and reflective learning
• Organize/conduct regular supportive supervisions to review and support the EPI activities of the assigned woredas.
• Closely work with GSK Sr Technical Specialists to assure quality implementation.
• Develop project briefs, which document the project learnings and results.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Quality Assurance

• Prepare, review and submit weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual donor, government and internal SC reports and updates of the project on a timely manner with acceptable quality to the Health, Nutrition and WASH Program Manager including development/review and verification of both narrative and financial reports and confirmation of accuracy and consistency between narrative and financial reports.
• Support and coordinate during the planning and implementation of project related assessments such as LQAS and baseline and endline surveys and studies
• Document, organize, and share the proceedings and reports of all trainings/ capacity building workshops and project related meetings with the project manager;
• In collaboration with the Immunization Strengthening Project Manager assist the development of articles, case studies or other written materials regarding best practices, lessons learned etc.
• Document experiences and challenges encountered in the process of project implementation: capacity building, provision of technical support and demand creation
• Conduct regular supportive and joint supportive supervisions to project sites with respective government partners
• Plan and facilitate regularly scheduled reviews of projects with woreda health office heads/experts and HWs/HEWs, and community volunteers, community influential leaders in the implementation areas
• Facilitates visits for donors, members and others as necessary
• Conduct any related task assigned by supervisor

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparence

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• BSc degree in public health, nursing or related fields
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in an NGO environment of which a minimum of 3 years technical and managerial leadership focusing on child health and specifically immunization
• Trainings on Immunization in Practice (IIP), Immunization Cold chain users, and Immunization MLM trainings is required
• Solid understanding of the Ethiopian health policy and strategies, as well as the health sector transformation plan and the health extension platform
• Experience working with the Regional, Zonal and Woreda Health Bureaus
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mindsets
• Experience of managing and shaping programmes to deliver greater efficiency and effectiveness, and of strengthening implementation of financial control processes
• Solid budgeting skills and knowledge of key donor regulations
• knowledge of local language is required
• Commitment to Save the Children values