Established in 1915 with Helen Keller as a founding trustee, Helen Keller International (HKI) works to save the sight and lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Headquartered in New York City, HKI currently conducts programs in 21 countries in Africa and Asia as well as in the United States. HKI is known for sustainability, reliability, efficiency and the highest level of technical expertise in fighting and treating blindness and malnutrition. To accomplish its work, HKI builds the capacity of local governmental, civil society and private sector systems and infrastructure, and promotes the development of sustained, large-scale programs that deliver effective preventative and curative services for nutrition, eye health and neglected tropical diseases. HKI has been successfully operating in Tanzania since 1984.
Helen Keller International, in partnership with the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center and CARDNO are launching a three year randomized control trial in four districts of Mtwara to assess the effectiveness of SMS programs such as the CDC supported Wazazi Nipendeni; Interpersonal Communication programs such as Mkoba wa Siku 1000; and a combination of the two in achieving lasting behaviour change. The research will focus on effectiveness and affordability of each of the three models. Results will be used to inform future programs to maximize effectiveness and value for money. We are searching for Field Officers willing to be based in Mtwara as part of the dynamic team working to implement this research.
Key Responsibilities:
• Assist the RISE Program Manager on implementation and oversight of all matters pertaining to the RISE intervention in assigned district.
• Provide technical support and training (capacity building) to district teams health facility workers and community health workers in the areas of nutrition, home gardening, WASH, 1,00-day window interventions, and health.
• Assist in planning, monitoring, and implementation of all RISE activities, with special emphasis on coordinating implementation through District Health Offices, Health Facilities, and Community Health Workers.
• Participate in Training to Health Facility and Community Health Workers, and provide supportive on-the-job training and supervision to both groups to ensure intervention is reaching key populations in an acceptable and timely manner.
• Support the M&E Officer through the timely and routine collection of monitoring data, and by assisting to provide context to support a general understanding of analysis results.
• Work closely with colleagues to identify barriers to successful programming and to come up with creative solutions to overcome challenges.
• Participate in and contribute to planning meetings.
• Conduct supervision in project areas with other stakeholders.
• Assist with coordinating research efforts as requested.
Desired Qualifications, Experiences and Conditions
• The ideal candidate will be a Tanzanian national, fluent in English and Swahili.
• Must possess a degree in a relevant field of Public Health/Tropical Medicine/MD.
• Strong project management, coordination, and communication skills. Experience in advocacy and monitoring and evaluation is an added advantage.
• The ideal candidate has technical knowledge of nutrition, early childhood development, and community development strategies.
• Experience in hygiene and sanitation/environmental health is an added advantage.
• He/she will be a self-motivated strategic thinker, who possesses strong critical thinking, problem-solving, analytical and presentation skills and is passionate about improving the health of families in Tanzania.
