Community Mobilization Assistant at Save The Children

ROLE PURPOSE:

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 development programme as well as that the voices of community members, including women and children are heard.
In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Program Coordinator

• Staff directly reporting to this post: none

Key Areas of Accountability

Strategy Development:

• Identify policy and practice change, based on 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 Education, Nutrition, WASH, child Protection, Food security et al
• Ensure that voices of children form the basis of Save the Children’s advocacy strategy.
• Acquire information and understanding of social policy and adapt strategies as necessary.
• 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.
• Establish as well as sustain existing synergy among coalition.
• 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.

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.
• Produce reports, briefing papers, and presentations for internal and external audiences, as directed.

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.
• As a spokesperson for Save the Children to a variety of external audiences including policy makers and the media, as directed.

Programme Development:

• Provide technical support on voice and community mobilization to State programme team.
• Develop a community mobilization 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 training sessions.

Skills and Behaviours’ (our Values in Practice)

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.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

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

• Creating best-in-class EA function
• 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 and value for money systems
• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

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

Qualifications / Experience and Skills

Essential:

• A good First Degree or HND in Health, Social work, Psychology, Communications, or related social science field.
• Entry level skills 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).
• Commitment to the values, mission, aims and policies of Save the Children.

Desirable:

• Training skills in advocacy techniques and influencing tactics.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of Yobe state culture and the diversity of ethnic groups.
• Ability to speak in at least 2 of the Local languages (Hausa, Fulfulde)