Public Health Promoter Team Leader

  KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Assessment and Programme Design Participate in rapid needs assessment in new areas of emergency intervention as directed by the PM and or WASH Advisor. Assist the PM to define the PH promotion needs of UNHCR transit sites (‘camps’), within Palestinian camps and host communities, in line with the rapid needs assessments. Field test and advise on content of all IEC materials to be used in day to day PHP activities. Provide leadership and support for all PHP activities and ensure regular ongoing assessment of the public health situation of target beneficiaries. In coordination with the PHE team, produce baseline analysis of key public health issues with key recommendations to problems identified. The post will ensure that assessment results are shared with the livelihoods and other appropriate sectors and an opportunity for sharing of data is promoted   Programme Implementation: Lead the PHP activities including rapid baseline data collection, identifying appropriate designs for implementation and make recommendations for actions which are consistent with Oxfam’s policies. Ensure all PHP activities are developed and implemented in close coordination with partners, host communities, local leaders and beneficiaries. Ensure PHP activities are developed in coordination with MEAL strategy and planning. Ensure that all programmes take gender and protection issues fully into account. This includes the introduction of mechanisms to enable vulnerable groups to participate in decision making around public health issues – primarily the VOICE programme.   Programme approach: Ensure that wherever possible an empowering approach to working with communities is employed rather than an approach, which relies solely on message-based methodologies. Make sure that all members of the community, women, men and children are involved in all aspects of the programme implementation from planning to evaluation. All work must be carried out in a way that is sensitive to community needs and gender issues. In particular to promote the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of the work and to ensure that Oxfam’s response is in line with the needs of the affected people. Ensure that work aims to meet SPHERE and OGB’s Minimum Standards and adheres to Oxfam’s emergency guidelines and protocols Lead on facilitating an integrated approach to PHP implementation within sectors of PHE and Livelihoods in defined geographical area   Programme planning and reporting: As part of an integrated team, contribute towards planning, monitoring and evaluating progress of agreed activities of the programme in designated geographical area.  Produce concise work plans and clear and timely procurement plans against defined programme activities and regular verbal and written reports to the PM and WASH Advisor. Assist in the development of new proposals and contribute to donor reports.   Staff Management Provide management support for any local recruited PHP staff, implementing or other technical partners. Assess PHP capacity locally available and request appropriate support or additional assistance in good time. Devise appropriate capacity training schedules for local partners (if appropriate) to enable good partner interaction in the programme and to facilitate a sustainable programme. Requesting support in training from the WASH Advisor if required.   Co-ordination and Representation Represent Oxfam in WASH sector meetings and technical working groups relating to the emergency response. Maintain professional and highly communicative relationships with UNHCR and other relevant UN agencies, national and regional Government representatives, community groups, local partners and other stakeholders. Liaise closely with the PHE team throughout the planning, design and implementation stages of the PHP activities. Ensure high level of communication and coordination with the support teams – Logistics and Finance. Attend and contribute to weekly team meetings with other programme staff.     SKILLS AND COMPETENCE: A suitable qualification in Public Health is the necessary educational background. Experience could substitute for a formal qualification, but not vice versa. Most importantly, a minimum of two years’ practical experience in appropriate hygiene promotion programmes. It is essential that some of this should have been in emergency relief programmes. The post holder should have a good understanding of the public health needs of both rural and urban communities and of appropriate ways of tackling them. Ideally within a Middle Eastern context and/or middle income countries. The post holder must be aware of and sensitive to the particular needs of women in this context. Experience in implementation of PHP in ‘camp’ environments. Creative thinking for programme planning and implementation and ability to ensure PHP response is appropriate to local context. Team and project management experience, include budget management The ability to present concise reports and proposals, sometimes at short notice, reflecting the problems and possible solutions for particular situations. Diplomacy and tact in order to work with people at managerial, senior and municipality level government and with UN agencies and NGOs. The post holder should be at ease in working with local communities particularly in possible high tension areas. Willingness to travel at short notice, often in difficult circumstances and within constraints of security guidelines. Well developed interpersonal and team skills and proven ability to be flexible in demanding situations. Good written and spoken English is essential. Sympathy with the aims and objectives of Oxfam. Commitment to humanitarian principles and action and to Oxfam’s equal opportunity and gender policies. Diverse and complex problem-solving, requiring professional knowledge field experience and a strong ability to ‘think outside the box’ to develop creative locally appropriate solutions to problems and challenges. Ability to make judgement on credibility and accuracy of diverse information sources ranging from local partners, other NGOs, UN agencies, academic research and field data collection.