Community Mobilization Assistant at Save The Children

Job ID: Maiduguri, Borno
Location: 190000CP

Job Role

• Support the State team to ensure commitment and involvement of local authorities and community members in the programme; and support community mobilization to ensure participation, sustainability of the Humanitarian programme as well as that the voices of community members, including women and children are heard.

Main Responsibilities
Objective 1: Strategy Development:

• Identify policy and practice change, on the basis of Save the Children’s experience, that would promote and protect the rights of children.
• Support in formulating key advocacy messages and targets from lessons learned, assessments, research and evidence gained through project implementation on WASH, child Protection, Food security et al
• Ensure that voices of children form the basis of Save the Children’s advocacy strategy.
• Maintain a strategic overview of issues affecting child Nutrition, monitoring trends in the external environment and inputting to organisational strategy and planning processes.
• Ensure Save the Children visibility is seen in the state
• Actively participate in all Save the Children and CSO Coalition driven activities in the state
• Engage with the state and local governments in policies review when needed
• Facilitate meetings of the coalition groups
• Prepare monthly reports of activities carried out
• Support any other Save the Children-led activities as may be required

Objective 2: Influencing:

• Develop good knowledge of local and national government structures, parliamentary and political processes and key decision making structures and how to influence them.
• Initiate and support lobbying, communications and other activities to inform and persuade policy makers, including donors and politicians, of the value of Save the Children’s policy recommendations.
• Support in building systems for research, analysis and documentation that underpin evidence based advocacy and influencing at state and national levels.
• Develop a feedback mechanism for communicating Save the Children programmes
• Produce reports, briefing papers and presentations for internal and external audiences, as directed.

Objective 3: Collaboration & Representation:

• Develop and sustain strategic relationships with other agencies engaged in advocacy and policy work.
• Support in maintaining a network of external contacts with key individuals in the government, NGO sector, civil society and the media.
• Support in facilitating capacity building of staff from Save the Children and partner agencies in advocacy and communications.
• Represent Save the Children at various policy forums and advocacy opportunities at state and LGA levels, as directed.
• as a spokesperson for Save the Children to a variety of external audiences including policy makers and the media, as directed. Act

Objective 4: Programme Development:

• Provide technical support on voice and community mobilization to State programme team
• Develop a community mobilisation strategy in collaboration with the team and ensure implementation
• Train and mentor Local consultants – Community support
• In collaboration with the rest of the programme team prepare and facilitate trainings
• Participate in the preparation or review of programme monitoring and evaluation tools where necessary
• Ensure correct use of programme monitoring and evaluation (recording) tools, including analysis

Qualifications & Experience
Essential:

• Level of Education - First degree BSc/BA/HND in Communications, Journalism, Social Work, Psychology, Health, or related Social Science field
• Must have completed NYSC
• Minimum of a year experience in community mobilization/campaign and BCC programming will be given priority consideration.
• Experience in advocacy and policy development / research in the development context.
• Good understanding of the possibilities and tactics for influencing decision and policy makers, politicians, donors, and other key actors.
• Knowledge of the media and its role in raising awareness and shaping public policy.
• Good understanding of strategies for achieving child protection, Psychosocial programming policies through participatory processes, and the links with gender, diversity and other aspects of identity.
• Excellent conceptual and analytical skills and demonstrable ability to think strategically, innovatively and practically to ensure achievement of desired change objectives.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences at local, state and national levels.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with partner agencies and key contacts in the government, NGO, civil society (coalitions) and media sectors.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to effectively handle multiple tasks and meet strict deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility, adaptability and ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Good computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets, email / internet) and ability to be self-supporting in most administrative tasks.
• Fluent English language skills (written and verbal).
• Local language skills especially Hausa & Kanuri
• Commitment to the values, mission, aims and policies of Save the Children.

Desirable:

• Experience in training others in advocacy techniques and influencing tactics.
• Prior work experience in advocacy awareness creation and community engagement in Nigeria.
• Experience working on Humanitarian programming.

Core Behaviours
Accountability:

• Accuracy and timeliness in all areas of responsibility
• High level of accuracy in work, and ability to analyse complex sets of relationships and situations
• Holds self and others accountable
• Ambition
• Zeal to work with Children
• Future-orientated, thinks pro-actively

Collaboration:

• working effectively with stakeholders to achieve common goals
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Designing more effective admin systems
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, demonstrates highest levels of integrity.