State SBC Polio Facilitator at Committed To Good (CTG) - 4 Openings

Committed to Good (CTG) staff and support humanitarian projects in fragile and conflict-affected countries around the world, providing a rapid and cost-effective service for development and humanitarian missions. With past performance in 17 countries - from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia, we have placed more than 20,000 staff all over the world since operations began in 2006.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: State SBC Polio Facilitator

Locations: Abuja, Sokoto, Kano and Jigawa
Employment Type: Full-time
Job ID: VAC-11846
Start Date: 01-June-2024

Job Description

• In 2020, Nigeria was declared WPV free for having gone without any WPV cases for over four years. However, Nigeria is experiencing outbreaks of cVDPV2 due to low Routine Immunization (RI) coverage & population immunity. In 2018, Nigeria experienced a major outbreak leading to about 34 cases.
• The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in collaboration with partners has ensured the overall planning, implementation & monitoring of the polio eradication program in 19 northern states & a few southern states where the spread was recorded. As of 2018, the number of cases reduced to 18, but about 4.3 million children are still unimmunized (18%, MICS / NICS 2021).
• RI performance in Nigeria has remained sub optimal for over 10 years, according to the National Demographic Health Surveys (NDHS) of 2003,2008, 2013 & 2018, communication & social mobilization are critical components in RI & Supplementary Immunization (SI) campaigns for polio vaccination & other vaccines.
• The Volunteer Community Mobilizers (VCM) network is one of the strongest community structures that support 12 high risk states in northern Nigeria, working closely with stakeholders, caregivers & communities to promote vaccination. These volunteers organize community dialogues & compound meetings, track newborns & children under five years for polio vaccination & refer pregnant women to health facilities for antenatal care. The network is supervised by a network of Facilitators at the LGA & state levels.
• The engagement of State & LGA Facilitators across these states has ensured no wild polio case has been reported for the past 3 years, after the last polio case was reported in August 2016 from Borno state. Enhanced awareness of the community about the polio campaign remained at 94%.
• Strengthened monitoring of the program & routine monitoring of the program is jointly done by all polio partners. Support rapid survey implementation to generate additional data, national level review, planning & capacity building events for VCM network members & a data quality assurance mechanism in place.
• The LGA Facilitators will be located at the state & LGA with frequent trips to wards & settlements to provide that essential link between the community structures in the assigned LGA of implementation, serving to coordinate & supervise polio / RI activities at the LGA level. S / he will supervise the day to day implementation of polio / RI activities across our client supported implementation sites. S / he will also supervise the daily operations of the VCM network, with a specific focus on ensuring quality implementation & data reporting.
• The LGA Facilitator will also play a prominent role in reporting on the changing humanitarian situation (Borno / Yobe states) within their LGAs & will enable our client & partners to adapt in a timely & appropriate response to the changing situation. In the context of increasing insecurity with limited travel to implementation sites by our client, LGA Facilitators’ presence in the field provides a much needed means for program monitoring to ensure the maintenance of the quality of implementation according to national & international protocols as well as an independent layer of accountability.
• The State Facilitator will be located in the state with frequent trips to the LGA, wards & settlements, providing general oversight of the VCM structures in the assigned cluster of LGAs. Coordinate & supervise polio / RI activities at the cluster level. S / he will supervise the day to day polio / RI activities implementation across our client supported implementation sites. S / he will also supervise the daily operations of the LGAF & VCM network, specifically focusing on ensuring quality implementation & data reporting.
• The State Facilitator will also play a prominent role in reporting on the changing humanitarian situation (Borno / Yobe states) within their LGAs & will enable our client & its partners to adapt promptly & appropriately to the changing situation. In the context of increasing insecurity with limited travel to implementation sites by our clients staff, State Facilitators’ presence in the field provides a much needed means for program monitoring to ensure the maintenance of the quality of implementation according to national & international protocols as well as an independent layer of accountability.

