Technical Advisor, SBCC (Social and Behavior Change Communication) /Alive & Thrive (A&T) at FHI 360

FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender, youth, research and technology - creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 70 countries and all U.S. states and territories.

We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the position of:

Job Title: Technical Advisor, SBCC (Social and Behavior Change Communication) /Alive & Thrive (A&T)

Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Supervisor: A&T Nigeria Country Director
Band: TBD
Program Duration: November 2015 to November 30, 2019

Project Summary

• Alive & Thrive is an initiative to save lives, prevent illness, and ensure healthy growth and development through improved breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices.
• In its first five years (2009 to 2014), A&T demonstrated that innovative approaches to improving feeding practices could be delivered with impact and at scale in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Viet Nam.
• Alive & Thrive continues its work there and is supporting others to scale up nutrition by applying and adapting tested, proven approaches and tools in Burkina Faso, India, Southeast Asia, and Nigeria.
• Alive & Thrive is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the governments of Canada and Ireland.

Position Summary

• The Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Advisor for A&T Nigeria is based in Abuja, Nigeria. This position is responsible for working closely with the A&T Nigeria Country Director and other technical and program staff to (1) develop SBCC frameworks, messages, materials, and activities; and (2) provide high quality technical assistance, training, and program oversight on the planning, development, implementation, and report-out of A&T’s SBCC advocacy, interpersonal communication, community mobilization, mass communications, and strategic collection and use of data (e.g., formative assessments; landscaping; rapid in depth/FGD interviews; media monitoring) at the national level and in metropolitan Lagos and urban and rural Kaduna state.
• The position will help develop and conduct these activities under the context of the Government of Nigeria’s National Strategic Plan of Action for Nutrition (2014-2019), specifically with the FMOH and state MOHs in Lagos and Kaduna; private/commercial and NGO (and faith-based, community-based) organizations and programs; other sectors’ platforms; international donors, agencies, and projects; and other partners and stakeholders towards the improvement of breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices.
• This position will be guided by A&T Nigeria’s country director, with input from other technical advisors to provide TA, training, and oversight to partner and subcontract program staff and activities to integrate IYCF SBCC messages, materials, tools, and indicators within these entities and their programs.
• This position will also support and participate as needed to communicate, connect, and coordinate with subcontractors, partners, government and NGO stakeholders, and international donors to ensure successful design and implementation of the large and complex SBCC portfolio of activities expected.

Program Summary 

• The Nigeria A&T IYCF social and behavior change program focuses on improving rates of early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, timely introduction of complementary feeding, and minimum dietary diversity for infants over 6 months old.
• A&T will work across the public, commercial/private, and NGO sectors to improve IYCF through A&T’s four components: advocacy, interpersonal communication and community mobilization, mass communication, and strategic use of data.
• At the national level, A&T will predominantly work with its public, private/commercial, and NGO sector partners (Scaling Up Nutrition and other national IYCF initiatives) to improve the implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of key IYCF policies (Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes; maternity leave; work place support; breastfeeding-friendly health care and delivery facilities).
• A&T will also work in two states - Lagos (metropolitan) and Kaduna (urban and rural) - to apply the four components to reach households, communities, and facilities with targeted, age-appropriate social and behavior change communication (SBCC) messaging on IYCF practices.
• Specifically in metropolitan Lagos, the Nigeria program (as an example only) might work with the State Primary Health Care Board, proprietary and patent medicine vendors, licensed traditional birth attendants, major public and private maternity centers, social franchise-oriented private organizations, faith- and community-based organizations, and related on-going USAID (SPRING) and UNICEF projects to improve advocacy; interpersonal behavior change communication (counseling), and mobilization efforts to reach pregnant women and new mothers; and use mass communication (through broadcast, Nollywood, mobile phone, and signage) to further extend the reach of IYCF messages, provide follow-up counseling, and improve the social norm around IYCF practices.
• In rural and urban Kaduna, the Nigeria program (as an example only) might work with the State Ministry of Health, the Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria, the Market Women Association, and related health initiatives by USAID (SPRING), Clinton Health Access Initiative, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Primary Health Care initiative to improve advocacy, interpersonal behavior change communication and mobilization; and use mass communication (through broadcast, Kallywood, and mobile phones) to improve the social norm for IYCF among stakeholders and health care providers.
• At both the national level and in the two states, while the emphasis will be to build the capacity of the public sector to improve IYCF practices, the involvement and resources from the private and commercial sectors will be pursued to advance IYCF policies, expand the promotion of positive social norms, and extend timed and age-appropriate behavior change messaging through private and commercial facilities to households and communities.
• Formative research  will be conducted to further understand target populations and audiences (stakeholders, providers, beneficiaries), and monitoring systems will be established to ensure that program inputs, outputs, and outcomes are tracked and fed back into improving the program.

