Jobs – Chaplain needed at Mildmay

Job Title: Chaplain

Mildmay Uganda is an HIV/AIDS treatment and training centre also providing Health Systems Strengthening to scale up comprehensive HIV/AIDS Services in 16 districts of Central Uganda. It is situated on Entebbe Road, Lweza, south of Kampala, Uganda.

Job Summary: The Chaplain promotes quality pastoral/spiritual services using a family-centred approach that empowers clients, families and MUg staff faced with spiritual and psychosocial conditions and ensure strong linkages and good collaboration with the religious leaders, communities and other stakeholders for improved quality of life and better service delivery both at MUg and the supported sites

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

1.  Provide pastoral care that equips and empowers MUg clients, their families, communities and staff to cope with prevailing situations, appreciate their spirituality and live positively for improved quality of life and better service delivery

• Carry out devotions/prayers for MUg staff as a way of nourishing their spirituality and motivating them for better service delivery
• To conduct health spiritual morning talks and motivational devotions to clients and care takers at the reception area, In patient unit( IPU) and other service points for spiritual encouragement to enhance positive living
• Identify and assess clients, families and staff for spiritual/ pastoral needs so as to appropriately offer spiritual interventions and also as part of a holistic approach for palliative care provision
• Work closely with counseling teams support palliative care needs for breaking bad news, grief, loss and bereavement to terminally ill patients and their families cope with the circumstances and affirm their hope in the meaning of life as relevant to their own beliefs
• Working together with Counselling teams, participate in development and implementation of appropriate interventions for general counseling(encouragement, behavioral change , life skills and family support) as per personal competence and preference to improve psychosocial outcomes
• To conduct religious services relevant to the needs of the client and family for spiritual encouragement and ability to cope with prevailing situations
• Conduct regular home visits so as to facilitate holistic care (identify gaps, spirituality issues, support systems) so as to set sustainable interventions tailored to the home and community environment
• Actively refer client to the relevant services points in MUg and religious communities for further management and holistic spiritual care
• Work closely with line manager and senior manager Behavioural Change and Psychosocial support services organize and facilitate pastoral care workshops for clients, FBOs and communities so as to equip them with the right and relevant health information for improved spiritual wellbeing

2. Actively contribute towards efficient and effective teamwork that delivers well coordinated pastoral/spiritual care services for improved health outcomes of the staff, clients and communities at MUg and the supported sites

• Make sure that there are good working relationship with the spiritual, clinical teams and the entire organization for effective service delivery
• Take part in departmental, Interdisciplinary team, and staff meetings in order to give and receive feedback
• Actively participate in the appraisal process in liaison with the Behavioural and Psychosocial Services Manager so as to give and receive feedback on performance
• Participate in the development of work schedules for proper manpower planning and continuity of service delivery
• Regularly participate in the review and monitoring of performance of the pastoral team activities, compile and submit progressive reports to the Behavioural and Psychosocial Services Manager for to ensure achievement of departmental targets
• Accurately document client¡¦s records and ensure timely data entry as a way of contributing to the MUg database
• Actively participate in regular outreaches so as to increase demand for religious leaders training, BCC activities, and other prevention services as a way of enabling the organization to achieve its overall goals

3. Ensure provision and maintenance of efficient pastoral/spiritual care services to the clients, their families, and staff guided by standard theological guidelines for improved spiritual and social wellbeing

• Strictly adhere to the stipulated theological guidelines/standards so as to contribute to quality pastoral/spiritual care services
• Ensure a favorable environment for both the client and the health care worker during service delivery to promote comfort and enable clients to freely open up
• Actively contribute to the development and review of pastoral/spiritual care tools and Standard Operating Procedures for improved service delivery
• Participate in the departmental quality improvement projects for quality assurance

4. Offer technical input in the competence building of religious leaders and health workers to deliver high quality pastoral/spiritual care services both at MUg and the supported sites for improved psychosocial well being

• Participate in pastoral/spiritual care needs assessment of health facilities and health workers to identify gaps in service delivery
• Mentor and orient new staff, locums and volunteers on activities in the pastoral care department so that they become accustomed to the services offered at MUg
• Train, mentor and coach health workers and religious leaders in the provision of quality pastoral/spiritual care services so as to increase proficiency
• Actively participate in continuous medical education for chaplains for improved knowledge and skills
• Mentor and support health workers and religious leaders in the creation and facilitation of peer support groups for improved spiritual and social support
• Actively contribute to the development and dissemination of IEC materials and guidelines for pastoral/spiritual care services in liaison with the Behavioral and Psychosocial Services Manager in order to ensure proficient and standard delivery of services
• Work in consultation with HSS/ Training and Education teams participate in offering technical support on HIV health education and promotion issues to religious leaders, FBOs and other community health workers and groups so as to strengthen the integration of spiritual care in holistic health care delivery, increasing awareness and correct health information giving using spiritual leaders

5. Participate in the creation of strong linkages and good collaboration with the local and religious communities and other stakeholders, so as to increase demand for services and ensure appropriate referrals

• Participate in the identification of vulnerable communities including their key stakeholders, in need of pastoral and spiritual care services as part organizational strategic plan to undertake stakeholder and community identification for specific interventions
• Maintain linkages with local and religious communities and other stakeholders as part of the organisational partnership working, for and referral linkages for appropriate management of clients
• Work closely with other faith based organizations as part of combined partnership effort to conduct community outreaches so as to extend prevention, care and treatment services closer to the people

6. Effectively utilize and account for organizational funds so as to achieve departmental goals using the available resources

• Participate in the budgeting process as a way of ensuring allocation of resources for departmental activities
• Responsible for the requisition, effectively utilize and account for assigned funds in order to contribute towards the achievement of departmental goals
• Carry out regular inventories to ensure safety and security of equipment used in pastoral and spiritual work
• Actively contribute to the MUg income generation activities within the pastoral/spiritual care department by offering pastoral/spiritual care services to private individuals and organizations to ensure organizational sustainability

7. Actively participate in operational research in order to demonstrate MUg best practices and contribute to the National and International body of knowledge

• Accurately document client¡¦s information for future reference, evaluation and research
• Document success stories and develop research ideas needed for improvement of service delivery
• Write abstracts and research proposals so as to disseminate research findings, share lessons learnt and contribute to new knowledge and best practices
• Represent MUg at conferences, institutions and meetings so as to increase the publicity and credibility of MUg in the area of research at both national and international forums

Qualifications, Skills and Experience: 

• The candidate must hold a Diploma in Theology/Ministry
• Additional Certificate in Counselling
• Detailed working knowledge in HIV/AIDS
• Working knowledge in palliative care
• Past exposure and experience in working with different communities
• Ability to work under pressure: and in sympathy with the Christian values of Miidmay Uganda.

How to Apply for the job:

All interested candidates persons who meet the above job requirements should send their applications to: The Human Resource Manager at Mildmay Uganda, Entebbe Road, Lweza at hr@mildmay.or.ug. Please clearly indicate in the subject of the email,  the position applied for or post to P.O. Box 24985, Kampala, Uganda

NB: The applications should contain certified copies of academic transcripts, a full CV indicating current salary and other benefits should be provided, and two professional referees (one of which should be a former employer). Candidates with incomplete information will not be short-listed.

Deadline: Friday 5^th September2014