Social Mobilization Officer

Background/IRC Summary:  The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been working in Pakistan for over 30 years, and manages and delivers large, complex programs to meet the needs in health, education, protection, environmental health and livelihoods for displaced, poor and disaster affected communities. IRC works in partnership with local government and non-governmental organizations and currently works in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces.

Job Overview/Summary:

Social Mobilization Officer is responsible to create a self-maintained and sustained system of community awareness regarding ongoing health programming. CMO has to capacitate field teams, village based health committees in further strengthening and useful utilization of CHCs, district support groups, other forums, stakeholders committees and organizations formed for the purpose at the project area.

Major Responsibilities:

·         Acquire basic training in HTSP and community mobilization.

·         Facilitate on health based thematic areas within communities (HTSP, FP/RH, PHC, Nutrition, etc.)

·         Mobilize and sensitize communities, conduct and facilitate health based awareness raising activities

·         Coordinate with village committees and volunteer support groups

·         Work in coordination and collaboration with community health care workers and organize awareness session and community mobilization session

·         Work in coordination with database, quality assurance and training team(s)

·         Support Community Health Workers in Conducting Health & Hygiene sessions for target beneficiaries in coordination of Behavior Change Communication officer (BCCO) conduct campaigns, workshops, FGDs, seminars etc for creating feelings of   ownership of in creating and enhancing social cohesion required for the sustainability of the project.

·         Develop linkages among the department, CHCs, local organizations, local governments and other INGOs and exploring ways for future partnership in the target areas. Assist project manager/district coordination manager in the exploring/ documentation of Case Studies, Success Stories emerging in the result of their intervention in communities regarding ongoing health programming.

·         Any other duty, assigned by the supervisor.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Project Manager/District Coordination Manager Position Coordinates With:  Project Staff, IPs and operations as and when needed

Job Requirements:

a)      Education:

Master’s degree in social sciences

b)      Work Experience:

At least 03 years’ of work experience in community mobilization specifically in thematic areas of RH/FP/PHC

c)       Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

·         Strong community mobilization skills

·         Ability to live and work in stressful and insecure environments.  

·         Well-developed inter-personal skills combined with the ability and desire to further develop local staff members.

·         Knowledge of issues relating to community involvement and empowerment highly desirable.

·         Some experience in integrated public health program.

·         Knowledge and/or experience in conflict management, protection, or other related field

Language Skills:

·         Must be fluent in Urdu and local languages.

Working Environment:  Works well in and promotes teamwork, flexible and ability to handle pressure well.

The IRC Core Values and Commitments;

·         The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.

·         IRC is committed to ensuring that IRC staff is suitable to work with children and have the knowledge s/he needs to uphold and abide by the IRC’s Child Safeguarding Policy.

o   Level of interaction with children: Frequent direct contact with children

·         IRC ensures that its staff must actively practice the roles and responsibilities related to client responsiveness, accountability to people in affected communities and must have competencies to solicit and listens to feedback and other’s perspectives, responds to feedback with maturity and sensitivity and takes appropriate decisions and makes changes to behavior or actions in response to feedback.

·         IRC recognizes that gender equality is fundamental to the achievement of our organizational mission. As such, IRC is committed to the promotion of gender equality in all aspects of our operations and programs. Our organizational policies, procedures and actions demonstrate this commitment.

Women candidates and differently abled persons are highly encouraged to apply.