icddr,b is a Bangladesh-based international health research institute that strives to solve key public health problems through high-quality scientific research and innovation. icddr,b as a values-based organization encourages women and people with disabilities.

The Programme for HIV and AIDS under the Health System and Population Studies Division (HSPSD) at icddr,b provides good quality HIV prevention services to vulnerable populations at risk of HIV infection since 2010, and this has been made possible by working with the Government of Bangladesh (GoB), donors, NGOs and CBOs. Program for HIV and AIDS has taken an initiative to develop and test an ICT based comprehensive intervention in order to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of men who have sex with men (MSM), male sex workers (MSW) and hijra in a selected district in Bangladesh.

The HIV Counseling Officer will report to the Senior Manager, M & E, HIV program, and will be responsible to counsel key populations such as MSM/MSW/Hijra who are at risk of the compromised situation of SRHR with the objectives of enabling intervention participants to enroll in specific projects. H/she will be responsible for:

• Understand project checklist and counselling guidelines from PI/supervisor;
• Explain project procedures to the participants and obtain informed written consent/assent form;
• Provide pre-test information and post-test counselling for HIV testing;
• Conduct HIV testing either directly supervised or remotely un-supervised process;
• Provide counselling and emotional support to the participants;
• Link the positive participants to treatment, care, and support services at ART centers; Counsel the participants to conduct an interview to collect quantitative data adopting a face-to-face or online platform on socio-demographics, sexual and other information related to SRHR;
• Refer the active syphilis-positive participants to treatment at the GoB health facilities;
• Follow up with the participants of HIV-positive and active syphilis positive to ensure treatment adherence;
• Conduct a psychological assessment of the participants, and provide individual counselling and group psychoeducation sessions;
• Conduct routine supervisory visits to ensure the smooth running of the project activities,
• Assist in preparing bills of expenditure of the project activities and submit them to the supervisor;
• Connect with organizations in similar and allied spaces regularly for self-development, maintaining professional relationships, etc.;
• Support counselling initiatives sponsored by other organizations in order to assist those in need to cope with the stigma and reality of HIV/AIDS/including other areas of the SRHR;
• Maintain close liaison with the project staff and other relevant organizations of GoB and NGO;
• Review collected data and maintain the confidentiality of data;
• Prepare monthly reports regularly and share them with the Supervisor.

Required qualifications and experience:

• Master’s Degree in Psychology/Clinical Psychology with good academic records;
• Proficiency in Bengali typing is mandatory;
• At least 3 years of practical working experience in the relevant field. Preference will be given to candidates who belong to the aforementioned community and/or have experience working with sexual and gender-diverse population groups.

Location: HIV Field Site (Manikganj)

Number of posts: 01

Contract Type and Duration:

• Short-Term Contractual Service Agreement; duration will be 11 months with a possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and performance.

Salary & benefits:

• Tk. 57,048/-per month (consolidated) inclusive of house rent and conveyance allowances;
• Festival bonus, income tax paid by icddr,b and subsidized canteen, Transport and daycare facilities are subject to space availability.

Notes of attention:

• Only short-listed candidates shall be invited for written tests/interview.
• The Organization reserves the right to make an appointment at a grade lower than that advertised.
• icddr,b does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

Interested candidates who fulfill the requirements should submit online applications using icddr,b website: career.icddrb.org by June 27, 2023.