LGA Facilitator, SBC - Polio in Kaduna

Nina Jojer Limited is a Pan-African consulting firm committed to empowering transformation in Africa by providing innovative solutions to businesses, governments, and organizations. Our core services include provision of HR solutions, Policy Development, Strategic Advisory, Stakeholder Management and Advocacy, Digital Transformation, and Data-Driven Insights. We are dedicated to driving impact and fostering long-term growth for our clients.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: LGA Facilitator, SBC - Polio

Location: Kaduna
Employment Type: Full-time

Job Details

• Polio eradication is a corporate priority for UNICEF globally.
• Although Nigeria was certified Wild Polio Virus (WPV) free in 2020, the country is currently facing an unprecedented outbreak of Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus Type 2 (cVDPV2).
• To contain the outbreak, Nigeria will continue to implement an aggressive schedule of outbreak response activities, requiring substantive support from the Government and all polio partners.
• UNICEF is committed to continue working on polio eradication until the goal is reached globally.
• UNICEF has been supporting the Government of Nigeria in its polio outbreak responses as the lead social and behavior change (SBC) partner as well as in vaccine management support.
• UNICEF is a key member of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at national and state levels, participating also in its many technical working groups, including the Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization (ACSM) Working Groups from national to state and LGA levels.
• Routine Immunization performance in Nigeria has remained suboptimal for over 10 years, with only one in five (20%) children aged 12-24 months fully vaccinated according to the national immunization schedule in Nigeria (NDHS 2024).
• Social mobilization is a critical component in Routine Immunization and Supplementary Immunization campaigns for Polio vaccination and other vaccines.
• The UNICEF established Volunteer Community Mobilizers (VCM) network is one of the effective and efficient community structures supporting 12 high-risk states in Northern Nigeria, working closely with community stakeholders, caregivers, and wider communities to promote vaccination
• These volunteers organize community dialogues, and compound meetings, track newborns and children under five years for polio and routine immunization and refer pregnant women to Health Facilities for Antenatal Care.
• The network also plays a critical role in advancing integration as they support other sectors such as nutrition and child protection, with the potential to do more
• The network is supervised by a team of Facilitators at LGA and State levels for quality delivery of programme interventions
• The engagement of State and LGA Facilitators have been instrumental in enhancing community engagement and mobilizing support for the interruption of cVDPV2 in the states,contributing to reduction in cases over the last year, with Zamfara state successfully interrupting the virus.
• The Facilitators support routine monitoring of the program, through supportive supervision, on the job coaching and strengthen capacity of the network in participatory facilitation, documentation and reporting skills.
• They also support rapid survey implementation to generate additional data, national level review, planning, and capacity building events for VCM network members.
• The LGA Facilitators will be located at the LGA with frequent trips to wards and settlements to provide the required essential link between the community structures in the assigned LGA of implementation, serving to coordinate and supervise activities at the LGA level.
• He/ She will supervise the day-to-day implementation of Polio/RI activities across UNICEF-supported implementation sites, including support to other sections as required.
• He/ She will also supervise daily operations of the Volunteer Community Mobilizers (VCM) network, with a specific focus on ensuring quality implementation and reporting.
• In the context of increasing insecurity with limited travel to implementation sites provides the required means for program monitoring to ensure the maintenance of quality implementation and business continuity according to national and international protocols as well as an independent layer of accountability.

