Community Engagement Officer at Society for Youth Awareness and Health Development (SYAHD)

Society for Youth Awareness and Health Development (SYAHD) was established in September 2003 as non-governmental, non-profitable and non-partisan organization, located in the ancient city of Kano State with coverage and scale-up services to neighboring states of Jigawa and Kastina state respectively.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Community Engagement Officer

Location: Katsina

Description
SYAHD is currently operating in two States namely Kano and Katsina state through donor funded projects. Our thematic areas are Educational services, Health, Household economic strengthening and psychosocial support to care givers, children, women, youth, and women empowerment through skills acquisition programs.

This is a Save the children International (SCI) Project funded by Canadian government through the Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Society for Youth Awareness and Health Development (SYAHD). Titled: “Reaching and Empowering Adolescents to make informed choices for their health (REACH) in Sandamu LGA, Katsina State.

Save the Children (SC) has been working in Nigeria since 2001, and is a strong, recognized and respected voice for children’s rights. Our programs currently support health and nutrition, education, child protection, food security, livelihoods and social protection in both development and humanitarian contexts. In Nigeria, the project aims to improve the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of adolescent girls and boys (aged 10-19) in hard to reach, rural communities in Gombe, Zamfara and Katsina states.

To achieve this aims, the project has 3 broad objectives:

• Improving access to high quality, gender-sensitive and adolescent- friendly SRH services for unmarried and married adolescent girls and boys;
• Increasing the decision-making of married and unmarried adolescent girls about their own SRHR; and
• Improving the integration of civil society contributions and evidence-based best practices in ASRHR policy design and implementation at local and state levels.

Scope of Role:

• This role report to the Team Lead.

Role Purpose:

• The community engagement officer will Coordinate, monitor and supervise the community based promotion and mobilization activities related to “Reaching and Empowering Adolescents to make Informed Choices for their Health” (REACH) project at the community level.

Key Areas of Accountability
As a member of the REACH Project team, the community engagement officer will:

• Demonstrate behaviors that are consistent with Save the Children’s Mission, Vision and Values and ensure their broader application by staff across the programme.
• Contribute to a conducive and productive work environment in a way that promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support in the development of communications materials, participate in their review, and comment on print and electronic media materials including scripts, posters, leaflets, video/audio recordings
• This also includes working with the state team in development of programme case studies and documentaries.
• Organize Stakeholders participation, sensitization and advocacy
• Ensure strong link with state, local government and community stakeholders
• Work closely with state ASRH coordinator and Gender equality and child welfare officer to design and deliver communications interventions that facilitate behavior change amongst target groups across the focal LGAs
• Lead on planning and implementation of feedback mechanisms with leaders, communities and beneficiaries
• Be responsible for the strengthening and coordination of complain and response mechanism (CRM) activities
• Keep records of supervision and actions taken from own activities
• Link with other organizations present in the area
• Plan logistics and materials needs for the activities to be carried out
• Relationship building negotiation and problem solving with authorities, communities and Mobilizers / Volunteers
• Develop good knowledge of state and local government structures, parliamentary and political processes, traditional and religious structure and any other key decision making structures and how to influence them.
• Undertake a range of lobbying, communications and other activities to inform and persuade policy makers, religious/traditional leaders, community members, donors and politicians, of the value of REACH project in the community.
• Ensure Save the Children visibility and acceptance in the community
• Prepare a monthly plan for field activities
• Identify the problems in the implementation process and propose solutions
• Prepare activities' reports.

Knowledge and Skills
Essentials:

• A graduate University Degree in Social Sciences with academic training in Women's Studies, Gender and Development or a relevant field
• At least 1 to 2 years of experience on community mobilization, Adolescent sexual and reproductive health programming.
• Previous experience with other local and international NGOs
• Experience in Adolescent sexual and reproductive health Nutrition and community based programs,
• Computer literacy (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint)
• Fluency in English and Hausa, spoken and written
• Ability to work in partnership with government and other NGO’s staff.

Desirable:

• Strong organizational skills to work effectively to support multi-tasking.
• Adaptability and flexibility to adjust to changing schedules and priorities.
• Effective critical information gathering to create accurate reports.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, in English.
• Fluency in English and Hausa, spoken and written
• Good familiarity, networking and working relationships with relevant organizations.
• Programming experience in community engagement.

Application Closing Date
10th May, 2020.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Cover Letter in one document, addressing the position requirements with their locations to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the email.

Note

• All applicants must include the position title in the subject line
• Applicant must be fluent in local language and familiar with the local cultures
• Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview
• We are equal employment opportunity organization so women are strongly encouraged to apply.