Position Title: Linkage & Retention Officer (multiple positions)
Reports to: Community Coordinator
Supervises: Linkage & Retention Assistants
Employment Type: Full-time
Job Location: Mwanza
Travel: Up to 70% in intervention districts outside of job location
Overall Job Function:
Reporting to the Community Coordinator, the Linkage and Retention Officer is responsible for coordinating linkage and retention services at the district level in community-based settings. The portfolio includes community ART initiation and refill, follow-up of clients with interruptions in care, linkage case management, community-based viral load sample collection, among others. The Linkage & Retention Officer liaises with ICAP staff supporting facilities as well as health facility representatives to ensure continuity of care for HIV diagnosed clients and directly supervises Linkage and Retention Assistants and Mobile Pharmacy Providers.
Specific Responsibilities and Duties:
- Develop district-level workplans for implementation of HIV linkage and retention activities in the community including supervision of field activities
- Ensure activities are implemented according to the district workplan, and facilitate coordination of logistics, human resources, and supervision of activities
- Ensure linkage and retention including community-based ART services are provided in line with WHO, national, donor, and ICAP policies and procedures and uphold principles of ethics and confidentiality.
- Manage recruitment, training, and supervision of peer volunteers supporting linkage and retention activities.
- Liaise with operations and supply chain staff to ensure adequate supplies of commodities and tools required to implement the workplan
- Schedule human resources and fleet resources needed to accomplish communitybased activities.
- Collaborate with ICAP site officers and health facility in-charges to coordinate activities, share data and workplans to strengthen continuum of care across community and facility interventions.
- Collaborate with SI staff to ensure performance data on linkage and retention activities in community are accurately reflected in databases and verify consistency between data sources.
- Ensure health facilities and healthcare workers participating in community-based services are appropriately trained and oriented
- Monitor program performance at the district level, ensure timely and accurate submission of activity reports, and make adjustments as needed to the implementation plan
- Supervise Linkage & Retention Assistants and Mobile Pharmacy Providers including their scheduling, performance management, and capacity building.
- Liaise with council authorities and health facility leads to agree on project plans and monitor progress in community
- Perform any other duties as assigned by the supervisor
Qualifications, Knowledge, and Skills:
- Required Education: Medically trained personnel (nurse, clinical officer, MD, MBBS or equivalent)
- Required Technical Experience: Minimum 3 years’ experience working directly with people living with HIV, providing linkage and retention services.
- Required Managerial Experience: Minimum 1 year experience supervising staff in technical areas relevant to this position.
- Familiarity with MOH tools on HIV care and treatment such as CTC1 and 2 cards, registers and database.
- Excellent speaking, reading, and writing skills in English and Kiswahili
- Excellent computer skills, at minimum with Microsoft Office package
- Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding clients’ health status and sensitive information contained in data sources.
- Flexibility to work after normal working hours and weekends at informal gatherings and entertainment centers and travel extensively to remote areas, including islands.
- Ability to interact well with all targeted groups and peer outreach workers by facilitating a non-judgmental, non-discriminatory, and non-stigmatizing environment in the program, to welcome all key and vulnerable population beneficiaries regardless of their background
- Must be a Tanzanian Citizen
