Position Purpose

The Community Liaison Officer (C.L.O.) will serve as the primary implementation link between BAMA Foundation and the communities in the assigned region. Operating within a District-Led Programming framework, this role is critical for driving demand generation and ensuring community ownership of project interventions. The CLO will work directly with and through government community structures—including District and Sub-County Community Development Officers, District Health Educators, Health Assistants, Village Health Teams (VHTs), and Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs)—to implement all community-level activities. These include integrated community outreaches, dialogues, the "Boda for Mothers" transport co-pay system, and the institutionalization Saving For Health through existing Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). The ultimate goal is to address Delay 1 (delay in deciding to seek care) and strengthen the community-health facility bridge to ensure pregnant women and newborns can access timely, life-saving care.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

a) District-Led Community Engagement and Mobilization

• Serve as BAMA’s primary field-based liaison, working under the guidance and within the plans of the District Community Development Officer (DCDO) and District Health Team to implement all community health interventions.
• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with mandated community structures: Village Health Teams (VHTs), Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), Health Assistants, and local council officials.
• Jointly plan and execute with District and Sub-county Community Development Officers and Health Educators to conduct community dialogues, integrated outreaches, and sensitization campaigns targeting villages with low ANC coverage and institutional delivery rates.
• Mobilize and support Mama and Papa Ambassadors (drawn from existing VHTs/CHEWs) to lead home visits, peer education, and birth preparedness planning.

b) Implementation of Demand Generation and Financial Models

• Lead the community-level rollout and sensitization for the "Boda for Mothers" direct co-payment voucher system, explaining the linkage between ANC attendance and guaranteed transport, in collaboration with health facilities and transport associations.
• Institutionalize the "Saving for Health" model by profiling, training, and providing ongoing mentorship to Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), ensuring their integration into the digital health wallet system for emergency transport.
• Support Health Assistants and Health Educators in tracking door-to-door registration of pregnant women onto the FamilyConnect SMS platform by VHTs and CHEWs and in promoting its use for health information and reminders.

c) Strengthening Community-Health Facility Linkages and Referral Systems

• Facilitate regular interface meetings between VHTs, community leaders, and health facility staff to improve mutual understanding, trust, and the functioning of referral feedback loops.
• Work with Health Assistants to strengthen the "Hospital to Home" model, ensuring seamless follow-up of mothers and newborns post-discharge.
• Support communities and VHTs in the active use of the Mama Rescue platform to request emergency transport, acting as a troubleshooter and promoter at the grassroots level.

d) Capacity Building, Mentorship, and Stakeholder Coordination

• Build the capacity of government community resource persons through training, mentorship, and joint supportive supervision alongside Sub-county CDOs and Health Assistants.
• Actively participate in sub-county and district-level planning and review meetings led by the DHT and DCDO, providing field data and insights to inform government plans.
• Coordinate with other partners in the area using 4W matrices to ensure activities are harmonized and avoid duplication, adhering to the district-led coordination framework.

e) Monitoring, Feedback, and Reporting

• Collect real-time data and community feedback on project uptake, challenges, and perceptions, channelling this information to the Project Coordinator and relevant District Health Team (DHT) members for adaptive management.
• Maintain meticulous field records of all engagements, training, co-payments via digital wallets, VSLA activities, and referrals.
• Prepare and submit weekly and monthly activity reports to the Project Coordinator, contributing to donor and district performance reports.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree in Community Development, Social Work, Public Health, Sociology, or a related field. Postgraduate Training in a related and relevant field is an added advantage.
• Minimum of 3 years of hands-on experience in community mobilization, engagement, and working directly with local government community structures (e.g., VHTs, CDOs) in Uganda.
• Experience working with NGOs or donor-funded projects preferred.
• Demonstrable experience in maternal and newborn health programming and demand generation.
• Practical experience in establishing, training, or mentoring Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), or operating community co-payment schemes is mandatory.
• Proven experience facilitating community dialogues and working on integrated outreach campaigns.
• Fluency in the dominant local language(s) of the assigned region (e.g., Luganda for Busoga; Runyoro/Rutoro or Lhukonzo for Rwenzori) is a mandatory requirement.

