Community Mobilization Officer - Plane(Kano) at Save The Children

Introduction

• Save the Children International is a 'dual mandate organization and as such equal priority will be given to both humanitarian and development work. Save the Children will support programs in sudden onset and chronic emergencies as part of a commitment to work with children through humanitarian interventions. This is the only way we will be able to ensure that some of the fundamental rights that we believe children have, such as survival, safety, and constant access to protection and education, can be guaranteed.
• Partnership For Learning For All In Nigeria (PLANE)  - is an FCDO funded education project in Jigawa, Katsina and Kano, SC will be implementing window 3 in these three states and will use evidence-based approaches to enable and increase community-based support for learning for 200,000 marginalised children, especially girls and children with disabilities, through building foundational competencies, fostering empowerment, strengthening protection systems and supporting families to overcome demand-side barriers to productive education opportunities.

Role

• The Community Mobilization Officer will provide technical assistance for the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of SBC/community mobilization strategies and strengthening the capacity of SC partners and their frontline workers in SBC/community mobilization.
• S/he will ensure the utilization of evidence-based, best practices and SC’s global SBC Framework and Process to inform planning, development of tools, and materials for the SBC interventions on PLANE Window 3 in consultation with the SBC Coordinator and SBC Manager.
• The post holder will also support SC's efforts to address the demand side barriers to education, particularly for out of school children, including girls and children living with disabilities.
• Under the guidance of the SBC Coordinator, the Community Mobilization Officer will support SC's efforts in creating equitable Partnerships with communities, local  and consortium partners that relate to the project’s SBC components. Specifically, this work will entail support to PMC, the consortium partner with whom SC has joint plans and a teaming agreement to incorporate SBC interventions within this project, support delivery of community-based interventions, and help manage relationships with local partners.

Main Responsibilities
Programme Support (typically will be at field level):

• Under the leadership of an SBC Coordinator, and working with other team members, the post holder will;
• Provide day to day oversight and support towards implementation, monitoring and suppervision of community mobilization activities across implementation LGAs and communities, in collaboration with project partners, government and community stakeholders against intended objectives, targets, and timelines.
• Contribute to the carrying out of formative research, baseline assessments, and community mapping, including development of evaluation protocols, tools, training, data collection.
• Support the development of an evidence-informed SBC strategy, approaches and activities to influence shifts in community norms, attitudes and behaviours  in support of learning by households and communities, in close coordination with other technical team and PMC;
• Contribute to development of detailed implementation plans, work plans and budgets for PMC and SC-supported SBC interventions;
• Work with PMC to develop, adapt and pretest SBCC packages (framework, tools, messages, and materials) on community support to learning for use by PMC and community volunteers;
• Facilitate and maintain relationship with community leaders, community members and structures such as SBMCs, WDCs and community focal persons;
• Support recruitment of community volunteers and facilitators in consultation with community leaders and LGA partners
• Prepare required periodic reporting for social and behavior change activities.

Capacity Strengthening:

• Undertake field visits to partners to oversee implementation, including provision of on-site feedback and supportive supervision on required improvements, and generate field visit reports with timely and appropriate follow-up on action points.
• Support training of community volunteers and other relevant community partners, and ongoing capacity strengthening through mentoring and supportive supervision and encourage the development of peer networks and learning opportunities, including through review meetings.

Partner Management:

• Under the supervision of the SBC Coordinator, SBC Manager and Field Manager, liaise and maintain relationships with PMC, SC’s communication partner, with whom the organization has joint ambition/plans/teaming agreement on the SBC and communication components for PLANE;
• Ensure that all supported SBC activities from Partners are appropriately planned and delivered, and report on progress monthly.

Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:

• Ensure that Save the Children's and PMC’s work is coordinated with other agencies and the Government's efforts and support Interagency Coordination forums, advocating for the specific needs of children. This may involve supporting coordination working groups within the  project supported communities, LGAs and at the State level;
• In cooperation with Advocacy team, ensure community-based and social accountability initiatives are linked with policy influencing;
• Contribute to communications and media work as required through correction of data and information and sharing with the team leads;
• In cooperation with the MEAL Team, conduct data quality assessments and support community volunteers to effectively document and report community mobilization activities using appropriate tools.
• Support documentation and dissemination of programme results, including success stories and case studies in close coordination with SCI Nigeria’s Knowledge Management team;
• Support in sharing the PLANE experience and learning at stakeholder meetings, workshops, donors and other engagements as appropriate

General:

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practices concerning child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities, and other relevant policies and procedures.

Core Behaviours
Understanding community contexts and application of community mobilisation and humanitarian principles:

• Ensures that program goals and activities uphold the principles of the critical national and international humanitarian frameworks, codes, and commitments as well as Save the Children’s community mobilisation principles and UNICEF’s Community Engagement Standards
• Integrates accountability to communities principles into their approach to engaging with communities

Achieving results effectively:

• Establishes effective engagement mechanisms with community and institutional structures and leadership.
• Addresses difficult situations and makes tough decisions confidently and calmly
• Considers the broader impact of decisions in the short and long term.
• Continuously provides feedback and updates to achieve improved results
• Coordinates with stakeholders to avoid duplication and maximize resources
• Documents lessons learned and applied them to future projects

Maintaining and developing collaborative relationships:

• Actively listens to different perspectives and experiences of stakeholders
• Engages with project participants in a way that empowers and facilitates community-led / collective action
• Actively participates in LGA and Ward structure meetings to enhance effective coordination
• Demonstartes good understanding of local cultures establishes and maintains clear communication and dialogue with project participants, including community formal and informal leadership, school staff and management structures, and existing community structures.
• Establishes clear objectives with teams and individuals and monitors progress and performance

Operating safely and securely:

• Identifies and communicates risk and threats and minimizes these for oneself and the organization
• Takes measures to do no harm and to minimize risks for partners and the communities
• Reduces vulnerability by complying with safety and security protocols set by the organization

Managing yourself in a pressured and changing environment:

• Helps team members to practice stress management through prioritization of workloads and modeling of appropriate self-care
• Remains effective and retains perspective in the face of complex or demanding situations
• Demonstrates personal integrity by using one's position responsibly and fairly
• Maintains ethical and professional behavior following relevant codes of conduct
• Plans, prioritize and perform tasks well under pressure
• Takes responsibility for own work and the impact of own actions

Integrity:

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

Qualifications & Experience
Essential:

• Minimum of a B.Sc / HND in Social or Behavioral Sciences, Public Health, Education, Nutrition, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or related fields;
• At least three years experience implementing SBC/Community mobilization related interventions, monitoring, supervision and training;
• Experience in planning and implementing participatory learning and community action approaches is an asset;
• Master trainer and a good facilitator
• Ability to supervise and work collaboratively with community structures;
• Experienced in pre-testing and concept-testing of SBC approaches and content;
• Excellent communication skills and a willingness to be respectful, kind, sensitive, and empathize with all beneficiaries and their carers;
• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions;
• Demonstrable ability at report writing;
• Prepared to live and work in an uncertain security environment;
• Ability to work independently as well as in cooperation with a multi-cultural team;
• Ability to think creatively and strategically;
• Proficient writing and verbal communication skills;
• Must be able to read, write and speak fluent English and Local languages (Hausa);
• Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay at the field;
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children's aims, values, and principles;
• Relevant computer software skills (including, at a minimum, the standard applications in MS Office)

Desirable:

• Experience in conducting formative research, concept-testing and community mapping

Working Conditions:

• Ability and willingness to travel and work in project locations, including working in rurual communities, unusual hours and stressful and insecure environments.