Immunization is a critical life-saving intervention that has greatly contributed to addressing under-five mortality in Ethiopia. The government’s Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) has led to significant achievements, including Ethiopia being certified polio-free since 2017 and eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus. Despite these accomplishments, disparities in vaccine coverage persist, particularly across different geographic regions. As per the Ethiopian Mini-DHS 2019, over 1.2 million children remain either zero-dose or under-immunized.

Save the Children has supported Ethiopia’s immunization program for over two decades, focusing on increasing access to services, generating community demand, and fostering an enabling environment for equitable service delivery. Save the Children’s current immunization programs in Ethiopia are heavily focused on reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children. This position will play a key role in supporting Social and Behavioral Change (SBC) interventions aimed at generating community demand for immunization and addressing socio-cultural barriers.

Position overview: 

The SBC Coordinator will be responsible for facilitating the SBC components of various immunization programs at the field level. The role will include supporting, monitoring, and reporting on tailored SBC interventions, with a particular focus on addressing socio-cultural and gender-related barriers to immunization. Additionally, the SBC Coordinator will collaborate closely with the Country Office, Field Offices, and the project team to ensure the effectiveness of SBC activities.

The SBC Coordinator will provide technical assistance to government partners at regional, zonal, and woreda levels on immunization-related SBC and demand generation. The role will also involve strengthening the capacity of field project staff and supporting the development of SBC strategies that align with government community mobilization efforts. The SBC Coordinator will contribute to developing and reviewing Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) and Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) materials, in collaboration with the Senior SBC Technical Specialist. The SBC Coordinator is responsible for reporting and safe programming as part of his/her key areas of accountability. 

Key Responsibilities:

- SBC Implementation and Monitoring: Support and monitor the implementation of SBC interventions targeting immunization service utilization.

- Assess Barriers to Immunization: Conduct assessments to understand specific barriers to immunization.

- Technical Assistance: Provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to government partners and field project staff on SBC approaches for immunization.

- SBC Strategy Development: Develop and align SBC strategies with government community mobilization efforts to address barriers to immunization service delivery and utilization

- IEC/BCC Materials: Contribute to the development and review of IEC/BCC materials in collaboration with program staff.

- Collaboration: Collaborate with Sr. SBC Specialists and Gender Specialists to integrate SBC approaches that address immunization barriers.

- Documentation: Document lessons learned, best practices, and the impact of SBC activities in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

- Community Engagement: Implement grassroots social mobilization and community engagement activities, including training facilitators and engaging local leaders to promote immunization.

- Advocacy: Support advocacy efforts to promote immunization SBC strategies and address social norms related to zero-dose and under-vaccination.

BEHAVIOURS (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 their team to do the same

•   widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

•   future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

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

Job Requirements

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in public health, Health education, health communication, or a related field.

• Proven experience in Social and Behavioural Change interventions, preferably within immunization programs.

• At least 5 years of experience in SBC programming, with experience in vaccine demand generation highly desirable.

• Hands-on experience developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating behavioral interventions.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to lead and work effectively in team environments.

• Experience in collaborating with government partners and conducting capacity-building activities.

• Excellent command of English, with strong writing and reporting skills.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS Essential

• Hands-on experience in developing and implementing behavioral interventions 

• Experience in capacity building and providing technical assistance to government and partner agencies.

• Ability to develop and review IEC/BCC materials and SBC strategies.

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.

• Strong documentation and reporting skills.

Desirable

• Accountability: Holds self and others accountable for high standards of work, aligned with Save the Children values.

• Collaboration: Builds and maintains effective relationships, values diversity, and demonstrates strong interpersonal skills.

• Creativity: Develops and encourages innovative solutions to drive positive change in immunization programs.

•  Gender Sensitivity: Committed to addressing gender disparities and promoting inclusive immunization services.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and

Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

How To Apply

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application and include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. 

Use THIS LINK to apply:  

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.