Case Studies and Communications Officer - Hershey at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Case Studies and Communications Officer - Hershey

Job Identification: 4565
Location: Idanre, Ondo
Job ype: Full-time
Grade: 4
Contract length: 1 year (renewable)
Team: Programme: Hershey’s Project
Job Category: Finance

Child Safeguarding

• Level 4: The role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g., once a week or more) or intensively (e.g., 7 days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

Role Purpose

• Save the Children is implementing a 3-year project aimed at ensuring child protection through reduced child labour and increased accountability in the cocoa-growing communities in Cross River and Ondo States in Nigeria. 
• The Case Studies and Communications officer will collect contents (success stories, case studies, impact studies, best practices etc) and package them appropriately for internal and external dissemination, through appropriate channels.
• S/he will ensure appropriate coverage, documentation and representation of Save the Children’s project outcomes and impacts in the states.
• S/he will produce communications materials, building a media profile, in support of donor engagement and visibility of the response programme to reduce child labour and increase accountability in the cocoa-growing communities of Cross River and Ondo States.
• S/he will ensure adherence to SCI branding policy and guideline and that the rights and dignity of families and children are respected in all materials produced and disseminated (voice, photo, video, written).
• The role will deliver vital information and communication products that enable excellent coverage and reflection of the project, its objectives and efforts of SCI and the donors in the states of implementation.

Scope of Role

• Reports to: Project Manager 
• Staff directly reporting to this post: None
• Close working relationships: Field Manager-Ogoja, Child Protection and Livelihood TAs, Media, and Comms Manager 
• Budget responsibility:  None

Key Areas of Accountabilities
Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support strategic communications and media activities to increase engagement, profile, and voice for SCI’s programs to its target audience, internally and externally.
• Ensure that the branding and communication guidelines of Save the Children are uniformly and consistently followed across the project locations.
• Ensure that project teams have relevant knowledge of the donor visibility guidelines.
• Amplify the voices of children through a high quality and consistent content gathering, packaging and dissemination, internally and externally that speaks against child labour in the cocoa growing communities.
• Build engagement and regularly contribute contents for SCI social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube), Workplace, The Jebb Times, and the SCI Nigeria Website to enhance voice, visibility, and awareness and relevance.
• Support field level production and dissemination of communication materials for print/online/voice/visual and other visibility materials to follow Safeguarding Policy and SCI branding and identity guideline.
• Through the technical support and leadership from the Media and Communication Manager, s/he will produce communications and information materials to build the visibility of the program and engagement with Save the Children members, Regional Office/Centre, partners, and relevant stakeholders to support advocacy, campaign, etc.
•  Promote SCI campaigns in the states on the implementation of the Child Rights Protection laws, Reduction of child labour, including Generation Hope Campaigns, WASH campaigns Resilience and Climate change Campaigns.
• Produce accurate, clear, and consistent information and communication outputs relating to Save the Children’s response and programmes in Cross River and Ondo State.
• Support the production of community-facing communications materials to support programmes.
• Work with the CO Media and Communications team on the production of compelling photo stories, case studies and audio-visual materials from the field to highlight Save the Children`s work, including the commissioning of photography and film when required and in line with SCI policies.
• Observe SCI Child Safeguarding Policy when engaging children for content gathering purposes.
• Tailor communication styles to different audiences with responsibility for ensuring terminology, branding and visibility in all materials, and ensure that SCI’s mandate as an impartial, neutral and humanitarian organisation is imparted in all communications.
• Structure strategic media programming infused with Social behavioural Change communication to influence narrative on child labour.
• Ensure that the project has communication plans, oversee and support the implementation of communications plans.
• Ensuring any joint communications projects with partners are in-line with SCI policies and standards, including branding and visibility.
• Support and graphically produce all necessary communications materials for all programs in the Field Office
• Work with stakeholders in generating key messages, aligned to the project themes.
• Establish and maintain good relationships with media and communications stakeholders in the state.

Safeguarding:

• Liaise with Safeguarding focal points in conducting ssafeguarding risk assessment and develop a mitigation plan when needed and provide ongoing, age-appropriate verbal or written information on Save the Children’s Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct to all project stakeholders.
• Responsible for ensuring new staff, partners and volunteers undertake safeguarding induction and refresher training and strive to ensure that project delivery is carried out with the highest standards of Safe Programming.

General:

• Undertake any other tasks as assigned by the relevant line manager.
• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

Equal Opportunities:

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

• We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

• The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy

Health and Safety:

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Qualification
Essential Criteria:

• A Bachelor's Degree in Communication, Media, Journalism, Literature or related field of studies from a recognized higher educational institution; with a minimum of 3 years of professional experience in INGOs.

Experience and Skills:

• Proven experience of developing and supporting the production of communications materials for INGOs or other similar organisations.
• Can produce accurate, clear, and consistent information and communication outputs relating to both programme support and humanitarian situation – including key messages, Q&A’s and factsheets, case studies, press releases, media statements, briefs etc. 
• Evidence of excellent English verbal and written communication skills for a wide range of different audiences including donors, journalists and the ‘general public’.
• Ability to strategically target a wide range of audiences is essential. 
• Excellent relationship building skills to work across all departments. 
• The ability to support the communications team in high-pressure situations, with changing deadlines and priorities. 
• Understanding of how to manage strategic media engagement in politically sensitive environments essential. 
• Proven ability to work with communities and partners to gather case studies, testimonies, and information on different programmes. Excellent IT skills, especially in Microsoft Word, technical aptitude in MS Office. Experience with design software an advantage. 
• Excellent understanding of communication and information needs, media, and campaigning activities, as well donor and member requirements and standards. 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion. Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact, and diplomacy. 
• An initiative-taking, proactive, inspiring attitude with the ability to manage and prioritise an unpredictable workload and solve problems quickly with limited support. 
• Ability to fact check and draft materials. 
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances. 
• Commitment and interest in Save the Children's mission, vision, and values. A good understanding of Save the Children mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support. 
• Knowledge of local languages is a plus.

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 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.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Actively listens to different perspectives and experiences of Project participants and Stakeholders.
• Actively participates in networks to access and contribute to good practice.
• Establishes and maintains clear communication and dialogue with disaster and conflict affected people and other stakeholders.
• Establishes clear objectives with partners.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters. 
• Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

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

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency.
• Commitment to Save the Children Values.

Understanding humanitarian contexts and application of humanitarian principles:

• Ensure that project/programme goals and activities uphold the Media and communications programming. 
• Prioritize key national and international humanitarian news, frameworks, codes and commitments.
• Integrates beneficiary feedback as success stories, case studies or impact stories.

Leadership - Action; Thinking; Self; Inspiring; Developing Others:

• Demonstrates approachability and trust by listening carefully to others and valuing their contribution, and making others feel comfortable by being open and honest about their thoughts and feelings.
• Demonstrates self-development and management by taking responsibility for own development, and actively seeking out feedback to better understand their own strengths and weaknesses.
• Makes positive statements about work.
• Effectively influences others by understanding their interests and showing how they will be met.

Desirable:

• Experience building capacity and trainings especially on gender related issues. 
• Prior work experience in communities across Nigeria.
• Desired Knowledge to know and learn policies, functions, structures, and decision-making processes with regards to Media and Communications. 
• Team player with collaborative skills
• Local language skills (Ability to communicate in Hausa and Kanuri will be an advantage)

Application Closing Date
30th November, 2023; 09:28