Job description

Job Title	Program Coordinator – AY Program
Location	Migori, Kenya
Start date	September 2023

Organizational Background

Founded by a group of committed Kenyans, Lwala builds the capacity of rural communities to advance their own comprehensive well-being. We support communities to design, implement, and evaluate solutions to their most pressing health challenges. Then, we build coalitions of communities, health workers, government, and universities to generate evidence of impact and infuse these insights into the formal health system in Kenya and beyond. This bottom-up change promises holistic solutions that are custom-built for the systems they are meant to reform.

Job Summary - Purpose

The position will support the implementation of the adolescent and Youth activities at Lwala Community Alliance. The Adolescent & Youth program aims to improve access to health information & services, learning Opportunities, leadership development, earning and safety net opportunities for adolescents and youth within Migori and beyond. The program is implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other line ministries and specifically addresses issues such as unintended pregnancies, reduction of new HIV infection, promotion of enrolment, retention and transition in schools and enhanced response and prevention of all forms of gender-based violence. All AY program activities will be implemented through the Lwala community-led health approach

Key Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the AY Coordinator include but are not limited to:

R1. Program Implementation & Support 

1. Coordinate all Adolescent & Youth related priorities and activities both in and out of school.
2. Supervise program officer, YFS Nurses, program assistants, Youth peer providers, Community advisory committee members and track their performance in achieving set goals.
3. Establish and sustain a functional supportive supervision system for the demand creation team (YPPs, CHWs, CABs, YABs and YFS nurses.
4. Ensure community activities are executed as planned led by the different team leads within the program (i.e. youth friendly clinic days, male forums, outreaches, stakeholder meetings, community dialogue days, grassroots advocacy meetings, review meetings, mentorship sessions for YPPs and CHWs and demand generation efforts). 
5. Support Monitoring &Evaluation activities and develop a culture of using data for decision making.
6. Track and ensure that all data and activities are well captured and recorded for all activities including outreaches, referrals, meetings with stakeholders or other groups in the community and all other SRH program activities.
7. Actively seek and encourage participation of community members, local leadership and the demand creation and advocacy teams in the health of the community through the community led approach.
8. Assist and participate actively as would be advised, during partner or donor visits.
9. Support fundraising and resource mobilization initiatives including generation of innovative ideas, provision of appropriate data and information needed to develop concepts and proposals. 
10. Contribute to knowledge production (success stories, case studies, experiences, best practice and lessons) that inform delivery of innovative community health programs for internal and external audiences.
11. Contribute to further refinement of the community led-health model and sharing of the same.
12. Represent the organization in different forums within the sub county, county, national and international level.

R2. Financial Management and Reporting 

T1. Ensure preparation and management of the program’s annual work plans and budgets.

T2. Take lead in management and reporting of financial and material resources allocated to AY program. 

T3. Be part of resource accountability for the organization on behalf the AY program.

R3. Relationship Management

1. Develop and maintain productive relationships with local community, MOH and stakeholders to promote all AY activities.
2. Support in organising effective and impactful field visits for donors, partners and other stakeholders.   
3. Participate in sharing of learning and experience with the team, across the organization and with like-minded/peer organizations. 
4. Support technical assistance to other CSOs interested in replicating our model
5. Maintain good public relations and promote visibility of the work of Lwala.
6. Perform any other duties as may be directed from time to time by my leads.

Qualifications and Experience

1. Level of Education/Academic Qualification

• A Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Nursing, Public Health, Environmental Health, Development Studies, Social Sciences.

2. Specialized Training/Professional Qualifications

• Post Graduate Diploma in any of the following areas; Project Planning and Management 
• Development Studies or Community Development, Monitoring and Evaluation 
• Any trainings on the following areas is an added advantage; Family Planning, Advocacy and demand creation, Sexual and gender-based violence or Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health

3. Other Competencies/Abilities/Skills Required

• Project management skills
• Good interpersonal and public relation skills, respect for communities and able to work with people from diverse backgrounds. 
• Share passion for mission and vision of the organization
• Able to work independently, under pressure with minimal supervision
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Familiarity with rural working environment

4. Relevant Work Experience

• At least two (2) years post-graduation experience in program work in an NGO, preferably in adolescent and Youth program.

Characteristics

• Visionary innovator - The individual must be able to build strategy and vision for sustainable, right-sized and high-quality digital tools that contribute to strong local community health systems.
• Commitment to impact – The individual should be passionate about Lwala’s mission and the population we serve, and relentless in pursuit of generating evidence and learning to understand our impact as we test our community-based innovations and scale with government and partners.
• Communication skills – Strong written and verbal communications skills are essential, in particular, the ability to communicate complex thoughts and ideas simply and effectively and tailor communications to the non-technical audience.
• Ability to create “structure out of nothing” – Strong ability to turn a visual reality or imagined outcome into a codified set of steps, actions and goals on paper - and keep the team on task for the most important tasks.
• Self-starter – The individual must be a highly motivated self-starter who can creatively ensure that the engagement between different teams (mainly Programs, Research & Learning, and Operations) is cohesive, while ensuring that the main decisions are evidence-based.
• Energy, motivation and stamina - The role can be demanding and, at times, subject to external pressures for timely completion. The candidate must be adaptive, creative, organized, and highly motivated.

CONTACTS ARISING FROM THE JOB

WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION	OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION
Program staff  Finance staff  Kenya leadership team  All staff	Target communities and beneficiaries Local community leaders  Ministry of Health and other agencies including the police, children dept. education dept. judiciary among others. Service providers  Donors/partners  Collaborating agencies  County government  Other community organizations working in the area.

1. AUTHORITY/INDEPENDENT ACTION

The job is performed in accordance with standard procedures and guidance with occasional need for independent decision. It makes recommendation to the management on issues relating to management of community health initiatives to enhance service delivery and impact to beneficiaries. Consultations with Community Programs team are made where necessary to promote cooperation and collegiality in decision making. 

2.  RESOURCE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY

The job provides responsibility for financial, human and material resources. The position reports to the budget holder for the community health program.  

3. WORKING CONDITIONS

• Working Environment  

The job is conducted both in an office and field setting. The job requires the job holder to establish right balance between demands of office work and field work. 

• Occupational Hazards

The work performed presents exposure to job related hazards especially when they are working in the field. The field work involves exposure to some difficult situations/environments and at times to traumatizing cases. It requires ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines. There are periodically exposed to adverse weather conditions and risky situations.

To Apply

Please apply by following the link here >>> Program Coordinator - Adolescents and Youth

The application deadline is 11th September 2023

Lwala Community Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and does not ask for fees at any stage of the recruitment process. Successful candidates must abide by Lwala’s Anti-fraud & Bribery Policy and Safeguarding Policy, including protection of children and vulnerable adults.