Save the Children is seeking a Community Mobilization (CM) Manager for an anticipated USAID-funded project for Education in Emergencies programming in the Northeast states of Nigeria. The CM Manager will support the project team and partners to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate community mobilization activities. S/he will ensure commitment and involvement of local authorities and community members in the program. The CM Manager will support community mobilization to ensure participation, program sustainability, and enable the voices of community members, including women and children, to be heard. S/he will work in close coordination and maintain good working relationship with State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) office, State Agency for Mass Education (SAME), Local Government Education Authority, NGO partner, other government line agencies, and other stakeholders in in the State and Federal level for the smooth operation of project activities. The CM Manager will work closely with the project team in designing and implementation of behavior change and communication strategies.
This position is contingent upon donor approval and funding.
Responsibilities
The CM Manager will liaise closely with other technical advisors, as well as the Chief of Party (COP), Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP), and partners. Key responsibilities will include:
Strategy Development
- Support the review and production of community mobilization training materials and guidelines to encourage positive behavior and attitude change towards education.
- Support the project team and stakeholders to integrate participatory and community-based approaches in the education planning, intervention, monitoring and evaluation.
- Support the implementation of participatory Behavior Change Communication (BCC) planning, monitoring and evaluation of community mobilization in coordination with project team.
- Identify policy and practice change, on the basis of the program experience, that will promote and protect the rights of children.
- Support formulating key advocacy messages and targets from lessons learned, assessments, research and evidence gained through project implementation on Education, School Health and Nutrition and Child Protection.
- Acquire information and understanding of social policy and adapt strategies as necessary.
- Maintain a strategic overview of issues affecting children’s learning, monitoring trends in the external environment and inputting to organizational strategy and planning processes.
- Ensure close engagement of and partnerships with related government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), donor-funded programs, private/commercial entities, and NGOs.
Influencing
- Develop 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 building systems for research, analysis and documentation that underpin evidence based advocacy and influencing at state and national levels.
- Develop a feedback mechanism for communicating Save the Children programs.
- 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 maintaining a network of external contacts with key individuals in the government, NGO sector, civil society and the media.
- Support facilitating capacity building of staff from Save the Children and partner agencies in advocacy and communications.
- Represent the program and consortium at various policy forums and advocacy opportunities at state and LGA levels, as directed.
- Act as a spokesperson for the program/ consortium to a variety of external audiences including policy makers and the media, as directed.
Program Development
- Provide technical support on voice and community mobilization to State program team
- Develop a community mobilization strategy in collaboration with the team and ensure implementation
- Plan, manage and monitor all activities related to community mobilization in coordination with the thematic technical leads and in line with the behavior change communication strategy.
- Train and mentor local consultants – Community support
- Prepare and facilitate training In collaboration with the program team
- Participate in the preparation/review of program monitoring and evaluation tools where necessary
- Ensure correct use of program monitoring and evaluation (recording) tools, including analysis
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in subject related to emergency education. Post-graduate university degree preferred.
- At least 5 years demonstrated experience managing Emergency Education programs, particularly in a humanitarian context.
Essential
- Degree in education, social work, psychology, communications, or related social science field.
- Substantial experience 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.
- Excellent conceptual and analytical skills. 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.
- Ability to develop reports, plans and community mobilization strategies, tools and IEC materials.
- 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).
Desirable
- 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.
- Experience of representation, including Cluster coordination, and ability to represent effectively in external forums
- Commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability
- Proven capacity to supervise, train, coach and mentor staff
- Previous experience of managing a team
Qualified local candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Save the Children invests in childhood – every day, in times of crisis and for our future. We are dedicated to ensuring every child has the best chance for success. Our pioneering programs give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. Our advocacy efforts provide a voice for children who cannot speak for themselves. As the leading expert on children, we inspire and achieve lasting impact for millions of the world’s most vulnerable girls and boys. By transforming children’s lives now, we change the course of their future and ours.
Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. As a humanitarian agency, Save the Children is obliged to create and maintain an environment that aims to prevent the sexual exploitation and abuse of children and promote the implementation of its child safeguarding policy. All representatives of Save the Children – employees, volunteers, interns, consultants, Board members and others who work with children on Save the Children’s behalf – are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation.
Save the Children provides an attractive benefits package including competitive salaries, a matching retirement plan, health and welfare benefits, life insurance, an employee assistance program, generous time off and much more. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
More Information
- Job City Maiduguri
