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Job Title: Gender & Psychosocial Officer (Fresher Job Opportunities)

Organisation: The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO Uganda)

Duty Station:  Uganda

Reports to: HIV Care and Treatment Technical Leader/Cluster Team Lead

REF:    TS/HR/ PMGT/5

About US:

The AIDS Support Organization (TASO Uganda), was founded to contribute to a process of preventing HIV infection, restoring hope and improving the quality of life of persons, families and communities affected by HIV infection and disease. TASO was given a 5-year Transition Award by USAID (Cooperative Agreement: #72061720CA00014) effective August 12, 2020 ending August 11, 2025, to implement the USAID Local Partner Health Services-Ankole Project (USAID LPS-Ankole) in the 12 districts of Ankole sub-region, South Western Uganda.

About USAID Project:

USAID expanded the TASO-Ankole implementing mechanism to the 8 districts in Acholi sub-region effective October 1, 2021, starting with Pader district effective July 1, 2021. The Ankole and Acholi sub-regions of South Western and Northern Uganda, respectively consist of 20 USAID-supported districts including: – Buhweju, Bushenyi, Ibanda, Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura, Mbarara, Mitooma, Ntungamo, Rubirizi, Rwampara and Sheema in Ankole Sub-Region; Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Lamwo, Nwoya, Omoro and Pader in Acholi sub-region; as well as their Cities and Municipalities.

Job Summary: The Gender, and Psychosocial Officer will provide technical Assistance to project and Health facility staff, Community-Based structures and District Health Teams (DHTs) in integration of a gender perspective to the USAID LPS-Ankole & Acholi Activity work, ensure that gender is mainstreamed and strengthened; and effective linkages and referrals for quality TB and HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment and support responses in the Cluster areas.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop Gender and Psychosocial services quarterly, annual plans and budgets in consultation with project team members, lead implementation and monitor the work plans and budget.
• Support case workers and community volunteers to develop monthly plans based on case trends and ongoing needs.
• Support the Case Workers in awareness raising activities, including the provision of information on available GBV and Psychosocial services and ensure effective referrals and linkages.
• Plan and implement capacity-building activities in GBV related to the project’s health service delivery /gender responsive programming and psychosocial services in collaboration with supported districts.
• Support implementation and integration of gender and GBV in health service delivery at targeted health facilities and provide support for activities that address sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
• Provide training and mentorship to community volunteers in case management, referrals and linkages for GBV prevention/ response and psychosocial services.
• Develop and maintain effective networks with relevant stakeholders including partner agencies, Government Institutions, community leaders and service providers to ensure
• Provide guidance regarding Psychosocial, GBV prevention and post care services to all Case Workers, ensure referral pathways are shared and understood by the service providers.
• Ensure the implementation of an effective referral system at the Facility and community level for survivors’ access quality case management services in a timely manner.
• Contribute to the development of project monitoring systems and help to ensure that Case Workers utilize these systems correctly and consistently.
• Lead case management of Gender Based Violence Cases and ensure proper documentation, assessment, case plan implementation, follow up and information management of all GBV cases.
• Ensure that all project activities meet expected standards, policies and guidelines on Gender and Psychosocial services are up held.
• Maintain up-to-date statistics and program data on gender and psychosocial services for the project supported sites in collaboration with the M&E department.
• Provide technical assistance to Local Implementing Partners in HIV case identification, linkages to care and Treatment as well as Retention strategies.
• Work with the local CBOs and Community-Facility Linkage Facilitators to conduct community education/mobilization to generate demand for HIV services and ensure the uptake of HIV Counselling and Testing Services for children, adolescents and adults in a child-friendly manner at community level.
• Support family testing and safe disclosure for households of index patients enrolled at the facilities.
• Supervise the peer educators, expert clients and linkage facilitators conduct referrals, follow ups and defaulter tracing.
• Facilitate initiation to care and treatment of all identified HIV positive individuals,
• including children and adolescents.
• Work with the local CBOs to establish new and strengthen existing psychosocial support groups (PSSGs) at community level to promote retention.
• Strengthen linkages into care and treatment in both facility settings and testing done in the community level targeting children, adolescents’ age target 0 age to 18 years and adults. Improve linkage to the care system with a stronger focus on case finding and client indexing.
• Strengthening the multidisciplinary linkage coordination at the facility and Community levels.
• Design, monitor and report on key activities related to scale-up of HIV/AIDS prevention interventions and Gender based Violence.
• Support Continuous Community Quality Improvement approaches for Gender based Violence and HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment in Cluster areas.
• Prepare high-quality comprehensive monthly, quarterly and annual reports and ensure timely submission of regular. Contribute to development of project and donor reports on activities, indicators and achievements, as well as best practices and lessons learned.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal applicant must hold a Master’s degree in any of the following fields; Social Sciences, Education, Public Administration, Development Studies, Community and Adult Education, Community Psychology, Organizational Psychology, Guidance and counseling. Experience of working with TASO will be very vital.
• At least two years of direct psychosocial/counselling experience with a reputable agency; experience working with survivors of violence and providing technical assistance/mentorship of HCWs in HIV/AIDS prevention and community linkages within MoH structures and systems.
• Clear understanding of Psychosocial, abuse of power, and issues surrounding GBV/VAC
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, professional ethics and respect for clients at all times
• Strong ability to lead, train, facilitate and motivate others in their respective tasks in a professional, respectful and supportive manner.
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience in HIV/AIDS management, prevention and community referral and linkages as per the national community referral and linkages framework.
• Good working knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention programs, strategies, processes and techniques used to plan, develop, implement and evaluate results of HIV/AIDS programs.
• Knowledge of Quality GBV standards, methodology and tools
• Knowledge of community mobilization and facilitation techniques
• National and international gender and HIV/AIDS declarations and commitments
• National gender and HIV/AIDS frame work including policies and procedures
• Managing grants and proposal writing
• Knowledge of USG programming policies and regulations, MoH and district procedures and practices.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to work effectively in a team.
• Counseling skills
• Computer skills in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience of capacity strengthening through formal and informal training
• Ability to plan strategically, and communicate with key actors in a dynamic and unpredictable operating environment
• Problem solving and decision making
• Understanding of gender, age and other socio-cultural factors
• Ability and willingness to work in a participatory manner and communities
• Other Qualities/Attributes: Integrity, Emotional control, Confidentiality, Openness, Team player, Self-driven, Empathy and Ability to handle pressure and work under minimum supervision.

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates should submit their resume, copies of certified academic certificates, testimonials and three referees, two of who should be the present employer / immediate supervisor or last employer if unemployed, or any other if it is the first employment being applied for. None of the referees should be a relative, friend or business associate. All referees’ designations should be stated and contact details included i.e. physical address, telephone/ mobile numbers and email contacts.

All interested Candidates MUST fully fill the TASO Online Job Application Form, scan and save all the relevant documents as one document (labeled with candidate’s full names) and forward only online applications with the relevant credentials to:

Click Here

Deadline: 29^th March 2022

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