Senior Technical Officer HIV /Prevention

Gold Star Kenya (GSK) was established in 2010 as a local Non-Governmental Organization; GS Kenya was born out of the success of the Gold Star Network, a social franchise program initiative established in 2006 to promote comprehensive quality HIV care amongst a network of private health providers in Kenya. GSK implements health related projects in Kenya. GSK is seeking to fill various positions under. Deloitte. the USAID funded Tujenge Jamii project.

About Tujenge Jamii Project

The Tujenge Jamii project is a five-year USAID funded service delivery project, providing HIV care and treatment, as well as services in the area of family planning/reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (FP/RMNCAH), nutrition, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The project is focused on increasing the use of county-led health and social services in four counties in Kenya, namely Baringo, Laikipia, Samburu and Nakuru.

Position Title: Senior Technical Officer HIV /Prevention

Location: Nakuru

Position Summary:

The Technical Officer will be responsible for providing leadership, technical oversight, and strategic direction for HIV counselling and testing services and QA/QI to ensure achievement of project HIV Testing Services targets while ascertaining quality of the program. The candidate will provide mentorship, coaching and regular updates to technical officers and HTS providers, mentor’s, HTS providers with a goal of increasing access to HTS services. They will be responsible for working closely with the project technical team and service providers to ensure that the quality of care is sustained across the program as defined by the MOH quality standards.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Provide technical support and quality assurance to the project, including activities that mobilize stakeholders to support HIV testing services for men, and children and empower adolescents to seek HIV testing services and for support of quality HIV testing, care and treatment services for children.
• Identify capacity gaps in line with project deliverable and conduct capacity building of service providers and managers through trainings, orientation, mentorship and supportive supervision for quality HTS service delivery.
• Take lead in mentoring HCWs and HTS providers on assisted partner notification services (aPNS) across all supported sites with a view of achieving elicitation ratio of at least 1:3.
• Support strategies to strengthen linkage, adherence and retention of the paediatrics, adolescents and adults including men especially for newly diagnosed patients
• Observe critical collaborative relationships required for the project, with HSDSA and other project stakeholders including County and Sub-Counties health management teams, health care workers, and the community to scale up HTS.
• Manage development of annual, quarterly and monthly work plans; monitor and report on progress towards project milestones on regular basis and document lessons learnt.
• Ensure compliance with GSK policies, Donor rules and regulations and MOH policies, guidelines and SOPs.
• Ensure presence and effective use of guidelines, SOPs, relevant commodities and data tools in the facilities.
• Ensure ALL HTS providers are qualified and that they undergo quality assurance through proficiency testing (PT) as per national guidelines.
• Support facilities for effective documentation, data quality and use of data for decision making.

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 5 years’ experience in HIV programs targeting identification, linkage and HIV care, treatment and support services. Experience in HIV identification in men, children/ adolescents is a distinct advantage.
• Experience in implementation of assisted partner notification HTS (aPNS) is desired.
• HIV/AIDS related trainings; specifically, in HIV Testing services.
• Demonstrated understanding of national policies, strategies and guidelines especially for HIV testing and treatment for children and adolescents.
• Proven track record of implementing programs requiring participation of government and community stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills; ability to build partnerships and consensus, within teams and with other stakeholders.
• Good interpersonal, organizational and written / verbal communication skills

Minimum Requirement Standards:

• Must have requirements 5- 7 years of experience in HIV program implementation including HTS. BSC Clinical Medicine & Surgery OR Public Health. Masters’ in Public health. Research experience in HIV related studies is an added advantage. Experience in observed practice, counsellor supervision, feedback sessions and QI