New Job Openings at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organisation for children. We work in 120 countries. We save children’s lives; we fight for their rights; we help them fulfil their potential.
We work together, with our partners, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and 
to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

 
Job Title: Political Economy of Institutionalising WINNN’s Work with State Government & In-depth PEA for Gombe State – Consultancy 
Location: Abuja
Expected Starting Date: March 13th 2017
Expected Finishing Date: April 8th 2017
Total Number of Days: 22 days
Background

• Working to Improve Nutrition in Northern Nigeria (WINNN) is funded by UK’s Department for International Development and implemented by UNICEF, Action Against Hunger (ACF) and Save the Children International (SCI), in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria and the State Governments of Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Yobe and Zamfara. The overall objective of the project is to reduce mortality through decreasing the incidence and prevalence of under nutrition in Nigeria with focus on Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Yobe and Zamfara States.
• The WINNN programme aims to build the capacity of the state and LGAs to implement nutrition interventions as routine services through existing PHC structures and to use evidence-based advocacy to improve political commitment to, and government funding for nutrition interventions. WINNN’s goal is to improve nutritional status of children under five in Northern Nigeria with an expected outcome of nutrition interventions been delivered through routine health services, funded by the Government of Nigeria.
• As the programme is now in its final year of implementation the top priority is ensuring the sustainability of its interventions. While the majority of WINNN’s interventions work through existing state structures its engagement with Community volunteers for the Preventive Nutrition Behavioural Change communications involves the programme setting up structures of its own which raises an additional sustainability risk.
• The programme has identified institutionalising its structures within those of the state government up to the ward level as the best route to sustaining them and seeks to undertake a political economy analysis of the transition in the five states to better inform its advocacy strategy for the transition period.

Objectives of the Consultancy 

• A key requirement of the WINNN is to secure an increased political and institutional commitment to the implementation of effective state-wide Nutrition programmes that ensures funding for Nutrition activities, dedicated budget line, promotion of preventive mechanism and treatment of malnourished children. Understanding the political dynamics of a state and how to engage stakeholders are of paramount importance to the programme.
• In 2015 a political economic analysis (PEA) of all WINNN implementing states was carried out providing the programme with a clear picture of state dynamics. The PEA was accompanied with an action plan. However with the current changes in the political environment at both national and state levels as well as in view of the proposed exit of the WINNN programme in at least 3 of the 5 states which compels a stronger analysis and review of the existing PEAs. 

Therefore the Primary Objectives of the Consultancy will be: 

• To update and strengthen the analysis in the PEA report of Jigawa, Yobe, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara drawing from existing reports and documents.
• Comprehensive analysis of the political space in Gombe State and development of advocacy strategy in response to the PEA findings
• To develop an accompanying advocacy transition strategy that draws from the PEA and the state engagement strategy to help garner political and institutional commitments beyond the life of the programme.
• To outline the critical political change in the five states and the political dynamics currently at play as it relates to Nutrition.

The PEA report will be provided in a summary form of not more than fifteen pages. The PEA report will also outline key political drivers, risk and critical assumptions to the institutionalization of WINNN/nutrition in all the 5 states.  The updated advocacy strategy will extract from the current advocacy strategy and updated analysis from the PEA. This document should also establish a clear pathway to mitigate potential risk factors outlined in the PEA.
Methodology
The study will analyse what the politics of making and implementing policies on Nutrition in WINNN focal states are and how WINNN’s institutionalisation strategy can adapt to this. It will adopt an issue based PEA approach that will answer the following in the states of Jigawa, Yobe, Kebbi, Katsina and Jigawa:

• What is the current political settlement of the state? What are the broad priorities of the state government? How are they brokered and agreed?  Where do ‘Nutrition within the first 1,000 days of life’ as a policy area or target constituency fit into this?
• How are the priorities of the state government translated into formal policies? What actors are involved in this process? Where do ‘‘Nutrition within the first 1,000 days of life” as a policy area currently fit within this?
• What are the barriers and blockages to the effective delivery of the state government’s policies on Nutrition for Mothers and Children? What formal and informal processes and actors are involved in the move to implementation?
• How can WINNN adapt its overall approach to working with its beneficiaries and its institutionalization strategy based on the findings? What changes are required to its overall and state specific institutionalization/transition and advocacy strategies?

Stage 1 – Extract and Summarize Data:

• Collect data from all the relevant documents already existing within and outside the organisation. A desk review will be carried out utilizing the existing PEA report of the programme done in 2015/2016 and the CDGP PEA report of 2014, 2015 and 2016 which has a good background of the political dynamics in the targeted states.
• The desk review will make sure all existing assessments of domains of stakeholders at national, state, LGA, community levels including donors, government, partners and politicians are considered. Review programme documents and identify priority issues in order to bring intended outcomes to fruition.

Stage2 – Work with Programme Team

• Work with the programme team both at state and national level to collect any relevant information that may be missing from the desk review.  This may involve the team making important enquiries where necessary.

