Job Summary
- Type: full-time
- Location: Harare
- Category: Public Health
- Closing Date: 2026-09-03
Key Responsibilities
- Lead Programme planning and budgeting for the key populations programme and subsequent review and monitoring of implementation according to the M & E plan within their region and feeding into the overall national programme
- Participate in the formulation, review and update of departmental strategic plan in liaison with the Program Director
- Identifying and responding to emerging community issues in HIV/AIDS awareness and linkage to care through the development of innovative outreach, health education and promotion, and community capacity building and development within the programme
- Maintaining a strong relationship with funding partners and stakeholders in the region with good communication and liaison efforts including attending monthly, quarterly and adhoc meetings as called for by funding partners
- Conducting expenditure tracking to identify budget variances, identify savings and priorities use of savings
- Reviewing and maintaining a calendar of outreach activities at district and provincial level, including community and partner events, meetings and forums and other communication opportunities ensuring adequate representation in these spaces
- Planning trainings and workshops and ensuring they are conducted according to manuals and guidelines with proceedings documented.
- Participate and support the Program Director in resource mobilization, proposal development and alignment of project implementation according to funder regulations
- Overseeing implementation of community empowerment and mobilisation activities and self-help groups or safety networks in in their respective geographies
- Lead the implementation of the PACE/ research related interventions in their regions, including STI-PEP, strengthening of the Friendship bench, use of HIV prevention animations and VimbAI
- Oversee human-in-the-loop (HITL) functions for the already developed VimbAI capabilities, including data labelling, review, quality control and oversight
- Oversee demand creation and public engagement of VimbAI
- Lead the mapping process to identify facilities to pilot the integration of the Key Populations programme in the public sector in Gweru
- Maintaining up-to-date and complete register/database of all peer educators and micro-planners within the programme
- Ensuring all peer educators and micro-planners are paid on time for documented performance
- Monitoring community-based activities, identifying gaps in meeting health and communication needs and developing proposals for addressing these on an ongoing basis
- Overseeing outreach activities within the assigned project sites in liaison with site leaders and other coordinators
- Organising and supervising training, motivation and support of peer educators and micro-planners
- Working with the outreach and community mobilisation teams to ensure they achieve their respective targets (daily, monthly, quarterly and annually) and providing tailored support to sites struggling to reach their targets
- Establish monthly meetings between sites and the head office to ensure that lessons learned are quickly cascaded across sites
- Holding monthly progress analysis meeting with outreach staff and providing timely constructive feedback to improve the quality of field activities, analysis of gaps and follow-ups
- Conducting quarterly meetings with peer educators and micro-planners to identify challenges and trouble shoot these as they arise
- Overseeing the development, translation and distribution of outreach material
- Nurturing new and old relationships with collaborative partners
- Ensuring that referrals and follow ups are done in collaboration with public health facilities, other service providers and partners, government departments and that these are properly documented
- Establishing and maintaining contacts (linkages) with all levels of the National AIDS Council, Ministry of Health and Child Care and other partners to leverage resources
- Overseeing the holding of planned and ad-hoc stakeholder meetings in all districts of operation and ensuring that Memorandum of Understanding are renewed on time and kept up to date
- Lead stakeholder engagement to ensure visibility and comprehensive stakeholder buy-in from project inception, implementation, monitoring, reporting and eventual close-out
- Contributing to the key populations programme’s capacity to document, disseminate and learn from its work
- Reporting to funders on programme indicators and progress and ensuring all reports are submitted as per contracted deadlines
- Preparing weekly and monthly narrative programme reports
- Documenting success stories and case studies systematically
- Developing and maintaining the data bank and photo gallery of the programme’s activities
- Disseminating findings on programme progress to various stakeholders at community, national, regional and international levels
- Contribute to the development and review of program instruments, including training manuals and data collection tools
