Community Engagement Advisor (4 months)

Jhpiego, an international non-profit health organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, is implementing the Reaching Impact Saturation and Epidemic Control (RISE) program in Ethiopia. RISE is dedicated to saving lives and improving health outcomes by accelerating HIV epidemic control and strengthening global health security to prevent and respond to emerging disease threats. Leveraging over two decades of evidence-based practices from PEPFAR implementation, RISE addresses critical health priorities including HIV, global health security (GHS), maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition (MNCH-N), tuberculosis (TB), malaria, data systems, and supply chain management.
RISE is a multi-regional project that spans diverse geographic areas including pastoralist, agrarian, and semi-urban woredas. It aims to strengthen Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) services, Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), and Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM).

Through integrated interventions at the community, health facility, and woreda health office levels, the RISE Project aims to strengthen a resilient, equitable, and person-centered health system. At the community level, RISE mobilizes Village Health Leaders (VHLs), Health Development Armies (HDAs), and Health Extension Workers (HEWs) to promote early care-seeking, conduct integrated screenings, and support structured home visits. These efforts are designed to improve the early identification, treatment, and follow-up of maternal and child health conditions, enhance infection prevention practices, and reinforce community-based surveillance systems. To lead and accelerate this initiative, RISE seeks to onboard an experienced Community Engagement Advisor with a strong background in community engagement and health systems strengthening.

RISE seeks a highly experienced advisor to lead and accelerate its community engagement strategy, ensuring that local structures are effectively mobilized to achieve key MNCHN, IPC, and PHEM outcomes. The advisor will develop operational guidance, tools, and monitoring systems, and work closely with national and regional stakeholders to ensure alignment with government-endorsed approaches.

This position is a temporary role for four months. 

Strategic Design & Implementation

• Develop a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for community engagement, aligned with government-endorsed guides.
• Define selection criteria for community members to serve as VHLs, HDAs, and other mobilizers.
• Design and implement training packages and job aids in local languages to support community structures.
• Facilitate community mapping exercises to identify pregnant women, track mother-newborn pairs, and monitor child health indicators.

Technical Leadership

• Ensure community structures promote early identification and referral of pregnant women, ANC attendance and respectful maternity care, Awareness of maternal rights and danger signs (including postpartum), early detection and follow-up for childhood illnesses, infection prevention practices and safer care environments, and community-based surveillance and timely reporting.
• Build the capacity of Regional Health Bureaus (RHBs), Woreda Health Offices, and local partners to institutionalize community engagement approaches within routine health systems.
• Collaborate closely with RISE technical advisors (MNH, NCH, Nutrition, IPC, Immunization, PHEM) to ensure integration and consistency across interventions.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Work in close coordination with Ministry of Health (MoH), Regional Health Bureaus (RHBs), and key partners to ensure alignment and sustainability.
• Provide technical support to seven cluster offices to accelerate implementation and scale-up.
• Strengthen collaboration with faith-based organizations and traditional leaders to address social norms and promote service uptake in alignment with RISE’s community health and MNCHN priorities.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Design and deploy tools to monitor community engagement activities and outcomes.
• Establish feedback mechanisms to inform adaptive learning and continuous improvement.
• Document best practices, challenges, and lessons learned for dissemination.

• Advanced degree in Public Health, Community Development, or related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in community health programming, with strong expertise in MNCHN, IPC, and PHEM.
• Proven experience engaging community structures in multi-regional projects, including pastoralist and rural communities.
• Demonstrated ability to develop SOPs, training materials, and monitoring tools.
• Strong understanding of Ethiopia’s health system and community health strategies.
• Knowledge of different local languages is a strong advantage.
• Excellent facilitation, communication, and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Ability to travel to project sites and work in dynamic, resource-constrained environments.

Deliverables:

• SOP for community engagement, including clear guides on selection, training, motivation packages and engagement of community structures.
• Acceleration plan updated every week
• Training materials and job aids in local languages.
• Community mapping tools and implementation guide.
• Monitoring and evaluation framework and tools.
• Monthly progress reports and final consultancy report with recommendations.

Language: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of different local languages is a strong advantage.

Salary: Between 22,966 – 33,563 USD per annum. 

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.

Please apply at www.jobs-jhpiego.icims.com

Applicants must submit a single document for upload to include: cover letter, resume, and references.

For further information about Jhpiego, visit our website at www.jhpiego.org

Note: The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.

Jhpiego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

“Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Jhpiego promotes Affirmative Action for minorities, women, individuals who are disabled, and veterans.

EEO is the Law

Application Deadline: November 17, 2025

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