Consultant (Antimicrobial Resistance) at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC provides life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee war or disaster. The IRC is currently working in about 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities where it resettles refugees and helps them become self-sufficient. The IRC works across the arc of crisis, from the acute onset of an emergency to long-term programming across five key outcome areas safety, health, education, economic wellbeing, and empowerment – supporting affected communities in building resilience.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Social and Behavioral Change Strategy Development Consultant for Antimicrobial Resistance

Requisition ID: req23144
Location: Nigeria
Employment Type: Part-Time
Sector: Health
Employment Category: Consultant
Open to Expatriates: No

Overview
The IRC has a strong Nigeria track record of working with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to implement projects that not only increase access to quality health services, but also innovate how and to whom we deliver these services within difficult and evolving contexts. Among the commitments of the IRC is to provide basic primary health care (PHC) services to her beneficiaries of the supported LGAs. And to ensure provision of basic primary healthcare services, it is very paramount to provide technical support, capacity building to the supported LGAPHC staff and ensure community/clients education as needed to improve quality primary healthcare service provision. With the support of Pfizer Foundation, the IRC is implementing a project on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) to 12 supported PHCs across MMC, Jere and Gwoza LGAs in Borno state through health system strengthening (HSS).

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem compromising the effective treatment of infectious diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) is encouraging and promoting awareness creation among health workers and the public as one of its strategies to reduce the rate of emergence and transmission of AMR. Available data on the prescribing behavior of healthcare workers (HCWs) in Nigeria remains incomplete. The non-prudent antimicrobial prescribing and dispensing practices in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) is often ascribed to a lack of knowledge about antimicrobial resistance and poor knowledge on the optimal use of antimicrobials, including antimalarials and antimicrobials.

AMR is barely on the radar within humanitarian contexts. Many countries, such as Nigeria, have national action plans for AMR, but the implementation of these plans is minimal due to competing priorities and chronic underfunding. Improving awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among the public, health professionals, policy makers and agricultural professionals is one of the key strategies of the global and national action plans to combat AMR and delay further emergence and spread of resistance.

About the Consultancy Service

• This is soliciting applications from potential consultants [partners or contractors] to conduct a Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) strategy development for the IRC Infectious Disease Impact Initiatives Project: Reducing childhood mortality through the development of an antimicrobial stewardship program in Northeast Nigeria Project.
• The vision for this project is to develop a functional and effective health facility level AMR stewardship program within Northeast Nigeria that serves as a model for other low resourced humanitarian health programs.
• This project will utilize the strong organizational IRC footprint at the community and facility level, and work with the state MoH and the NCDC to address the lack of investment and attention to AMR in human within Borno State.
• It will build on evidence from studies in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) that highlight the success of multifaceted strategies that include both supply and demand interventions, and target health care workers in public and private health facilities, and behavior change strategies for the community.

The Purpose of the Assignment is to: 

• Support in the development of a Social and Behavior Change Communication strategy that will be used by the project to train and promote the adoption of rational antimicrobial use and good practice approaches.

Specific Objectives
The Specific Objectives are to:

• To conduct a rapid formative assessment to understand context specific enablers/ barriers (positive and negative factors) that influence the trainings and adoption of antimicrobial use and practices among Health practitioners and the community in the target areas. The results of the ongoing KAP Assessment being undertaken by the IRC will be used as foundational pieces of research to inform the strategy development.
• Using the findings from the rapid formative assessment and the ongoing KAP Survey, identify existing Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) approaches and tools used by various actors in Nigeria to promote the adoption of antimicrobial use and good practices to prevent antimicrobial resistance, identifying gaps/factors or barriers that limit their effectiveness and make the necessary recommendations to the project to make the approaches that will be adopted effectively.
• In consultation with relevant managers and decision makers in the IRC, develop a communication strategy including messaging for various contexts based on the findings of the rapid formative assessment including means and channels (interactive, digital and mass media) to operationalize it to reach all target stakeholders with messages on AMU and good practices. This will guide in the future evaluation of the changes in the knowledge, attitude, norms, beliefs, and behavior and long-term adoption of the practices promoted by the project.
• Guide the development of messaging and instructions that will accompany the piloting and rollout of the SBCC strategy to the health practitioners and the target community to ensure proper use and adoption of newly developed approaches and tools in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders including the government.
• Develop, pre-test and pilot key SBCC training and media campaign materials (including manuals, illustrations – IEC materials, and modules) with key messages on AMR and good practices that will be used for the recommended appropriate media targeting Health practitioners and other stakeholders in the target areas. Record feedback received in the trainings and pilot and incorporate it in the final ToTs and SBCC strategy.
• In collaboration with the existing Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) structure on AMR through the IRC Nigeria, conduct an orientation training of trainers (ToT) on the newly developed SBCC strategy with the aim of strengthening the existing knowledge and skills of the health practitioners towards a more integrated SBCC package on primary health seeking behavior change communication approaches
• Develop a monitoring, evaluation and learning plan to track progress of implementation and outcomes of the SBCC strategy.

