Position: Community Engagement Lead 

Reports to: Project Director 

Duration of Engagement: (1 year with possibility of extension)

Location: Addis Ababa

Salary Range: $4,279.00 – $5500.00 

JSI is a global nonprofit organization, founded in 1978, dedicated to improving health and education worldwide. For the past 30 years, JSI Ethiopia has implemented over 60 projects, focusing on enhancing the quality of and equitable access to Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH-N) services, Primary Health Care (PHC), digital health, Health Information Systems (HIS), supply chain management, emergency responses, and social and behavior change.

JSI is partnering with PSI on a new initiative to Scale-Up Community Engagement for RMNCH and Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP) Services. This project aims to strengthen and expand community-based platforms, particularly the Village Health Leader (VHL) initiative, to improve both access to and demand for quality RMNCH services among women of reproductive age, in alignment with Ethiopia's primary healthcare strategies and priorities. Specifically, we aim to strengthen and scale up community structures (including VHLs within the HEP), increase community awareness and demand for integrated RMNCH services through targeted SBC interventions, and enhance community–facility linkages and service delivery for PPFP and RMNCH by leveraging VHLs and other community engagement strategies.

Overview of the Position

The Community Engagement Lead is a high-level strategic and technical role responsible for the design, implementation, and monitoring of community-level MNCH and Family Planning interventions with Ethiopia's PHC system including most vulnerable communities The Lead will also provide technical support for the national Primary Health Care/Health Extension Program (PHC/HEP) optimization agenda. Close collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and project partners is essential to drive evidence-based improvements in community RMNCH_N outcomes. The position reports technically to the PHC and Field Program Director and administratively to the Project Director.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of detailed project implementation plan and ensure its quality program implementations 

• Provide strategic technical leadership to the project team and partners (including PSI and local partners) to ensure the high-quality execution of community MNCH and FP interventions.

• Lead evidence-based advocacy efforts for the revision of national and sub-national policies and strategies related to community MNCH service delivery through the community structures.

• Collaborate closely with existing JSI's Improved Primary Health Care Service Delivery (IPHCSD) and Strengthening Services Delivery (SSD) projects, and other relevant initiatives, to ensure harmonization and leverage technical and implementation resources across primary healthcare platforms.

• Closely work with local implementing partners for integrated and contextualized implementation of the project 

• Design and implement innovative community engagement strategies for RMNCH, ensuring alignment with MOH national guidelines 

• Lead and support the MOH’s effort in revision of the national community engagement strategies.

• Provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health’s HEP/PHC LEO in the revision and refinement of the HEP optimization framework, implementation guidelines, and tools.

• Conduct and coordinate regular, high-quality supportive supervision and performance reviews with sub-national teams and MOH counterparts to monitor progress, identify bottlenecks in RMNCH service uptake, and facilitate timely remedial actions.

• Represent JSI in relevant technical working groups (e.g., PHC/HEP, RMNCH, and other forums at the national and sub-national levels.

• Prepare and disseminate regular, high-quality reports (bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual) on community MNCH activity progress and outcomes to the supervisor, JSI leadership, and key stakeholders.

• Ensure compliance with the donor and JSI regulations and coordinate input for joint donor reporting and communication related to community MNCH achievements.

Job Requirements

• Master's degree in public health with a minimum of 10 years of experience in planning and implementing PHC/HEP and RMNCH programs.

• Well-versed in Ethiopia’s primary healthcare and community Health systems.

• Demonstrated track records in providing leadership in the design and implementation of Community health and PHC programs.

• Proven experience working with the Ministry of Health (MOH), Regional Health Bureaus (RHBs), international and local NGOs.

• Experienced in research, evidence synthesis, and strategic document preparation.

• Excellent communication skills, including proficient English writing.

• Excellent interpersonal, teamwork, partnering, and supervisory skills.

• Excellent computer skills.

JSI/WEI is a child-safe organization, and the safety and well-being of children is a priority of our organization. We have robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suited to work with the children served by our programs.

JSI/WEI is an Equal Opportunity; Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, disability, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, or protected veteran status in any employment decisions. 

How To Apply

Interested applicants who met the above minimum requirements should send and apply at THIS LINK. Please submit Only your application letter and CV in English detailing your experiance , exposure and skills that are relevant to the post. Please do not attach copies of your transcripts, academic degrees or recommendation letters with the application. You will provide them upon request.