Essential Job Functions

• SBCC technical and program development, implementation, and monitoring
• Helps maintain productive partnerships with key federal and Lagos and Kaduna state level stakeholders in the government, international and local private/commercial and NGO organizations and projects, and international donors to ensure A&T’s SBCC approach and program components-policy advocacy, interpersonal communication and social mobilization, mass communications, and strategic collection and use of data-is advocated for, accepted, and sustained towards the improvement of breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices.
• Works with the A&T Nigeria team of specialists to conduct and/or oversee formative research/assessments (e.g., landscaping and assessments, FGDs, key informant interviews), develop, pretest, procure, produce and apply new approaches, messages, materials, and activities as needed to implement advocacy, interpersonal communication, community mobilization, mass communication, and the collection and use of related data
• Ensures strong linkages between the community program and mass communications (broadcast, traditional, print, public display, mobile phone/digital). Facilitates regular media coverage of implementing partners’ activities and events. Tests innovative approaches to community media integration in view of using successful families and communities as models to boost the engagement of others.
• Engages with and provides technical and program input to A&T partners and subcontractors at the national and Lagos and Kaduna state level. This includes facilitating workshops and meetings, conducting skills training, and providing technical assistance to: the FMOH, Lagos and Kaduna state MOHs; private/commercial and NGO organizations and projects; A&T SBCC sub-grantees (and so providing TA, training, and oversight as needed )
• Represents A&T in the SBCC and Advocacy Nutrition Technical Working Groups at the national level. Acts as a spokesperson on behalf of the project at national and regional technical meetings; this may include facilitating workshops and meetings, providing TA, training and additional input and involvement at the federal level, in Lagos and Kaduna, and elsewhere in Nigeria as needed.
• Oversee the program and technical aspects of the procurement process in developing requests for proposals, soliciting, selecting, and overseeing vendors providing SBCC services and products, including formative research, rapid assessments; consultancies; message and material development, pretesting, production; mass communication
• Contributes to the preparation and ensures quality of project reports and program deliverables
• Troubleshoots to prevent and resolve potential program challenges around SBCC
• Works closely as directed with A&T Nigeria and HQ finance, operations, and program staff to develop annual work plans and budgets; annual, quarterly and monthly update reports; and other project deliverables from partners and subcontractors
• Reports regularly to the Country Director or other senior staff on technical and administrative issues related to SBCC
• Is involved in developing and co-presenting program results, based on MLE data, to the GON and other SBCC program stakeholders
• Other tasks as needed

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with a job.

Education and Experience

• Social sciences degree at a masters level in Behavior Change Communication, Public Health Education, Sociology, Nutrition, Medical/Nursing Sciences and/or related development studies; or equivalent combination of education, training, and work experience in the context of SBCC.
• At least 10 year(s) of relevant technical, capacity building (training, TA, facilitation), program, and leadership experience required in SBCC, nutrition, IYCF, public health, partnership-building, program management and monitoring to improve health and/or nutrition behavior change indicators.
• Demonstrated experience and high acceptability in working with government, NGOs, private/commercial sector, and donors.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully working across A&T components of advocacy, IPC and community mobilization, mass communication, and strategic use of data in the context of SBCC, with a specialty in at least one of these.
• Specialty in at least one of the following: broadcast media; mobile phone programs; graphic arts; public relations/awareness; formative qualitative research (pretesting, concept testing).

Specific Knowledge Requirements:

• Advanced knowledge of SBCC and its application to programs
• Infant and young child feeding and nutrition desirable
• Fluency in written and oral English; fluency in Hausa, Yoruba desirable.

Special Requirements:

• This job will require a criminal background check.

Skills:

• Proven teamwork, partnering skills (facilitating dialogue and communications across diverse sectors, institutions, and geographic administrative levels)
• Excellent writing, oral and visual presentation skills; training skills
• Ability to assess priorities and competently complete a variety of activities with a high level of accuracy and timeliness.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to initiate and implement activities with minimal oversight and supervision.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Powerpoint, Excel, etc) and the Internet.

Additional Information

• Supervisory Responsibilities: None at this time
• Equipment to Be Used: Computers, fax machines, telephones, calculators, and/or similar devices
• Typical Physical Demands: Works in a typical office setting
• Working Conditions including Travel and Overtime: Extensive travel from Abuja to and from Lagos and Kaduna (50% time).

Salary
Within the Band salary range and commensurate with education & experience

Application Closing Date
30th November, 2015.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV's to: alive&[email protected]

Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.