South Sudan: Women Protection and Empowerment Health Integration Manager

BACKGROUND:

International Rescue Committee (IRC) has been operating in South Sudan since 1989 and currently operates in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Lakes, Unity, Jonglei, Central Equatoria and Eastern Equatoria States. In mid December 2013, armed conflict broke out in Juba between government and opposition forces. Fighting quickly spread to other states in South Sudan, and the escalating violence has trapped thousands of civilians in Juba, as well as in Unity, Lakes, Upper Nile, and Jonglei States. UN OCHA estimates that 1.5 million people have been displaced as a result of the violence with 300,000 becoming refugees in neighboring countries. More than 120,000 have sought refuge in UNMISS Protection of Civilian (PoC) bases across the country, which continues to experience influxes of internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to renewed violence and insecurity. Over 90% of those displaced are outside PoCs and many are not receiving regular humanitarian aid. Many are located in areas where fluctuating security limits humanitarian access. The dispersed nature of the crisis presents a serious challenge in terms of service provision and IDPs are scattered across many locations. Sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls is widespread and one of the conflict's largest crises. The lack of protection and response interventions that can adequately meet the rapidly growing numbers and needs of displaced women and girls remains a significant challenge. As the crisis continues to unfold, IRC has been responding to the needs of women and girls through its Women's Protection and Empowerment (WPE) emergency response providing life-saving services in Juba- Central Equatorial, Unity and Lakes States.

The IRC has recently received a large grant to expand emergency GBV programming responses in new locations in Unity State. In South Sudan, clinical care is not widely available due to a lack of adequately trained healthcare providers, little or no knowledge of and adherence to international treatment protocols, and the absence of drugs for post-rape treatment in many health facilities. Few facilities have post-rape kits containing emergency contraception and drugs to prevent HIV and other STIs, and thus survivors remain at increased risk of chronic and life-threatening health problems.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The WPE Health Integration Manager will be responsible for working with IRC health teams in Panyijar County to increase the availability of quality and comprehensive clinical care for sexual assault survivors (CCSAS). The WPE Health Integration Manager will provide technical support and trainings in Panyijar County and other locations in Unity to ensure GBV response services are in place across IRC supported health facilities. The WPE Health Integration Manager will work with health teams to train community health staff and volunteers to raise awareness on services and facilitate confidential referrals to IRC health facilities. The position will be responsible for piloting new approaches in South Sudan to reduce barriers in accessing care including the "Assessment Screen to Identify Survivors Toolkit for GBV" (ASIST-GBV) developed by Johns Hopkins University and adapting it to the context.

The position will be based in Ganyiel, Panyjiar County, Unity State and reports directly to the DFID Senior Manager.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical Quality

• Conducting audits of health facilities to assess current capacity to provide services including trained staff, supplies, equipment, female staff and confidential space to treat survivors.
• Lead training of trainings on Clinical Care for Sexual Assault Survivors for staff and partner and carrying out follow up facility based trainings targeting medical and non-medical personnel to create a safe and confidential space for survivors to access care and treatment.
• Identification and training of GBV focal points in health facilities including basic GBV concepts, survivor centred approaches, confidentiality and skills in responding to the needs of survivors and facilitating safe referrals.
• Development of localised GBV referral pathways in each location and training organisations on how to refer safely and confidentially.
• Adaptation and piloting of the "Assessment Screen to Identify Survivors Toolkit for GBV" (ASIST-GBV) developed by Johns Hopkins University for South Sudan in collaboration with IRC health and technical units.
• Ensure that ethical and sound data collection and information management systems are in place and development of a robust Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system for all objectives, indicators and activities that is consistent across locations and feeds into evidence-based programming for WPE Health integration.
• Developing community outreach strategies and approaches to increase help seeking among survivors including training community health staff and volunteers to raise awareness on services and facilitate confidential referrals to IRC health facilities.
• Lead the development of IEC materials and communication about the services available to raise awareness about the consequences of sexual violence, services for survivors, and the importance of seeking treatment within 72 hours of an incident.
• Ongoing technical support to health staff to improve quality of care, including strengthening referrals, providing psychosocial support to survivors and training outreach staff to be equipped with basic skills to refer cases and provide information on services.

Staff Supervision & Development

• This position does not directly supervise other staff positions, but serves as a technical and programmatic lead for all health capacity building activities in the area of clinical care for survivors.
• This position will directly manage all activities and financial resources pertaining to the health system strengthening component of this grant.

Grant Management

• Support implementation and ensure adherence to grant work plans, spending plans and monitoring and evaluation plans.
• Work closely and coordinate with IRC Operations, Finance and Grant departments to ensure compliance with grant requirements.
• Ensure high-quality IRC and donor reports on activities, indicators and achievements.
• Lead in the development and design of new grants for follow up funding that respond to needs identified in all locations.

Coordination & Representation

• Build relationships with partners, government, other NGOs and UN agencies to establish/strengthen appropriate GBV referral systems to ensure survivors access services in a timely and confidential manner and enhance multi-agency and multi-sectoral cooperation and coordination.
• Work closely with IRC health and WPE teams in South Sudan and liaise with technical units as required to ensure programming is consistent and lessons learned are captured to inform future responses.

Other

• Undertake other relevant tasks as requested by the DFID Senior Manager

Professional Standards

• All IRC staff are required to adhere to THE IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies.

REQUIRED:

• Midwife/nurse/SECHN Health
• 3 years of relevant overseas programme management experience, with at least 2 years experience in supporting teams in the provision of health services, especially for women and girls with a focus on reproductive and sexual health issues.
• Experience providing services to GBV survivors. Demonstrate clear understanding of gender, human rights, and issues surrounding violence against women and girls.
• Experience in organizing and facilitating training on various health issues, and in ensuring that the training methods are targeted to different levels of expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to provide regular and effective technical support, mentoring and monitoring to health workers working in a variety of settings.
• Previous experience in managing, using or implementing health information management systems, data collection, and monitoring tools for service delivery.
• Familiar with emergency contexts and issues.
• Positive and professional attitude, including ability to lead and work well in a team setting.
• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.
• Knowledge, skills and experience in participatory methods of community development and mobilization.
• Comfortable attending and facilitating meetings and representing GBV issues.
• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, creativity and flexibility.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The security level is orange. The situation in Ganyiel is calm at the moment. There is still active conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and possibly other states.

Lodging in field sites range from a tent to a traditional hut to permanent structures. Field compounds have common latrines and showers. All IRC sites have electricity and internet at least several hours per day. Food is the individual's responsibility.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

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