Community Liaison Officer

The Ariel Glaser Pediatric AIDS Healthcare Initiative (AGPAHI), an affiliate of Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Organization (EGPAF) is Tanzanian led and managed national organization focusing largely on HIV and AIDS and other related health programs. AGPAHI implements all its programs in collaboration with Tanzania Government Entities through the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MoHCDGEC) and President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO RALG) and other stakeholders. AGPAHI supports the provision of high-quality HIV and other health services and ensures that efforts are well-integrated into existing regional and district health systems.

AGPAHI is implementing various projects that are highly demanding and thus the organization is looking for a motivated, result driven, qualified and competent people to fill various positions as per the AGPAHI organogram.

JOB TITLE: Community Liaison Officer.

REPORTING TO: Program Coordinator

LOCATION: Shinyanga 

Purpose of the position

The ALHIV program has the main goal of improving health services to prevent HIV transmission, increase identification of adolescents with HIV infection, and improve HIV care and treatment and retention for ALHIV in Tanzania. Under the supervision of the Program Coordinator, the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) will provide leadership in community initiatives that support effective referrals and follows up of adolescent and children between the health facilities in the project sites and the surrounding communities that promote Care & Treatment, PMTCT, Family Planning and retention for ALHIV activities. He/ She will work closely with the Care & Treatment & RCH Program Officers with regard to the provision of Technical guidance to implementation and documentation of lessons learned from the sites.

Principal Functions:

• The Community Liaison Officer (CLO) will function as part of the team to provide technical leadership in facilitating collaboration and networking between the facilities based activities for Care & Treatment, PMTCT and Family Planning with the ongoing HIV/AIDS-related services in the community and ensure effective linkages within the health facilities and follow-up mechanism for Care & Treatment adolescent, positive young pregnant women, and exposed children are in place.
• Work with the field officers to facilitate networks and linkages between the sub-grantees with potential Organization that are involved in supporting PLHAs (in canceling, nutrition and income generating programs) in the project sites.
• Work with the sites to strengthen linkages within the different departments and programs of the health facilities
• Represent the Organization in different collaboration meetings between government and other NGOs that focus on strengthening continuum of care in the communitynafasi za kazi
• Participate in development and transition of IEC materials for the community support
• Organize training for peer educators in the project areas.
• Provide mentorship for the site liaison persons and peer educators
• Conduct routine site visits for technical support and improvement of performance in related program areas
• Strengthen capacity of partners and PLHA support groups in improving community linkages 
• Provide technical support in best approaches for improving referrals and follow – up of clients in the community
• Share experiences of implementing community linkages with other AGPAHI Staffs and other partners
• Monitor implementations of community linkages by the subgrantees
• Represent the organization in different collaboration meetings between the government and other CBOs and NGOs that focus on strengthening the continuum of care in the community.
• Assist field community linkage officers in planning and implementing their duties
• Participate in preparation and planning for different AGPAHI/EGPAF meetings
• Take a leadership role in identifying field success stories for publications
• Compile and prepare quarterly programmatic report on community linkage activities and support other team members in report preparation and compilation.
• Undertake any other duties as assigned by the Supervisor

Qualifications, Skills, and ability

• Advance Diploma, Degree or equivalent, (in Social Sciences or Community Development) preferably with Master’s degree relevant to the position
• Preference will be given to the following:
• Knowledge in HIV/AIDS and the Tanzania Government structures
• Proven experience in working with rural communities in problem identification, setting solutions/planning and implementation.