Project Assistant - Youth and Community Engagement (2)

About Amref Health Africa in Uganda

Amref Health Africa is the largest African-based international health development organisation, founded in 1957 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. It implements programmes across 35 African countries, reaching more than 40 million people, with advocacy and fundraising offices in Europe and North America. Guided by its vision of Lasting Health Change in Africa, Amref's mission is to catalyse community-led, people-centred health systems and address the social determinants of health.

Amref Health Africa in Uganda has partnered with communities since the mid-1980s and set up its office in Kampala in 1987 (Plot 96, Old Kiira Road, Ntinda, Kampala). It partners closely with the Uganda Ministry of Health, Ministry of Water, Ministry of Education and Sports and corporate and non-profit organisations to improve access to health services across the country. Thematic areas in Uganda include Reproductive Maternal Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH), HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Capacity Building for Health Workers and Medical Specialist Outreach. Its approach is "African solutions for African Health challenges" — being connected through partnership, resourceful through innovative solutions and vibrant by investing in talent to achieve lasting health change.

For applicants to this role, this context is highly relevant: the position sits within Amref's long-standing SRHR and community health portfolio in Uganda, linking community empowerment to facility-based care and national health frameworks.

Job Details

Project Assistant - Youth and Community Engagement (2 positions) under the Strengthening Adolescents and Youth Rights and Empowerment Programme (Scaling impact) in Uganda's Underserved Regions (SAY Plus+) funded by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Uganda).

The SAY Plus+ programme is implemented in Bukedi (Kibuku and Butebo), Busoga (Namayingo, Namutumba, Buyende and Mayuge) with support to Jinja and Mbale Regional Referral Hospitals. It seeks to advance the rights to health of adolescents and young people (10-24 years) in underserved regions of Uganda with particular emphasis on girls, refugees, out-of-school youth / youth not in education, employment and training (NEET), persons with disabilities, women with fistula and other minorities by promoting equitable access to education, health, protection and livelihood opportunities. It builds on lessons from predecessor initiatives such as WAY, ANSWER, SAY and STOP to expand access to comprehensive SRHR services and prevent sexual and gender-based violence (GBV).

The role uses a three-pronged evidence-based approach: (1) Creating demand for SRHR/GBV/HIV/fistula services and information, (2) Building an enabling environment at community and district levels that upholds SRHR, prevents GBV and supports young people to exercise agency, and (3) Strengthening adolescent-responsive and survivor-centred SRHR, GBV and HIV service delivery through differentiated youth-responsive models at facility, community and school levels.

Job Purpose: Lead the implementation and coordination of youth and community engagement activities under Output 1 (Demand & Empowerment) of the SAY+ Programme. Ensure dissemination of gender-transformative information, empower young people (including Persons with Disabilities and Key Populations / vulnerable groups) and strengthen community-to-facility linkages for integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), HIV and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) services. Primary focus is leading demand creation for obstetric fistula interventions, from community identification, midwifery-led demand creation, referrals and linkages for surgical repairs, psychosocial rehabilitation and economic reintegration in line with national policies across two assigned target districts.

• Duty Station: Mayuge, Uganda (covering two assigned districts in Busoga/Bukedi; frequent field travel to communities, health facilities, schools and Jinja Regional Referral Hospital for repair camps)
• Employment Type: Full-time
• Reporting: Assigned supervisor (Programme management structure for SAY Plus+)
• Number of Positions: 2
• Application Method: Online via SmartRecruiters

