Position Title: District Technical Support Officer | 5 Vacancies
Reports To: Provincial Technical Support Manager
Classification Level: Coordinator / Senior Officer
Location: Various Districts in North Western
ABOUT US
Healthy Learners is an award-winning non-profit organization on a mission to transform the health and futures of children in Zambia and beyond. By partnering directly with the government and local communities, we strive to keep school children healthy, support effective learning, and build brighter futures for generations.
In low-resource settings, school-aged children face a high burden of disease and limited access to basic healthcare. These preventable health issues lead to absenteeism, hinder academic performance, and drive high dropout rates—ultimately stalling development and economic growth. At Healthy Learners, we are changing this narrative through our innovative model of school-based community health. We enable teachers to become community health workers and leverage diagnostic and data analytics technology, transforming schools into gateways to the public healthcare system. This approach ensures that more children receive the medical attention they need, improving health outcomes and reducing absenteeism.
Already reaching nearly 1 million students across 8 provinces, we're collaborating with the Zambian government to scale our program nationally to 2.5 million children by 2028. Beyond Zambia, we're poised to expand across sub-Saharan Africa, partnering with governments to replicate our success and create a sustainable solution that transforms health outcomes for millions.
WHAT WE OFFER
- Opportunity for Impact: Play a pivotal role in implementing a program that improves health outcomes for millions of schoolchildren, shaping the future of African communities.
- Competitive Compensation: Receive a competitive salary and benefits package that reflects your expertise and commitment.
- Professional Growth: Access ongoing training, leadership opportunities, and engage in innovative projects that challenge and inspire you.
- Supportive Culture: Join a passionate, dedicated team that values collaboration and mutual support, fostering an environment where all contributions are recognized.
- Networking Opportunities: Collaborate with international organizations and enhance your network and influence in the public health sector.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Healthy Learners is seeking dynamic District Technical Support Officers to provide comprehensive technical support to our partners and stakeholders on the implementation of our School Health Program across Zambia. The District Technical Support Officer plays a pivotal role in providing technical support to district administration teams, enabling them to implement the program with high quality and ensuring its continued success. Additionally, they will serve as the primary point of contact for Healthy Learners within the district, facilitating seamless communication and collaboration between the district and the organization.
The ideal candidate will have proven experience coordinating community-based health or education programs and a strong background in capacity-building, technical support, and mentorship. This individual will play a critical role in empowering district implementation teams and ensuring that the SHP becomes a sustainable and integral part of school systems.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Technical Support and Stakeholder Engagement (40%)
- Build the capacity of district-level Ministry of Health and Education teams by providing tools, skills, and knowledge to integrate the School Health Program (SHP) into the routine operations of schools and district offices.
- Strengthen leadership, oversight, and accountability within district management teams to enhance program implementation and sustainability.
- Collaborate with District School Health and Nutrition (SHN) Coordinators and Ministry of Health School Health focal point to compile monthly progress reports on school-Facility level SHP implementation.
- Provide technical assistance to district government offices to build program management capacity, cultivate champions, and engage in sub-national advocacy in coordination with the Provincial Technical Support Officer and Strategic Partnerships team.
- Liaise with district health and education officials to align SHP activities with district policies and ensure program integration.
- Foster community engagement to promote grassroots-level buy-in, ensuring SHP alignment with local communities and government partnerships.
Training and Capacity Building (20%)
- Support schools and Health Facilities in understanding and adhering to SHP standards and protocols to ensure that the quality of the program is maintained.
- Support Expansion Coordinators to conduct intro school orientation in expansion sites - tracking progress of the whole expansion process & triggering next expansion sites..
- Support the development of termly work plans with the district management to implement the school health services.
- Facilitate annual review and planning for annual joint planning and review meetings for school health activities with community stakeholders.
Monitoring and Reporting (15%)
- Prepare and submit regular reports to the District Education Board Secretariat (DEBS) and the Provincial Technical Support Manager highlighting successes, challenges, and recommendations.
- Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning team within Healthy Learners and district DEBS and DHD offices and to leverage data-driven insights for program optimization, aligning implementation strategies with findings.
- Identify opportunities for program improvement, capturing insights from field experiences, and share recommendations with the Provincial Technical Support Manager and other departments to drive the organization’s learning agenda.
Logistics and Resource Management (15%)
- Ensure timely delivery and availability of program materials and resources to schools.
- Monitor the utilization of program resources and provide guidance to optimize their use.
- Report any resource needs or gaps to the District School Health and Nutrition Program Coordinator.
- Proactively work to implement the departmental budget , create district level work plans, and provide program oversight over the SHN Officers and MoH School Health focal point, equipping them with skills needed for independent management and ongoing government engagement.
- Identify and address training needs for SHN Officers in collaboration with DEBS,DHD and Provincial Technical Support Manager to foster a high-performance culture aligned with program objectives.
ABOUT YOU
Values
You embody the qualities of being Humble, Hungry, and Smart in your leadership:
- Humble: You actively seek and embrace feedback, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. You prioritize team and organizational goals over personal recognition
- Hungry: Your drive for excellence fuels every aspect of your work, from daily operations to strategic initiatives, as you proactively seek opportunities for innovation and improvement.
- Emotional Smarts: Your emotional intelligence enables you to build strong relationships with team members and stakeholders, creating an environment where all feel valued.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Community Development, Education, Social Work, Business or a related field.
- 2+ years of experience in program implementation, community engagement, or mentorship roles, preferably in a nonprofit or educational setting.
- Experience working at the district level or with schools is an added advantage.
Skills and Competencies
- Project Management: Demonstrated experience in overseeing program operations, developing work plans, and building capacity within government and team structures.
- Leadership: Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision whilst being able to mentor and coach understudy teachers, fostering professional growth and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Skilled in building and sustaining relationships with government officials, community leaders, and other key stakeholders to ensure program alignment and sustainability.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Skilled in using data analytics to inform program improvements, guide resource allocation, and support continuous improvement.
- Financial Acumen: Experience in budget adherence and management to ensure cost-effective program delivery.
- Collaboration: Ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams, including to support cohesive planning and execution.
- Adaptability and Problem-Solving: Demonstrates resilience and adaptability in changing environments, with a solutions-oriented mindset to overcome challenges.
- Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to represent the organization effectively in various forums and public meetings.
- Work Ethic and Integrity: Displays a strong work ethic and commitment to maintaining high standards across all program aspects. Takes initiative, models accountability, and promotes a culture of humble, hungry and emotional intelligence within the team.
- Mission-Driven and Results-Oriented: Deep commitment to Healthy Learners’ mission, with a results-oriented approach that prioritizes achieving impact.
- Willingness to ride a motorcycle is required
