Project Background - Reaching Zero-Dose and Under-Immunised Children in ENB 

Routine immunisation is a life-saving public health intervention but ensuring adequate coverage in resource-limited health settings can be a challenge. Globally in 2021, 25 million children did not receive any childhood immunisation. Immunisation coverage varies widely across PNG. In addition, COVID-19 has impacted routine immunisation service delivery globally, exacerbating these issues as healthcare workers are re-deployed or fall ill, leading to reductions in routine immunisation coverage globally.   Previous research from East New Britain has identified that improved population-based planning is needed to increase immunisation coverage and strengthen healthcare delivery. The aim of this project is to identify children who have not received any routine childhood immunisations (“zero-dose”) and children who have not received all their routine childhood immunisations according to schedule (“under-immunised”) in ENB and strengthen service delivery and community uptake for routine immunisation in areas with low routine immunisation coverage. This project will build on existing partnerships developed through the Burnet’s Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies program in ENB to support the Provincial Health Authority to strengthen service delivery and community uptake for routine immunisation in areas with low routine immunisation coverage.

We are looking for a qualified and experienced professional for the following position:

Position: Project Officer (Clinical) – Zero Dose project

Employment Type: Full-time (short-term, no mobilisation)

Duration: 3 February 2025 – 30 June 2025

Location: Kokopo, East New Britain Province

Salary Banding: K40,000 – K45,000 pa

Role Purpose:

The Project Officer will assist with the implementation of the Zero Dose Project’s community sensitisation and health worker training programs. The role will be based out of the Burnet Institute’s Kokopo office but will have significant field travel to implement activities (in the following LLGs: Bitapaka, Kokopo Urban, Toma-Vunadadir, Duke of York, Inland Baining).

Reporting and supervision:

The role reports to the Project Coordinator (based in Kokopo) and will liaise closely with the Senior Research Officer (based in Australia). They will coordinate closely with the Senior Project Manager, and finance operations, and other key Burnet staff.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities: 

• Plan, coordinate and deliver immunisation awareness and sensitisation sessions with community leaders and community members as per project workplan
• Plan for and support Project Coordinator to deliver healthcare worker trainings on immunisation
• Provide technical and programmatic advice as the project progresses.
• Alert the project team to any significant delays and slow performance which require more focused attention and problem solving.
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and exchange of project lessons learned.
• Provide input to project reporting.
• Provide input into the monitoring and evaluation of the program.
• Complete all required financial and administrative documents/tasks related to travel, procurement and project delivery.
• Complete training reports following each deliverable
• Translate materials from English to Tok Pisin as needed.
• Support with design and pre-testing of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials and organise printing and shipping of these materials as needed.
• Collaborate with Burnet Institute’s GROW nutrition project as required
• Liaise with ENBPHA
• Arrange Project Advisory Panel meetings as required
• Perform other appropriate duties and responsibilities as requested by the project team or coordinator.

Challenges and Problem-Solving: 

Challenges faced by the position that the position-holder will be expected to be able to manage include: 

• Managing project planning and implementation issues and problems and anticipating and developing responses to project delays and bottlenecks.
• Managing project priorities to ensure effective implementation and to meet deadlines, including competing internal priorities to secure shared resources. 
• Building and fostering close working relationships with project partners and key stakeholders, including ward development committee members and community leaders. 
• Recognising potential and actual issues, engaging stakeholders and program partners around those issues and planning effective responses. 
• Ensuring successful implementation of the project activities according to work plans and track work plan measures and milestones. 

Essential criteria:  

• Clinical qualification and experience, such as nurse or HEO, ideally with recent clinical experience in delivering immunisation services.
• Experience facilitating education/training to community members, health care workers OR experience providing training around health-related topics
• Demonstrated experience in the implementation of immunisation or other primary healthcare programmatic and technical support to the implementation in a non-government organisation or a similar area. 
• Experience working with and providing primary healthcare programmatic support to provincial authorities or civil society organisations. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including in the areas of presentation and report writing, networking and representation of Burnet Institute in relevant forums.
• Willingness and ability to travel to field locations including overnight trips to remote LLGs (Local Level Governments) Duke of York and Inland Baining.

Core qualities:

• Excellent organisational and time management skills, including the capacity to manage concurrent priorities and meet deadlines. 
• Excellent judgement to manage and advise on sensitive issues that may involve reputational risk. 
• Ability to work well both within a team environment and autonomously. 
• Interest in advocating for improving access to immunisation and child health and wellbeing in PNG.  
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including confidence to train community members and healthcare workers, contribute to reporting, and present findings on behalf of the study
• Capacity to problem solve and raise emerging issues with the project as they present themselves to the project team

General

• Be familiar and comply with all Burnet Institute policies and procedures, including but not limited to the Employee Code of Conduct, Safeguarding Code of Conduct, and Work Health and Safety policies and procedures.
• Complete all complete Mandatory Training and Program/Role-Specific training as directed by PNG HR (Human Resources) or supervisor.
• Report all work health and safety breaches, hazards, and incidents.
• Undertake all interactions with others (including electronic communication via email and instant messaging platforms) in a respectful, professional, and courteous manner.
• Represent Burnet in a positive manner internally and externally including forums, meetings, and training.
• Ensure privacy and confidentiality are always upheld.
• Declare any conflicts of interest and ensure honesty and transparency in all actions.
• Perform other support tasks as reasonably requested by supervisor/s.

Applications close on 8^th December 2024 and can be sent by email to pngcareer@burnet.edu.au.