Project Officer - Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilization at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job Summary

• As a member of the GF Malaria project team, you will monitor and report on all project activities in support of Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your thorough and service-oriented approach will ensure that the project consistently applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.
• In addition, the Project Officer - ACSM will provide technical oversight for advocacy, communication and social mobilization activities for malaria case management, as well as malaria prevention interventions, including advocacy, community dialogue and other behavioral component of the seasonal malarial chemo-prevent activities; and demand creation for Insecticidal Nets (ITN).
• She/his job will include provision of technical oversight on the GF malaria community accountability project.
• S/he will also provide support to the ACSM Sub Recipient (SR), and will liaise with counterparts in Federal and State Ministries of Health to ensure adherence to national strategies and guidelines for malaria prevention.

Roles and Key Responsibilities
Generic Roles:

• Support the coordination and implementation of all assigned project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Monitor and report any challenges and/or gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences.
• Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and assisting partners in their efforts to collect and analyze project data per specified mechanisms and tools. Collaborate with local partner(s) to prepare reports per established reporting schedule.
• Collect information on staff capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and monitor capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact.
• Complete project documentation for assigned activities. Assist with identifying information for case studies and reports on promising practices.

Program Quality:

• Provide technical oversight to the ACSM/SBC SR in the planning and coordination of malaria prevention and ACSM activities in GF supported states
• Coordinate closely with the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) and State Ministries of Health to plan ACSM and malaria prevention activities and ensure that the national guidelines are being appropriately and consistently applied
• Support SRs in ensuring that ACSM component of malaria case management (including advocacy, community mobilization for uptake of services at health facilities and community involvement in seasonal malaria chemoprevention is fully accomplished and meet relevant international and national guidelines
• Provide oversight function to SRs in the design and implementation of effective advocacy, communication, and social mobilization (ACSM) strategies, tailoring strategies to different audiences
• Provide oversight function to SRs in the design of an advocacy plan for the Global Fund malaria program, identifying strategies to engage, influence and mobilize different constituencies, including political, business, religious and community leaders in the fight against malaria in Nigeria
• Provide oversight function to SRs in the roll out and dissemination of updated NMEP approved guidelines, standard operating procedures, and other job-aids for malaria prevention at the facility and community levels
• Provide oversight function for the implementation of demand creation component of ITN campaigns in Nigeria including support and oversight to the implementation of Post Campaign SBCC intervention
• Provide technical oversight for the implementation of GF malaria community accountability project
• Provide overall oversight on quality assurance for trainings and technical assistance provided by SRs to health facilities, IPC conductors, caregivers, and community-oriented resource persons (CORPs) in malaria prevention and ACSM.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning:

• Support the relevant SR in tracking ACSM progress towards relevant performance indicators
• Support the design and implementation of feedback and response channels to enhance accountability of program vis-à-vis beneficiaries of malaria services
• In collaboration with program and SR staff, provide guidance and technical oversight to partners and other collaborating agencies to ensure that lessons learned and best practices for ACSM and malaria prevention are documented and disseminated
• Work closely with relevant partners and various stakeholders to ensure that ACSM lessons learned are incorporated; identify solutions to address challenges and weaknesses
• Review reports on ACSM and malaria prevention activities provide feedback on implementation, progress, and performance, identify solutions to address challenges and weakness
• Ensure implementation of activities in compliance with all CRS and Global Fund administrative and operational procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations
• In collaboration with NMEP, ACSM Sub-committee and partners, contribute to the development and implementation of tools, approaches, and strategies to strengthen ACSM
• Any other assignment as may be assigned by the supervisor

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field
• Minimum of 4 years of work experience in project support and the field of Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilization. Experience in the field of malaria and NGO experience would be a plus.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience in monitoring projects and collecting relevant data preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Familiarity with current strategies and best practices for social and behavior change
• Experience with Interpersonal Communication (IPC) and community mobilization
• Strong representational skills and ability to interface with multiple stakeholders, representatives, and partners (including representatives of government agencies) in a professional manner on an ongoing basis
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively under pressure and to prioritize competing demands
• Professional proficiency in English (oral and written communication skills); strong demonstrated writing skills required (reports, evaluations)
• Demonstrated diplomacy, flexibility, and resourcefulness.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.

Required Languages:

• English

Travel:

• Must be willing and able to travel in-country (sometimes on short notice) up to 50% and out of the country up to 10%

Key Working Relationships:
Internal:

• Global Fund Malaria Program Team, Deputy Country Representative, Country Representative, CRS Program and Operations teams.

External:

• Global Fund Country Team, SRs, State Ministries of Health (SMOH), National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) within the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Technical and Financial Partners, Local Fund Agent (LFA)
• Qualifications - Internal

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity.
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation.
• Builds Relationships.
• Develops Talent.
• Strategic Mindset.
• Accountability & Stewardship.