State Facilitator at CTG Global

Overview of Position

• In 2020, Nigeria was declared WPV free for having gone without any WPV case for over 4 years. However, Nigeria is still experiencing outbreaks of cVDPV2 due low routine immunization coverage, which is further complicated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Nigeria had 1023 cVDPV2 cases (AFP, contact & environment cases combined).
• Communication & social mobilization are critical components in the routine immunization & 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 & the community at large to promote vaccination. Members of the network conduct active, community based AFP case search & reporting, house to house visits, organise compound meetings & community dialogues, track new born & under five children, give zero dose polio vaccinations, engage members of polio survivors group, track & vaccinate children at internally displaced camps, refer pregnant women to health facilities & under one children for routine vaccination & systematically track & vaccinate missed & non compliant children during in between rounds activities in their assigned settlements.
• The network is supervised through a comprehensive network of Facilitators at ward, LGA & state levels. The VCM network is a proven catalyst for change & a standard for community engagement at the grassroots level to drive community mobilisation for polio & routine immunization, individual & group health education sessions & promotion of essential family practices.
• State Facilitators & the supportive supervision layers under them, as well as the volunteer community mobilizers, were key actors who raised the community awareness, tracked the new born & their immunization status, changed the behaviour of the caregivers favourably & engaged prominent influences to resolve non compliance & 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 & strengthen its support in intensive community engagement & social mobilization with particular focus on ensuring improved coordination & partnership with key community leaders of underserved populations & in very high risk states. One of the key approaches in community mobilization is the identification, sensitization & engagement of prominent influencers in underserved & 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.
• These Facilitators will be located at the state level with frequent trips to the LGAs with high numbers of missed children in key wards. Emphasis will be on communication approaches to improve routine immunization & to support emergency non polio SIA, such as COVID-19.

Role Objectives
Responsibilities include:

• Work with a cluster of LGA / ward teams, to ensure deeper ward analysis, planning & implementation of strategic communications interventions & be responsible for basic monitoring. The specific communication interventions to be implemented in each area will be informed by local knowledge & unique characteristics of the wards / settlements.
• Support development of LGA social mobilisation action plans for polio & non polio SIAs & mop ups, targeting high risk wards in the high risk LGAs within the state.
• Facilitate, in coordination with our clients field offices the effective use of our clients social mobilisation funds (channelled through the govt. departments) at the state, LGA & ward levels for SIAs.
• Support training of state / LGA / ward staff & vaccination personnel in social mobilisation activities, including interpersonal communications.
• Advocate with LGA / ward policy makers, religious & traditional leadership for support for the implementation of polio & non polio campaign campaigns & routine immunization.
• Participate in the planning & implementation of media & communication activities & work with media groups & networks for coordinating our client supported programs during SIPDs.
• Work directly & collaborate with traditional leaders at the district & ward levels for increased community participation & OPV acceptance to reduce missed children during campaigns.
• Design & implement group specific strategies to reach hard to reach, nomadic & minority groups at the LGA, district & ward levels.
• Participate in the state / LGA social mobilization committees within their cluster of LGAs & provide direct action advocacy support for addressing issues related to refusal, resistance & rejection at the ward level.
• Participate in state / LGA / ward IPD management team activities geared toward successful implementation of SIAs.
• Supervise the collection of data at the state, LGA, district & ward levels & analyse data for specific trends / patterns of non compliance, poor coverage, dropouts, left outs etc., & undertake coordinated action to facilitate the process of reaching such communities / households.
• Coordinate with stakeholders such as NGOs, CBOs, religious groups, women's groups & youth groups for their involvement & participation in polio eradication activities.
• Work in close collaboration with other partner like WHO, ROTARY, Red Cross, NTLC, SPHCDA & other relevant govt. partners.
• Ensure strong supervision of the LGA Facilitators & other polio communication team members in their cluster of LGAs within the accountability framework.(only for the states that have LGA Facilitators).
• Support all required activities in respective cluster of LGAs to increase coverage for routine immunization.
• Support any emergency non polio SIAs, such as COVID-19, as required by the organization.

Expected output:

• Based on the major tasks outlined above, a work plan should be submitted for approval by supervising Facilitator / SBC Specialist / Health Specialist 2 weeks after joining with clear monthly deliverables for each month of the contract period.
• A detailed work plan at the beginning & monthly work plans thereafter (1st week of each month).
• Monthly report of activities, outcomes, mission reports & Notes for the Record (NFR) on meetings etc. (monthly).
• Accountability dashboard indicators submitted monthly & strict adherence to the accountability framework in the state.
• One report after each IPD by using a supplied template on intervention & other social data tools / social mobilization indicators (as per IPD conducted).
• One end of contract report.

Expected results:

• Data driven & evidence based high risk operational plans with strong communication component in place across all LGAs within the assigned cluster of LGAs contributing to a reduction in missed children & quality campaigns (every campaign).
• Immunization barriers identified, analyzed & overcome by social mobilization groups & key influencers (updated monthly in all LGAs).
• Number of missed children & non compliance are reduced through intensified social mobilization activities.
• Full implementation of the accountability framework across all LGAs within the cluster leading to high quality immunization activities (monthly dashboard updated & quarterly review of Facilitators).
• Polio & routine immunization, M&E reports from LGA are available at state, field office & Abuja levels (weekly report submitted & monthly report submitted).
• Functioning social mobilization committee & polio task forces in place across all LGAs within the assigned cluster of LGAs.
• Volunteer community mobilizer network, is highly operational delivering results as reported through accurate & timely reporting (weekly reports submitted).

Requirements

• University Degree in Social Sciences, Communication, Public Health, Community Nutrition, Community Development or related technical field.
• Fluency in English, knowledge in a local language is an asset.
• At least 3 years progressively responsible professional work experience at state level in programme planning, management, M&E in immunization programs.
• Experience in social mobilization & communication & polio eradication campaign, IEC material development, training & negotiation skills & team building.
• Languages: Fluent in English (essential).