Key Skills and Competencies

• Exceptional skills in mobilizing and facilitating diverse community groups.
• Ability to build trust and work effectively with grassroots communities, local leaders, and government officials.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• High level of respect for and understanding of local norms and customs.
• Ability to work independently in remote settings, identify challenges, and propose practical solutions.
• Competency in basic data collection and clear activity reporting (strong documentation skills).
• Collaborative spirit with a commitment to working through government systems.

• Serve as BAMA’s primary field-based liaison, working under the guidance and within the plans of the District Community Development Officer (DCDO) and District Health Team to implement all community health interventions.
• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with mandated community structures: Village Health Teams (VHTs), Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), Health Assistants, and local council officials.
• Jointly plan and execute with District and Sub-county Community Development Officers and Health Educators to conduct community dialogues, integrated outreaches, and sensitization campaigns targeting villages with low ANC coverage and institutional delivery rates.
• Mobilize and support Mama and Papa Ambassadors (drawn from existing VHTs/CHEWs) to lead home visits, peer education, and birth preparedness planning.
• Lead the community-level rollout and sensitization for the "Boda for Mothers" direct co-payment voucher system, explaining the linkage between ANC attendance and guaranteed transport, in collaboration with health facilities and transport associations.
• Institutionalize the "Saving for Health" model by profiling, training, and providing ongoing mentorship to Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), ensuring their integration into the digital health wallet system for emergency transport.
• Support Health Assistants and Health Educators in tracking door-to-door registration of pregnant women onto the FamilyConnect SMS platform by VHTs and CHEWs and in promoting its use for health information and reminders.
• Facilitate regular interface meetings between VHTs, community leaders, and health facility staff to improve mutual understanding, trust, and the functioning of referral feedback loops.
• Work with Health Assistants to strengthen the "Hospital to Home" model, ensuring seamless follow-up of mothers and newborns post-discharge.
• Support communities and VHTs in the active use of the Mama Rescue platform to request emergency transport, acting as a troubleshooter and promoter at the grassroots level.
• Build the capacity of government community resource persons through training, mentorship, and joint supportive supervision alongside Sub-county CDOs and Health Assistants.
• Actively participate in sub-county and district-level planning and review meetings led by the DHT and DCDO, providing field data and insights to inform government plans.
• Coordinate with other partners in the area using 4W matrices to ensure activities are harmonized and avoid duplication, adhering to the district-led coordination framework.
• Collect real-time data and community feedback on project uptake, challenges, and perceptions, channelling this information to the Project Coordinator and relevant District Health Team (DHT) members for adaptive management.
• Maintain meticulous field records of all engagements, training, co-payments via digital wallets, VSLA activities, and referrals.
• Prepare and submit weekly and monthly activity reports to the Project Coordinator, contributing to donor and district performance reports.

• Exceptional skills in mobilizing and facilitating diverse community groups.
• Ability to build trust and work effectively with grassroots communities, local leaders, and government officials.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• High level of respect for and understanding of local norms and customs.
• Ability to work independently in remote settings, identify challenges, and propose practical solutions.
• Competency in basic data collection and clear activity reporting (strong documentation skills).
• Collaborative spirit with a commitment to working through government systems.

• A Bachelor’s degree in Community Development, Social Work, Public Health, Sociology, or a related field. Postgraduate Training in a related and relevant field is an added advantage.
• Minimum of 3 years of hands-on experience in community mobilization, engagement, and working directly with local government community structures (e.g., VHTs, CDOs) in Uganda.
• Experience working with NGOs or donor-funded projects preferred.
• Demonstrable experience in maternal and newborn health programming and demand generation.
• Practical experience in establishing, training, or mentoring Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), or operating community co-payment schemes is mandatory.
• Proven experience facilitating community dialogues and working on integrated outreach campaigns.
• Fluency in the dominant local language(s) of the assigned region (e.g., Luganda for Busoga; Runyoro/Rutoro or Lhukonzo for Rwenzori) is a mandatory requirement.