Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) Vacancy: Health Senior Advisor - Kabul, Afghanistan

Swedish Committee for Afghanistan is looking for

Health Senior Advisor

Posted at Kabul Management Office, Kabul, Afghanistan

SCA in Afghanistan

SCA has been working in Afghanistan since 1982 and is presently managing development programmes linked to five Strategic Objectives– Health, Education, Rural Livelihoods and Community Governance with a total annual budget of roughly USD 40 million. The total number of staff is more than 6,000 of whom 15 are non-Afghans. The SCA presence in Afghanistan consists of the Kabul Management Office (KMO), five Project Offices and three Field Offices. In Sweden SCA has 20 staff working at the Stockholm Management Office (SMO) and around 4,000 members organized in local chapters all over the country.

During the last 10 years SCA has undertaken a change process moving from a primarily humanitarian service delivery approach towards more of a developmental role, putting increasing emphasis on capacity development, rights-based programming and outcome orientation. The mission of SCA is to empower individuals, communities and local organizations, primarily in rural areas and with particular focus on women, girls, boys and vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, so that they may participate fully in society and influence their own development.

Health Programme

SCA has been involved in the Afghan health sector for three decades, engaging in service delivery, capacity building and advocacy. Currently, SCA’s health programme includes implementation of the Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS) in Wardak and Laghman, which encompasses provision of curative and preventative health services through a network of health facilities, such as health posts, sub-centres, basic and comprehensive health centres and hospitals at district level. SCA also implements the Essential Package of Hospital Services (EPHS) in Wardak and Laghman provinces. In addition to aforementioned projects, SCA also implement Community Midwifery Education (CME), Community Nursing Education (CHNE), School Health and Learning for Health Life projects.

The programme is implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and includes capacity building measures towards the Provincial Health Department as well as local community organisations. The programme also advocates towards the Governments and other stakeholders for the rights to health for all the protection and respect of health staff, patients and facilities in insecure environments.

The health programme is managed by a Health Management Unit in Kabul Management Office and through three project office teams: Wardak, Laghman and Samangan.

Scope of Work

The Health Senior Advisor works alongside and provides support to the Head of Health Programme and his/her management team in Kabul and their project teams in the provinces.

The Advisor has a central advisory function in designing, strengthening and developing the programme for ensuring long-term outcomes, and developing strategies related to health and synergy amongst other SCA programmes and units.

S/he guides processes related to policy, strategy and methodology, and provides technical support for improved planning, monitoring, reporting and implementation. The role encompasses strategic work on institution and system levels, advocacy work as well as skill development of key programme staff.

The Health Senior Advisor reports to the Head of Health Programme.

Entry Requirements

 Qualifications:        

• An advanced medical degree preferably with a Master Degree in public health, hospital management or equivalent 
• At least seven years of relevant work experience with health in a development context with a NGO, UN agency or research institution
  

Essential competence:   

• Understanding and practical experience of strengthening health systems, policy making and advocacy in the health sector, both at a practical and conceptual level
• Experience of work with rights-based and results-based approaches and gender mainstreaming
• Experience of mentoring, advising and building the human resources in project/programme teams
• Solid planning, proposal- and report-writing and presentation skills
• Excellent analytical, facilitation, networking, and communication skills
• Excellent command of spoken and written English

Desired competence:          

• Knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto languages
• Mother & child health and/or paediatric
• Capacity development of grass-root community organisations working with health
• Previous experience from Afghanistan or a similar environment

Responsibilities

Programme Development & Synergies

 

• To provide effective guidance in processes related to development of policy, strategy and methodology related to health system strengthening
• Work closely with HPMU for data analysis and data presentation using diverse epidemiological methods 
• Provide high level technical advices to the health programme on achieving targets set out in SCA strategy 2014-2017 and complying to national/international health standards and policy
• In close coordination with Head of Health Programme, ensure that the health programme plans at central and provincial level are developed in way that are contributing with the high order goals stipulated in SCAs new strategic plan 2014-2017
• Identify best practices and lessons learned in health and SCA programmes that can be shared and built upon for programme and policy development
• The Senior Health Advisor, in collaboration with the health team will ensure strategic partnership with other SCA programs and cross cutting units and ensure optimum synergy between health and other programmes.

Competency Development and Capacity Building

• Identify training needs of key health and other programmes staff, designing training programmes and facilitating linkages with training institutions and consultants
• Guide staff on institutional capacity development of partner civil society organisations in areas such as training needs assessment as well as designing and facilitating internal and external training activities, workshops and seminars

Networking and Advocacy

• Strengthen SCA’s role as an advocate for the rights health and the protection of staff/facilities in insecure environments, and in influencing policy processes
• Contribute to cooperation and partnership with the counterpart Ministry and civil society partners, UN agencies, INGOs

Planning and Reporting

• Ensure quality planning, through participation in planning process, provision of technical support to the Health Programme and follow up on the implementation status of the plans
• Contribute with drafting, review, comment and editing of donor reports 
• Provide technical assistance to improve planning and reporting skills

Application information

Contract period: 2 year contract with an initial 6 months probationary period

Conditions: Non family posting. SCA offers competitive salary, free housing, insurances and other benefits

Duties to begin: September 2014 / As soon as possible

Last date for application: August 2^nd, 2014

Download a 1-page letter explaining why you are interested in and suited for this position and your CV (no more than 2 pages) in English.

Apply from www.sak.se (Lediga jobb) / www.swedishcommittee.org (Vacancies) or direct link: HERE

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