Public Health Promotion Team Leader at Oxfam

Location: North Eastern States, Nigeria

Project Background

• Violence across the Lake Chad basin as a result of the emergence of the group Boko Haram in Nigeria and military operations against it over the past 7 years has escalated in recent months exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
• Oxfam has been responding with Water-Sanitation-Hygiene Promotion (WASH) services in an emergency response in the North Eastern part of Nigeria since October of 2014.
• The project is expected to provide services to the Internally displaced people, host communities, and returnees in constructing and restoring WaSH facilities in those areas with high influx of Internally Displaced People and newly accessible areas to promote return to place of origin with the emphasis on construction of sanitation facilities and rehabilitation and construction of boreholes equipped with solar powered submersible pumps either hand pumps concomitant with a public health promotion/education program.

Team Purpose

• To protect public health of IDPs and host communities in Borno, Adamawa, Gombe and Yobe States in North East Nigeria through delivery of an integrated WASH response

Job Purpose

• To co-lead with an International PHE team leader a PHE water and sanitation team and to develop the implementation of planned activities and contributing to Oxfam PH strategies for the Lake Chad Basin emergency response in North East Nigeria

Key Responsibilities
Support for Public Health Initiatives In Oxfam's Humanitarian response programmes:

• Carry out rapid and ongoing assessments of the public health risks faced by communities affected by emergencies. Make recommendations for response interventions which are consistent with Oxfam's policies and guidelines.
• Identify and assess the current resources and capacity of national teams and counterparts, humanitarian agencies and government authorities to respond to the public health needs arising from the emergency. Identify any unmet needs likely to present risks to the health of the affected population.
• Lead and task manage a team of national public health promoters to implement and monitor appropriate health promotion interventions in emergency contexts.
• Implement health promotion initiatives appropriate to the context. This will involve working in close collaboration with engineering colleagues to ensure that technical and social aspects of WASH programming are closely integrated and with EFSVL and Protection colleagues to maximise the potential for cohesive programming for protection crisis - under nutrition response and cholera outbreak.
• Engage with women and men in the affected populations in the assessment, planning, implementation and monitoring of public health activities and play a key role in ensuring that communities are informed and consulted about Oxfams work and have opportunities to give their views on, and influence programme activities.
• Contribute towards planning and proposal writing in order to provide clear objectives and establish indicators for monitoring and evaluating the programme including indicators relating to participation and gender.
• Plan weekly and monthly activity and ensure closely communication and collaboration with support department as logistic, finance and HR.

Programme learning and reporting:

• Write regular reports adhering to Oxfam reporting formats at intervals to be decided by the line manager.
• Document meeting minutes for any internal and external coordination meetings, or agreements with other stakeholders.
• Contribute to donor reporting, budgeting and new proposals when required

Coordination and representation:

• Act, on occasion and ax acting,coordinating public health activities within Oxfam and with external agencies. Share good practice examples from Oxfam PH programmes at inter-agency coordination meetings and TWlG
• Represent Oxfam to other agencies and authorities, including the WASH Sector where this is operating, and if requested provide briefings to other Oxfam departments (Media, Advocacy and Policy) teams in agreement with the local manager.

Contributing to programme quality standards:

• Ensure that work aims to meet Sphere Standards and adheres to Oxfarm's emergency guidelines and protocols.
• Ensure that all work is carried out in a way that is sensitive to community needs and promotes the full and equal participation of women.
• Be familiar with and abide by Oxfams Code of Conduct and other regulatory codes such as the Red Cross Code of Conduct, Partners in Aid Code, Oxfam International protocols and the Inter- agency Field Co-operation Protocol.
• Contribute to programme reviews and evaluations where appropriate

Skills and Competence
Essential:

• A suitable mix of qualification and experience In any discipline relating to Public Health Promotion or Social Science. Experience could substitute for a formal qualification, but not vice versa.
• At least 2 years experience of working with local partners and an understanding of community-based and gender-sensitive approaches to water sanitation and hygiene behaviour change work in emergency relief or development programmes
• Must have a good understanding of the public health needs of poor rural and urban communities and of appropriate ways of tackling them. The post holder must be aware of and sensitive to the particular needs of women in this context.
• Ability to work in the field in potentially contentious situations with local community leaders and partners and draw on local knowledge.
• Ability to work In the field In potentially contentious situations with local community leaders and partners and draw on local knowledge.
• The post holder should be at ease In working with local people. Well developed interpersonal, team skills and proven ability to be flexible In demanding situations, rapid changing circumstances and wide-ranging roles and responsibilities.
• The ability to present concise reports, sometimes at short notice, reflecting the problems and possible solutions for particular situations,
• Knowledge of assessment and reporting methods. Ability to manager time effectively.
• Good spoken and written English essential. Speaks local language.
• Computer knowledge and skills of using Microsoft word, power point and excel.
• Knowledge of different working standards/qualities including sphere
• Sympathy with the aims and objectives of Oxfam.
• Commitment to humanitarian principles and action, and to Oxfams equal opportunity end gender policies.
• To be familiar with and abide by the NGO/UNHCR, Code of Conduct, the People In Aid Code, Oxfam International procedures and other regulatory codes

Salary
National C2 salary scheme.