Duration of the Consultancy Service:

• The time and duration of this consultancy assignment will be for a maximum of 35 to 40 days in a 3-month period including at least 20 days in country/ in office (could be split over 3-4 visits) if the consultant is based outside of Borno State.
• It is possible that other support is provided remotely/virtually as this shall be articulated by the International Rescue Committee. The assignment will be involving health facilities in MMC, Jere and Gwoza LGAs, Borno state, NG.

Master Plan:
This planned assignment has a developed ToR that the potential consultant can access at the initiation of the assignment. The potential consultant will deliver the deliverables of this assignment as stipulated below:

• Rapid Formative SBCC Assessment to identify (or understand) factors that influence the adoption of rational AMU and good practices among different stakeholders in target communities:
  • Identify Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) gaps in current approaches used to promote adoption of practices.
  • Assess methods and approaches currently used, existing gaps and propose appropriate and effective ones that the project should use to reach the different target groups.
  • Assess different media channels (touch points) currently in use and most preferred by different audiences in the target locations.
  • Consultation with key relevant bodies/actors as appropriate to inform the findings presented and strategies developed.
• Develop a well-designed SBCC Strategy that addresses gaps identified in current SBCC approaches.
• Develop well designed key messages that will be used in promoting adoption of rational AMU and good practices as well as those that will accompany the piloting of the SBCC Communication strategy.
• Develop the most appropriate SBCC media and training materials for SBCC awareness campaigns.
• Conduct an orientation training of trainers (ToT) on the newly developed SBCC strategy for the Health Practitioners, Health Stakeholders and Community target members.
• Develop a Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation Plan for the SBCC activities.

Upon completion, these will be reviewed and agreed by the project focal/technical persons of the IRC or designate and the consultant.

Qualifications or Specialized Knowledge and/or Experience Required

• The IRC is looking for the firm/Individual with substantial experience performing SBCC related consultancies. More specifically, the lead consultant should have a proven track record in conducting SBCC strategy development and related implementation guidelines.
• Experience with country situations similar to that of Borno State, Nigeria and with similar projects, especially related to AMR projects is desired.

Experience:

• 5 to 10 years of professional experience implementing SBCC programs or advising on social and behavior change interventions; experience with campaigns related to health including AMR or other communicable disease campaigns preferred.
• Experience designing and conducting rapid formative SBCC research and MEAL related to social and behavior change.
• Excellent interpersonal skills required, including strong professional communication ability.
• Experience as a consultant producing and delivering quality results.
• Previous experience supporting the development of behavior change campaigns that delivered results.
• Advocacy and networking skills with a broad range of stakeholders including government, National Center for Disease Control, private Sector including media companies, civil society, NGOs and international cooperation.
• Advanced computer skills with proficiency in Windows, Microsoft office and other digital media
• Openness to working collaboratively with a diverse team
• Experience working in a role to build capacity of others
• Strong written and spoken English ability
• Experience working in Borno State or Nigeria and conversant in local language is an advantage
• Experience working with Pfizer funded projects would be an advantage.

Payment
The terms of payment shall be discussed at the initial stage prior to starting the consultation.

• The payments will be made in form of cheques/or direct bank transfer in the name of the consultant or firm named in the contract. IRC will deduct with-holding tax at source as per the rules of taxation governing IRC operations and it will be deposited directly to custodian of such tax. No other benefits shall be admissible beyond what is stipulated in the contract, nor does it guarantee a regular position in IRC.

Application Closing Date
24th December, 2021.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their Application with the Documents below to: [email protected] using "Consultancy service for Social and Behavioral Change Strategy Development on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)" as the subject of the email.

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Appliction Documents

• A current CV
• Short proposal (maximum 10 pages) to outline the suggested approach and means to accomplish the objectives/ stages of support outlined above
• 2 – 3 previous work samples (SBCC materials produced or involved in / example of previous strategy developed) in the last 3 years
• Proposed daily rate or budget (including proposed costs if travelling from outside Maiduguri for face-to-face visits).

Commitments

• All the outputs – Reports, data base, etc. produced from this assignment will not be disseminated in part or whole without express authority, in writing from IRC. Thus, the consultant shall not produce these materials in any form (electronic, hard copies, etc.) to a third party without a written permission from the IRC.

Note

• Interested Institutions/ consultants should read and strictly follow the detailed Terms of Reference and submit both technical and financial proposals not later than the closing date.
• The proposals should be sent to the email address above.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.