Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an International non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 99 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality. CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs, therefore, strengthening and building the capacity of these partner organizations is fundamental to programs in every country in which CRS operates. CRS has been active in Ghana since 1958 and is currently implementing programs in the areas of Health and Agriculture/Livelihoods.

The Advocacy Specialist will work with local partners to apply proven frameworks to promote citizen advocacy and participation to the project context.  These frameworks may include citizen scorecards and other methodologies for participation and feedback as determined appropriate by the project team.

Specific duties and responsibilities:

•   Building capacity of community based CSOs to conduct advocacy and monitoring activities in the healthcare sector
•   Collaborating with local partners in developing and implementing citizen oversight mechanisms with district-level service providers
•   Facilitating meetings and forums to promote communication and learning between project staff and other stakeholders
•   Establishing effective information management systems between public-private stakeholder groups
•   Working with partners to develop strategies for citizen engagement and utilization of data to educate community members
•   Establishing feedback loops to ensure that service provider performance remains focused on client-centered service delivery
•   Promoting citizen advocacy campaigns in the health sector

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Graduate degree in public health, public policy or other relevant social science discipline
•   Seven or more years of experience in health accountability systems and evidence- based  advocacy approaches
•   Deep understanding of the healthcare sector in Ghana and the National Health Insurance scheme
•   Three years of experience in a managerial role
•   Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
•   Strong interpersonal and representational skills
•   Good understanding and experience with ICT tools
•   Experience with public donors

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff): These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.

•   Serves with Integrity
•   Models Stewardship
•   Cultivates Constructive Relationships
•   Promotes Learning

Key Working Relationships:
Internal:     Project Chief of Party, CRS Head of Programming, MEAL Specialist,  Health Program Manager, Country Representative, Operations Manager, Financial Specialist, Project Coordination Unit and consortium, Deputy Regional Director, Regional Technical Advisors, Consultants, and CRS Headquarters.

External: Donor, Sub-recipients; Local Government Health Focal Points; Ministry of Public Health.

Location: Accra and Tamale

How To Apply For The Job

To apply for this position, please submit your CV and letter of interest to:-

GH_jobs@global.crs.org

Closing Date: 08 September, 2014

•   Application must be saved with this format:- Application.CV.(Name). Advocacy Specialist, HAP
•   CRS is an equal opportunity employer.
•   Female candidates meeting position requirements are strongly encouraged to apply

Disclaimer Clause: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties and responsibilities associated with the position.