Social & Behaviour Change Technical Advisor at John Snow Inc - JSI

PROJECT OVERVIEW:

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 Technical Advisor for social and behavior change (SBC) will deliver exceptional, high-quality technical recommendations for JSI/MRITE support to Nigeria in building confidence in and demand for malaria vaccines. The Technical Advisor, SBC will collaborate across National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP), and the New Vaccines Task Team and report to MRITE Project Director.

Responsibilities

SBC interventions address individual, social, and environmental determinants (factors) that can affect adoption of healthy behaviors. These determinants may include skills, attitudes, social norms, and access to materials or financing, or other health system inputs.

As a range of safe and effective malaria vaccines become available, issues of demand and SBC are of utmost importance to ensure adequate trust, confidence and uptake. In addition, demand generation and SBC are critical components to the implementation of the malaria vaccine introduction. The Technical Advisor, SBC will serve as an expert advisor on social and behavior change programming related to malaria vaccine programming.

National Technical Leadership

• Stay abreast of new policy recommendations, emerging evidence, best practices, technical and programmatic developments, and data sources, in the area of SBC for malaria vaccine and Routine Immunization programming;
• Review and develop recommendations for areas of SBC programming as well as behavior-related research and evaluation relevant to malaria vaccine demand and acceptance;
• Facilitate sharing of malaria vaccine SBC materials and best practices across Gavi, US Government and other donor/bilateral programs in Nigeria;
• Draft briefers, talking points, and information memo on malaria vaccine demand-related issues, programs and results;
• Participate in NVST and global meetings, consultations, working groups, and negotiations related to malaria vaccines, with a focus on social and behavior change, risk communication, community engagement, and demand;
• Provide programming guidance related to malaria vaccines demand and acceptance, including assisting with the preparation and/or review of strategies and project work plans;
• Provide technical and program oversight of malaria vaccines demand and acceptance activities supported by JSI/MRITE;
• Facilitate the gathering of malaria vaccines demand and acceptance data for reporting;
• Support and contribute to the Implementing Partners’ Forum

Support to Country Programs

• Provide state-of-the-art technical and program expertise, assistance and support to the NPHCDA, NMEP and JSI/MRITE in the development and evaluation of malaria vaccine demand strategies, programs, and policies;
• Provide high-quality, up-to-date technical assistance to NPHCDA, NMEP and JSI/MRITE team members in the area of vaccine confidence and demand;
• Liaise with the JSI/MRITE Senior SBC Advisor and Senior Immunization Technical Advisor to understand and develop tailored response mechanisms to address bottlenecks encountered with regard to malaria vaccine acceptance and demand;
• Understand the landscape of partners / mechanisms best suited to deliver technical assistance for SBC, appropriate to Nigeria contexts;
• Provide JSIMRITE Senior Leadership and implementing partners with informed input and ongoing technical support to ensure best practices in SBC interventions for malaria vaccine demand and acceptance;
• Serve as a resource that provides technical assistance to JSIMRITE Senior Leadership and Washington staff as well as coordinates strategic priorities and external partner engagement;
• Support JSI/MRITE in developing and evaluating initiatives to build in-country capacity to address malaria vaccine SBC issues;

Activity Support

The Advisor provides activity support and technical advisory to NPHCDA and NMEP, working under the overall guidance of JSI/MRITE Senior SBC Advisor, and more generally serves to advance project management of JSI/MRITE’s malaria vaccine-related SBC and research and evaluation activities;

• Review Scopes of work for activities related to malaria vaccine demand and acceptance;
• Provide support for program development and review of partner work plans and products;
• Assist in monitoring the project(s)’ technical and financial performance; and
• Support site visits to monitor the SBC malaria vaccine field activities, as needed
• Submit a minimum of 5 high quality manuscripts for publication in high impact peer review journal on malaria vaccine introduction.

Qualifications

• Masters degree and a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, or bachelor’s degree with 10 years, Associate’s degree and 15 years relevant experience in public health, social psychology, health communication or other relevant behavioral/social science field; Strong skills in monitoring, evaluating and learning (MEAL) is desirable.
• Experience working in areas of public health programming, policy, or research, including substantial experience in social and behavior change work, with experience in international or resource-challenged settings;
• Formal training in and demonstrated understanding of theories and frameworks relating to individual behavior change and broader social responses, the evidence base for social and behavioral/communication interventions and best practices, and familiarity with the current SBC and research and evaluation literature;
• Hands-on experience designing, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating behavioral interventions is highly desirable;
• Experience in vaccine demand-related programming highly desirable;

Note

• JSI has a zero-tolerance policy for any form of abuse, exploitation or violence. We take every measure to prevent such incidents and to ensure compliance to our donors. We will expect all our employees/Consultants/Interns/Volunteers to commit to protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults from harm and abide by our safeguarding policy.
• JSI is an equal opportunity employer and encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply.