Position: District Coordinator – Family Planning
Reporting Line: Program Manager – Family Planning
Location: Sheikhpura (Bihar)
Number of positions: 1
About the Project -– JEEViKA Technical Support Program (JTSP):
The JEEViKA Technical Support Program (JTSP) is a flagship program of PCI in Bihar, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In its earlier phase between 2015 to 2021, JTSP has successfully supported in the demonstration, layering and integration of health and nutrition, into the operational framework of JEEViKA (the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Society). JTSP has supported JEEViKA to deliver a range of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition outcomes, through an at scale social behaviour change package and has enabled JEEViKA’s transformation into a model State Rural Livelihoods Mission, which embraces Health and Nutrition into its overall mandate. The next phase of this work, called JTSP II, is planned for the period between 2021 and 2024 and seeks to transition skills and capabilities to JEEViKA to drive HN strategies through its systems and network of community based organizations.
Family planning is instrumental for gender equality and women’s empowerment. It is essential to address gender and social norms that are restrictive in nature, limit access & abilities for family planning by women and men. Considering this, State Health Society Bihar and Bihar Rural Livelihood Project have come together to initiate a convergence program, focused on family planning. Family planning intervention in 10 blocks of 5 districts has been agreed to by both BRLP and SHSB. The program aspires to seek, how the influence of
JEEViKA community cadres and peers, can foster change in deeper social constructs like son preference, early marriage and a young couple’s need to prove fertility soon after marriage and bring the couple closer to jointly plan for the well-being of their family. This project would be a collaboration of State Health Society Bihar and Bihar Rural Livelihood Program to promote family planning, through the platform of Self Help Groups, among the young couples through sensitization and active participation of gatekeepers of the community.
In the pilot phase, the program would be rolled out in the two blocks each of 5 intervention districts with the involvement of the field cadres of JEEViKA program, namely Community Mobilizers and Community Nutrition Resource Person. The Behavioural Change Communication would be used by the field cadre to engage eligible couples to discuss on family planning and encourage communication between young couples, leading to enhance contraceptive usage amongst them by linking them with ASHAs.
An intensive capacity building program would be organized at the state, district and block level to enable the field cadre to function effectively for program activities, ensure familiarity with the documentation and reporting systems and build skills to communicate with different levels of society members. The program also aspires to leverage the SHG platform for family planning program by bringing JEEViKA cadre and front line workers of health on common platform to work in collaboration to reach newly married women and young married women with no parity.
PCI as JEEViKA Technical Support Partner to BRLP would be providing the necessary support to build the partnership between the key departments SHSB and BRLP, followed by field based support to the frontline workers of JEEViKA cadre. This position would be critical for the program activities and the desired results, culminating into planning for next phase of the program. The outcome and learnings of the pilot phase would be determinant for the following phase of the program, both in terms of scope and geography.
POSITION BRIEF:
The District Coordinator (DC) will be responsible for planning, implementing, supervising the work of Community Mobilizer (CMs) and Community Nutrition Resource Persons (CNRPs) and reporting the day to day field operations of forthcoming phases of the Convergence Program for Family Planning. The positions are based in the districts with the field based activities in identified blocks of Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura and Sheohar districts and require regular travel to the selected villages in the identified blocks.
KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
Preparatory Phase
1. Participation and providing support in organizing state, district and block level capacity building activities for the Master Trainers and project functionaries.
2. Coordination with the JEEViKA team and health society regarding distribution and management of BCC materials and job aids for program activities to the field cadres.
3. Line managing the field implementation team of JEEViKA cadre on a day to day basis to achieve the objectives of the project. This would include training the CM and CNRPs and explaining to them their duties and functions as per the project plan, supervising and monitoring their work on day to day basis, providing feedback as appropriate to improve their performance, and reporting performance related issues to the Program Manager on a regular basis
4. Understanding the project goals and objectives, and the tasks to be performed during each phase of the project activities, briefing and orienting the CM and CNRPs for specific tasks, ensuring high motivation levels and managing their performance on regular basis
5. Field based orientation of JEEViKA cadre regarding the data management, documentation and reporting mechanism based on the program design.
Program Management and Implementation
1. To provide supportive supervision to JEEViKA cadre in implementing program activities at the site of the activities and during periodic program management meetings.
2. Facilitate the team in recording and reporting data coming from the field as per program requirements and reviewing the information received.
3. Coordinate with block and district NHM team regarding the program activities and incentives of JEEViKA cadre.
4. Coordinating with JTSP team members and SHG/VO platform for smooth implementation of project activities.
5. Bringing field issues to the notice of Program Manager, and providing suggestions for resolving field related issues and challenges
6. Other tasks delegated by Program Manager from time to time.
Coordination Tasks for Partnership between SHSB and BRLP
1. Providing technical support to JEEViKA cadre in filling the necessary forms and formats for the release of payments.
2. Facilitating and streamlining the payment procedures for JEEViKA cadre at block and district level to ensure the smooth and timely release of payments.
3. Participate in block and district level review meetings and share an update of program activities, progress made and best practices.
Others
1. Submission of monthly report and participation in monthly review meetings based on the program output and outcome indicators.
2. Preparation and participation in base line and end line program evaluation.
3. Necessary coordination with health care functionaries from public and private sectors, engaged in supply and marketing of family planning products and services.
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:
• Graduate in any discipline. A post graduate degree from a recognized university or institution is desirable but not essential.
• At least five years of experience at block level in health
• Experience of working with the communities in rural areas, especially with poorer and marginalized communities.
• Candidates with experience of working with SRLM on themes like maternal and child nutrition, and family planning themes will be preferred
• Experience of traveling and working in Bihar will be preferred.
• Excellent communication skills (both spoken and written) in Hindi are necessary for this position, and familiarity with local dialects such as Bhojpuri, Magahi or Maithili will be an added advantage. Ability to prepare and send regular progress and monitoring reports will be an added advantage
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested candidates can apply for the position of District Coordinator Family Planning by 27th August,2023.
PCI India is an equal opportunity provider and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability and/or marital status. Due to the heavy inflow of resumes, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply.