Community Health and Surveillance Officer

About the Organization

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian organization founded in 1933 to respond to the world's most severe crises. Operating in over 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities, IRC focuses on restoring health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and empowerment to populations affected by conflict and disasters. IRC's dedicated team delivers impactful interventions to restore dignity and hope to millions of people worldwide.

Context of Role

Following the May 15 declaration of the Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak affecting Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in border regions including Uganda’s West Nile, IRC is supporting Uganda’s national response. Collaborating closely with the Ministry of Health, district governments, UN agencies, and humanitarian partners, IRC is advancing emergency measures including leadership coordination, case management, infection prevention and control (IPC), surveillance, risk communication, and community engagement (RCCE) among other health priorities.

Job Overview

The Community Health and Surveillance Officer will support Ebola response efforts and broader epidemic preparedness and response (EPR) activities across IRC-supported refugee settlements, transit centers, and host districts. Reporting to the Public Health and EPR Manager, the officer will contribute to community and health facility surveillance, outbreak preparedness, RCCE, IPC, health workforce capacity strengthening, and coordination with stakeholders at district and community levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of integrated community health and epidemic preparedness programs focusing primarily on Ebola response within refugee and host communities.
• Coordinate community disease surveillance, alert reporting, RCCE, screening, and referral in collaboration with health facilities, Village Health Teams (VHTs), Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), and District Health Teams (DHTs).
• Ensure timely detection, verification, documentation, and reporting of suspect Ebola and other epidemic-related cases according to Ministry of Health and district protocols.
• Facilitate household-level Ebola sensitization, RCCE activities, screening support, and referral follow-up.
• Reinforce community and facility-based surveillance systems by leveraging existing local health structures to promote early detection and response.
• Support outbreak screening, alert management, referral, and other public health interventions during emergencies.
• Help implement RCCE initiatives with VHTs to encourage disease prevention, early health-seeking behaviors, community involvement, and misinformation management.
• Assist in applying IPC measures within health facilities and community settings to reduce transmission risks.
• Provide technical assistance to local health workers and community health structures to enhance district-level emergency preparedness and response.
• Strengthen and coordinate community health groups, including volunteers, youth, and refugee networks, to advance surveillance, early detection, and service delivery amidst outbreaks.
• Conduct training, mentorship, supervision, and performance monitoring for community teams on epidemic surveillance, referrals, RCCE, IPC, safeguarding, and protection mainstreaming.
• Support development of sustainable referral pathways connecting community and health facilities ensuring ongoing access to essential health and protection services including SRHR, GBV, child protection, and mental health care.
• Lead community dialogues and awareness campaigns to promote health-seeking, outbreak preparedness, trust-building, and address rumors, stigma, and misinformation.
• Implement inclusive strategies to ensure meaningful participation of vulnerable groups such as women, adolescents, persons with disabilities, and older persons in epidemic responses and community health programs.
• Engage actively in district and settlement coordination meetings, technical working groups, and health sector forums.
• Maintain strong partnerships with District Health Teams, Ministry of Health, Office of the Prime Minister, partners, refugee leadership, and community stakeholders.
• Facilitate coordination between community and facility health services to enhance continuity of care and expedite referrals.
• Participate in joint supervision, assessments, outbreak preparedness simulations, and evaluations with district and partners.
• Collect, validate, analyze, and report community health and surveillance data using approved IRC and Ministry of Health tools.
• Maintain accurate records on community interventions, referrals, alerts, trainings, supervision, and outbreak responses.
• Engage in data quality improvement and ensure confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Support monitoring of community health workplans, indicator tracking, and activity reviews.
• Manage community feedback mechanisms including receiving and following up on client feedback.
• Integrate safeguarding, protection, confidentiality, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) principles into all activities and report concerns in line with IRC policies.
• Promote safe, inclusive, and dignified program implementation.
• Perform other tasks as assigned by supervisors to advance IRC programs.

Qualifications

Minimum:

• Degree in a health-related field plus a master’s degree in public health with strong background in primary health care and management experience.
• At least 3 years of NGO health program implementation and management experience, preferably in humanitarian or emergency contexts.
• Ability to navigate cultural and political environments effectively and collaborate with local health authorities.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams in cross-cultural settings.
• Proven skills in capacity building and mentoring staff.
• Experience in grant management and proposal development.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong teamwork, interpersonal skills, and ability to perform well under pressure with patience and diplomacy.
• Adaptability, innovation, and flexibility in challenging environments.
• Willingness to work in difficult and high-pressure conditions.
• Fluency in English is required.

Desirable:

• Experience conducting situational analyses and health needs assessments.

Professional Standards

IRC employees are expected to adhere to the core values of integrity, service, equality, and accountability as outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. The organization is committed to safeguarding, preventing conflicts of interest, ensuring fiscal integrity, and protecting whistleblowers and vulnerable populations. IRC fosters a culture of critical reflection, shared power, and objectivity to provide the highest quality services.