Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization (ACSM) 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: 

Under the guidance of the Chief of Party and in collaboration with the Advocacy, Campaign and Policy Manager (Survive) and the Community Mobilization and Engagement Manager, the ACSM Coordinator will be responsible for leading on the development and building of government commitment and investment in immunization of under-five children in underserved communities through effective advocacy and strengthening of the policy environment as well as the development and implementation of social behaviorial change communication and mobilization strategies targeting communities with zero-dose and under-immunized children. S/he will support the Chief of Party to promote an innovative agenda in the delivery of primary health care with focus on improving quality and access to immunization services, strengthening the health system, enabling policy and social environment, community involvement and removing the social, cultural and behavioural barriers to immunization service uptake.  The incumbent will ensure an increased and sustained demand for vaccine services by caregivers and communities with child populations at highest risk of being under-immunized or zero-dose

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Programme Quality

• Lead in the development and implementation of project-specific Advocacy and Social Behavioural Change Communications Strategy 
• Lead in the planning, costing and implementation of ACSM components of the project and contribute to the overall key programme planning, coordination and reporting activities.
• Lead in documenting success stories and contribute to the writing of reports, case studies, briefing papers and presentations for internal and external audiences as relevant
• Build the capacities and provide technical support on ACSM to the Policy and Advocacy Officer, Social and Behavioural Communication Officer and other project team members at the state level
• Support systems for research, analysis and documentation that underpin evidence-based advocacy, behavioural change communication and social mobilization at state level.
• In collaboration with the MEAL Coordinator put in place metrics and measurement tools to collect data and analyse the progress of project’s ACSM activities.
• Provides technical expertise to ensure programs are of high quality and comply with the country and SCI standards by contributing to the writing, reviewing and improving ToRs, tools, SoPs, guidelines and protocols.
• Actively contribute to the process of learning, evaluation, capturing and disseminating lessons from the programme for continuous improvement of programme performance and overall outcome

Advocacy 

• As part of the ACSM strategy, lead in the development and implementation of advocacy approach, exploring governance-related barriers to immunization service uptake such as strengthening coordination and increasing domestic funding for immunization activities at all levels. 
• Provides capacity building in form of training and mentorship for EPI managers and other PHC workers in the areas of health sector resource mobilization, financial management and coordination  
• Lead in the analysis of relevant government policies, guidelines and plans on immunization with ACSM, under-immunized and zero-dose children in view and making relevant recommendations for improvement
• Lead in the preparation of advocacy materials and messages to facilitate the advancement of immunization service uptake in under-served communities
• Develop good knowledge of state and national government structures, parliamentary and political processes and key decision-making structures and how to influence them. 
• Work with pressure groups and champions (including children to promote a coalition-led budget advocacy at legislative and executive bodies for increased domestic investment in immunization, - 
• Lead in the mapping and dissemination of existing tools for budget tracking and coordinate budget advocacy and tracking amongst partner organisations and institutions
• Undertake a range of lobbying, communications and other activities to inform and persuade policy makers, including donors and politicians, of the value of financing for immunization
• Keep abreast of the external political and policy environment and create the right opportunities for engagement and influencing
• Conduct periodic power and stakeholder mapping in project states in line with SCI Key Performance Indicator 20

Social and Behavioural Communication (SBC)

• As part of the ACSM strategy, lead in the development and implementation of a tailored SBC approach that will foster an improved individual and community understanding and perception around vaccination and health services
• Conducts caregiver profiling, community and stakeholders mapping and lead in the development and production of evidence-based and audience and cultural-sensitive communication messages and materials (e.g posters, jingles, leaflets, scripts etc) on promoting the benefits of immunization over social barriers and misconceptions
• Develop and implement dissemination and monitoring plans for communication materials and messages, including mass and social media broadcast and community events and campaigns either as stand-alone or to mobilise for an outreach programme
• Lead in the development of communication training materials and conduct training for relevant influencers and change agents such as traditional and religious leaders, CBOs, CSOs, journalists, professional bodies etc
• Build and maintain excellent relationships with relevant journalists, broadcasters and commentators in the local, national and international media and widen interest in immunization of under-immunized and zero-dose children
• Support innovations aiming at increasing community participation and ownership of quality immunization and health service delivery
• Lead in exploring platforms to improve positive social and gender norms to create an enabling environment for positive practices within households and at community levels. These platforms include but not limited to forums for men and women, mother-to-mother support groups, cooperative societies, traditional birth attendants (TBAs) etc 

Social Mobilization

• As part of the ACSM strategy, lead the development and implementation of social mobilization approach to increase the participation of an all-inclusive traditional and religious institutions (TRIs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Civil Society Organizations, Fatih Based Organizations (FBOs) in immunization planning, activities and accountability
• Conduct capacity building in form of training, awareness creation and mentorship for social groups and individual champions (including children) on the dissemination of immunization messages

Safeguarding

• Support safeguarding team in carrying out safeguarding risk assessment, develop and implement a mitigation plan when needed.
• Flag safeguarding concerns noticed during programme implementation as well as share good practices identified in the field.
• Ensure that all children and programme beneficiaries are provided with ongoing, age-appropriate verbal or written information in relevant languages about Save the Children’s Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Master’s degree in the social or behavioural sciences, public health, health education, health promotion, development studies, development economics, rural development/sociology or other related fields. 
• Any training on Advocacy, Communication and SBC be an added advantage
• Minimum of 5 year-experience in health financing, health governance, enhanced voice and accountability or similar roles, three of which should be at managerial level
• Fluency in English language. Knowledge of local languages (Lagos-Yoruba and Kano-Hausa) will be an added advantage
• Profound knowledge of governance and health systems and political terrains in the implementing states in particular and Nigeria in general
• Strong knowledge of global health policy goals and commitments
• Ability to write strong position papers and policy briefings
• Strong analytical framework to clearly articulate and communicate our policy positions
• Ability to be strategic and proactive when required to be able to keep advocacy plans dynamic and aligned to new policy and political developments
• Ability to clearly communicate and easily relate to federal and state authorities 
• Experience of working in a multi-cultural environment
• Comply with the requirements of Save the Children’s commitment to protect children in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Policy.

Method of Application

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