Community Health Officer

The Community Health Officer supports community-based health activities related to Global Health Security, Community Based Surveillance, Immunization, Polio Eradication, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, and Health Promotion. The role involves working closely with communities, volunteers, health facilities, and local stakeholders to strengthen service utilization, disease surveillance, outbreak preparedness, and referral systems.

Responsibilities

• Conduct community awareness sessions and health education activities on immunization, maternal and child health, nutrition, hygiene promotion, communicable diseases, and outbreak prevention.
• Mobilize community members to access routine health services, outreach clinics, immunization campaigns, and emergency health interventions.
• Work with community leaders, volunteers, village committees, and local stakeholders to promote healthy behavior and improve access to health services.
• Support identification and follow-up of under-immunized children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable groups.
• Distribute and promote the use of approved health education and IEC materials.
• Collect community feedback and concerns and report them to the Senior Project Officer.
• Support implementation of Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) activities in assigned communities.
• Assist community volunteers and key informants in identifying and reporting priority diseases, unusual health events, and public health threats.
• Verify surveillance alerts through field visits and timely reporting to supervisors.
• Maintain surveillance records and ensure accurate documentation of alerts, referrals, and follow-up actions.
• Support outbreak investigation, risk communication, community engagement, and emergency response activities as assigned.
• Assist with specimen transportation and referral processes according to established procedures.
• Conduct community mobilization activities to improve routine immunization uptake.
• Support implementation of vaccination outreach sessions, campaigns, and Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs).
• Identify and follow up on missed children, zero-dose children, and defaulters in collaboration with health workers and volunteers.
• Promote awareness of vaccine-preventable diseases and address common misconceptions through approved health messages.
• Support Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance and community-based polio eradication activities.
• Assist health facilities and outreach teams in community mapping and beneficiary tracking.
• Conduct health education sessions on antenatal care, postnatal care, newborn care, nutrition, breastfeeding, and child health.
• Support community outreach activities and health campaigns targeting women and children.
• Identify and refer pregnant women, newborns, malnourished children, and sick children to appropriate health facilities.
• Follow up referred cases to ensure services are received and barriers are addressed.
• Support health facilities and outreach teams during MNCH service delivery activities.
• Support training and orientation sessions for community volunteers and community health workers.
• Assist healthcare providers and community health workers in promoting compliance with IPC protocols, waste management procedures, and infection prevention practices
• Provide day-to-day guidance and support to volunteers during implementation of community activities.
• Assist in mentoring and monitoring volunteer performance in collaboration with the Senior Project Officer.
• Maintain records of volunteer activities, meetings, and training events.
• Collect, compile, and submit activity data and reports on a timely basis.
• Maintain beneficiary records, referral registers, surveillance records, and activity documentation.
• Conduct routine data verification and support data quality improvement activities.
• Participate in assessments, surveys, monitoring visits, and review meetings.
• Support preparation of weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports.
• Coordinate regularly with community leaders, volunteers, healthcare workers, and local stakeholders to support project implementation.
• Participate in community meetings, coordination meetings, and project review sessions as assigned.
• Work closely with IRC Health, MEAL, logistics, and Supply Chain teams to facilitate smooth implementation of activities.
• Report implementation challenges, community concerns, and emerging public health issues to the supervisor.
• Adherent to IRC Code of Conduct, Safeguarding Policy, PSEA Policy, Child Safeguarding Policy, and Security Protocols.
• Maintain confidentiality and always protect sensitive beneficiary information.
• Promote accountability to affected populations and support community feedback mechanisms.
• Ensure that all activities are implemented in accordance with humanitarian principles.
• Report safeguarding concerns, security incidents, and programmatic risks through appropriate channels.
• Remain flexible and perform additional duties as assigned by the supervisor to support achievement of project objectives.
• Support emergency response activities and surge interventions when required.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Community Health, Nursing, Midwifery, or related field.
• Minimum 2-3 years of relevant experience in community health, immunization, disease surveillance, MNCH or humanitarian health programs.
• Ability to work well in a team.
• Ability to work in difficult situations with flexibility.
• Ability to travel and work long continuous days in remote IDP camps and villages.
• Good communication skills and experience in community facilitation.
• Skilled facilitator, educator and trainer.
• Prefer advanced computer skills to use Microsoft Word, Excel, and data collection tools.
• Good in read, write and communicate in English language.
• Good at speaking and understanding local dialects.

Skills

• Community Health
• Vaccination Programs
• Disease Surveillance
• Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child Health
• Humanitarian Health
• Community Facilitation
• Health Promotion
• Training and Education
• Data Collection Tools
• MS Word
• MS Excel
• Community Surveillance
• Disease Outbreak Preparedness
• Referral Systems Knowledge
• Volunteer Coordination

Languages

English