Strengthening Health Care Access

Post Title: Community Health Assistant
Number of Vacancies: 1
Based in Aden, Yemen
Reports to: Community Health Manager.

Organizational Background:

JSI is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities throughout the world. Founded in 1978, JSI collaborates with government agencies, the private sector, and local nonprofit and civil society organizations to identify and implement solutions to the most pressing public health and education challenges.

In Yemen, JSI has been managing public health programs since 1988, focusing on improving child health and routine immunization, strengthening the supply chain, and improving reproductive, maternal, and newborn health.

Project Overview

The Strengthening Healthcare Access project is a five-year USAID-funded initiative aimed at enhancing access to and equitable utilization of evidence-based maternal, newborn, and child health; nutrition; family planning; and reproductive health (MNCHN/FP/RH) services in Yemen. Led by JSI, the project collaborates with partners to employ a community-led strategy encompassing demand generation, supply-side reinforcement, and enabling environment support. Through engagement with midwives, community reproductive health volunteers, and community structures, the project will create awareness, facilitate access, and enhance care quality. 

Position Description:

The Community Health Assistant will provide technical support to the project activities at the community level through the Community Midwives (CMWs) and Community Reproductive Health Volunteers (CRHVs) in close coordination with the National Y. Midwife Association (NYMA) team. This support will include liaison and coordination with the appropriate government authorities and other stakeholders. The Community Health Assistant will be based in Aden and will frequently visit the project locations in Lahj, Ta’izz, and Hadramout Governorates.   

Key Responsibilities:

• Work with the JSI and NYMA technical team to ensure the deployment of project-targeted CMWs and CRHVs. This includes communicating and coordinating with the relevant health offices to select the CMWs and CRHVs according to the project criteria, supporting them in drafting, reviewing, and finalizing the CMWs and CRHVs agreement, and ensuring CMWs sign it.
• Support the NYMA team in conducting the mapping exercise for the new CMWs.
• Work closely with NYMA to develop a training plan for the project CMWs and CRHVs according to the work plan and provide technical support to conduct the planned trainings.
• Ensure CMWs are equipped with registers, report forms, cell phones, and midwifery kits.
• Work with the technical team to develop the Supportive Supervision (SS) plan in coordination with the DHOs and conduct the visits to provide technical support to project-supported CMWs and CRHVs.
• Work closely with relevant GHOs and DHOs to coordinate implementing KMC activities at the Facility and Community levels in the project-targeted districts and raise the PRs for relevant kits, registers, and other requirements.
• Participate in selecting the CMWs who will be supported by the Home-Based Clinics and conducting assessment visits to their locations. Then, prepare the list of Home-based clinic items with technical specifications and participate in its distribution to the selected CMWs.
• Conduct continuous Supportive Supervision (SS) visits to the project-supported CMWs and CRHVs, provide technical support, and identify the needs and challenges of effectively implementing MNCH/FP/RH activities.   
• Provide technical guidance to the field team during MNCHN/FP/RH-provided services and coordinate with the Social and Behavior change team to conduct the awareness campaigns.
• Communicate with local counterpart authorities on project feasibility and effectiveness, including monitoring the supply flow and other non-supply assistance.
• Coordinate directly with local councils, community leaders, communities, and vulnerable groups to implement the related program interventions.
• Participate in coordinating and arranging program events, including meetings, trainings, and workshops. Draft meeting minutes and training/workshop reports and collect all the required MoVs for implemented activities.
• Raise the PRs and payment requests. If needed, request cash advances and clear them according to the project policies and procedures.
• Follow up with the field team to collect the data for weekly, quarterly, and final reports and share them with the line manager.
• Contribute to creating a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, ensuring compliance with the organization's Code of Conduct, ethics, values, and standpoint regarding internal and external actors.
• Maintain open lines of communication with all technical staff.
• Select and compile training and orientation materials for those involved in program implementation, including donor and media visits.
• Maintain flexibility to take on added responsibility as and when needed.
• Perform other duties as requested by the supervisor.
• Follow and support all policies and requirements related to staff safety and security.
• Uphold JSI's policies around accountability, fraud/ethics management, child safeguarding, and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Travel to field sites as necessary.

Qualifications and requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in medicine and/or in a relevant field of study.
• Female candidates with relevant educational backgrounds are preferred for this position to provide on-the-job training and technical support to the CMWs and CRHVs during service provision at the household level.
• Minimum three years of previous experience in Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child Health, and Family Planning programs with I/NGOs.
• Previous experience in working with local partners.
• Previous experience with implementing activities at the community level, including the establishment of Home-based clinics.
• Previous experience with coordinating and arranging program events, including meetings, training, and workshops.
• Proven ability to lead and effectively supervise a team.
• Ability to cope with stressful situations and frustrations, demonstrating extreme flexibility.
• Team player who can relate to and motivate local staff effectively.
• Creative and able to work with limited resources.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in Arabic. Good English communication skill is preferred. 
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Proficient in computer applications, especially with MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint. 
• Self-motivated, results-driven and excellent sense of organization
• Ability to cope with stressful situations and frustrations, demonstrating extreme flexibility

JSI/WEI is a child-safe organization, and the safety and well-being of children is a priority of our organization. We have robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suited to work with the children served by our programs.

JSI/WEI is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual preference, genetic information, political affiliation, or protected veteran status in any employment decisions. M/F/V/D