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Execute strategies to address the reproductive health needs of young people and women of reproductive age and expand access to integrated SRHR, HIV, family planning, post-GBV care, and obstetric fistula prevention and management.
• Lead community mapping and screening initiatives through VHTs and CHWs using digital tools (eCHIS) to identify fistula and birth injury survivors.
• Coordinate mobilization, logistics, and referrals for surgical repair camps (targeting Jinja Regional Referral Hospital) and facilitate emergency obstetric care referrals.
• Establish facility and community-based psychosocial and mental health support structures for fistula survivors using the Ministry of Health (MOH) Minimum Social Integration Package.
• Link survivors to economic empowerment, livelihood skills training, and government development initiatives (such as the Parish Development Model).
• Support adoption of service delivery models (including flexible timing and integrated outreaches) to meet the unique needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Key Populations (KPs), and adolescents in hard-to-reach areas.
• Partner with youth, women and PWD-led CBOs to train youth and women leaders on interactive advocacy theater and conduct behavior-change workshops and community performances.
• Roll out midwifery-led community initiatives and scale up male involvement using the Together We Decide Plus game strategy through male champions and midwife mentors.
• Conduct orientation forums for traditional, cultural, religious, and local government leaders on fistula awareness, risk reduction, positive health-seeking behaviors, and referral pathways.
• Support implementation of community-level Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives in collaboration with the Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) officer and district teams.
• Organize multi-sectoral review meetings, conduct monitoring visits and facilitate accountability forums using social accountability scorecards with district and community leaders.
• Strengthen community-to-facility referral networks in line with Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) framework.
• Facilitate orientation on Target Population SRHR (TPSR) and joint action planning at sub-county and parish levels.
• Organize training and mentorship of community health workers (CHEWs/VHTs) on maternal health basics, fistula mapping, and digital reporting (eCHIS).
• Organize joint community, school and facility-level Values Clarification and Transformation (VCATs) orientations for teachers, Community Development Officers (CDOs), and healthcare staff.
• Participate in annual work planning, budget drafting, and target setting for the assigned districts.
• Manage field operational funds and resource allocations in strict compliance with organizational financial guidelines.
• Document best practices, case studies and routine monitoring data for internal and donor reporting.
• Perform any other assignments provided by the supervisor.

Qualifications, Skills and Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Social Work and Social Administration, Public Health, Development Studies, or a closely related field.
• Additional post-graduate qualification or diploma in Management of Reproductive Health Programs, Public Health, or Project Planning is considered a strong added advantage.
• Minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in managing and coordinating Adolescent/Youth Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) interventions, obstetric fistula programs, GBV prevention, or community engagement initiatives.
• Solid working knowledge of national Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Policies, maternal health frameworks, and community health integration strategies.
• Skills and knowledge of district health systems and national health frameworks (e.g., FP Costed Implementation Plan, Total Market Approach Strategy, Essential Maternal & Newborn Guidelines, and Fistula Prevention Strategy).
• In-depth understanding of obstetric fistula screening, identification, clinical/surgical referral pathways, and comprehensive social reintegration packages.
• Demonstrated experience in participatory community mobilization, interactive theater, and male engagement methodologies.
• Proven capacity to conduct stakeholder mapping and maintain strong working relationships with District Health Teams (DHTs), CSOs/CBOs, cultural, and religious institutions.
• Practical skill in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) methodologies, social accountability scorecards, eCHIS digital reporting, and project monitoring.
• Experience in activity-level financial planning, budget management, field resource tracking, and high-quality report writing.
• Competency in offering/coordinating counseling, psychosocial support, and referral pathways for adolescents, youth, vulnerable women and their families.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; proficiency in local languages spoken within the target sub-regions (Buyende, Mayuge, Namutumba, Namayingo) is highly desirable.
• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults; equal-opportunity employer with non-smoking environment policy. Women are encouraged to apply. Amref does not require applicants to pay money at any stage of recruitment and has not retained any agent in connection with recruitment.

Job Summary

• Job Category: Administrative
• Job Type: Full-time
• Duty Station: Mayuge, Uganda
• No of Jobs: 2
• Location pin: Mayuge, Uganda
• Deadline of this Job: 2026-09-06 (Sunday 6th September, 2026 at 23:59 EAT)
• Posted: 2 (as per source)