Advocacy and Communication Coordinator at Save The Children

Save the Children invests in childhood - every day, in times of crisis and for our future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. By transforming children's lives now, we change the course of their future and ours. Please give monthly and support our mission. Save the Children is working to strengthen health systems and support maternal and child health in four northern states. Much work needs to be done for Nigeria to deliver its promises on Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 (which aim to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health) before 2015. Facts About Nigeria More than 173 Million people live there The average girl stays in school only until she's 9 123 out of 1000 children die before their 5th birthday A parent earns an average of just $4 a day Our Work Save the Children has been working in Nigeria since 2001. We're helping to improve health systems in northern Nigeria to delivery maternal, newborn, and child health services, including the revival of routine immunization.

ROLE PURPOSE:

• The Advocacy Coordinator will lead on policy advocacy, research/evidence generation, and use to support the organisation’s priority work on child survival but with emphasis to right to health and nutrition. Priorities for this role will include health and nutrition financing and efforts towards achieving Universal Health Coverage in the state.
• S/he will ensure development and implementation of advocacy, campaign, media, social mobilization and communication strategy to influence relevant stakeholders and achieve policy change at state and Local Government level.
• S/he will monitor trends in the external environment, identifying opportunities to support creation of enabling environment for health and nutrition in kaduna state.
• S/he will represent Save the Children externally, including high-level meetings in the state and through cross-organizational working groups and civil society networks. 

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

• Reports to: Advocacy, Campaign and Policy Manager/survive 

Dimensions :

• Staff directly reporting to this post: Advocacy Assistant
• Technical responsibility: 
• Budget responsibility:

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Accountable for the delivery of Gates Advocacy project objectives and report on the implementation of Save the Children's investment in nutrition and PHC reform advocacy with particular reference to coordination and financing MNCH + Nutrition in Kaduna State.
• The post holder will contribute to the implementation of the wider Save the Children Advocacy and Campaign Strategy.
• Perform other duties and tasks as determined by the Line manager.

Strategy Development: 

• Identify policy and practice for change, based on Save the Children’s experience that would promote and protect the rights of children.
• Formulate key advocacy messages and targets from lessons learned, assessments, research and evidence gained through project implementation on Health and Nutrition.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of advocacy objectives and initiatives, both short and long term, encompassing a wide range of issues and audiences in health and nutrition.
• Keep a watching brief on policy makers and other key players in relation to child health and nutrition issues and identify opportunities to raise awareness and influence policy change.
• Contribute to all efforts to raise/nurture CSO coalition and champions for health and nutrition at the state level.
• Influencing: 
• Demonstrate good knowledge of Kaduna state government structures (parliamentary and political processes and key decision-making) including the local governments and articulate how to influence them.
• Undertake a range advocacy, campaign, media, communications and other activities to inform and persuade policy makers, including donors and politicians, of the value of Save the Children’s policy recommendations.
• Build systems for research, analysis and documentation that underpin evidence based advocacy and influencing at state level.
• Develop dissemination and communication strategies for key advocacy messages.
• Produce reports, briefing papers and presentations for internal and external audiences, as directed

Collaboration & Representation: 

• Develop strategic relationships with other agencies engaged in advocacy and policy work.
• Develop and maintain a network of external contacts with key individuals in the government, NGO sector, civil society and the media.
• The Advocacy Coordinator while supporting the delivery of Save the Children’s health and nutrition advocacy strategy will work with civil society organizations to ensure strong accountability for political and financial commitments and contribute to the development of health and nutrition-related policies, strategic frameworks and campaigns.
• Represent Save the Children at various policy forums and advocacy opportunities at State level, as directed.
• Act as a spokesperson for Save the Children to a variety of external audiences including policy makers and the media, as directed.
• Liaise closely with staff in the Policy and Communication units at Save the Children headquarters and coordinate with other Save the Children members.

Programme Development: 

• Support the programme team in the development of research methodologies, data analysis, report writing and publication.
• Ensure clear links and mutual reinforcement between programmatic approaches and advocacy strategies.
• Write regular progress reports, including annual impact monitoring reports.
• Perform other tasks, as required, to ensure the smooth running of the country programme.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Internal: 

External:

COMPETENCES AND BEHAVIOURS (Our Values in Practice)

Core Competencies

• (Select just the 4/5 key competencies essential to succeed in the job l and delete the others)
• Leading and inspiring others – Delivering results – Developing self and others – Problem solving and decision making – Innovating and adapting – Applying technical and professional expertise – Working effectively with others – Communicating with impact - Networking

Adhere to SCI Values: Accountability; Ambition; Collaboration; Creativity; Integrity

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk with.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

Additional job responsibilities

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Method of Application

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