Hygiene Promotion Officer

ABOUT THE ROLE

Lindii Peace Foundation (LPF) is seeking a qualified, proactive and community-oriented Hygiene Promotion Officer to support the implementation of hygiene promotion, behaviour change and community engagement activities under its humanitarian and development programmes.

The Hygiene Promotion Officer will be responsible for planning and implementing hygiene awareness activities, promoting safe hygiene practices, mobilizing communities, conducting hygiene needs assessments and monitoring changes in hygiene-related knowledge and behaviour. The post holder will work closely with the WASH team, community volunteers, health personnel, local authorities and community leaders to improve hygiene practices and reduce the risk of waterborne and sanitation-related diseases among affected populations.

The successful candidate will support the development of context-appropriate hygiene promotion messages and materials, facilitate community sessions, monitor access to hygiene information and identify barriers preventing households from adopting safe hygiene practices. The role will also contribute to the integration of hygiene promotion into WASH, health, nutrition and other relevant programme activities.

This position requires strong community mobilization skills, effective communication, cultural sensitivity and a commitment to accountability, inclusion, safeguarding and evidence-based behaviour change in a humanitarian setting.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Hygiene Promotion Planning and Implementation

• Support the development and implementation of hygiene promotion plans, activity schedules and community engagement strategies in line with approved project objectives and targets.
• Conduct hygiene promotion activities in communities, health facilities, schools, displacement sites and other designated programme locations.
• Promote safe hygiene practices, including handwashing with soap, safe water handling, household water treatment where appropriate, food hygiene, personal hygiene and environmental cleanliness.
• Deliver hygiene education sessions tailored to the needs, cultural context, literacy levels and preferred communication methods of affected populations.
• Organize community awareness campaigns, group discussions, demonstrations, household visits and other appropriate hygiene promotion activities.
• Ensure that hygiene promotion messages are consistent with approved public health guidance, WASH standards and relevant programme protocols.
• Support the distribution and appropriate use of hygiene promotion materials, including posters, leaflets, visual aids and other approved communication resources.
• Coordinate with WASH and health teams to ensure that hygiene promotion activities complement improvements in water supply, sanitation facilities and public health services.
• Promote practical hygiene behaviours that households can adopt using locally available resources.
• Identify gaps in hygiene awareness and recommend appropriate activities to address community needs.

Community Mobilization and Behaviour Change

• Mobilize community members to participate actively in hygiene promotion and public health awareness activities.
• Engage community leaders, women\'s groups, youth groups, religious leaders, community volunteers and other relevant structures to support hygiene behaviour change.
• Facilitate participatory discussions that encourage communities to identify hygiene challenges and develop locally appropriate solutions.
• Promote positive behaviour change through interpersonal communication, peer learning, demonstrations and repeated community engagement.
• Identify social, cultural, economic and environmental barriers that prevent households from practising safe hygiene behaviours.
• Work with community representatives to develop practical approaches to overcome identified barriers.
• Encourage household participation in maintaining clean living environments, safe water storage, proper waste disposal and hygienic sanitation practices.
• Support the establishment or strengthening of community hygiene committees and volunteer networks where appropriate.
• Provide technical guidance and regular support to community hygiene promoters and volunteers involved in programme activities.
• Monitor community participation and identify groups that may be excluded from hygiene promotion activities.
• Promote community ownership and sustained hygiene practices beyond the duration of project interventions.

Hygiene Education and Health Risk Prevention

• Deliver hygiene education on the prevention of waterborne and sanitation-related diseases, including diarrhoeal diseases and cholera, using approved public health messages.
• Promote correct handwashing practices at critical times, including after using the toilet, after cleaning a child and before preparing or eating food.
• Educate households on safe drinking water collection, transportation, treatment where appropriate and storage.
• Promote hygienic food preparation, food storage and safe handling practices to reduce contamination risks.
• Support awareness activities on menstrual hygiene management and access to appropriate menstrual hygiene materials in a respectful and culturally sensitive manner.
• Promote safe disposal of faeces, proper toilet use, sanitation facility maintenance and environmental cleanliness.
• Support hygiene awareness activities for caregivers on safe hygiene practices for infants and young children.
• Coordinate with health personnel to disseminate approved health and hygiene messages during disease outbreaks and public health campaigns.
• Identify and promptly communicate emerging hygiene-related public health concerns to the relevant WASH or health supervisor.
• Avoid providing clinical advice or making medical diagnoses outside the scope of the role and refer health-related concerns to qualified healthcare personnel.