Stage 3 – Analyse the Data and Develop a Causal Framework

• Using data already collected, develop a 15 page document with the first 7-8 pages providing a summary update of the PEA and the last 7-8 pages summarizing the advocacy/transition strategy with clear details on strategic drivers and priorities. 

Tasks/Activities
Estimated # Days: 

• Desk Review of all relevant documents – 10 Days
• Consultation with Programme teams – 5 Days
• One day workshop with National Team to develop political transition plan  – 2 days
• Finalize the Report – 5 Days
• Total Days – 22.

Deliverables: 

• A draft PEA report for the WINNN Programme – not more than 15 pages with the 5-7 pages advocacy transition strategy as an annex
• A summarized advocacy/transition Strategy and plan per state – narrative should not be more than 5-7 pages

Qualifications     

• Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Humanities or Political Science
• A sound understanding of the political economy of Nigeria particularly Northern Nigeria 
• Previous experience in development of analytical reports and policy documents related to partnerships
• Ability to synthesize and analyze large amounts of information combining quantitative and qualitative data
• Excellent written English and Spoken Hausa  
• Knowledge of rights-based approach to programmes.
• Experience of developing advocacy and state engagement strategies
• An awareness of Nutrition  policies and State Budget Cycles

Job Title: Nutrition Policy and Advocacy Adviser
Location: Abuja
The Role 

• The post-holder will play a critical role in supporting Save the Children Nigeria Country office and partners to implement advocacy strategies and develop evidences which have significant impact on decision makers to the benefit of children in Nigeria.
• The Nutrition Policy and Advocacy Adviser while supporting the delivery of Save the Children’s nutrition advocacy strategy will work with partner organisations to ensure strong accountability for political and financial nutrition commitments and contribute to the development of nutrition-related policies, strategic frameworks and campaigns.
• The post holder will also be responsible for supporting multi-sectoral efforts in reducing the burden of malnutrition – including social protection, agriculture and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and improving the effectiveness of our global advocacy.
• He/She will work closely with colleagues across the Organisation to ensure our nutrition work supports the Organizational goal and also contributes to coordinated civil society efforts towards Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) at national, sub-national and local levels.
• The role sits within the Advocacy Division but reports to the Nutrition team and will support the development and implementation of our advocacy strategy to achieve policy and political change at the highest level; it also involves engaging with state governments supported by Save the Children especially the WINNN implementing states, civil society networks and CS-SUNN, as well as international institutions and the private sector.
• The role provides political and policy intelligence to the wider Organisation; and forges advocacy alliances with key opinion makers globally.

Main Responsibilities
In addition to the above role, the post holder’s responsibility will include: 

• Ensuring that nutrition remains high on the national agenda and that additional, ambitious financial and political nutrition commitments are secured in the future
• Keep abreast of government affairs especially in the development of relevant policies and legislation
• Delivering targeted and strategic  advocacy support  to all Nutrition projects and interventions in the Country Office
• Providing support to the Head of Nutrition in the drafting of policy position papers, briefings, publications and responses
• Implementing the Organisation’s nutrition strategy, working with the Campaign team, the Food and Livelihoods team and beyond.
• Developing  a network of key contacts in the international policy community in Nigeria, governments, international bodies, corporations, the International Save the Children Alliance, NGOs and others as required, identifying opportunities and ensuring strong accountability for nutrition commitments

Working Contacts: 

• Internal – Nutrition Team, CDGP , STEER and Humanitarian Nutrition team
• External – FMOH, MB&NP, NPHCDA, NAFDAC, SUN Network: CS-SUN & SUN Business Network, UNICEF, Action Against Hunger (AAH), Fhi 360 etc.

Qualifications and Experience
Essential: 

• Experience of leading development and implementation of policy and advocacy strategies and plans
• Superior written communications, experience of policy research, having written and published policy reports and briefings and evaluated evidence of their impact and
• Knowledge of nutrition issues, voice and accountability and, advocacy research methodology, Experience of drafting and presenting complex information to a variety of audiences in a concise and accessible way

Education: 

• Post Graduate Degree in relevant field
• At least 5 years of  relevant experience in the public or  international development sectors

Skills: 

• Strong networking, negotiation, influencing and stakeholder management skills
• Excellent planning skills and proven ability to learn and adapt
• Solid background in working on cross-functional teams and able to coordinate activities with consultants and partners and  work effectively with evidence definition and translation groups
• Credibility to lobby, network, influence and represent SC at all levels
• Effective team leadership to ensure proactive, clear and timely response to research needs and competitive portfolio evidence support
• Excellent analytical and political judgement skills
• Outstanding oral and written communication and presentation skills

Desirable: 

• Experience working with Nutrition or Health programmes
• Experience of setting up and running events
• Experience of qualitative research techniques
• Experience in international development

How to Apply


Click here to apply 

 Deadline: 22nd March, 2017.