Social Accountability Coordinator at Save The Children

Role Purpose

• The Social Accountability Coordinator in Lagos will take responsibility for facilitating the initiation, and complementary engagement of SDI related community structures on the 7 point plan of the Stop Diarrhoea Project in Shomolu LGA of Lagos State. He/she will provide technical support and guidance on the various elements of social accountability framework that will improve the prospect of community ownership and sustainability of community actions and initiatives on diarrhoea prevention in the project communities.
• He/She will provide technical leadership that will enhance the effective coordination and tracking of all key stakeholders including government institutions, community actors and peers partners (UNICEF, WHO, PATHS2 and CHAI on anticipated social accountability responsibilities related to SDI intervention mix.

Child Health Policy and Programming:

• Provide sustained technical guidance in the establishment of required functional community structures with clear and complementary roles and responsibilities.
• Facilitate the coordination and streamlining of all elements of SDI related social accountability and complaint response mechanism (CRM) to ensure standard and responsiveness of community structure around the 7 point plan.
• Provide technical support that will enhance and sustain the quality standard of all community level service providers and ensure timely response to issues raised on the quality and propriety of services provided.
• Liaise between State/LGA authorities, other partner's stakeholders and community leaders on major accountability and CRM issues that are beyond community level capacity/resources for timely attention and closure.
• Work with other staff to ensure all capacity gap and service quality issues are dealt with timely in coordination with community leaders.
• Build the capacity of community leaders responsible for the coordination of CORPs and PLACO on social accountability for improved service delivery.
• Track and prepare monthly, quarterly and bi-annual reports on progress and indicators related to social accountability and other community interventions; including documentation of key lessons learnt and successes.
• To contribute to the development of publications for peer-reviewed journals.
• Develop activity plans and budgets for technical support activities
• Collaborate with State and other relevant stakeholders on social accountability roles and responsibilities related to the 7 point plan.
• Participate in developing different levels of progress report and supporting PQA on SDI project interventions.
• Support other colleagues with technical messaging on social accountability, external reports and publications
• Work closely with other thematic teams in Nigeria Country office and the Lagos State offices.
• Other ad hoc tasks as requested by Line Manager.

Skills and Experience

• Minimum of a Postgraduate qualification in Sociology, Health Psychology, Rural Development or Development Studies with a minimum of 7 years demonstrable experience in community development or related programme is essential.
• Essential: at least 3-4 yrs health programme experience with I/NGO in Nigeria
• Essential: very good understanding of national health policies and strategies, programmes and stakeholders in Nigeria
• Essential: Good M&E experience and very good understanding of child survival issues and common childhood illnesses in Nigeria
• Essential: very good understanding of childhood immunizations and immunizations programming/ coverage issues in Nigeria
• Desirable: experience working with government institutions especially at the state level.
• Desirable: analytical & research skills, experience in conducting health systems research, ability to analyze data using SPSS/ EPInfo/ STATA etc

Additional Skills

• Ability to work effectively both independently (with minimal supervision) and as a member of a team
• Commitment to gender equity, child rights, community empowerment, and grassroots development approaches
• Effective planning and organising skills
• Effective interpersonal skills - oral and written communication skills