Requirements
- A BSc/BA in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Social Work An MSc in Social work, Public Health or a related discipline will be an added advantage
- At least 3 years’ experience coordinating HIV or health related programmes regionally with some experience at national level;
- Experience with meeting donor reporting requirements including GFATM, Gates Foundation
- Experience in capacity building initiatives, training and facilitation
- Experience working with vulnerable and key populations
- Knowledge of the HIV landscape in Zimbabwe including good knowledge of partners
- Experience in successfully implementing quality assurance, monitoring, evaluation and learning
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to represent CeSHHAR at national, regional and international fora
- Ability to handle conflict within groups and communities
- Fluency in written and spoken English, Shona and/or Ndebele
How to Apply
About the Company
CeSHHAR Zimbabwe, formally known as the Centre for Sexual Health, HIV and AIDS Research Zimbabwe, operates within the country. This organization is dedicated to advancing public health outcomes through focused research in sexual health, HIV, and AIDS. Its mission extends to promoting health and wellbeing for all individuals across Africa and beyond, with a critical operational base in Zimbabwe. The centre's work contributes significantly to understanding and addressing these health challenges directly impacting Zimbabwean communities. Through its research initiatives, CeSHHAR Zimbabwe plays a crucial role in improving health services and policies in the region.
Health and wellbeing for all in Africa and beyond
Website: https://ceshhar.org/
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications and certifications are typically required for the Regional Coordinator–Key Populations role in Zimbabwe?
A bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Nursing, or a related field is usually required; a postgraduate qualification (e.g., Master’s in Public Health or HIV/AIDS programming) is often preferred. Relevant certifications such as WHO/UNAIDS training on key populations, PEPFAR-supported modules, or Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) endorsed community health facilitator certificates strengthen applications.
What does a typical day look like for this role in Zimbabwe’s Central Region?
Daily tasks include coordinating outreach to sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs across provinces like Midlands and parts of Mashonaland East; facilitating community-led monitoring, supporting facility linkages, and reporting to MOHCC and implementing partners. Field visits, stakeholder meetings with local health authorities, and mentoring peer educators form the core of weekly activities, often requiring travel within the region using public or project transport.
How does Zimbabwe’s local work culture influence expectations for this role?
Respect for hierarchy and formal communication with district health directors and traditional leaders is essential; punctuality, relationship-building through face-to-face engagement, and cultural sensitivity—especially around stigma and gender norms—are highly valued. Teamwork is prioritised over individual initiative, and decisions often involve consultation with community advisory boards and MOHCC provincial offices before implementation.
What realistic career progression paths exist after holding this position in Zimbabwe’s public health sector?
Successful coordinators often advance to national-level technical roles (e.g., Key Populations Advisor at MOHCC or UNAIDS Zimbabwe), lead larger consortiums (e.g., as Project Director for USAID- or Global Fund–funded programmes), or transition into policy advocacy with Zimbabwean NGOs like GALZ or Tariro Trust. Some pursue further study supported by scholarships from ZIMPHIA or the Zimbabwe National AIDS Council (ZINAC).
What benefits are typically offered for this role by employers in Zimbabwe, such as CeSHHAR or similar implementing partners?
Standard benefits include 30 days annual leave, full medical aid coverage (often through a local provider like NELSON or MEDI-AID), and mandatory NSSA pension contributions. Some employers offer additional allowances for fieldwork, mobile airtime, and professional development support—though these vary by funding cycle and donor requirements.
How should I apply, and what do Zimbabwean employers specifically look for in candidates for this role?
Applications are usually submitted via email or online portals with a CV, cover letter, and certified academic/professional certificates; shortlisted candidates undergo competency-based interviews with MOHCC representatives and community stakeholders. Employers prioritise demonstrated experience working with key populations in Zimbabwean settings, fluency in Shona and English, familiarity with national HIV strategic plans (e.g., Zimbabwe National HIV & AIDS Strategic Plan 2021–2026), and evidence of ethical, non-stigmatising practice.