Community Linkages Coordinator

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT@ PROJECT HOPE NAMIBIA 

POSITION: COMMUNITY LINKAGES COORDINATOR 

Location: Blantyre & Zomba 

OVERVIEW 

Project HOPE Namibia – Malawi (PHN-MA)

Project HOPE Namibia (PHN) is an indigenous regional African NGO founded in 2004 with technical expertise in infectious diseases, maternal and child health, and economic strengthening with a programmatic presence across the continent. PHN has over 20 years’ experience implementing public health programming in Africa with demonstrated capacity to implement PEPFAR-funded OVC & DREAMS projects in Namibia and Malawi.

In Namibia, PHN was USAID’s lead partner for OVC and DREAMS programming since 2013 and 2018, respectively. PHN works in collaboration with local stakeholders, host government ministries, and other partners in countries of implementation to ensure implementation in accordance with the local context and with buy-in from the appropriate stakeholders.

Project HOPE Namibia – Malawi (PHN-MA), registered in Malawi in 2024, is currently implementing the Ana ndi Achinyamata Patsogolo (ANAPA) project in Malawi, a five-year, $60 million initiative funded by PEPFAR/USAID previously and now under the US Government’s Department of State (DoS).

Initially designed to prevent new HIV infections by increasing uptake of health, HIV, and social services among children, adolescents, and their families, with a particular focus, the project shifted focus following the stop work order. ANAPA now prioritizes the provision of life-saving HIV care and treatment services for vulnerable children.

It is against this background that Project HOPE Namibia-Malawi, a member of the Africa Public Health Network (APHN), seeks qualified Malawians to fill the following position under the ANAPA Activity:

Community Linkages Coordinator

Reporting to

Social Welfare Officer

Duty Station

Blantyre (2) and Zomba (1).

Nature of Contract

3 Month Fixed-term (Renewable depending on the availability of funds)

Number Required

3

Supervises

Child Protection Workers (CPWs)

Minimum Hours of Work

40 hours per week.

Job Summary

The Community Linkage Coordinator will be responsible for leading the implementation and coordination of ANAPA life-saving HIV services, humanitarian assistance, early childhood stimulation (ECS) activities and integrated health services in the cluster catchment area s/he is assigned. S/he plays a pivotal role in the execution of HIV sensitive child protection case management and the delivery of integrated health services under the ANAPA OVC comprehensive interventions, ensuring smooth linkages between Clinical and OVC partners so that C/ALHIV, HEI/HEU, PLHIV and at risk CPLHIV access Care and Treatment services that directly impact the health and clinical outcomes. Enforce and drive positive health outcomes for project participants. S/he works closely with the ANAPA multidisciplinary teams, government counterparts, program participants and the community at large to achieve ANAPA results.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the facility and community entry processes and implementation of the HIV Sensitive Child Protection case management and integrated health services within the OVC program.

• Foster strong collaboration and coordination with key stakeholders at cluster level while treating each facility as unique entity to strengthen site level bi-directional referral linkage system.

• Develop a detailed site level work plan (including supervision and capacity building plans), coordinate and monitor implementation of the work plan in collaboration with MoH and Clinical partners.

• Collaborate with clinic staff from relevant departments [ANC, early infant diagnosis (EID), under-five clinic/Immunization, prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT, TB, ART, STI) and non-communicable diseases NCDs to identify and enroll C/ALHIV and HEI/HEU including those from Teen Mothers their caregivers in the OVC program and provide integrated health service to ensure comprehensive management.

• Support CPWs/CCWs to offer services which will address early identification, treatment linkage/continuity, and viral load suppression for CLHIV, pregnant and breastfeeding women including other health conditions.

• Collaborate with MoH or clinical partners to jointly monitor viral load and share data on viral load for all CLHIV and HIV Positive caregivers who are in the OVC program.

• Collaborate with MoH and clinical partners to joint monitor CLHIV with high viral load through joint home visits, joint case conferences to ensure they suppress.

• Providing support to CPW/CCWs to continuously follow-up and monitoring of new HIV-positive children or PMTCT mothers and support them with disclosure and referring for index/early infant diagnostic testing.

• Oversee/assist CPWs/CCWs to support viral load monitoring at community level and conduct root cause analysis for those with high viral load and provide tailor made services based on the identified gaps.

• Conduct joint home visits with Mentor Mothers to households for CLHIV with high viral load to conduct mentorship and support to the CPW, CCWs and caregivers.

• Support CPWs/CCWs to conduct comprehensive health assessment of beneficiaries to systematically identify HEIs, CLHIV, CPLHIV and caregivers with other health risks including TB, malaria, malnutrition, diarrhea, malnutrition, malnutrition, skin infections and NCDs among others.

• Support the CPWs/CCWs to engage caregivers and ensure integrated health services are provided either through direct service delivery or accessed through structured referrals to health facilities.

• Strengthen continuity of care for integrated services by following up on referrals and ensure that beneficiaries access the full package of essential services aligned to their individual risk profiles and clinical needs.

• Support the CPWs to convene regular case conferences at clinics for CALHIV and HEI/HEU cases, involving the relevant clinical providers, community case managers, and other key stakeholders to monitor case progress and resolve any bottlenecks to receiving referred services.

• Regularly attend and provide updates during health facility meetings, community level TWG meetings [Area Development Committees, Area Childcare and Protection Forum (CCPF)] and other relevant platforms.

• Support CPWs to develop weekly implementation schedule and conduct daily (virtual and/or in person) debrief sessions with each CPW to get site level updates.

• Foster a collaborative and productive team environment that promotes learning, growth, and a shared sense of purpose.

• Conduct regular performance assessments for CPWs and CCWs & provide feedback.

• Collaborate with the SWO, MEL Officer & M&E Assistant to implement site level CQI process.

• Any other responsibility assigned by the Social Welfare Officer.

Minimum Qualifications, Experience and Required Skills

• Diploma in Nursing, Public Health or Social Work-related fields, and those with bachelor’s degree will have an added advantage.

• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in HIV sensitive Child Protection Case Management, community Integrated health services, community development and Community/Clinical linkage or related field.

• Have a better understanding of how social determinants impact the health and clinical outcomes for Children living with HIV and HIV Exposed infants.

• At least one (1) year of experience in supervising and supporting community-based teams.

• Fluent in at least one of the local languages largely spoken in the district of choice.

• Motorcycle Riding license will be a plus.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

MODE OF APPLICATION

Interested candidates who meet the above qualifications and experience are requested to submit their Curriculum Vitae with 3 traceable referees, cover letter together with copies of certificates to the email address below not later than 5:00pm on Tuesday, 23rd June 2026, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Note

Please clearly indicate the position title in the email subject.

Email to

recruitmentmw@projecthope.org