Priority Populations Lead

Job Title: Priority Populations Lead

Location: Lusaka

Reports to: Technical Advisor

Background:

Coalition Health Zambia (CHZ) is a Zambian organization working to improve health outcomes through health systems strengthening, technical assistance, service delivery, community engagement, capacity building, partnerships and innovation. CHZ collaborates with the Ministry of Health, development partners, civil society organizations, communities and other stakeholders to implement sustainable health interventions to improve individuals and communities' health in Zambia and the region.

In partnership with the CIDRZ led Controlling HIV Epidemic Project (CHEP), CHZ is implementing Coordinated, Community-led Demand Creation for PrEP in 16 districts across 6 provinces. The goal is to increase awareness, informed decision-making, and uptake of PrEP including Lenacapavir (LEN) as part of Zambia’s combination HIV prevention package through coordinated Social and Behavior Change (SBC) interventions and community mobilization among priority populations the high burden districts. CHZ will work closely with the Ministry of Health (MoH), National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council (NAC), the Provincial Health Offices, District Health Offices, community structures and other key stakeholders in implementing this activity.

Position Summary

The Priority Populations Lead will provide technical and coordination leadership to ensure programme interventions effectively reach adolescents, young people, AGYW, ABYM, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and other priority populations. The role will support the design and implementation of tailored, inclusive, and community-led approaches that address barriers to service access, strengthen demand creation, and promote effective linkages between communities and health facilities. The position will work closely with the Ministry of Health, particularly at provincial and district levels, CIDRZ, and other key stakeholders to strengthen coordination, programme implementation, government ownership, and sustainability of priority populations interventions.

Key Responsibilities

Targeted Strategy Development

· Support the design and adaptation of age- and gender-responsive strategies for adolescents, young people, and other priority populations.

· Ensure interventions address social, structural, and contextual barriers and promote informed decision-making.

· Support the integration of tailored approaches into the overall SBC strategy.

 Community Engagement & Demand Creation

· Guide implementation of community-led approaches, including peer educators, youth champions, mentor mothers, and community-based volunteers.

· Support community dialogues, youth engagement platforms, small group sessions, and interpersonal communication.

· Strengthen community ownership and participation in demand creation activities.

Strengthening Community & Facility Linkages

· Strengthen community systems, including CBOs, networks, and peer groups, to support referrals, follow-up, and sustained demand creation.

· Support effective linkages between community platforms, health facilities, and district health teams.

· Promote inclusive, client-centred, and youth-responsive approaches to service access and uptake.

Ministry of Health, CIDRZ & Stakeholder Coordination

· Coordinate with the Ministry of Health, particularly Provincial and District Health Offices, to align programme implementation with government priorities and health systems.

· Collaborate with CIDRZ and other key stakeholders on joint planning, implementation, monitoring, and review of priority populations interventions.

· Facilitate coordination between CHZ, MoH structures, CIDRZ, health facilities, and community platforms to strengthen referrals and service linkages.

· Participate in coordination meetings, technical discussions, and joint reviews to address implementation challenges and harmonize activities.

· Strengthen partnerships, information sharing, and stakeholder engagement to support programme quality, government ownership, and sustainability.

Learning, Feedback & Adaptation

· Support the collection and use of community feedback, programme insights, and emerging evidence to improve interventions.

· Contribute to rapid needs assessments, learning agenda implementation, and adaptive programming.

· Document best practices, lessons learned, and recommendations to inform programme improvement and knowledge sharing.

Qualifications & Experience

· Master's degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field.

· Minimum 7 years of experience in public health, HIV prevention, community programming, or related areas.

· Strong experience working with adolescents, young people, priority populations, and community systems.

· Experience in SBC, youth engagement, gender-responsive programming, and stakeholder coordination.

· Demonstrated experience working with the Ministry of Health, provincial and other key stakeholders at national, provincial, district, facility and community levels.

· Strong understanding of adolescent and other priority populations programming.

· Strong government and partner coordination skills, including collaboration with MoH and other stakeholders.

· Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills.

· Ability to design inclusive, context-specific, and community-led interventions.

· Strong analytical, problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptive management skills.

· Understanding of health systems, community structures, and service delivery linkages.

· Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% of the time to supported provinces, districts and programme implementation sites.

Apply via the link below;

https://forms.gle/FVvv8i6G8PoLvX978

Application deadline: 06 October, 2026