John Snow, Incorporated (JSI) are public health care and health systems consultants and researchers driven by a passion to improve health services and health outcomes for all.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Consultant – To Provide Knowledge Management and Communication Support for M-RITE Project’s Implementation of Covid-19 Prevention and Strengthening of Routine Immunization (RI) Services in Five Supported States
Locations: Bayelsa, Edo, Imo, Jigawa & Lagos
Duration: A total of 22 days equivalent time per quarter is estimated for this consultancy (between May and September 2023)
Background
- MOMENTUM (Moving Integrated, Quality Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Family Planning and Reproductive Health) Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity (M-RITE) aims to strengthen routine immunization (RI) programs to overcome entrenched obstacles that contribute to stagnating and declining immunization rates and address barriers to reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children with life-saving vaccines.
- In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting disruption of RI services, M-RITE supports countries to maintain and adapt RI services and provides strategic technical support for COVID-19 vaccine introduction.
- M-RITE is a consortium of global leaders in immunization, systems approaches, integrated management and service delivery, health systems strengthening, financing, data and learning, social and behavior change (SBC), strategic partnerships, gender, and human‐centered design.
- Led by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI), along with PATH, Accenture Development Partnerships, Results for Development, CORE Group, and the Manoff Group, the consortium brings a record of accomplishment in both shaping global strategies and collaborating with local partners to improve immunization outcomes and build on past learning and accomplishments.
- The project’s combination of expertise and perspectives is critical to addressing the complex problems that have contributed to the stagnation and decline of vaccination coverage in many countries, exacerbated by health service disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- These disruptions have increased the risk of outbreaks of measles, polio, and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
- In Nigeria, the project supports the Nigerian national response to COVID-19 vaccination rollout and the design of the RI start-up program in five states of Nigeria: Bayelsa, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, and Lagos. M-RITE provides technical assistance (TA) focused on capacity-building, gender-sensitive microplanning, and service delivery to support the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines and help the Nigerian government to adapt its strategies as the pandemic and vaccine supply and service delivery strategies evolve.
Rationale
- Documenting lessons learned and success stories from implementing this project helps to promote sharing of evidence-based practices that have shown to be successful in improving Integrated, Quality Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Family Planning and Reproductive Health. It will also act as a mechanism for continuous learning, feedback, reflection and analysis of what did and did not work, how it worked and why.
- The lessons learned could then be used to inform scaling up or replication of proven critical success factors and lessons learnt so as to increase coverage of quality services and accelerate progress towards strengthening the primary health care system.
- The MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity (M-RITE) over the year has assisted to strengthen routine immunization (RI) programs to overcome the entrenched obstacles that contribute to stagnating and declining immunization rates and to remove barriers to reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children with lifesaving vaccines and other health services.
- The project also supported the integration of COVID-19 through the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) at the Ministries of Health (MOH) with the maintenance, adaptation, and reinstatement of immunization services.
- A documentation of the project’s efforts and investments in the form of human interest stories/ success stories/ photo stories/ feature articles and briefs is required to inform policy and program implementation.
Purpose of the Assignment
- M-RITE is seeking a professional communications consultant to support its social behavior change communication and knowledge management work on an as needed basis for the duration of 3 months.
Objectives
- The objective of this consultancy is to support the documentation of M-RITE achievements and successes, to inform knowledge products and communication materials on MRITE’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts at national and state levels integrating COVID-19 vaccination into existing RI and PHC systems and ensuring that COVID-19 vaccine reaches priority populations in Bayelsa, Edo and Lagos and Jigawa states.
Specifically, the consultancy service will highlight the following:
- The impact of the program in addressing COVID-19 prevention and integration efforts in supported states.
- Concepts, strategies and or approaches used in designing and implementing the most successful and outstanding initiatives of the program.
- Efforts in reaching Zero Doses in Jigawa
- Potential of replicating some of the compelling approaches/strategies in COVID- 19 Vaccine Effectiveness (CVE) and mitigation of rumors and misinformation.
- Lessons for future MRITE prevention programming.
