Vaga – Assistant, Project

Childfund Work Location Nampula, Mozambique

Childfund Division Global Impact

ChildFund Department Country Management

Job Details Position Title: Project Assistant

Location: Nampula, with frequent travel to project sites in Nacala Porto and Ilha de Moçambique

ChildFund Office: Mozambique

Reports To: Program and Sponsorship Coordinator

Position Type: Full-time, Fixed-term (21 months)

Work Environment: Field-based with frequent travel to project communities (approximately 60% fieldwork, 40% office)

Grade: 3

About ChildFund ChildFund is a child-focused international development organization that works in 23 countries to connect children with the people, resources and institutions they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe, no matter where they are. ChildFund implements its programs through Local Partners, strengthening their capacity to deliver quality services and ensuring community ownership and sustainability.

ChildFund’s Values We aspire for every person in our organization—program participants, supporters, staff, and volunteers alike—to feel free, safe, and confident to be themselves. In our culture of connection, you will have ample opportunity to grow, learn, and lead while contributing your talents and innovations to our inspiring mission.

ChildFund’s Commitment ChildFund International has a zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) and all other forms of harm by its staff, partners, and other representatives in the delivery of its mission and services for children. ChildFund is committed to creating a safe environment in the workplace as well as in the communities where it delivers programs and services. ChildFund expects every staff member, partner, and representative to adhere to this commitment and to ensure all organizational policies and standards are followed. This position is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal records check and/or disclosure to ensure program participants are safeguarded.

About This Role The Project Assistant will provide field-level support to the implementation of the MUAVULUXE Project—a 24-month maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) initiative funded by the La Caixa Foundation and implemented in Nacala Porto and Ilha de Moçambique districts of Nampula Province. Based in Nampula with frequent travel to project communities, the Project Assistant will work closely with consortium partners (EHALE, ELOS, and FAMED/UEM), district health authorities, and community structures to support project activities, with a primary focus on Output 3: Strengthening Policy Dialogue and Community Health Data Use. Working under the supervision of the Program Manager, the Project Assistant will support community engagement, policy dialogue, and social accountability activities, including the reactivation of multisectoral district-level forums, facilitate community participation in health governance through participatory action groups, promote the use of community scorecards, and coordinate Dialogue Days and community-district engagement platforms to strengthen accountability in maternal and child health service delivery.

Primary Responsibilities Multisectoral Coordination and Policy Dialogue

• Support the reactivation and institutionalization of multisectoral district-level forums and technical working groups (TWGs) on maternal and child health in Nacala Porto and Ilha de Moçambique.
• Assist in organizing and facilitating coordination meetings between district health authorities, community leaders, civil society organizations, and consortium partners.
• Provide logistical and administrative support for annual multisectoral reviews of maternal and child health data.
• Help build and maintain relationships with District Health Services (SDSMAS), Provincial Health Directorate, and MISAU representatives.
• Assist in documenting community-generated evidence and contributing to policy recommendations and district-level action plans.

Community Mobilization and Participatory Action

• Support the strengthening of community participation in local health governance through training and formation of participatory action groups in target communities.
• Assist in identifying, mapping, and engaging existing community structures including village health committees, community health agents (APEs), savings groups, and women’s groups.
• Help organize and deliver capacity-building activities for community leaders and health committees on health governance, data use, and advocacy.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of maternal and child emergency savings groups to enhance household financial resilience.

Social Accountability and Data Use

• Assist in promoting the routine use of participatory data collection and feedback tools, including community scorecards and community reports, to inform service delivery improvements.
• Help train community members, health committees, and facility staff on scorecard methodology, data collection, and interpretation.
• Support structured feedback loops between communities and health facilities to address service delivery gaps identified through scorecards.
• Assist in ensuring community feedback is systematically documented and shared with district health planning processes.

Dialogue Days and Communication

• Assist in planning and facilitating Dialogue Days that bring together community members, health workers, and district authorities to discuss maternal and child health issues.
• Support the development and dissemination of health messaging through community radio broadcasts and digital platforms.
• Help document and publicize project results and community success stories to drive accountability and inspire broader adoption.
• Ensure all communication materials are culturally appropriate, gender-sensitive, and accessible to diverse community members.

Coordination, Monitoring, Learning and Reporting

• Coordinate with consortium partners (EHALE, ELOS, FAMED/UEM) to ensure alignment of community engagement activities with other project outputs.
• Collect, compile, and report on Output 3 indicators, ensuring timely and accurate data for donor reporting requirements.
• Contribute to semi-annual narrative reports, annual reviews, and other donor deliverables as required by La Caixa Foundation.
• Participate in consortium coordination meetings, Steering Committee meetings, and joint field supervision visits.
• Support reflection meetings and learning reviews to assess progress, identify challenges, and inform adaptive programming.
• Document lessons learned and adaptive actions, and contribute to improving community engagement approaches based on feedback from communities and stakeholders.
• Support the use of monitoring data and community feedback to inform adaptive management decisions and continuous improvement of project strategies.

Safeguarding

• Uphold ChildFund’s Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct at all times.
• Support consortium partners in understanding and implementing safeguarding and PSEA standards in their day-to-day activities.
• Monitor compliance with safeguarding standards during field visits and flag concerns to supervisor.
• Report any safeguarding concerns or incidents immediately to the Program Manager in accordance with organizational policies.

Cross-Cutting Themes

• Promote and integrate Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles across all community engagement and project activities, ensuring equitable participation of women, adolescents, and marginalized groups.
• Support the collection and use of sex- and age-disaggregated data to track gender-responsive outcomes and inform evidence-based programming.
• Contribute to environmental mitigation and monitoring efforts, ensuring project activities comply with environmental safeguards and “do no harm” principles.
• Support the mainstreaming of disability inclusion, equity, and diversity (EDI) considerations across community engagement strategies and project implementation.

Required Experience and Education

• Technical diploma in Public Health, Social Sciences, Community Development, Health Promotion, or a related field. Bachelor’s degree is an advantage.
• Minimum of 1–3 years of professional experience in community engagement, health promotion, social mobilization, or advocacy programming, preferably in maternal and child health or related sectors.
• Experience supporting coordination meetings, community dialogues, or participatory planning processes with government and civil society stakeholders.
• Familiarity with social accountability tools such as community scorecards, citizen report cards, or participatory monitoring approaches is desirable.
• Prior experience working in Nampula Province or northern Mozambique is highly desirable.
• Experience working with NGOs, community-based organizations, or donor-funded health programs is an advantage.
• At least 2 years of motorcycle riding experience with a valid riding permit.

Required Competencies

• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to build trust and rapport with community members, traditional leaders, health workers, and government officials.
• Good facilitation and communication skills, with ability to support community dialogues, workshops, and meetings.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in Portuguese; proficiency in local languages (Emakhuwa, Maconde) is highly desirable; working knowledge of English is an advantage.
• Basic proficiency in computer applications (Microsoft Office, data collection tools such as KoBoToolbox or ODK).
• Ability to work in remote field locations while maintaining regular communication with supervisor.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in documentation and reporting.
• Commitment to gender equality, social inclusion, and community empowerment approaches.
• Willingness to travel frequently to project communities in Nacala Porto and Ilha de Moçambique districts.

ChildFund’s Core Competencies

• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with consortium partners, community members, and government stakeholders. Contributes to a supportive team environment.

Communication: Communicates clearly and respectfully with community members and partners at all levels. Facilitates constructive dialogue effectively.

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