Behavior Change Communication Adviser (BCC) at Save The Children

Role Purpose

• The Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) component of SDI signature project has grown and cuts across every thematic area of the intervention.
• The BCC Adviser will take the lead in ensuring the smooth implementation of the relevant elements of BCC and School Health activities of the Stop Diarrhoea Project in Shomolu LGA of Lagos State. He/she will provide technical input in activity design, roll out, and implementation; including ensuring that project outputs delivered are of high quality.
• Under the SDI outcome 2, output 2.1, Save the Children will support activities to raise awareness, reinforce knowledge and improve practices among community members on diarrhoea prevention and control, encourage two-way dialogue to enable communities to create an enabling environment for improved family and community practices; address unhealthy social norms; and employ best practices in community mobilisation and BCC.
• In this regard, the BCC Adviser will facilitate timely and comprehensive implementation of designed range of BCC activities in consultation with community members (informed by the formative research carried out by LSHTM) to raise awareness on diarrhoea related issues across the 7 point plan that will promote healthier choices in diarrhoea prevention and control.
• He/she will ensure the LSHTM research results is used to target specific behaviour and to develop content for the BCC interventions across the 7 point plan, including interactive TV and radio programmes, other mass media (mobile technology), and a DVD on diarrhoea prevention and control. This will be shown in 127 public and private health facilities and child health clinics across the LGA.
• The DVD will be played during child health clinics and other child focused activities in health facilities. This innovation is grounded on LSHTM’s success in India, Nepal, Ghana and Zambia, where mass media campaigns have seen increases in hand washing at critical times rise from 6% to 29% in India over a period of six months.
• Therefore, the BCC Adviser will provide technical leadership in the area of BCC and School Health activities in coordination with Advocacy/Campaign teams including government agencies and peer development partners such as SFH, UNICEF, WHO, PATHS2 and CHAI to achieve SDI outcome 2.

Scope of Role

• Reports to: Chief of Party; Indirect line of report– Advocacy and Campaign Director
• Staff directly reporting to this post: School Health and Campaign Coordinator.
• Budget responsibility: None

Key Areas of Accountability
BCC and School Health Programming:

• Support the conceptualization, development and rollout of series of behaviour change communication materials on the 7 point plan.
• Make technical input into the planning and design and of project specific operational researches, including baseline and end line evaluation related to BCC on the signature project
• Work closely with State/LGA authorities to ensure the availability and use of required BCC materials in the communities, facilities and other public platforms that provides opportunity to influence specific behaviour necessary to improve alignment with the 7 point plan
• Provide overall BCC and School Health technical guidance on day to day project issues and challenges.
• Work together with other staff/ to ensure that key trainings and have the require BCC materials necessary to change and reinforce and retain specific favourable behaviours.
• Be able to systemically review new materials that could be adopted to support the 7 point plan
• Work with other relevant members of the team to develop a strategic communication framework for SDI
• Co-lead with the Advocacy Adviser the development of a sustainability and exit strategy (through community ownership) for the SDI programme

Technical and Advisory Support:

• Provide technical support and timely feedback to State and LGA teams on effectiveness of key BCC strategies on the signature project.
• Support M&E of BCC and School Health activities in coordination with relevant stakeholders.
• Build capacity of field staff, partners and government personnel on material development and dissemination
• Identify other opportunities in an ongoing manner that will add value to the overarching strategy of the signature project.
• Track and prepare monthly, quarterly, bi-annual and annual progress reports of BCC indicators; including documentation of key lessons learnt and successes
• To lead or contribute to the development of publications for peer-reviewed journals.

Planning, Documentation and Budgeting:

• Develop activity plans and budgets for technical support related to BCC and School Health activities.
• Participate in the preparation of overall work plan and budget for BCC/School Health programme in Lagos State
• Collaborate with relevant ministries and other relevant partners at the state levels to ensure integration and high level implementation of BCC/School Health activities.
• Participate in developing different levels of progress report and supporting PQA on BCC/School interventions.

Representation and Relationships:

• Actively participate in State/LGA level technical working groups on BCC and School Health relevant to policy forums.
• Actively contribute to national policies/strategies on BCC and School Health
• Support advocacy colleagues with technical messaging on BCC and School Health, external reports and publications
• Work closely with other thematic teams in Nigeria Country office and the Lagos State offices.

Programme Management:

• Ensure the maintenance of healthy partnerships with relevant government counterparts and other partners at Federal and State levels in the management of BCC and School Health related interventions.
• Other - Other ad hoc tasks as requested by Line Manager.

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 and partners 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
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

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

Integrity:

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

Skills & Experience

• A broad based development worker with postgraduate qualification in Communication, International Relations, Public Health, Health Management or related field with a minimum of 7 years demonstrable experience in communication/media, school health interventions or related programme is essential.
• Essential: basic communications, school health/hygiene or programme management qualifications
• Essential: at least 4 years programming  experience with I/NGO in Nigeria
• Essential: very good understanding of national school health policies and strategies, programmes and stakeholders in Nigeria
• Essential: Demonstrable management experience and very good understanding of child survival issues, school and common childhood illnesses in Nigeria
• Essential: very good understanding of school health nutrition, hygiene issues in Nigeria
• Desirable: Community based interventions in Nigeria
• Desirable: master trainer and good facilitator.
• Desirable: analytical & research skills, experience in conducting health systems research, ability to analyze data using SPSS/ EPInfo/ STATA etc

Additional Qualifications:

• Work experience in health/public health and or in a health/public health organisation, including as a trainer.
• Experience with providing institutional support and technical assistance to development partners, government/community institutions

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