Connect Project Team Lead/ASRH-FP Advisor
Save the Children has been working in Tanzania for more than 30 years. We are working with the government, local organizations and other international agencies to reduce child malnutrition, improve new-born and maternal health, support and strengthen early childhood development and primary education systems. We strengthen child protection systems for vulnerable children, promote children’s participation and contribution to policy and resource allocation for services which concern them, support, and respond to emergencies.
Our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.
Role Purpose
The transition to becoming a parent for the first time is a time of major life changes. Young first-time mothers (FTMs; ages 15-24) are vulnerable to poor health outcomes and are also less likely than older women to access reproductive and maternal health services, including family planning (FP). In Tanzania, the youngest mothers have the lowest use of modern postpartum family planning (PPFP) and the shortest intervals between births. Low use of effective methods of FP makes FTMs vulnerable to unintended pregnancies and rapid repeat pregnancies. Both younger age at first birth and closely spaced pregnancies contribute to increased risk for maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Yet this transition to becoming a parent for the first time offers opportunities to improve life-long health and wellbeing for first-time mothers and their families.
In September 2019, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded the Connecting young parents to PPFP through diverse platforms (Connect) project (2019-2023) to Save the Children. Connect, a multi-country research and evidence-generation initiative, is supported by teams in both Tanzania and the US. In Tanzania, connect will “enhance” the USAID-funded Lishe Endelevu project led by Save the Children, which aims to reduce stunting in children under five and improve nutrition for women and children. Connect’s approach involves introducing PPFP activities into Lishe Endelevu’s community support groups, supporting household visits for FTMs, and supporting on-the-job respectful care trainings for facility-based health providers. In Tanzania, the project will be implemented in two phases. Connect will introduce and test the approach in Dodoma Region in 2021, then expand implementation to additional regions and districts. Throughout, connect will document and share results and implementation challenges and lessons learned.
Connect seeks to recruit a Team Lead for Connect’s efforts in Tanzania. In collaboration with the Lishe Endelevu leadership and implementation teams and the Connect team, the Connect Team Lead will lead the planning, implementation, and monitoring of Connect’s activities at the community and facility levels. The Team Lead will oversee Connect’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) efforts, including monitoring efforts and documentation of implementation learning, as well as providing support to qualitative and quantitative evaluations led by an external research partner, in collaboration with Connect’s MEAL Officer. This position will ensure community and facility approaches are implemented according to the workplan and MOH respective guidelines; lead refinements to tools and approaches based on challenges and lessons learned; ensure that best practices and key lessons learned are captured and shared with national and global stakeholders; and represent Save the Children and Connect at relevant technical working groups and committees. The Team Lead will be based in Dar es Salaam and support Connect’s implementation, initially in Dodoma, and with potential scale-up to Iringa, Morogoro, and/or Rukwa. The Team Lead will supervise two Dodoma-based Connect project staff. In addition to support from the Lishe Endelevu and SC Tanzania teams, the Team Lead will be supported by the global Connect technical team.
Contract Duration: 1 Year
No of Vacancies: One (1) Position
Reporting to: Chief of Party – Lishe Endelevu
Location: Dar es Salaam
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Program Management (20%)
- In joint collaboration with the US-based Connect Project Director, lead Connect project strategic planning, exercise decision-making authority on matters of program design, implementation, learning, documentation and country and global dissemination of results and lessons.
- Ensures Connect leadership and technical team are kept abreast of project progress, proactively troubleshoot challenges, identify and implement mitigation strategies, for improved implementation and donor relations.
- Contribute to well-written, focused project and research reports, success stories and other written products.
- Conduct regular field visits to monitor project quality and collect data.
Technical Leadership (80%)
- In close coordination with the Health and Nutrition Specialist and Lishe Endelevu team, lead the implementation of Connect’s community and facility activities. Lead scale-up of Connect’s community and facility activities, in close collaboration with Lishe Endelevu and government stakeholders.
- Oversee Connect MEAL efforts, to ensure that collection and analysis of data is accurate and rigorous, and lead application of project learning to improve project implementation.
- Support qualitative and quantitative evaluations led by an external research partner.
- Convene pause-and-reflect meetings with frontline implementers to identify and document challenges, promising practices, and needed revisions to tools and approaches.
- Convene consultations with the Connect Technical Advisory Group.
- Liaise with the Ministry of Health to gather feedback to improve the approach and to plan for scale-up and sustainability.
- Contribute to documenting and sharing results and lessons through local and international presentations, meetings, and events, and inputs into written technical products (briefs, reports, toolkits).
Qualifications and Experience
- Masters Degree in Public Health, Development, Social Science, or other relevant field.
- Minimum of 7 years of relevant field experience with an international organization in adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) and/or family planning (FP) programming.
- Demonstrated experience managing evidence-based ASRH and FP interventions with community and facility components, aligned with global best practices.
- Experience with monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning in ASRH and FP programs, including with application of program lessons to improve programs.
- Proven track record in working collaboratively with government stakeholders to introduce and scale-up FP/ARSH interventions, with familiarity with MOH guidance on FP/ASRH and an established network of relationships with government stakeholders.
- Flexible, innovative, creative, adaptable, and open to new ideas, comfortable with change and uncertainty.
- Demonstrated experience in working effectively with community-level actors, stakeholders and beneficiaries.
- Familiarity working on programs funded by USAID and by large foundations.
- Excellent writing and oral communication skills in English and Kiswahili required.
- Ability to travel within Tanzania as needed for meetings and oversight of activities. International travel may also be required.
- Strong organizational and interpersonal skills and ability to work in a large team-oriented, matrix management settings.
- Strong experience with Microsoft Office applications.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively in team situations and independently.
How to Apply.
Please read the full details of the position at https://tanzania.savethechildren.net/careers and apply as instructed. Only short listed candidates will be contacted for Interview.
Application closing Date: 23rd April 2021
We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse. Employment is subject to our Child protection standards including background checks and adherence to our Child Safeguarding Policy. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.
Save the Children is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best-qualified talent.
Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply
Please note:
Save the Children International does not charge any kind of fee at whichever stage of the recruitment process
Date advertised: 8 Apr 2021
Closing date: 23 Apr 2021 - 23:59 EAT
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic of
Department: Programme Operations
Type: Fixed-term contract
Schedule: Full-time
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