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Position Description
General Information:

• The MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity (M-RITE) project is part of a suite of innovative awards funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to holistically improve family planning and maternal and child health in partner countries around the world.
• The project applies best practices and explores innovations to increase equitable immunization coverage in USAID-supported countries around the globe. It works to build countries’ capacity to identify and overcome barriers to reaching zero-dose and under immunized children and older populations with life-saving vaccines and other integrated health services. M-RITE works at multiple levels and in alignment with global strategies such as the Immunization Agenda 2030 and Gavi 5.0.
• The project also contributes to ongoing global efforts to mitigate the impact low routine immunization coverage and support states to prepare for and introduce vaccines new vaccines against vaccine preventable disease once they are available.
• In Nigeria M-RITE works to strengthen routine immunization (RI) services and supports COVID-19 vaccine rollout at the state level and in 5 focus states.

Summary

• The primary role of the State Immunization Technical Officer (SITO) will be to support the SPHCDA team in five State of Bayelsa, Edo, Imo, Jigawa and Lagos Nigeria and provide strategic leadership in order to ensure effective planning and implementation of SPHCDA priority activities. 
• The SITO will work under the supervision of the M-RITE Nigeria State Team Lead (STL) and will collaborate closely with the SPHCDA/LGHA and partner organizations.

Responsibilities

• The State immunization Technical Officer will be responsible for providing technical assistance to the SPHCDA/LGHA, including other local partners.
• Serve as a strategic, high-level technical Officer to the SPHCDA/LGHA, and technical sub-committees and working groups responsible for routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination
• Work in collaboration with the SPHCDA and technical partners to complete evaluations of immunization activities at state level in the 5 selected states.
• Work with SPHCDAs/LGHA to develop strategies to reduce zero dose and under immunized in the states and work with LGAs and PHCs to continue to identify, reach, monitor, measure and advocate for support from key community stakeholders.
• Work in collaboration with the SPHCDA/LGHA technical working groups and sub-committees to define and implement COVID-19 vaccines, and to align state-level support to national strategies including Zero Dose strategy, HSS, and SCALES 3.0.
• Support all aspects of the catch-up phase for COVID-19 vaccination (Bayelsa, Edo and Lagos state only) technical assistance.
• Provide technical assistance to analysis of program performance.  Collaborate with partners to collect and analyze data, monitor performance, and support SPHCDA/LGHA with strategic leadership for planning and implementing corrective actions.
• Provide linkages between M-RITE and local partners (NGOs, etc.) to mobilize them and provide support and technical assistance to program activities. Work with these organizations to ensure technical support at all levels. 
• Support the development and submission of progress reports to M-RITE and partners, including regular reporting of updates
• Remain in regular contact (by email, phone, Slack, etc.) with the M-RITE Nigeria leadership team and the M-RITE global level team through regular check-in meetings
• Under the guidance of the M-RITE State Team lead, oversee the LGA level support for RI/PHC
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s  Degree in any Medical related field, or 5 years equivalent experience in Immunization or Health Systems Strengthening at the field level..
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) projects with a focus on planning, implementing,monitoring and reportingRoutine Immunization and PHC services. 
• A strong knowledge of immunization programming and Health Systems Strengthening in USAID funded project highly desirable.
• Leading and managing USAID funded MCH program in cluster of  LGAs is strongly desirable
• Experience with health system strengthening and pro-equity approaches in Nigeria with a preference for technical expertise in immunization/vaccine preventable diseases and PHC at state or zonal level is desirable.
• Demonstrated leadership with proven track record to work across multiple partners (e.g., State and or LGA government, donors, and other partners such as WHO, AFENET) to build and sustain collaborative relationships.
• Fluency in English or local language an added advantage.

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Description

• The MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity (M-RITE) project is part of a suite of innovative awards funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to holistically improve family planning and maternal and child health in partner countries around the world.
• The project applies best practices and explores innovations to increase equitable immunization coverage in USAID-supported countries around the globe. It works to build countries’ capacity to identify and overcome barriers to reaching zero-dose and under immunized children and older populations with life-saving vaccines and other integrated health services. M-RITE works at multiple levels and in alignment with global strategies such as the Immunization Agenda 2030 and Gavi 5.0.
• The project also contributes to ongoing global efforts to mitigate the impact low routine immunization coverage and support states to prepare for and introduce vaccines new vaccines against vaccine preventable disease once they are available. In Nigeria M-RITE works to strengthen routine immunization (RI) services and supports COVID-19 vaccine rollout at the state level and in 5 focus states.

