Advocacy, Communication & Social Mobilization Officer, Center for Vaccine Innovation & Access at PATH

PATH’s Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access (CVIA) brings together our expertise across every stage of the long and complex process of vaccine research, development, and delivery to make lifesaving vaccines widely available to children and communities across the world. CVIA’s current portfolio encompasses more than two dozen vaccines either in development or already in use to protect against fifteen different diseases. Our focus is on vaccines to address the leading diseases that claim children’s lives worldwide: pneumonia, diarrheal disease, and malaria; as well as other global health priorities, such as polio and meningitis. We work in partnership with national health ministries, pharmaceutical manufacturers, donors, international financing and regulatory organizations, and many others. PATH has led numerous global partnerships, including the award-winning Meningitis Vaccine Project and the Malaria Vaccine Initiative, which helped develop the first malaria vaccine candidate recommended for pilot implementation.

PATH is currently seeking an ACSM Officer who will lead community mobilization and outreach activities to improve routine immunization coverage in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The ACSM Officer will oversee a team of mobilizers who work with mobile immunization teams within 16 Local Government Areas (LGA) of Kebbi State. This position reports to the PATH Global ACSM lead for this project and takes operational direction from the PATH Kebbi RI State Program Manager.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with Kebbi State health officials, local partners, and PATH colleagues to develop demand generation and community engagement strategies to improve vaccine acceptance and uptake in Kebbi State.
• Contribute to and provide feedback on project workplans and deliverables related to community outreach and mobilization activities.
• Oversee Mobile Immunization Team (MIT) mobilizers to ensure dissemination of clear and consistent messages and vaccine information.
• Participate in microplanning and provide guidance on location and timing of outreaches based on vaccine acceptance and demand.
• Partner with PATH staff, local partners, and Kebbi State health authorities to develop a mobilizer training program to ensure mobilizers have requisite skills and information before joining the mobile immunization team. Training and content will align with the existing government materials for mobilizer training.
• Work with LGA and community leaders, health officials, and local partners to develop materials and messages related to routine immunization in Kebbi State, including evolution of materials to reflect the context (i.e., new vaccines, misinformation, rumors, and other health-related events) and to align with Kebbi State government health information.
• Organize and participate in project and stakeholder meetings as appropriate.
• Document mobilization and outreach successes, challenges, and solutions, as well as lessons learned throughout project.

Required skills and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, communications, or related field, as well as 5+ years of related programmatic experience working on community mobilization activities.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement a community outreach strategy.
• Strong and creative communications skills, ability to translate technical content about immunization for community audiences. 
• Experience leading a team and providing supervision and mentorship.
• Excellent interpersonal and public communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple activities simultaneously.
• Team-focused with the ability to interact with diverse colleagues and facilitate strong working relationships between local and remote colleagues.
• Professional proficiency in English verbal and written communications.
• Willingness to travel within Kebbi State as required by project activities.