Community Mobilization Officers at Action Against Hunger | ACF-International

ACF Nigeria is currently looking to fill the role of Community Mobilization Officer, who will primarily be responsible for the implementation of community mobilization activities for the nutrition and health project, including Tom Brown implementation.  He/he will be responsible for supporting the Nutrition and Health team to establish effective relationships with the local Communities, and facilitate increasing participation of the community members across all project activities. This entails building strong relationships with the local communities from across different ethnicities, religions, nationalities, genders, and ages

Reporting to: Nutrition and Health PM
Work location: Nguru, Yobe State

Key Responsibilities:

Mission 1: Provide support to Nutrition and Health team to implement mobilization activities throughout the project implementation stages.

The Community Mobilization officer is responsible for:

• Mapping of Nutrition and Health Activities
• Technical support for community-level activities
• LGA Monitoring and evaluation of nutrition and health interventions

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Develop a community mobilization and sensitization plan for effective program delivery.
• Implement the mobilization activities at the LGA level in line with the work plans while adhering to deadlines
• Provide training and orientation to the target communities regarding the nutrition project and other mobilization activities part of the project.
• Provide guidelines and training to assistants for effective community mobilization at the LGA level.
• Contribute to detailed planning and implementation of mobilization on Nutrition and health in collaboration and assistance of the Programme Manager.
• Identify methods of community mobilization that enhance partnership & coordination with government official and local communities, internal integration within sectors and programs (Health, Nutrition, WASH, etc.)
• Identify areas of cross-program linkages within ACF Nigeria programs in the assigned LGA to ensure program quality and adherence to program objectives, including respect for ACF Nigeria technical guidelines, systems, and established deadlines.
• Develop strong relationships with community members and also maintain contacts with the relevant gatekeepers and humanitarian actors at the site level, in order to support the participation and inclusion of the local communities.
• Support the reinforcement and coordination of regular project monitoring activities, i.e., baseline, PDM, end line, etc.
• Provide support to the line manager in budget forecasting, detailed work planning, and monthly and quarterly reporting.
• Assist the PM in preparing internal and external reports for ACF Nigeria and the community, including case studies and success stories.
• With technical support from DPM, mobilize the CM team and conduct focus group discussions on identifying community perceptions about malnutrition, diseases, care-seeking behavior across different age and gender groups.
• Liaise with nutrition and health assistants for accessing the community support group database; the health facility database regularly, and updating overall health facility-based activities.

Mission 2: Recruitment of CHIPS agents, care group promoters, and volunteers, including the establishment of care groups in targeted areas 

The Community Mobilization Officer is responsible for:

• Identification and selection of Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Services (CHIPS) agents in collaboration with the LGA authorities and ward development.
• Facilitate linkage between health facilities, CHIPS agents, and care group volunteers.
• Support CHIPS agents in the establishment of care group promoters and mother group PLWs in the community

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Support the health authorities at the LGA and ward development committees on the identification and selection process of CHIPS agents.
• With support from Health and Nutrition PM and assistant Community Mobilization Officers and in consultation with Ward Development Committees (WDCs), religious and community leaders, respective health workers, recruit community promoters, select care groups, and volunteers.
• Participate with line/technical managers in developing job descriptions of care group promoters and volunteers
• Participate with line manager/technical managers in developing criteria for the selection of care group promoters, care group volunteers from the community level
• Support Assistant Community Mobilization Officers, promoters, and volunteers in conducting community census (house-to-house visit) to identify beneficiary households
• Support and guide assistant community mobilization officers and community promoters in establishing care groups and neighbour groups.

