Communication LGA Facilitator (Polio / Routine Immunization) at CTG Global

Locations: North, Nigeria
Place of performance: 12 high-risk states in the north, Nigeria
Employment Type: Contract
Contract Duration: Up to 6 months - @21.75 days/month
Start Date: 01/07/2021
Reports to: Chief of Field Office (CFO)
Team Management: No direct report.

CTG Overview 

• CTG stands for Committed To Good. With an ethical approach at the heart of all that we do, it is a description that makes us proud. Respect for the fundamental human rights of our staff, and those our staff encounter, is a cornerstone of our values. We strive for gender equality, inclusion and diversity, providing fair and equal opportunities for all. We take a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and stay true to local labour laws and all local statutory requirements.
• In operation since 2006, today we are honoured to serve clients in 15 fragile and conflict-affected states assisting with disaster relief, peacebuilding, humanitarian aid and development programmes through our specialised recruitment, HR management and operational services.

Overview of Position    

• In 2020, Nigeria was declared WPV-free for having gone without any WPV case for over four years.  However, Nigeria is still experiencing outbreaks of cVDPV2 due to low routine immunization coverage, which is further complicated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Nigeria experienced a major cVDPV2 outbreak in 2018 when the country had 34 AFP cases of cVDPV2 in the northern states. Although the number of cVDPV2 cases from AFP decreased to 18 in 2019, the outbreak spread to more states, including the southern states which were not considered as polio high-risk. In 2020 the AFP cases due to cVDPV2 were 8 and so far in 2021, the AFP cases are 8.  The eradication success is fragile because immunization coverage is still low.
• The spread of the cVDPV2 in the country is driven by low population immunity due to low routine immunization coverage. With an estimated 4.3 million unimmunised children in 2018, Nigeria has the highest number of unimmunised children globally with 33 per cent routine immunisation coverage (2016 MICS/NICS). Thanks to innovative strategies to strengthen routine immunization through the National Emergency Routine Immunization Coordination Centre (NERICC) framework, there was an increase in routine immunization coverage: 50 per cent (NDHS, 2018) and 57 per cent (SMART Survey, 2018). Still, routine immunization performance in Nigeria has remained sub-optimal for over ten years according to the national demographic health surveys (NDHS) of 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018, which puts the national Penta3 coverage at 21 per cent, 35 per cent, 49 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively. The national immunization coverage surveys conducted in 2007, 2011 and 2016 also showed that the country’s reported Penta3 coverage rates of 28 per cent, 37 per cent and 33 per cent respectively, far below the acceptable target coverage of 80 per cent. 
• Communication and social mobilizations are critical components in routine immunization and polio vaccination. It utilises the Volunteer Community Mobiliser (VCM) network of more than 18,500 members deployed in 12 high-risk states in the northern part of Nigeria, working closely with stakeholders, caregivers, and the community at large to promote vaccination. Members of the network conduct active, community-based AFP case search and reporting, house-to-house visits, organise compound meetings and community dialogues, track new-born and under-five children, give zero-dose polio vaccinations, engage members of a polio survivors group, track and vaccinate children at internally displaced camps, refer pregnant women to health facilities and under-one children for routine vaccination and systematically track and vaccinate missed and non-compliant children during in-between rounds activities in their assigned settlements.
• The network is supervised through a comprehensive network of facilitators at the ward, LGA, and state levels. The VCM network is a proven catalyst for change and a standard for community engagement at the grassroots level to drive community mobilisation for polio and routine immunization, individual and group health education sessions and promotion of essential family practices. 
• LGA facilitators, along with the volunteer community mobilizers, were key actors who raised the community awareness, tracked the new-born and their immunization status, changed the behaviour of the caregivers favourably and engaged prominent influences to resolve non-compliance and reached out to underserved population since 2012. In the era of post-WPV, their intensified communication is expected to contribute immensely to the lingering immunization challenges of Nigeria. 
• Our client has the need to sustain and strengthen its support in intensive community engagement and social mobilization with a particular focus on ensuring improved coordination and partnership with key community leaders of underserved populations and in very high-risk states. One of the key approaches in community mobilization is the identification, sensitization and engagement of prominent influencers in underserved and mobile communities. Intensified engagement with the religious institutions in Nigeria is critical to addressing key communication challenges that the immunization programme is facing.  There are still lingering challenges with small groups predominantly in Northern Nigeria; these result in non-compliance with a correspondingly high number of children remaining unvaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases. 

Role Objectives    

• The LGA Facilitator will be located at the LGA level with frequent trips to the wards and settlements with high numbers of missed children. Particular emphasis will be on communication approaches to reach the populations in all high-risk areas, eliminate missed children due to non-compliance, and ensure maximum reach for immunisation programmes. Will also support other our client C4D initiatives, in respect of health, education, nutrition, WASH, and child protection C4D activities, including COVID-19 as applicable.

Project Reporting:    

• Chief of Field Office (CFO) or his/her Officer in Charge.

