Work at Sonke

Treatment as Prevention (TasP)/TSIMA Coordinator

About Sonke

With a full-time staff of 100 people working from offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Agincourt, Sonke works globally, and especially across Africa, to strengthen government, civil society and citizen capacity to take action to promote gender equality, prevent domestic and sexual violence and reduce the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS. In this way the organisation contributes to the development of societies in which men, women, youth and children can enjoy equitable, healthy and happy relationships that contribute to the development of just and democratic societies (see https://genderjustice.org.za).

This 12 months position will support Sonke’s Community Mobilisation work through the Community Education and Mobilisation (CEM) unit in Bushbuckridge (BBR).

The CEM unit coordinates and manages all of Sonke’s national educational and community mobilisation work. This position will be responsible for insuring that community mobilising is effectively implemented within the intervention sites and all Tsima partners and processes are supported with the skills and tools needed for the implementation of a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) intervention.

About Tsima

Tsima is a 3-year Community Mobilisation (CM) intervention that is in its second year of implementation, and it is implemented in 8 villages of the Bushbuckridge area in Mpumalanga. The main goal is to mobilise communities to “Activate HIV Treatment as Prevention.” As the implementation agent, Sonke partners with the following partners to complete the research piece: University of the Witwatersrand, University of California – San Francisco, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, and Right to Care. The hypothesis is that if a large enough proportion of people get tested, start treatment, and stay on treatment for HIV in our communities, very few people will become newly infected. Currently, only about 50% of people living with HIV in our communities are on treatment, and rates are much lower for men than for women.

The Randomized Controlled Trial

The Tsima programme is being evaluated through a research design called Randomized Control Trial (RCT). The RCT design is recognized worldwide as the best way to test if an intervention works or not. In this type of study design there are two groups, one group that will get the intervention and one group that will not.

Key duties and responsibilities

  1. Assist with programme design, planning and implementation
  2. Reporting, monitoring and evaluation
  3. Training and capacity building activities
  4. Community mobilisation
  5. Finance and staff management

1. Programme Design, Planning and Implementation

  • Working with the CEM Unit Manager, provide strategic guidance and leadership to assist with all Tsima project design, planning and implementation, ensuring the overall achievement of the goals and objectives of the programme.
  • Under the guidance of the CEM Unit Manager develop an annual work plan for the team.
  • Oversee the development of technical capacity and transfer of technical expertise to programme staff.
  • Work with the Resource Mobilisation Manager to develop funding proposals, donor reports and budgets.
  • Supervise and manage performance of all members of the team.

2. Reporting, Monitoring and evaluation

  • Submit all agreed upon reports (project reports, budgets, supervision reports, observation reports, team meeting reports, stakeholder meeting reports, community mobilisation and Community Action Team reports) on a monthly basis.
  • Assist with the development of M&E (Monitoring & Evaluating) indicators under the guidance of the National CEM Unit Manager and in consultation with the partners and ensure that these are integrated in the annual work plan.
  • Assist with collation of M&E documents, including training on how to use registers, pre and post test surveys.
  • Participate in donor telephonic meetings bi-monthly, and attend periodic face to face meetings to report on the status of the project.

3. Training and Capacity Building Activities

  • Coordinate the necessary induction and ongoing training so that training staff have the skills and knowledge needed to implement popular education methodologies with adults and youth.
  • Assist with and ensure all training staff are well versed in new HIV and gender related development, especially with regards to the law and to the science and politics of HIV prevention, treatment and care.
  • Support trainers and coordinators in the development of facilitation and training skills and evaluate performance in the unit.
  • Build the capacity of local CBOs and NGOs on primary prevention of gender and HIV.

4. Community Mobilisation

  • Provide oversight on all community mobilisation strategies for the project.
  • Develop and maintain Tsima’s Community Action Team (CAT) model.
  • Engage with community leadership, both formal and traditional.
  • Manage all stakeholder and network relations, building the capacity of organisations and local leadership.

5. Finance and Staff Management

  • Develop and follow a comprehensive management plan for each Community Mobiliser, visiting them at least once every 3 months and providing support and assistance where needed.
  • Liaise with both the Grants Specialist and Finance Manager on all financial reporting and compliance requirements.
  • Liaising with the Operations Unit; oversee all HR and admin day to day running of the office.
  • Actively manage the performance and development of staff through regular one on one consultation meetings and participating in the bi-annual performance appraisals of staff .

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

University Degree in Health Sciences, preferably an advanced degree Honours or Masters in health sciences or related field.

Experience:

  • At least 5 years of experience in the design and implementation of development projects implemented by national and international NGOs/UN bodies/Government;
  • Experience working in research projects on GBV and HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa, preferably including work with men and boys;
  • Experience in training and facilitating learning in M&E with diverse communities in sub-Saharan Africa;
  • Experience in designing tools and strategies for data collection, analysis and production of reports;
  • Strong training & facilitation skills; and
  • Experience in managing a team of more than 20 people.

Skills & competencies:

  • Exceptional public speaking and formal presentation skills; including excellent communication skills (written and oral);
  • Strong problem solving skills; self-management and the ability to focus on results for the team and the RCT;
  • In-depth knowledge on community mobilizing gender and development issues;
  • Excellent knowledge of monitoring and the application of methodology;
  • Sensitive and responsive to all partners; is respectful and helpful with donors and project staff;
  • Demonstrates integrity by adhering to Sonke’s values and ethical standards; and
  • Display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity.

Location

Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga

Salary

R300 000 per annum

Closing Date

13 April 2017