Job Description

Job Title: Social Behavior Change (SBC) Health Assistant 
Band / Level / Grade: 9A
Department: Health
Location: Yafea 

BACKGROUND: 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.

The IRC responds to people’s acute and longer-term needs with integrated programs that improve health and safety, prioritize children’s education, foster economic wellbeing, and empower communities to regain control over their lives. Our work gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, conflict sensitivity, coordination, and impact.

The IRC Yemen began its programs in October 2012. Since establishing its presence in the South of Yemen, in the Red Sea Coastal city of Aden, the organization has grown from just an implementing small project to handling large scale emergency and relief operations. Following the war which broke out in Yemen in March of 2015 and the humanitarian disaster, which was crafted by the same, IRC launched one an emergency response program in the southern governorates of Aden, Lahj, Abyan, Shabwah and Al Dhale, and expanded later in Sana’a and Hodeidah in the North.  Currently IRC Yemen is operating in eight governorates in the south and north of Yemen through direct programming and through local partnerships, in Health, WASH, Nutrition, Economic Recovery Development, Education, Child Protection, Gender and Women Protection and Empowerment.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) have been working in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for more than forty years. Today, the IRC has more than 2,200 staff working across the region, including in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, and Yemen to support those affected by some of the world’s most complex and protracted humanitarian crises.

Job Summary:

The Social Behavior Change (SBC) Health Assistant will be responsible for selecting and supporting Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) and peer groups. They will assist the Senior SBC Health Officer in training and supervising CHVs. In addition, they will sensitize community leaders and residents through the formation of networks to enhance vaccination uptake. The SBC Health Assistant is jointly responsible with the Senior SBC Officer for raising community awareness and supporting them in identifying key health problems, as well as helping devise appropriate courses of action to address vaccine hesitancy and other challenges. These positions will be based, one in Aden and the other in Yafae District, Lahj Governorate.

Responsibilities:

Program Oversight:

• Supervise and mentor Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in the implementation of SBC strategies related to vaccination.
• Ensure that vaccination campaigns align with organizational goals and community needs.
• Select CHVs according to established criteria from identified communities and facilitate the mapping of community health actors.

Community Engagement:

• Develop and execute community outreach programs to raise awareness about the importance of vaccination.
• Organize and facilitate peer groups, workshops, training sessions, multimedia campaigns, community dialogue forums, and events to promote vaccination acceptance.
• Collaborate with local leaders, healthcare providers, and organizations to enhance community trust and participation in vaccination programs.
• Engage community and religious leaders to enhance credibility and encourage vaccination uptake.
• Facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges between households to promote vaccination acceptance within the community.

Data Collection and Reporting:

• Collect and analyze data on vaccination rates and community health behaviors to inform program adjustments.
• Prepare regular reports on campaign outcomes, challenges, and successes to share with stakeholders.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of SBC initiatives and vaccination campaigns.
• Utilize social media and other platforms to engage with community members.
• Conduct surveys and gather feedback to identify community needs and interests.
• Provide information and referrals to near health facility for members seeking vaccination.
• Address concerns or issues raised by the community promptly and effectively.
• Monitor the availability of vaccines in implementation areas.

Capacity Building:

• Assist the Senior SBC Officer in assessing training needs and organizing training sessions for CHVs on effective communication strategies and community engagement techniques.
• Provide ongoing support and resources to CHVs to strengthen their capacity in promoting vaccination.
• Offer on-the-job training to CHVs and review and evaluate their performance.

Advocacy and Communication:

• Advocate for vaccination initiatives at community meetings and with local authorities.
• Utilize social media and other communication channels to disseminate vaccination information and engage the community.
• Address community concerns and misinformation regarding vaccines promptly and effectively.

Working Relations:

• Report directly to the Senior SBC Health Officer.
• Lead and supervise CHVs.
• Engage with community leaders and community members.

Requirements:

• Technical diploma or degree in medical, social development, or community mobilization fields required.
• Prefer one year of professional experience in implementing and supervising community health volunteers and community mobilization projects.
• Proven ability in designing community mobilization, sensitization, and awareness-raising activities.
• Good training and capacity-building skills.
• Excellent knowledge of the working environment.
• INGO experience preferred.
• Personal qualities: Ability to work well in and promote teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible, and able to handle pressure effectively.
• Computer literacy is desirable.
• Fluency in English preferred.

Professional Standards: 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, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, marital status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients.

Commitment to Client Responsiveness: By committing to Client-Centered Programming, at the IRC Yemen, we place the people we serve - our clients - at the center of our programming and services. The IRC Yemen Staff have an important role to play in supporting the implementation of client-responsive programming through raising awareness among the community and clients about the existing feedback mechanisms and how to use them including the response processes, access, and eligibility to services, and contribute to building an institutional culture that prompts staff to listen to clients.