Private Sector Family Planning Program Officer
Application Deadline: 07/07/2024
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Organization: PATH Uganda
About PATH Uganda:
PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges through multi-sector partnerships and expertise in various specialties.
Position Summary:
PATH Uganda is seeking a Private Sector Family Planning Program Officer to join their project team and provide technical assistance to the private (for-profit) sector in drug shops and pharmacies in Kampala, Mpigi, Wakiso, and Mukono. The role involves introducing and scaling up Family Planning services, including DMPA-SC and Self-Injection, and potentially expanding access to contraceptive implants through the private sector.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with the Ministry of Health, local governments, district health teams, and partners to implement and scale up family planning activities in the private sector, focusing on drug shops and pharmacies.
- Support trainings on family planning, including DMPA-SC and Self-Injection, quality counselling, supply chain management, and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of drug shop and pharmacy operators.
- Conduct district supportive supervision visits and onsite mentorship to improve the quality of family planning services.
- Contribute to the development of a detailed annual work plan and budget with the family planning team at PATH.
- Work with a private sector commercial distributor to ensure the availability and supply of family planning commodities, including DMPA-SC, in drug shops and pharmacies.
- Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team to implement HMIS strengthening activities for family planning, including documentation, data verification, district performance reviews, and routine data utilization.
- Establish systems for tracking progress, indicators, and deliverables to meet state and donor requirements.
- Provide technical assistance and guidance on best practices in family planning service delivery, including health financing and resource mobilization.
- Innovate market-based solutions to address the challenges of delivering comprehensive family planning services through the private sector.
- Contribute to policy advocacy to promote private sector engagement in family planning service delivery.
- Document project results, successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
- Facilitate knowledge sharing and learning exchanges between public and private health sector stakeholders.
- Represent the project at national and sub-national meetings involving government, development partners, and private sector representatives.
- Perform other activities as assigned by the supervisor to achieve organizational goals.
Required Qualifications, Skills, and Experience:
- Master’s degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Population Studies, or a health-related discipline. An additional degree in nursing or midwifery is preferred but not required.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in implementing family planning programming in the private sector in Uganda.
- Experience in offering family planning services, including contraceptive implants, as a nurse or midwife is preferred but not required.
- Knowledge of national and international family planning policies and guidelines.
- Experience as a trainer in family planning, including leading trainings and providing mentorship and coaching.
- Proven experience in partnership building and networking in the private sector.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills with various stakeholders.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to establish effective working relationships.
- Ability to travel up to 40% of the time.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Strong analytical skills and experience in market analysis, policy analysis, and impact assessments in the health sector are advantageous.
- Fluency in English.
- Ability to work independently with minimal guidance.
Work Hours: 8 hours per day
Experience Required: Minimum of 36 months
Education Level: Postgraduate Degree
How to Apply:
- Interested candidates can apply by clicking here.
Background of the Family Planning Program at PATH:
Since 2014, PATH Uganda has supported the Ministry of Health in implementing the national family planning program, focusing on introducing and scaling up DMPA-SC (Sayana Press), including Self-Injection in the public health sector. PATH is now implementing a private sector project (2023-2026) to strengthen the private sector market for Family Planning, introducing more contraceptive methods in commercial outlets and supporting a strong Total Market Approach (TMA) for Family Planning.
