Training Coordination Officer (Community Health)

UNICEF helps build a world where the rights of every child are fully realized. It is our conviction that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created in 1946 to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. It has global authority to influence decision-makers, and a wide variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and Governments.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) in Zambia has developed a Community Health Worker deployment plan to engage 45,000 polyvalent Community Based Volunteers to deliver an integrated package of health services at community level. UNICEF and the Mastercard Foundation have co-developed a joint programme with a three-pronged strategy that contributes to the Human Capital Development (HCD) agenda for 13 African countries, including Zambia. It addresses the dearth of the health work force on the continent as well as access and equity concerns in the health sector with a focus on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH), all contributing to poverty relief of beneficiaries and their communities. In coordination with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (AfCDC) and the national governments of these countries, the joint programme will support Community Health Worker (CHW) programmes as an integral component of primary health care systems, through creating dignified and fulfilling work opportunities particularly for young women and men.

UNICEF Zambia will lead the programme implementation, collaborating with the Ministry of Health in training and upskilling of 12,500 community health workforce over the next three years. The programme will also strengthen digitally enabled community based primary health care systems and policies that are gender responsive to fully support professionalization and empowerment CHWs.

Under the direct supervision of the Health Specialist – Community Health, UNICEF Zambia, the UN Volunteer will provide programmatic and administrative support towards the training and upskilling of the community health workforce in Zambia. The incumbent will be responsible for the following key tasks:

• Assist in coordinating and managing the Community Health Worker (CHW) trainings in integrated community health service package and digital health, and help liaising with the implementing partners related to the community health workforce development programme.
• Support the development of training plans and training monitoring plans, ensuring timely tracking of completion, nomination, and coordination for full participation in training programmes, and facilitating effective monitoring and reporting.
• Liaise with the implementing partners (programme and financial) and assist in preparing the training budget, financial planning, preparing FACE forms, fund disbursement/direct cash transfer (DCTs) and follow-up with Ministry of Health, training schools and District Health Directors (DHDs), on matters relating to the Community Health Workers development programme.
• Assist in preparing budget and training reports, including maintaining an excel database of trained and deployed Community Based Volunteers (CBV) and other healthcare workers.
• Monitor implementation including the distribution of start-up packs including working tools and enablers according to distribution plan/beneficiary list. Maintain distribution list for future verification.
• Assist and follow-up with Training Schools and District Health Offices (DHOs) to collect and prepare the expenditure report and preparing the acquittals for financial reporting on community health workforce development programme activities.
• Prepare quarterly work plans (working with MoH and implementing partners) and quarterly progress reports for performance monitoring.