Role Objectives:   

• Work with a cluster of LGA / ward teams to ensure deeper ward analysis, planning & implementation of strategic communications interventions & be responsible for basic monitoring.
• The specific communication interventions to be implemented in each area will be informed by local knowledge & the unique characteristics of the wards / settlements.
• Support the development of LGA social mobilization action plans for polio & non polio Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs )targeting high risk wards in the high risk LGAs within the state.
• Facilitate, in coordination with our clients Field Offices (FO's), the effective use of social mobilization funds channeled through the government departments at the state, LGA & ward levels for SIA.
• Support training of state / LGA / ward staff & vaccination personnel in social mobilization activities, including interpersonal communications.
• Advocate with LGA / ward policymakers & religious & traditional leadership for support for implementing polio & non polio campaigns / RI.
• Participate in planning & implementing media & communication activities & work with media groups & networks for coordinating our client supported programs during SIPDs.
• Work directly & collaborate with traditional district & ward leaders to increase community participation & OPV acceptance to reduce missed children during campaigns.
• Design & implement group specific strategies to reach hard to reach, nomadic & minority groups at LGA, district & ward levels.
• Participate in state / LGA / ward IPD management team activities geared towards successfully implementing SIAs.
• Supervise data collection at the state, LGA, district & ward levels.
• Analyse data for specific trends / patterns of non compliance, poor coverage, dropouts, left outs, etc. & undertake coordinated actions to facilitate the process of reaching such communities / households.
• Coordinate stakeholders such as NGOs, CBOs, religious groups, women’s groups & youth groups for their involvement & participation in polio eradication activities.
• Work closely with other partners like WHO, Rotary, Red Cross, NTLC / SPHCDA & other relevant government partners.
• Ensure strong supervision of LGA Facilitators & other polio communication team members in their cluster of LGAs within the accountability framework.
• Support all required activities in respective clusters of LGAs to increase coverage for routine immunization.
• Support any emergency non polio SIAs such as COVID-19, as required by the organization & any other duties assigned by the supervisor.

Expected Output:

• Based on the major tasks outlined above, a work plan should be submitted for approval by supervising Facilitator / SBC Specialist / Health Specialist two weeks after joining with clear monthly deliverables for each month of the contract period.
• A detailed work plan at the beginning & monthly work plans thereafter (1st week of each month).
• Monthly report of activities, outcomes, mission reports & Notes for Record (NFR) on meetings, etc. (monthly).
• Accountability dashboard indicators submitted monthly & strict adherence to the accountability framework in the state.
• One report after each IPD by using a supplied template on intervention & other social data tools / social mobilization indicators (as per IPD conducted).
• One end-of-contract report.

Expected Results:

• Data-driven & evidence-based high-risk operational plans with strong communication components in place across all LGA's within the assigned cluster of LGAs contributing to a reduction in missed children & quality campaigns (every campaign).
• Immunization barriers identified, analyzed & overcome by social mobilization groups & key influencers (updated monthly in all LGAs).
• The number of missed children & non-compliance is reduced through intensified social mobilization activities.
• Full implementation of the accountability framework across all LGAs within the cluster leading to high-quality immunization activities (monthly dashboard updated & quarterly review of Facilitators).
• Polio & routine immunization, M&E reports from LGA are available at state, FO & Abuja levels (weekly & monthly report submitted).
• Functioning social mobilization committee & polio task forces are in place across all LGAs within the assigned cluster of LGAs.
• VCM network is highly operational, delivering results as reported through accurate & timely reporting (weekly reports submitted).

The primary outcomes will be:

• Quality implementation of all polio & non polio IPDs / SIA reduces (to almost zero) missed children (non compliant & / or absent) & zero dose children.
• Increased commitment from LGA officials, traditional leaders & religious leaders through frequent LGA Facilitator feedback & engagement on all SBC activities for our clients programs.
• Social mobilization working groups & committees at LGAs hold regular meetings & use social mobilization data to plan, monitor & implement SBC interventions in polio, routine immunization, health, nutrition, education, WASH & child protection.
• Improved use of social & Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) data in communication strategy development & planning by the LGA team, including social mobilization working group members through technical inputs.

Project reporting: 

• This role reports to the line manager.

Requirements    

• University degree in social sciences, communication, public health, community nutrition, community development or related technical field.
• Fluency in English, knowledge of the local language of the duty station is an asset.
• At least 3 - 5 years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the state / LGA level in program planning, management, monitoring & evaluation in immunization programs.
• Experience in social mobilization, advocacy & communication in health related programs, polio eradication campaign, IEC materials development, training / capacity building, team building.
• Current knowledge of development issues, strategies as well as programming policies & procedures in international development cooperation.
• Proven ability to conceptualize, innovate, plan & execute ideas, as well as impart knowledge & tech skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in multi cultural environment & establish harmonious & effective working relationships both within & outside the organization.
• Geographical experience: Minimum of 5 year/s of experience in Africa (essential).

Languages: 

• Fluent in English (essential).
• Fluent in any local language(s) (desirable).

Team management:    

• This role has no team management responsibility.

Application Closing Date
1st May, 2024.