Description of the Assignment:
- The consultancy shall be performed for the Government under the supervision of the Government and M-RITE’s Nigeria Country Team.
Scope of Work
The consultant under the supervision of Senior Social Behavior Change Advisor and with the support from the project teams across the states will:
- Review project documents and reports to orient self with the project intervention, project documents, and or key reports
- Work with M-RITE focal staff to determine the exact scope of the stories (written, case study, video) draft themes, and agree on key stakeholders and locations to be visited.
- Identify at least 5 compelling and outstanding MRITE strengthening initiatives/approaches/strategies to be documented
- Work with MRITE to determine specific theme, type and number of KM and communication products based on themes selected.
- Finalize tools, formats and itinerary to be used for documenting stories
- Draft script based on agreed themes writing
- Production of short videos (Shorts) documenting trainings, last mile distribution, mobile administration of the vaccines, monitoring and supportive supervision, review meetings, vaccine accountability, e-attendance documentation, coverage survey, and lessons learned meeting, according to M-RITE standards. Videos produced should be 2 minutes (minimum) and 10 minutes (maximum) and must be of the highest quality to adequately represent the organization. Shorts must be9:16 (vertical format) ratio and dimensions of 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels OR with a 1:1 aspect ratio and dimensions of 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels.
- Conduct field visit to the project sites as needed working closely with the project staff to gather stories of change and important quotes through small group discussions or key informant interviews with select program target beneficiaries and stakeholders, policymakers, program managers at the state and LGA levels, health providers to provide a clear and objective perspective on the impact of the program
- Capture high quality digital photographs,
- Agree on templates for all knowledge products
- Develop stories and products based on agreed themes as follows:
- 5 success/ human interest stories (1 per state) per quarter
- One 10-minute video per state per quarter
- One 2-minute Shorts per state per quarter
- One photo story per state per quarter
- Preparation and submission of draft success stories for initial feedback
- Production of quotes, photographs, and infographics highlighting the success stories and including voices of beneficiaries and other stakeholders.
- Provide bi-weekly progress updates to the MRITE on the assignment
- Produce final end of consultancy report with detailed learning and information
- Include appropriate M-RITE branding and crediting of M-RITE ownership and USAID’s funding for all final products.
Methodology
- The exercise will involve desk review of MRITE program reports and initial discussions with the team to identify and agree on the potential storylines/concepts/strategies/approaches to be documented.
- This will be followed by site visits to selected sites where the program is being implemented, with sites visited depending on the selected stories.
- The documentation will involve situational analysis, before and after scenarios informed by key informant interviews with both secondary and primary beneficiaries as indicated above.
Deliverables / Outputs
- Agreed workplan / schedule
- Ten (10) written success / human interest stories
- Ten (10) ten-minute documentaries
- Ten (10) Shorts
- High quality e-Photo Album/Catalogue of the entire process
- High quality infographics of key SCALES 3.0 components
- High resolution PowerPoint presentation of key products/ assignment output
- Final Activity/Project Report based on M-RITE template
Experience
- A minimum of 5 years of work in the area of health system or public health.
- Knowledge of Immunization programme policies and strategies
- Knowledge of the functioning of health system and health programs at state, LGA, and community levels in Nigeria
- Solid understanding of behavioral and social determinants of immunization/ vaccination uptake
- Excellent communication, presentation and writing skills
- Excellent photography and videography/ film-making skills
- Vast experience writing/ reporting on health programs achievements/ human interest stories.
- Experience producing documentaries, advocacy videos and ‘shorts’ for social media and public advocacy
- Ability to work under pressure and manage complex environments
- Availability for internal trips in Nigeria for investigative and documentation
Application Closing Date
8th May, 2023.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified vendors should send their Technical proposal and financial quotes in English with a list of at least three (3) Referees with contact details to: [email protected] using “Knowledge Management and Communication Support For USAID/ M-RITE” as the subject of the mail.
Note
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
- JSI is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, disability, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual preference, genetic information, political affiliation, or protected veteran status in any employment decisions.
- Women are encouraged to apply.