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

• Supervise a team of Volunteer Ward Supervisors (VWS), Polio Survivor Group (PSG), and Volunteer Community Mobilizers (VCMs) in his/her area(s) through regular monitoring, capacity strengthening, and
  supportive supervision
• Work within specified LGA(s), ward, and settlement to ensure deeper ward/settlement analysis, planning, and implementation of strategic SBC interventions which will be informed by local knowledge, social data,
  and unique characteristics of the wards/settlements.
• In consultation with state facilitators, support evidence generation and analysis to inform ward-level planning, implementation and monitoring of strategic SBC interventions.
• Consult with UNICEF SBC and State Facilitator to mobilize and ensure the effective organization and functioning of the LGA Social Mobilization/ ACSM Task Team.
• Support LGA Health Educators in meetings of the LGA Social Mobilization/ACSM team to plan, implement, and report on social mobilization interventions supporting the Polio and Non-Polio SIA programs and targeting high-risk
  wards within the State
• Conduct regular community mapping exercises to identify vulnerable groups, hard-to-reach communities, strategic communication and mobilization delivery points and channels for messaging, advocacy, and public
  education (Microplanning).
• Identify training needs/gaps of various groups and seek support from UNICEF SBC and State Facilitator to implement capacity strengthening activities to fill knowledge gaps and address deficiencies
• Identify and engage key local influencers such as District heads, Religious Leaders, women groups, Town announcers, Traditional dancers, PPMVs, Pharmacists, CSOs, CBOs, non- compliance resolution teams
  (NCRTs) and socio-cultural groups and support the planning and implementation of activities such as Majigis, mop-up activities, use of local town announcers an special events, to create high levels of public
  awareness, to resolve non-compliance and reduce numbers of missed children.
• Monitor the relevance, use and impact of IEC materials and activities, and make specific recommendations to UNICEF SBC and State Lead on their adaptability to local context.
• Spend adequate time working with various community groups and monitor all SBC activities, so that UNICEF's support to local level interventions and their impact can be documented across all UNICEF programs (Health/Polio; WASH, Education, Nutrition, Child Protection).
• Track the delivery and efficient utilization of campaign social mobilization funds at the LGA level, including direct campaign activity payments to beneficiaries made through the HOPE mechanism.
• Report on how funds are spent to support various SBC activities and facilitate, in coordination with UNICEF SBC and State Facilitator, the effective use of Social Mobilization funds at the State, LGA, and Ward levels for Polio and Non-Polio SIAs.
• Monitor and report on a monthly basis, factual and complete disbursement honorariums to Volunteer Community Mobilizers, Polio Survivors Group, and Volunteer Ward Supervisors, reporting immediately any misappropriation of funds to UNICEF.
• Actively participate in all State-level pre-campaign trainings as appropriate.
  Support all SBC activities in respective LGA/Wards/Settlements to promote child survival and protection.
• Support different sectors to mark and celebrate global and national days, e.g., Global Hand Washing Day, Day of the African Child, etc.
• Respond appropriately to health emergencies and disease outbreaks through the risk communication and community engagement committees at the LGA level.
• Support in establishing and promoting community complaint and feedback mechanism and generation of feedback from beneficiaries, and other community stakeholders.
• Perform any other duties assigned by the Supervisor

Deliverables:
Expected Output:

• A detailed work plan at the beginning of the contract and monthly work plans thereafter.
• Sharing and uploading data to ODK and other data tools at agreed timelines.
• Monthly high-quality report of activities, outcomes, mission reports, and support to other reporting as requested.
• One end-of-contract high-quality report, including detailed handover notes, was delivered to SBC and the State Facilitator.

Expected Results:

• Community Engagement plan implemented at all levels by all stakeholders.
• Facilitation of implementation of State and LGA Social Mobilization and High-Risk Operational Plans (HROP).
• Volunteer Ward Supervisors, PSGs (where applicable), and Volunteer Community Mobilizers are supervised, mentored, and capacity strengthened through solid teamwork and leadership.
• Vaccination barriers are identified, analyzed, and overcome by social mobilization groups and key influencers, and the number of missed children and non-compliance is reduced.
• LGA SBC packages on health, polio, routine immunization, WASH, education and nutrition, and child protection are developed and implemented.
• Polio and RI, and non-polio SIAs Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) reports are available at the State, Field Office, and Abuja levels.
• Contribution to other reports made and shared as requested.

The primary outcomes will be:

• Quality implementation of all Polio and non-polio IPDs/Supplemental Immunization Activities reduces (to almost zero) missed children (non-compliant or absent) and zero-dose children.
• Increased commitment from LGA officials, Traditional Leaders, and Religious Leaders through frequent LGA Facilitator feedback and engagement on all SBC activities for UNICEF programs.
• Social mobilization working groups and committees at LGAs, and ward hold regular meetings and use social mobilization data to plan, monitor, and implement SBC interventions in polio routine immunization, health, nutrition, education, WASH, and child protection.
• Improved use of social and Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) data in SBC strategy development and planning by the LGA team, including Social Mobilization Working Group members through technical inputs.

Requirements
Education:

• University Degree in social sciences, communication, public health, community nutrition, community development, or related technical field.

Language:

• Fluency in English; knowledge of the local language of the duty station is a requirement.

Work experience:

• At least 3-5 years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the State/ LGA level in program planning, management, monitoring, and evaluation in immunization programs.
• Experience in social mobilization, advocacy, and communication in health- related programs, including polio eradication campaigns, training/capacity building, and team building.
• Strong participatory facilitation and interpersonal communication skills - - - Current knowledge of development issues, strategies as well as programming policies and procedures in international development cooperation Proven ability to conceptualize, innovate, plan, and execute ideas and impart knowledge and tech skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.

Application Closing Date
16th October, 2025.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Cover Letter to: careers.ninajojer@gmail.com using the Job Title and Location as the subject of the mail.