State Coordinator, IDG, Nassarawa (Consultant)

About Evidence Action

At Evidence Action, we deliver data-driven interventions that transform lives at an unprecedented scale. We identify neglected global health issues and deploy proven solutions, forging healthier futures for generations.

Our model operationalises leading academic research (including from Nobel-winning economists). We measure progress and outcomes at every stage to ensure we’re making a real impact for people living in poverty and suffering from preventable or treatable health issues. Operating across 11 countries, our team of 900+ has reached over 500 million people, working closely with governments to scale these interventions.

• Our Deworm the World program has delivered over 2 billion treatments, significantly reducing worm prevalence and generating more than $23 billion in lifetime productivity gains.
• Through Safe Water Now, we’ve saved the lives of over 15,000 children.
• Our Accelerator explores untapped opportunities in global health, testing low-cost interventions with the greatest potential to save and improve lives.

At Evidence Action, your colleagues are your greatest asset. You'll partner with high-caliber colleagues in an environment blending innovation, autonomy, and teamwork. Our team excels in disruptive thinking and believes in rolling up our sleeves to get things done. If you're looking to work flexibly and with purpose, join a team that delivers measurable change for millions.

Background

Routine childhood immunisation is one of the most effective public health interventions for preventing illness and death among children. Nigeria continues to carry a substantial burden of zero-dose and under-immunised children, driven by demand-side barriers including low awareness, competing household priorities, transportation costs, and distance to health facilities.

Evidence Action, in partnership with relevant government stakeholders and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), is implementing the Immunisation Demand Generation (IDG) Pilot Programme to test evidence-based approaches for increasing childhood immunisation uptake and completion. The pilot tests a combination of three demand-generation interventions:

• digital reminders - phone-based SMS and/or voice reminders to caregivers ahead of scheduled vaccination visits;
• community ambassadors - trusted, well-connected community members who share vaccination information within their social networks; and
• targeted incentives - support intended to reduce barriers to vaccination, including transport support and, in selected areas, integration of Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) with immunisation services.

Programme Goals

• Increase demand for and uptake of routine childhood immunisation among children in selected
• communities.
• Support caregivers to initiate and complete recommended childhood vaccination schedules.
• Test the feasibility and acceptability of digital reminders, community ambassadors, and targeted incentives in the pilot states.
• Identify implementation approaches that are appropriate, acceptable, and potentially scalable within the Nigerian health system.
• Strengthen collaboration between government structures, health facilities, and communities around routine immunisation.
• Generate evidence and implementation learning to inform future programme design and scale-up.

Purpose of the Role

The State Coordinator will lead day-to-day implementation of the IDG pilot within their assigned state (Nasarawa), serving as Evidence Action's primary field-level presence with State, LGA, and health facility stakeholders. The role is responsible for translating programme guidance into consistent, high-quality implementation on the ground, and for surfacing field-level learning, risks, and needs back to the Program Manager.

Key Responsibilities

• Programme Management and Technical Support
• Coordinate day-to-day implementation of the IDG pilot within the assigned state, in collaboration with State and LGA structures, under the guidance of the Program Manager.
• Apply technical guidance, standard operating procedures, tools, and materials provided by the
• Program Manager to support consistent implementation.
• Support the State Government and relevant stakeholders to finalize local implementation arrangements, including selection of participating LGAs, wards, and health facilities.
• Liaise with relevant external technical partners active in the state on implementation, monitoring, learning, and evaluation activities.
• Provide the Program Manager with regular updates on progress, risks, and implementation challenges within the state.
• Digital Reminders
• Support implementation of the digital reminder component within the state, including coordinating the collection and processing of caregiver information from participating facilities.
• Relay field-level feedback on reminder content, timing, language, and delivery modalities to inform ongoing adaptation.
• Support participating health facilities and LGA structures to establish processes for identifying eligible children and transmitting the information required for the reminder system.
• Community Ambassadors
• Support implementation of the community ambassador component within the state, including nomination, selection, recruitment, and engagement of ambassadors.
• Engage State, LGA, and facility structures to identify community members who can serve as vaccination information ambassadors.
• Disseminate vaccine-related information and messaging through approved ambassador channels within the state.
• Targeted Incentives
• Support implementation of the targeted incentive component in eligible areas within the state, based on the final pilot design.
• Coordinate the agreed mechanism for providing transport-related support to eligible caregivers at the facility level, where transport support is selected.
• Coordinate with facility and LGA structures to support appropriate integration of SQ-LNS distribution with immunisation services, where SQ-LNS is included in the state.
• Capacity Building
• Support orientation and training of State, LGA, and health facility personnel involved in implementation of the pilot within the state.
• Support the use of existing government immunization training materials and standards at the facility level, supplementing with additional guidance provided by the Program Manager.
• Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation
• Support monitoring, learning, and evaluation activities within the state, including baseline, routine monitoring, and other agreed evaluation activities.
• Share relevant field-level findings and implementation learning with the Program Manager and, as appropriate, the State Government.
• Support the collection and review of implementation data to identify challenges and inform corrective actions at the state level.
• Government and Stakeholder Engagement
• Participate in relevant State- and LGA-level coordination and review meetings on behalf of the programme.
• Maintain regular communication with designated State Government focal persons regarding programme progress, implementation issues, risks, and required actions.
• Build and maintain working relationships with LGA and health facility staff to support smooth day-to-day implementation.

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of a Bachelor's degree in public health, social sciences, community development, or a related field.
• At least 3-5 years of experience implementing public health or social/behavior change programmes at the state or LGA level in Nigeria, ideally including immunisation, maternal and child health, or nutrition programming.
• Familiarity with the health system and government structures in the assigned state (Nasarawa) is an advantage.
• Experience working directly with communities, health facility staff, and/or community health workers.
• Experience with routine data collection and reporting.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong field coordination and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple activities across several LGAs.
• Strong interpersonal and community engagement skills.
• Good working relationships with, or ability to quickly build relationships with, State and LGA health
• stakeholders.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including for routine reporting to the Program Manager.
• Problem-solving orientation, with the ability to identify and flag implementation issues promptly.
• Willingness to travel frequently within the assigned state, including to rural LGAs and health facilities.

Reporting Line

The State Coordinator reports to the Program Manager, IDG Pilot Programme, based in the Abuja Country Office.

Evidence Action is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply.

Position Location

Nasarawa State, Nigeria

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of a Nigeria employment visa at this time. Applicants must be legally authorised to work in Nigeria for roles based in Nigeria.