The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home. The International Rescue Committee has been working in Somalia since 2006, providing essential services to conflict and disaster-affected communities. The IRC has been operational in South Central Somalia (Mudug, Galgadud, and Banadir regions), implementing interventions in the areas of livelihood, WASH, Governance, peacebuilding, GBV, Nutrition, education, and health, reaching out to more than 200,000 conflict and drought-affected people.
Summary of Responsibilities:
The SRH Project Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Health and Nutrition Officer and will be responsible for the effective planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of UNFPA-funded Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) interventions in Puntland and North East State. The officer will provide technical leadership for SRH programs, ensure quality service delivery in supported health facilities and outreach services, strengthen coordination with government and partners, and support capacity building of health workers in accordance with national guidelines, UNFPA standards, WHO recommendations, and IRC policies.
Major duties and responsibilities:
Program Management and Implementation
- Lead the implementation of UNFPA-funded SRH projects in Puntland and North East State, ensuring activities are delivered on time, within scope, and according to donor requirements.
- Develop monthly, quarterly, and annual work plans in collaboration with the Senior Health and Nutrition Officer and relevant stakeholders.
- Ensure quality delivery of SRH services, including antenatal care (ANC), postnatal care (PNC), family planning, safe motherhood interventions, clinical management of rape (CMR), and adolescent and youth-friendly SRH services.
- Monitor implementation of project activities and ensure compliance with national SRH protocols, WHO standards, and IRC guidelines.
- Support integration of SRH services within primary healthcare and nutrition programs where applicable.
- Conduct regular field visits to supported health facilities and outreach teams to monitor service quality and provide technical support.
- Identify implementation challenges and develop appropriate action plans to address gaps.
- Support health facility staff in improving quality of care, infection prevention and control practices, and client-centered services.
- Ensure community outreach and awareness activities are conducted to promote utilization of SRH services.
- Lead documentation of success stories, lessons learned, best practices, and project achievements.
Technical Support and Capacity Building
- Provide ongoing technical support and mentorship to health workers delivering SRH services.
- Organize and facilitate training, coaching, and on-the-job mentorship for healthcare workers on SRH-related interventions.
- Support implementation of Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) and other emergency SRH interventions during humanitarian responses.
- Strengthen provider capacity in family planning counseling, maternal and newborn care, emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC), and gender-based violence (GBV) survivor care.
- Ensure adherence to quality standards and protocols across all project-supported facilities.
- Support development and dissemination of health education materials related to SRH.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)
- Monitor project performance against agreed indicators and targets.
- Ensure timely collection, verification, compilation, and analysis of SRH service data from supported facilities.
- Review monthly reports and provide feedback to health facility teams to improve data quality and performance.
- Support implementation of assessments, surveys, and evaluations related to SRH programming.
- Prepare high-quality weekly, monthly, quarterly, and donor reports as required.
- Utilize data for decision-making and continuous improvement of program performance.
- Support accountability mechanisms and ensure client feedback is appropriately addressed.
Coordination and Representation
- Represent IRC in SRH technical working groups, health cluster meetings, coordination forums, and donor meetings as delegated.
- Strengthen collaboration with the Ministry of Health, UNFPA, local authorities, and implementing partners.
- Participate in joint monitoring visits, assessments, and coordination activities with stakeholders.
- Maintain strong working relationships with government counterparts and partner organizations to ensure harmonized implementation.
Supply Chain and Logistics Management
- Collaborate with health facility staff and logistics teams to ensure uninterrupted availability of SRH commodities, essential drugs, medical supplies, and reproductive health kits.
- Monitor stock levels and consumption patterns and submit timely replenishment requests.
- Conduct regular inventory reviews and support proper storage, distribution, and utilization of SRH supplies.
- Report stock shortages, expiries, and supply chain challenges promptly.
Human Resource Management
- Supervise SRH staff working under the project, including facility-based and outreach personnel.
- Conduct regular performance monitoring, coaching, and mentorship for project staff.
- Support recruitment, onboarding, and capacity development of project personnel when required.
- Promote teamwork, accountability, and compliance with IRC policies and safeguarding standards.
Other Duties
- Support proposal development, project design, and donor engagement processes when requested.
- Ensure compliance with IRC policies, donor regulations, safeguarding standards, and code of conduct.
- Perform any other duties assigned by the Senior Health and Nutrition Officer.
Qualifications, Experience and Attributes
- University degree in Medicine, Midwifery, Nursing, or another relevant health-related field.
- Master's degree in Public Health, Reproductive Health, or related field will be an added advantage.
- Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) programming within humanitarian and development settings.
- Demonstrated experience managing donor-funded health projects, preferably UNFPA-funded programs will be an added value.
- Experience working with government health systems, health facilities, and community-based health interventions.
- Fluency in English required both oral and written
- Good knowledge of computer management and applications.
- Proven analytical, communication/negotiation skills and ability to think strategically.