Hygiene Needs Assessments and Community Consultations

• Conduct household visits, community consultations and basic hygiene assessments to identify hygiene practices, knowledge gaps and barriers to behaviour change.
• Collect information on household hygiene conditions, access to hygiene materials, water handling practices, sanitation behaviours and community information needs.
• Support baseline, endline, knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) surveys and other hygiene-related assessments as required.
• Identify the specific hygiene needs of women, children, older people, persons with disabilities and other groups facing additional barriers.
• Consult affected populations to understand their preferred communication channels, local beliefs and perceptions concerning hygiene practices.
• Document community concerns, feedback and recommendations arising from hygiene promotion activities.
• Share assessment findings with the WASH team and relevant programme personnel to inform activity planning and adaptation.
• Ensure that information collection is conducted respectfully, with appropriate consent and in accordance with organizational data protection procedures.
• Use assessment findings to recommend targeted hygiene promotion interventions based on identified risks and community priorities.

Training and Support to Community Volunteers

• Identify, orient and support community hygiene promoters and volunteers in collaboration with community leaders and programme teams.
• Conduct training sessions on hygiene promotion techniques, key hygiene messages, interpersonal communication and community mobilization.
• Explain the objectives, expected outputs and reporting requirements of hygiene promotion activities to assigned volunteers.
• Provide ongoing mentoring and supportive supervision to strengthen the quality and consistency of community-level hygiene activities.
• Ensure that volunteers use approved hygiene promotion materials and communicate accurate, appropriate and consistent messages.
• Monitor volunteer participation, activity completion and adherence to organizational policies and safeguarding standards.
• Maintain records of volunteer orientation, training attendance, assigned responsibilities and field activities.
• Identify capacity gaps and recommend additional coaching or refresher training.
• Promote respectful engagement between volunteers and community members and address inappropriate conduct through established supervisory channels.

Coordination with WASH and Other Programme Teams

• Work closely with WASH Programme Managers, WASH Officers, health personnel, MEAL staff and field teams to coordinate hygiene promotion activities.
• Ensure that hygiene promotion interventions complement the provision and maintenance of safe water supplies, sanitation facilities and hygiene materials.
• Coordinate with relevant teams during hygiene kit distributions to ensure that recipients understand the intended use and appropriate care of distributed items.
• Participate in programme planning meetings, field coordination sessions and community engagement activities as required.
• Support the integration of hygiene promotion into health, nutrition, protection and other relevant interventions where appropriate.
• Coordinate with local authorities, community-based organizations and relevant stakeholders on approved hygiene promotion activities.
• Share field observations and community feedback that may affect WASH service delivery, public health risks or programme implementation.
• Report implementation challenges, resource gaps and emerging community needs to the appropriate supervisor.
• Support joint monitoring visits and other authorized field activities.

Monitoring, Documentation and Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of hygiene promotion activities, community sessions, household visits, awareness campaigns and volunteer engagements.
• Document the number of individuals and households reached, disaggregated by sex, age, location and other required categories where feasible and appropriate.
• Prepare routine activity reports detailing achievements, challenges, community feedback and recommendations.
• Support the collection of monitoring data to assess changes in hygiene knowledge, attitudes and practices.
• Use approved monitoring tools, attendance sheets, household visit forms and other documentation templates.
• Verify activity records and ensure that reported figures are accurate, complete and supported by appropriate evidence.
• Monitor the use and availability of hygiene promotion materials and report replenishment needs.
• Participate in post-activity reviews and contribute to lessons learned and programme improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate with the MEAL team to monitor hygiene promotion indicators and address gaps in reporting or data quality.
• Maintain secure records and protect the confidentiality of community members and other individuals participating in programme activities.

Accountability, Inclusion and Community Feedback

• Ensure that community members understand the objectives, eligibility criteria and scope of hygiene promotion interventions.
• Encourage affected populations to share feedback, questions and concerns through established organizational channels.
• Support the implementation of accessible feedback mechanisms that enable women, children, persons with disabilities and other potentially excluded groups to participate safely.
• Respond respectfully to routine questions about hygiene promotion activities within the scope of assigned responsibilities.
• Refer complaints, safeguarding concerns and other sensitive issues through designated organizational reporting mechanisms.
• Ensure that community feedback is documented and communicated to relevant programme personnel for appropriate follow-up.
• Promote dignity, inclusion, gender sensitivity and meaningful community participation in all hygiene promotion activities.
• Avoid making promises or commitments about assistance that have not been authorized by the organization.
• Ensure that community members are not subjected to discrimination, exploitation, coercion or inappropriate treatment during programme activities.

