Save The Children Behaviour Change and Communication Officer Job in Lodwar Kenya

Vacancy: Behaviour Change and Communication Officer
 

Team / Programme: UNICEF Health 
 

1 Post
 

Location: Lodwar
 

Position Code: BCC TUR
 

Grade: 4

Post Type: National (1 year with possibility of renewal)
 

Child Safeguarding: Level 3 - the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people

Role Purpose:

Scope of Role: Working closely with the Senior Project Officer Health, the post holder will play a key role in implementation of the Behaviour change communication plan of the programme. 

The post-holder will also support the design, development and implementation of context-specific BCC material for health communication (focused on maternal and New born health).  

He/she will be able to engage with versatile and current media strategies (including digital and mobile media) for communication as well as participate in health advocacy.

Dimensions: Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. 

Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH. In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined the programmes of SC UK, SC Canada and SC Finland to create a single operation in Kenya. 

In February 2014, we completed a second transition, which saw us join forces with the British INGO, Merlin, and merge their health and nutrition programmes with our own. 

Save the Children now has an operational presence in Bungoma, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Garissa, Mandera, Nairobi, Turkana and Wajir. We work through partners in many other parts of the country. 

We have a staff complement of around 300 staff and an operating annual budget of approximately US$25 million in 2014.

Reports to: Senior Project Officer Health.

Staff directly reporting to this Post: None

Budget responsibility: Manage the appropriate parts of the grants that relate to Communication For Development in close collaboration with the Senior project officer.

Key Areas of Accountability:

• Take the lead in development and implementation of C4D strategies for the health project
• Develop and review  C4D  messages / materials in collaboration with other program staff, MoH, NGO counterparts, UNICEF focal person and community representatives.
• Support the adaptation and dissemination of relevant training materials and job aids.
• Support the development of C4D  skills of MOH staff.
• Organise and execute community health campaigns in collaboration with other program staff, MoH counterparts and community representatives.
• Evaluate and document the impact of C4D activities in collaboration with other stakeholders.   
• Build the capacity of relevant project staff to conduct community mobilization, awareness and sensitization on project objectives.
• Manage the appropriate parts of the grants that relate to C4D in close collaboration with the senior project officer.
• Analyze formative research findings and use these to develop communication plans and messages in collaboration with the team.
• Develop and pre-test C4D materials in the appropriate audiences.
• Translate /arrange the translation of C4D  materials as appropriate

Other

• To carry-out any other duties and/or responsibilities assigned by the immediate supervisor
• To be flexible as required.

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.

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
• Commitment to Save the Children Values

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Public/Environmental Health and/or Social sciences with 3 years’ work experience
• Experience in behavior change communication in a public health context. Experience working with the ministry of health and with an NGO is a plus
• Proven experience in developing BCC material
• Demonstrated experience in working with mass media and communities in passing health messages
• Excellent English writing skills are essential, familiarity with the Turkana language will be an added advantage.
• Computer skills, in particular MS Word, Excel and Outlook
• Well-developed research, analytical, monitoring and evaluation, and report-writing abilities;
• Commitment to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding and other global policies, and values.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are required to submit a CV and mandatory cover letter indicating the Position Title Code on the subject line to kenya.jobapplications@savethechildren.org  by 5th Dec. 2014.  

Please note that due to the urgency of this position applications will be reviewed as when we receive them.  

Only shortlist candidates will be contacted.