Job Summary

• The primary role of the Program Officer, Reaching Zero Dose and underimmunized children will be to support the NPHCDA and SPHCDA  in five State of Bayelsa, Edo, Imo, Jigawa and Lagos to support implementation of the GoN’s ‘zero dose’ strategy and support other efforts for routine immunization strengthening.
• The PO will report to the Country Director to support all aspects of the catch-up phase/Recovery plan of NPHCDA in focused states.

Responsibilities

• The Program Officer will be responsible for providing technical assistance to the NPHCDA, including other local partners.
• Serve as a strategic, high-level technical Officer to the NPHCDA/SPHCDA, and technical sub-committees and working groups responsible for advancing the GoN Recovery and Catch up plans. Exploring approaches and potential policies to reach unreached communities more effectively in fragile and conflict settings
• Provide support to meeting agenda development (including identification of topics), scheduling and leading of relevant meetings, synthesis of meeting notes, and follow-up of key action items across Zero Dose workstreams.
• Work in collaboration with the NPHCDA/SPHCDA and technical partners to support local rapid, iterative learning approaches that understand root causes and in turn innovate and test strategies to address those causes and reach zero dose communities with sustainable solutions.
• Ensure measurement of results to generate takeaways that feed into the Gavi zero dose learning agenda and other dissemination platforms that can influence similar efforts by other actors.
• Establish and maintain collaborative and healthy partnerships with priority country officials, Gavi staff, grantees, partners, and other M-RITE teams supporting efforts to reach zero dose communities and strengthen routine immunization.
• You will advise grantees to achieve the desired impact of grants; conduct site visits when appropriate, provide technical guidance, convene meetings and apply and evaluate milestone-based performance objectives.
• Prepare and write briefs and synthesize existing literature. Provide written analysis of key topics for M-RITE management. Fulfill data requests from leadership.
• Work with SPHCDAs to develop strategies to reduce zero dose and under immunized in the states and work with LGAs and PHCs to continue to identify, reach, monitor, measure and advocate for support from key community stakeholders.
• Work in collaboration with the SPHCDA technical working groups and sub-committees to define and implement COVID-19 vaccines, and to align state-level support to national strategies including SCALES 3.0.
• Provide technical assistance to analysis of program performance.  Collaborate with partners to collect and analyze data, monitor performance, and support SPHCDA with strategic leadership for planning and implementing corrective actions.
• Provide linkages between M-RITE and local partners (NGOs, etc.) to mobilize them and provide support and technical assistance to program activities. Work with these organizations to ensure technical support at all levels.  
• Support the development and submission of reports to M-RITE and partners, including regular reporting and final report.  
• Remain in regular contact (by email, phone, Slack, etc.) with the M-RITE Nigeria leadership team and the M-RITE global level team.
• Under the guidance of the M-RITE State Team lead, oversee the LGA level support and supervise the M-RITE state immunization advisors to perform the project activities at the state level.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or an Advanced Degree in Public Health, or equivalent experience in immunization programming..
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) projects with a focus on planning, implementing, and evaluating vaccination and immunization services.
• Demonstrated ability to work with, organize, and analyze data and develop insights from it (e.g., identifying issues, forming hypotheses, synthesizing conclusions, and helping to implement change).
• Experience in projects that involve liaising with County governments, other government institutions, WHO, USAID, UNICEF, other stakeholders, and NGOs.
• Experience managing and coordinating nuanced partnerships and to support countries and Gavi Alliance partners to successfully connect immunization and other health services with zero dose communities
• Strong writing and verbal skills for communicating with a broad and diverse audiences.  
• Excellent attention to detail, systematic thinking and leading workflow while coordinating multiple priorities in a highly dynamic environment.
• Experience in implementing and measuring agile learning approaches.
• Proven ability to multi-task and collaborate work effectively with senior staff, colleagues, donors, partner organizations, stakeholders, local institutions, and others at all levels.
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines, and an emphasis on quality.
• Excellent analytical, communication, presentation and report writing skills.
• Excellent skills in facilitation, team building and coordination.
• Demonstrable problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Proficiency in application of Microsoft Office Suite with an emphasis on proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
• Fluency in English.

