Health Care Specialist- Subject to Funding Availability

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a leading humanitarian and development organization working in more than 40 countries to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster, including climate crisis, to survive, recover and gain control of their future.

Present in Somalia in since the 1980s, the IRC implements humanitarian and development programming across various regions in Somalia in sectors such as WASH, health, nutrition, protection and women’s empowerment. The IRC currently has headquarters in Mogadishu and field presence in Garowe, Galkacyo, Dhusamareb and Baidoa.

JOB AND PROJECT OVERVIEW

The IRC is seeking a qualified Health Care Specialist to support the implementation of a project aimed at ensuring that GBV services are effectively integrated into the education system in Somalia.

SCOPE OF WORK: The Health Care Specialist will focus on ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), including children and adolescents, receive timely, high-quality, child and survivor-centered medical care. This includes supporting medical response interventions, strengthening clinical care services, and building the capacity of health facilities to provide appropriate and sensitive post-rape treatment, including psychosocial support tailored to both adult and child survivors.

The Health Care Specialist will work in close collaboration with health workers, GBV case managers, child protection case workers, protection teams, and community service providers to ensure a coordinated, confidential, and holistic approach to survivor care.

The position will be based in Mogadishu, with frequent travel to project sites. The Health Care Specialist will report to the GBV Program Manager.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the design, delivery, and monitoring of survivor and child-centered health services for adult and child GBV survivors, with specialized approaches for children and adolescent survivors, in line with national and international protocols.
• Provide technical support and mentorship to healthcare providers on the clinical management of rape (CMR), including age-appropriate care for child survivors.
• Ensure that healthcare staff are trained in trauma-informed**,** child-friendly care, including age-appropriate communication techniques, consent procedures, and clinical treatment.
• Strengthening referral pathways between health services, psychosocial support, child protection, and legal aid to ensure holistic and coordinated care for survivors of all ages.
• Conduct targeted training sessions on emergency contraception, STI management, PEP administration, and post-rape care, ensuring appropriate protocols for pediatric and adolescent patients.
• Ensure essential medical supplies for GBV response, including child-appropriate materials and PEP kits, are stocked and accessible in supported health facilities.
• Support the integration of GBV and child protection services within primary healthcare settings to improve accessibility for survivors, especially children.
• Monitor healthcare service delivery, ensuring age-sensitive and child and survivor-centered practices are consistently implemented across facilities.
• Coordinate closely with GBV and CP case managers, social workers, child protection officers, and mental health professionals to ensure that child and adolescent survivors receive timely, safe, and confidential care.
• Contribute to the development and rollout of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for GBV and CP clinical response, with specific provisions for child survivors.
• Advocate for the allocation of adequate resources and strengthening of national healthcare policies that improve access and quality of care for both adult and child survivors of GBV and child abuse.
• Ensure compliance with donor regulations and IRC policies in the implementation of survivor-centered healthcare interventions

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in nursing, Medicine, Public Health, or Clinical Medicine
• Minimum 5 years of experience in providing healthcare services to GBV survivors with experience in working with children.
• Extensive knowledge of clinical management of sexual violence, including PEP, STI treatment, and trauma care.
• Experience in training healthcare providers on GBV-child abuse related medical interventions.
• Strong understanding of health and protection integration within humanitarian and development settings.
• Knowledge of GBV and CP case management, protection frameworks, and humanitarian response mechanisms.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills, with experience in stakeholder engagement and community mobilization.
• Ability to work in complex emergency settings and manage multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent command of Somali and English (spoken and written).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) for documentation and reporting.