Provide short term technical assistance to the region and districts, He/she will be responsible for strengthening regional and district capacity for risk communication and community engagement during prevention and response to COVID-19 outbreaks. The Project Officer will also support implementation of community based disease surveillance activities in liason with the epidemiologists.

Overall Responsibilities

• Work with the regional project coordinator to Plan, budget, implement and report on project activities.
• Review the RCCE strategies, information, education and communication (IEC) materials, practices for COVID-19 outbreak prevention and control including COVID-19 vaccination and offer practical recommendations.
• Support districts to develop/implement community information and feedback mechanisms for providing information, detecting and rapidly responding to or counter misinformation and rumours during outbreaks.
• Coordinate mobilization and sensitization of community groups during outbreaks including printing and dissemination of culturally appropriate IEC materials.
• Strengthen community based disease surveillance including training and supervision of VHTS
• Provide technical support for development of culturally appropriate and harmonized BCC strategies and tools, messages for prevention and control of disease outbreaks.
• Liaise with the M&E specialist to monitor and evaluate project risk community and community engagement activities.
• Assist in design and implementation of implementation/operation research including evaluation of the social impact of outbreaks on population.
• Participate in RCCE pillar meetings
• Conduct behavioural change communication assessments

Required Qualification, Experience and Competencies:

• ·         A bachelor degree preferably in a communication/social science. Experience in risk communication during public health emergencies and disease outbreak is desirable.·         At least 2 years’ experience working in the public health sector
• ·         Experience in designing, implementing or evaluation of RCCE strategies;
• ·         A Master Degree in Public Health or Field Epidemiology training is an added advantage.