The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Since the declaration of an outbreak of Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) on 15 May in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a significant public health threat has emerged in cross-border regions, including West Nile Uganda. The IRC is supporting the Government of Uganda's response to this outbreak. Working closely with the Ministry of Health, District Local Governments, UN agencies, and humanitarian partners, the IRC is implementing emergency interventions to strengthen leadership and coordination, case management, infection prevention and control (IPC), surveillance, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), and continuity of essential health services in affected and high-risk districts.

Job Overview

The Community Health and Surveillance Officer will support the implementation of Ebola response and broader epidemic preparedness and response (EPR) activities across IRC-supported refugee settlements, reception centres, transit centres, and refugee-hosting districts. Reporting to the Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response (EPR) Manager, the officer will support community and health facility surveillance, outbreak preparedness and response, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), infection prevention and control (IPC), health worker capacity strengthening, and coordination with district and community stakeholders.

Working closely with the Ministry of Health (MoH), District Health Teams (DHTs), health facilities, Village Health Teams (VHTs), Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), refugee leadership structures, and consortium partners, the officer will contribute to strengthening early detection, reporting, preparedness, and response to Ebola and other epidemic-prone diseases among refugee and host populations.

Position Objectives

To contribute to reducing the risk and impact of Ebola and other epidemic-prone diseases by strengthening community- and facility-based surveillance, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), and preparedness and response systems to enable early detection, timely action, and effective outbreak control.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

Technical Program Implementation

  • Support implementation of integrated community health and epidemic preparedness and response (EPR) activities, with a focus on the current Ebola response, across refugee and host communities in line with project work plans and technical guidance.
  • Coordinate community-based disease surveillance, alert reporting, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), screening, and referral activities for the current Ebola response and other epidemic-prone diseases in collaboration with health facilities, VHTs, CHEWs, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), and District Health Teams (DHTs).
  • Support timely identification, verification, documentation, and reporting of suspected Ebola cases and other epidemic-prone diseases and public health events in line with MoH and district surveillance protocols.
  • Facilitate implementation of community-level epidemic prevention and response interventions, including Ebola-specific household sensitization, RCCE campaigns, screening support, and referral follow-up.
  • Strengthen community- and health facility-based surveillance systems through existing district and community health structures to improve early detection, reporting, referral, and response to Ebola and other epidemic-prone diseases.
  • Support implementation of screening, alert management, referral, and other public health response activities during outbreaks and public health emergencies.
  • Support the VHTs in the implementation of RCCE interventions to promote disease prevention, early health-seeking behaviours, community participation, and management of rumours and misinformation.
  • Support implementation of IPC interventions in health facilities and communities to strengthen adherence to national IPC standards and reduce the risk of disease transmission.
  • Provide technical support to health facilities, Village Health Teams (VHTs), Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), surveillance focal persons, and other community health structures to strengthen district preparedness and response capacity.

Community Systems Strengthening

  • Strengthen and coordinate community health structures, including VHTs, CHEWs, refugee community volunteers, youth groups, and community networks, to enhance community engagement, disease surveillance, early detection, and service delivery during the current Ebola response and other public health emergencies.
  • Build the capacity of community structures through training, mentorship, supportive supervision, and routine performance monitoring on Ebola and other epidemic-prone disease surveillance, referrals, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), infection prevention and control (IPC), safeguarding, and protection mainstreaming.
  • Support the establishment and strengthening of sustainable community-to-facility referral pathways for suspected Ebola cases and other epidemic-prone diseases, while ensuring continued access to essential health, protection, SRHR, GBV, child protection, mental health, and other lifesaving services.
  • Facilitate community dialogues, awareness campaigns, and engagement sessions to promote early health-seeking behaviour, Ebola prevention, outbreak preparedness, community trust, and social cohesion, while addressing rumours, misinformation, and stigma.
  • Support the implementation of inclusive, community-led approaches that ensure the meaningful participation of women, adolescents, persons with disabilities, older persons, refugees, and other vulnerable groups in Ebola preparedness and response and broader community health interventions.

Coordination & Representation

  • Participate in district and settlement-level coordination meetings, technical working groups, and health sector engagements as delegated.
  • Maintain close collaboration with District Health Teams (DHTs), Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), MoH structures, partner agencies, refugee leadership, and community stakeholders.
  • Support integrated coordination between community and facility-based health services to improve continuity of care and timely referrals.
  • Participate in joint support supervision, assessments, simulation exercises, and outbreak preparedness activities with district and partner teams

Monitoring and Evaluation

  • Support collection, verification, analysis, and timely reporting of community health and surveillance data using approved MoH and IRC tools and platforms.
  • Maintain accurate records of community activities, referrals, alerts, trainings, supervision visits, and outbreak response interventions.
  • Participate in routine data quality improvement processes and ensure confidentiality and safe management of sensitive information.
  • Contribute to development and monitoring of community health work plans, indicator tracking, and activity progress reviews.
  • Support community feedback and accountability mechanisms, including client feedback collection and response follow-up.

Duties

  • Ensure safeguarding, PSEA, confidentiality, and protection principles are integrated into all program activities.
  • Promote inclusive, safe, and dignified programming.
  • Report safeguarding concerns in accordance with IRC policies.
  • Any other duties assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

 

Minimum Qualifications

  • Health professional: Degree in health-related discipline + master’s degree in public health, with strong primary health care background and strong management experience.
  • At least 3 years’ experience in implementing and managing NGO health programs, preferably in complex humanitarian and/or emergency settings.
  • Ability and flexibility to understand the cultural and political environment and to work well with the local health representatives.
  • Previous experience supervising and managing a multi-disciplinary team in a cross-cultural setting
  • Demonstrated experience in capacity building and mentoring of staff
  • Demonstrated experience in grant management and proposal writing
  • Excellent computer skills in programs such as: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
  • Must be a team player with excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work under pressure in a stressful environment, displaying patience, compassion and diplomacy.
  • Ability to be innovative, flexible, and adaptive.
  • Ability to live in challenging conditions and ability to work under difficult, high-pressure situations.  
  • Fluency in English is required.

Desirable Qualifications

  • Experience with situation analysis and health needs assessments.

NB: This advert will close on 15-Jul-26

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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