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Background

• JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) is a public health management consulting and research organization dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities throughout the world.
• JSI manages the USAID-funded MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity project. The project is working in 18 countries with the overarching goal of strengthening routine immunization (RI) programs to overcome the entrenched obstacles contributing to stagnating and declining immunization rates and barriers to reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children with life-saving vaccines.
• The project works with countries to implement COVID-19 vaccination, including supporting strategies to reach hard-to-reach and priority populations.  The project also provides country, regional, and global technical support for routine immunization of children and older populations.
• Improving the use of immunization services to reduce the numbers of zero-dose and under-immunized children requires that services be available at times and days when caregivers can access them. Particularly in urbanized areas where many caregivers work outside the home, offering immunization services only during their working hours forces them to choose between generating income for the family and seeking a preventive service for a child. While it has long been recommended that immunization services be made available during afternoons, evenings, or weekends, and studies have demonstrated that this improves vaccination uptake, the practice is not widespread.
• The objective of this research activity is to identify sustainable ways to make immunization services available when more convenient for urban caregivers.
• This activity will employ Human Centered Design (HCD) methods to explore and examine local obstacles to expanding or adjusting the hours and/or days that immunization services are available, identify days/hours likely to increase vaccine uptake and completion, and apply co-created strategies to help institutionalize expanded service hours in selected urban health facilities in Edo and Lagos states.
• M-RITE requires a human centered design expert to lead the co-creation activities, working in close collaboration with in-country immunization experts and data collectors, as well as global level immunization experts.
• The consultant will be responsible for conducting key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with key LGA, community, and health facility stakeholders.

Consultant Activities

• Attend an online training/orientation session with activity managers to review the study design, methodology, and analysis
• Review and provide inputs on research tools based on the local context (Edo and Lagos States)
• Contribute to the adaptation of the co-creation approach, data collection methodology, research tools, and design of the co-creation workshops using HCD principles and approaches
• Lead pre-testing of tools and methodology in Nigeria
• Travel to two LGAs and health facilities (one in each LGA) in Edo and Lagos states to oversee and conduct (14) KIIs, (4) FGDs, and (2) co-creation workshops
• Complete daily debriefs and upload them to the shared project folder online and in near-real time, along with audio recordings, interview notes, and other relevant documents identified/shared by stakeholders
• Review transcriptions or interview notes for quality and accuracy
• Attend debrief sessions with activity managers during data collection and analysis to ensure adherence to the study protocol and make adaptations as required
• Participate in other ad hoc calls and meetings with the activity team as needed
• Support application of lessons learned to inform plans for institutionalizing expanded hours/days for immunization services in Nigeria
• Support the analysis of interview and FGD data according to the analysis plan/framework
• Summarize key findings or learnings in a final report with key steps for institutionalizing expanded RI service hours/times
• Ensure that HCD principles are applied throughout the data collection and analysis process
• Prepare presentations for the co-creation workshops and debriefing sessions as required
• Support logistics for organizing the co-creation workshops, including sending invitations
• Co-facilitate the co-creation workshops with the M-RITE activity and country team in Nigeria

Deliverables

• Transcripts/notes, audio recordings, and daily debrief reports from the interviews and FGDs
• Analysis of data and findings in a report (draft submission for project feedback/review)
• Final submission of report incorporating requested feedback and changes.

Qualifications

• A Graduate Degree and/or more than six years of experience in the field of Public Health.
• Knowledge of the technical aspects of immunization programs and service delivery platforms.
• At least 5 years of experience working in public health programs using human centered design methods and principles for design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Experience with conducting and analyzing qualitative research, including in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.
• Understanding of Nigeria’s national and local government structure and health system.
• Ability to work across sectors and multiple partners to ensure alignment and collaborative planning.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines with attention to detail and quality.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral communication, writing and documentation skills.
• Current residency in Nigeria and be willing and able to travel to the project states/LGAs.
• Fluency in English,Yoruba, and Naijá required.
• Knowledge of Hausa language is an added advantage.