Key Competencies    

• Supervise a team of Volunteer Ward Supervisors (VWS), Polio Survivor Group (PSG) and Volunteer Community Mobilizers (VCM) in his/her area(s) through regular monitoring, capacity building, and supportive supervision.
• Work within a specified LGA, with its ward and settlement teams to ensure deeper ward/settlement analysis, planning and implementation of strategic communications interventions. The specific communication interventions to be implemented in each area will be informed by local knowledge, social data, and unique characteristics of the wards/settlements.
• Consult with our client's C4D, and State Facilitator to mobilize and ensure the effective organization and functioning of the LGA Social Mobilization Task Team.
• Support LGA Health Educator in meetings of the LGA Social Mobilization Team to plan, implement and report on communication interventions in support of the Polio and non-polio SIA programmes, and targeting high-risk wards within the State.
• Conduct regular community mapping exercises to identify vulnerable groups, hard to reach communities, strategic communication and mobilization delivery points and channels for messaging, advocacy and public education (micro-planning).
• Identify training needs/gaps of various groups and seek support from our client's C4D, and State Facilitator to implement capacity building activities to fill knowledge gaps and address deficiencies.
• Identify key local level influencers such as district heads, religious leaders, women groups, town announcers, traditional dancers, pharmacists, social and cultural groups and support the planning and implementation of such activities as Majigis, mop-up activities, use of local town announcers and special events, to create high levels of public awareness to resolve non-compliance and reduce missed children.
• Monitor the relevance and use of IEC materials and make specific recommendations on their adaptability to local reality.
• Spend adequate time working with various community groups and monitor all communication activities so that our client's support to local-level communication interventions and their impact can be documented across all our client's programmes (Health/Polio, WASH, Education, Nutrition, Child Protection).
• Track the delivery and efficient utilization of campaign social mobilization funds at the LGA level. Report on how funds are spent to support various communication activities and facilitate, in coordination with our client's C4D and State Facilitator, the effective use of SocMob funds (channelled through the Government departments) at the State, LGA, and Ward levels for Polio and non-polio SIAs.
• Monitor and report, on a monthly basis, the factual and complete disbursement of honorariums to Volunteer Community Mobilizers, Polio Survivors Group, and Volunteer Ward Supervisors, reporting immediately any misappropriation of funds to our client's Programme Manager (Polio) and State Facilitator.
• Actively participate in all State-level pre-campaign training as appropriate.
• Support all C4D activities in respective LGA/Wards/Settlements to promote child survival and protection.
• Support to different sectors to mark and celebrate global and national days e.g. global handwashing day, day of the African child etc.
• Respond appropriately to health emergencies and disease outbreaks through the risk communication and community engagement committees at the LGA level.

Team Management:    

• No direct Reports.

Further Information    
Expected Output:

• A detailed work plan at the beginning of the contract and monthly work plans thereafter 
• Sharing and uploading of data to ODK and other data tool at agreed timelines
• Monthly report of activities, outcomes, mission reports, and support to other reporting as requested.
• One end of contract Report including detailed handover notes delivered to C4D and State Facilitator. 

Expected Results:

• Nigeria Community Engagement plan implemented at all levels by all stakeholders.
• Facilitation of implementation of State and LGA Social Mobilization and High-Risk Operational Plans (HROP).
• Volunteer Ward Supervisors, PSGs (where applicable) and Volunteer Community Mobilizers are supervised, mentored, and capacity strengthened through solid teamwork and leadership.
• Vaccination barriers identified, analysed and overcome by Social mobilization groups and key influencers, the number of missed children and non-compliances are reduced.
• LGA Communication packages on health, polio, routine immunization, WASH, education and nutrition and child protection are developed and implemented.
• Polio and RI, and non-polio SIAs Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) reports are available at State, Field Office and Abuja levels.
• Contribution to other reports made and shared as requested.
• The primary outcomes will be:
• Quality implementation of all Polio and non-polio IPDs/Supplemental Immunization Activities leading to reduction (to almost zero) in the level of missed children (non-compliant and/or absent), and zero-dose children.
• Increased commitment from LGA officials, traditional leaders, and religious leaders through frequent LGA Facilitator feedback and engagement on all C4D activities for our client's programmes.
• Social mobilization working group and committees at LGAs hold regular meeting and use social mobilization data for planning, monitoring and implementation.
• Social mobilization working group and committees at LGAs hold regular meeting and use social mobilization data for planning, monitoring and implementation of interventions in polio, routine immunization, health, nutrition, education, WASH and child protection.
• Improved use of social and Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) data in communication strategy development and planning by the LGA team including Social Mobilization Working Group members through technical inputs.

Education

• University Degree in Social Sciences or related technical field.

Language:

• Fluency in English. Knowledge of the local working language of the duty station an asset.

Work Experience:

• At least three years progressively responsible professional work experience with national and international humanitarian organisations in programme planning, management, monitoring and evaluation of programmes.
• At least three years of similar experience in social mobilization, advocacy and communication in health-related programmes, training/capacity building, team leading and team building.

Required Competencies:

• Proven ability to conceptualize, innovate, plan and execute ideas, as well as to impart knowledge and teach skills
• Managerial and supervisory skills
• Strong data analysis skills to inform communication activities, computer skills, including internet navigation and various office applications 
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.