Mission 3: Capacity building of community mobilization teams (Assistant Community Mobilization Officers (CMO), CHIPS agents, Promoters) and care group volunteers

The Community Mobilization Officer is responsible for:

• The twice-yearly assessment of the skills and performance of the  Nutrition and Health Assistants
• The management of his/her teams (leadership, monitoring, motivation….)
• Develop a capacity-building plan for CHIPS agents in collaboration with SPHCDA and the LGA CHIPS focal person.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Develop a training plan for CHIPS agents, Community engagement focal persons, and CHIPS supervisors at the ward level in collaboration with the LGA CHIPS focal person.
• Organize and facilitate trainings for community promoters and health workers on care group modules & lesson plans;
• Prepare a budget plan for training, logistic requirements, and financial requirements according to existing procedures and share with the Health and Nutrition PM for necessary support.
• Provide regular technical supervision visits and on-the-job coaching support to assistant community mobilization officers and community promoters in conducting community demand creation activities and care group sessions; reporting of care group activities etc;
• Draft training reports for all sorts of training conducted for community mobilization teams with support from the line manager/assistant CM;
• Upon monitoring and supervision visit, draft a summary report inclusive of good lessons, challenges, and proposed solutions to line managers;
• Share day-to-day challenges with community mobilization and suggest mitigation measures to the program team;
• Facilitate strong linkage between the facilities and community-level activities through liaison with health and nutrition education/CHEWS based at the health facility.

Mission 4: Management and implementation of the care group component

The Community Mobilization Officer is responsible for:

• Support CHIP agents in the creation of care groups/support groups at the community
• Follow up and supervise the implementation of group activities.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Develop a care group implementation work plan with support from line manager and assistant community mobilization teams for the LGA and share with line manager.
• Develop and share LGA budget planning in line with the project internal budget and reviewed work plan on a monthly and quarterly basis; share with line manager.
• Support community mobilization teams (Assistant CMO, Promoters) in preparing monthly action plans for each team member in line with care group implementation work plan;
• With support from CM teams, prepare a weekly movement plan and share with the line manager/Logistics
• Identify the needs of materials well in advance and share with H&N PM for preparing PR.
• Support PM in the recruitment processes of the Assistant Community Mobilization Officer;
• Support the CM team (Assistant CM Officers, promoters) for community mobilization sessions with community leaders, religious leaders, and WDCs ;
• Engage health workers in the selection process of care group volunteers, supervision of care group activities, training of care group promoters etc;
• Ensure necessary support (transportation, logistic materials, and/or technical guidance) to Assistant CM Officers/Community Promoters in conducting community mobilization sessions, care group meetings, and regular meetings.

Mission 5: Information management, reporting, and coordination

The Community Mobilization Officer is responsible for:

• Reporting-ensure regular reports are produced by CHIPS agents on community activities.
• Support the LGA to consolidate quality facility data promptly
• Review and analyse data and provide feedback to the LGA and health facilities provided
• Facilitate and jointly plan for LGA-level coordination meetings

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Maintain a database of health facilities, catchment population, # of community promoters by health facility, # of care groups by health facility and # of community volunteers by health facility at the LGA level
• Maintain a database of community promoters and care group volunteers with their contact information and/or alternative contact information at the LGA level
• Archive all finalized LGA work plans, monthly action plans, and updated databases related to care group activities at the LGA level
• Prepare a bi-weekly reporting template and share with the PM
• Check and finalize care group reports submitted by Assistant CM Officers and consolidate overall LGA-level care group activities.
• Cross check and support team in reporting individual women/beneficiary counting and reporting on a regular basis.
• Provide feedback to Assistant CM Officers and promoters on appropriate reporting
• Share quantitative report and summary narrative report with Deputy Nutrition PM.
• Coordinate with Action Against Hunger support departments for appropriate guidance on procedures such as recruitment, procurement, transport, cash withdrawal for program activities at base level.
• Ensure regular coordination and collaboration with health and nutrition officers and health facilities on referrals.
• Coordinate with ACF support departments and ACF sector departments with the help of PM to ensure a common approach and sharing of information.
• Represent Action Against Hunger with local authorities, partners and other program stakeholders at LGA level with support from Nutrition and Health PM.

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor Degree in Health Education, Diploma in community development or related studies, Education, Sociology, Psychology, Communications, or related social science field
• 2 years’ experience in community mobilization work particularly in a humanitarian context.
• Experience in Nutrition/Health and /or WASH programming and community engagement.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences at local and state level.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility, adaptability and ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with community members and leaders, partner agencies and key contacts in the government.
• Previous supervisory role and working knowledge of MS office.
• Strong sense of organization and attention to details.
• Fluency in spoken and written English. Hausa and/or Kanuri will be an advantage.