Advocacy Coordinator at Save the Children

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives, fight for their rights and help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Advocacy Coordinator

Job Identification: 8707
Location: Lagos
Grade: 3
Job type: Full Time

Job Summary

• The responsibilities of this post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children and young people. In the overseas context all posts are considered to be level 3.
• As part of these responsibilities the post holder will support the establishment of child safeguarding systems, promote a culture of keeping children safe, and ensure that potential harm to children (by our own staff and/or as a result of how we do our work) is identified and addressed on an ongoing basis. 
• The post holder should report and respond to interventions as determined by position related responsibilities identified in the Child Safeguarding Policy.

Role Purpose

• Under the guidance of the Chief of Party and in collaboration with the Advocacy, Campaign and Policy Manager (Survive) the Advocacy Coordinator will be responsible for leading on the development and building of government commitment and investment in immunization of under-five children in underserved communities through effective advocacy and strengthening of the policy environment targeting communities with zero-dose and under-immunized children. S/he will support the Chief of Party to promote an innovative agenda in the delivery of primary health care with focus on improving quality and access to immunization services, strengthening the health system, enabling policy and social environment, community involvement and removing the social, cultural and behavioural barriers to immunization service uptake.  The incumbent will ensure an increased and sustained demand for vaccine services by caregivers and communities with child populations at highest risk of being under-immunized or zero-dose 

Responsibilities
Programme Quality:

• Lead in the development and implementation of project-specific Advocacy Strategy 
• Lead in the planning, costing and implementation of Advocacy components of the project and contribute to the overall key programme planning, coordination and reporting activities.
• In collaboration with the MEAL Coordinator put in place metrics and measurement tools to collect data and analyse the progress of project’s Advocacy activities.
• Provides technical expertise to ensure programs are of high quality and comply with the country and SCI standards by contributing to the writing, reviewing and improving ToRs, tools, SoPs, guidelines and protocols.
• Actively contribute to the process of learning, evaluation, capturing and disseminating lessons from the programme for continuous improvement of programme performance and overall outcome
• Lead in documenting success stories and contribute to the writing of reports, case studies, briefing papers and presentations for internal and external audiences as relevant
• Build the capacities and provide technical support on Advocacy to the Policy and Advocacy Officer and other project team members at the state level
• Support systems for research, analysis and documentation that underpin evidence-based advocacy at state level.

Advocacy: 

• Lead in the development and implementation of advocacy approach, exploring governance-related barriers to immunization service uptake such as strengthening coordination and increasing domestic funding for immunization activities at all levels. 
• Provides capacity building in form of training and mentorship for EPI managers and other PHC workers in the areas of health sector resource mobilization, financial management and coordination  
• Work with pressure groups and champions (including children to promote a coalition-led budget advocacy at legislative and executive bodies for increased domestic investment in immunization, - 
• Lead in the mapping and dissemination of existing tools for budget tracking and coordinate budget advocacy and tracking amongst partner organisations and institutions
• Undertake a range of lobbying, communications and other activities to inform and persuade policy makers, including donors and politicians, of the value of financing for immunization
• Keep abreast of the external political and policy environment and create the right opportunities for engagement and influencing
• Conduct periodic power and stakeholder mapping in project states in line with SCI Key Performance Indicator
• Lead in the analysis of relevant government policies, guidelines and plans on immunization with under-immunized and zero-dose children in view and making relevant recommendations for improvement
• Lead in the preparation of advocacy materials and messages to facilitate the advancement of immunization service uptake in under-served communities
• Develop good knowledge of state and national government structures, parliamentary and political processes and key decision-making structures and how to influence them. 

Safeguarding:

• Support safeguarding team in carrying out safeguarding risk assessment, develop and implement a mitigation plan when needed.
• Flag safeguarding concerns noticed during programme implementation as well as share good practices identified in the field.
• Ensure that all children and programme beneficiaries are provided with ongoing, age-appropriate verbal or written information in relevant languages about Save the Children’s Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.

Requirements
Essential:

• Master’s degree in the social or behavioural sciences, public health, health education, health promotion, development studies, development economics, rural development/sociology or other related fields. 
• Any training on Advocacy be an added advantage
• Minimum of 5 year-experience in health financing, health governance, enhanced voice and accountability or similar roles, three of which should be at managerial level
• Fluency in English language. Knowledge of local languages (Lagos-Yoruba and Kano-Hausa) will be an added advantage
• Strong analytical framework to clearly articulate and communicate our policy positions
• Ability to be strategic and proactive when required to be able to keep advocacy plans dynamic and aligned to new policy and political developments
• Ability to clearly communicate and easily relate to federal and state authorities 
• Experience of working in a multi-cultural environment
• Comply with the requirements of Save the Children’s commitment to protect children in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Profound knowledge of governance and health systems and political terrains in the implementing states in particular and Nigeria in general
• Strong knowledge of global health policy goals and commitments
• Ability to write strong position papers and policy briefings

Skills and Behaviours (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:

• Holds self- accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically
• Build strong influencing networks among policy makers, donors and CSOs to push the UHC agenda 

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks 

Integrity:

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

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline  16th August, 2024.