Compliance, Safeguarding and Professional Development

• Comply with LPF policies, procedures, Code of Conduct and approved hygiene promotion protocols.
• Adhere to relevant WASH standards, public health guidance and applicable programme requirements.
• Maintain professional conduct and demonstrate respect for the dignity, rights and cultural practices of affected populations.
• Uphold safeguarding principles and report suspected sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), harassment, fraud, corruption or other serious misconduct through established reporting mechanisms.
• Ensure that children and other vulnerable individuals are engaged in accordance with applicable safeguarding procedures.
• Follow organizational security procedures and approved field movement arrangements during community activities.
• Use organizational materials and resources responsibly and maintain accurate records of assigned equipment and supplies.
• Participate in relevant training, supervision and professional development activities.
• Perform other hygiene promotion and community mobilization duties assigned by the supervisor, consistent with the position\'s responsibilities.

KEY DELIVERABLES

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the following:

• Implemented hygiene promotion plans and scheduled community awareness activities.
• Regular hygiene education sessions, household visits and community mobilization activities.
• Increased community awareness of safe hygiene practices and disease prevention.
• Updated records of individuals and households reached through hygiene promotion interventions.
• Completed hygiene assessments, community consultations and KAP surveys, as applicable.
• Trained and supported community hygiene promoters and volunteers.
• Accurate activity reports, attendance records and hygiene promotion monitoring data.
• Documented community feedback, identified hygiene barriers and recommendations for programme improvement.
• Effective coordination between hygiene promotion activities and WASH service delivery.
• Timely identification and reporting of hygiene-related public health risks and implementation challenges.
• Compliance with safeguarding, accountability, inclusion and data protection requirements.
• Documented lessons learned and recommendations to improve hygiene promotion effectiveness.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor\'s degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) in Environmental Health, Public Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Health Education, Community Development, Social Sciences or another relevant discipline.
• Minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in hygiene promotion, community mobilization, health education, WASH programming or related humanitarian and development activities.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating community awareness sessions, household visits, hygiene education or behaviour change activities.
• Knowledge of safe hygiene practices, sanitation, water safety, disease prevention and community health promotion.
• Experience engaging community leaders, volunteers and affected populations in programme activities.
• Ability to prepare activity reports, maintain accurate records and collect basic monitoring data.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate hygiene messages in accessible language.
• Basic computer skills and familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel and other reporting tools.
• Strong organizational skills, initiative, cultural sensitivity and commitment to community participation.
• Ability and willingness to conduct regular field visits and work in challenging humanitarian environments, subject to applicable security procedures.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working with NGOs, INGOs or donor-funded humanitarian programmes.
• Experience implementing WASH interventions in displacement sites, rural communities or emergency-response settings.
• Familiarity with community-based approaches to hygiene promotion and behaviour change communication.
• Experience supporting cholera prevention, outbreak response or other public health awareness campaigns.
• Experience conducting household assessments, KAP surveys, focus group discussions or community consultations.
• Experience training and supervising community volunteers or hygiene promoters.
• Familiarity with KoboToolbox, ODK or other digital data collection platforms.
• Knowledge of local languages relevant to LPF\'s programme locations in Borno State.

CORE COMPETENCIES

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Community mobilization: Ability to engage community members and encourage active participation in hygiene promotion activities.
• Communication: Ability to explain hygiene practices clearly using culturally appropriate and accessible methods.
• Behaviour change: Ability to identify barriers to safe hygiene practices and promote practical, sustainable solutions.
• Technical knowledge: Understanding of hygiene promotion, sanitation, water safety and public health risk prevention.
• Teamwork: Ability to collaborate effectively with WASH, health, MEAL and community-based teams.
• Reporting and documentation: Ability to maintain accurate activity records and prepare clear reports.
• Accountability: Commitment to community feedback, transparency and responsive programme delivery.
• Inclusion and sensitivity: Ability to work respectfully with people from diverse backgrounds and with different needs.
• Integrity and safeguarding: Commitment to ethical conduct, confidentiality and protection of affected populations.
• Adaptability: Ability to work effectively in changing humanitarian contexts and resource-constrained environments.

SAFEGUARDING, CODE OF CONDUCT AND ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES

The post holder is required to:

• Adhere to LPF\'s policies, procedures, Code of Conduct and organizational values.
• Demonstrate commitment to safeguarding, gender equality, diversity, inclusion and respect for human rights.
• Maintain zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), harassment, fraud, corruption and abuse of position.
• Report safeguarding, SEA, fraud or other serious misconduct concerns through established organizational reporting mechanisms.
• Respect the dignity, privacy and confidentiality of affected populations during community engagement and data collection.
• Ensure that hygiene promotion activities are inclusive, culturally sensitive and accessible to people with different needs.
• Comply with applicable health, safety and security requirements during field activities.
• Use organizational resources responsibly and protect organizational property.