SBC Officer (Consultancy, Maternity Cover) - Lagos at Save the Children

Overview

Under the direct management of the Project Manager and technical guidance of the SBC Coordinator, the SBC Consultant will be responsible for field implementation of community mobilization and social and behavioural communication activities as captured in the workplan, with focus on strategies and approaches targeting communities with zero-dose and under-immunized children. S/he will support the SBC Coordinator to implement innovations 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. This role is full-time and operates from the Lagos office except during approved public holidays.

Role

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Programme Quality
•Contribute to the planning, costing and implementation of SBC components of the project and contribute to the overall key programme planning, coordination and reporting activities.

•Support in documenting success stories and contribute to the writing of reports, case studies, briefing papers and presentations for internal and external audiences as relevant.

•In collaboration with the MEAL Team, support collection of data and analysing the progress of project’s SBC activities.

•Use and adhere to available implementation technical documents (ToRs, tools, SoPs, training manuals, guidelines and protocols) assiduously to ensure programs are of high quality and comply with the country, SCI standards and best practices.

•Actively contributes to the process of learning, evaluation, capturing and disseminating lessons from the programme for continuous improvement of programme performance and overall outcome.

Social and behavioral communication (SBC)

•As part of the SBC strategy, contribute to the implementation of a tailored SBC approach that will foster an improved individual and community understanding and perception around vaccination and health services.

•Contribute to the development of communication training materials and support the conduct of training for relevant influencers and change agents such as traditional and religious leaders, CBOs, CSOs, journalists, professional bodies etc

•Support innovations aimed at increasing community participation in and ownership of quality immunization and health service delivery

•Lead in engaging with 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 fora for men and women, mother-to-mother support groups, cooperative societies, traditional birth attendants (TBAs) etc

Social Mobilization
•As part of the SBC strategy, contribute to the development and implementation of social mobilization approach to increase the participation of an all-inclusive traditional and religious institutions (TRI), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Faith Based Organizations (FBO )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 immunisation messages.

Safeguarding
•Support safeguarding team in carrying out safeguarding risk assessments and developing a mitigation plan when needed.
•Flag safeguarding concerns noticed during implementation programme as well as sharing 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.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)
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 others to do the same
•Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
•Future orientated, thinks strategically

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 to

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

Integrity:
•Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Essential
•Bachelor’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 Social Mobilization be an added advantage
•Minimum of 3 years-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) will be an added advantage
•Strong analytical framework to clearly articulate and communicate our policy positions
•Ability to be proactive when required to be able to keep communication plans dynamic and aligned to new policy and cultural 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.