Save the Children is a leading international organization helping children in need around the world. First established in the UK in 1919, separate national organizations have been set up in more than twenty-eight countries, sharing the aim of improving the lives of children through education, health care and economic opportunities, as well as emergency aid in cases of natural disasters, war and conflict.
In Nigeria, Save the Children has been working since 2001. The early focus was on getting children actively involved in shaping the decisions that affect their lives. Today, Save the Children is working in seven federal states – Zamfara, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi and Kaduna – focusing on providing basic healthcare and protecting children.
We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:
Job Title: Household Economic Strengthening Advisor, OVC
Location: Abuja
The Organisation
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
Location: Abuja
The Organisation
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
- No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
- All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
- Violence against children is no longer tolerated
We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.
Role Purpose
Role Purpose
- The Economic Strengthening/Livelihoods Advisor will provide comprehensive support to orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) and their caregivers in select states in Nigeria for an anticipated USAID/PEPFAR project.
- As a member of the technical leadership technical team, the Advisor will be responsible for the technical aspects of project implementation that relate to household economic strengthening and livelihoods activities using a graduation approach.
- She/he will report directly to the Technical Director and will advise and support the project team in providing technical excellence through contributions made to project implementation.
- She/he will take technical leadership role designing and promoting use of low-risk activities to diversify and stimulate growth in household income and integrate economic activities with complementary interventions across the project.
- She/he will be knowledgeable about evidence-based and state-of-the-art household economic strengthening approaches/strategies, including savings-led approaches that address the different levels of household vulnerability.
- This position is contingent on the issuance of USAID funding and the selection of applicants is subject to USAID approval.
Key Areas of Accountability
The main responsibilities for the Economic Strengthening/Livelihoods Advisor include:
The main responsibilities for the Economic Strengthening/Livelihoods Advisor include:
- Provide technical leadership and oversight for high quality design, implementation and evaluation of the household economic strengthening and social protection components of the project.
- Conduct initial scoping and mapping activities to gather information on what models of economic strengthening services are available in the target communities, both formal and informal; which models are working effectively and why, etc.
- Based on the above, design a flexible and adaptable economic strengthening model based on best practices and relevance to the southern Nigeria context, which can be feasibly rolled out in target communities.
- Provide technical support and coordinate the development of relevant tools and resources related to the economic strengthening and social protection components of the project.
- Provide training, capacity building and ongoing technical support and mentoring for staff and partners to roll out and implement the economic strengthening strategy in target communities, working with state teams to plan and implement the strategy.
- Continue to maintain current understanding and awareness of related services being provided throughout Nigeria, networking and sharing information on lessons learned and best practices. This includes maintaining links with international resources provided through the Save the Children global and regional networks.
- Facilitate linkages with government safety net programs and other stakeholders to ensure that activities complement other economic strengthening initiatives and adhere to country and global standards
- Ensure timely, high-quality work plans, quarterly and annual reports, financial reports, and any other reports required by the donor or the government.
- Provide technical assistance in documenting and scaling up best practices related to the economic strengthening and social protection components of the project through case studies or success stories.
- Support project team efforts to ensure quality, timeliness and efficiency of all deliverables on household economic strengthening component of the project.
Required Background and Experience, Skills and Behaviors
At a minimum, the Economic Strengthening/Livelihoods Advisor will have:
At a minimum, the Economic Strengthening/Livelihoods Advisor will have:
- Master’s Degree in commerce, economics economic development, business management and administration or related field.
- Minimum of seven years’ experience in the provision of economic strengthening services, preferably savings and loan models, to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups (such as OVC and HIV-affected families), in Nigeria.
- Comprehensive knowledge of the socioeconomic context in Nigeria, and preferably in the South South / South East.
- Be fully conversant on global best practices in household economic strengthening.
- Understanding of PEPFAR OVC programming priorities, strategies and monitoring and evaluation tools and systems.
- Willingness to travel frequently and in difficult circumstances.
- Experience working in multi-cultural environments, and in ‘grassroots’ community-based settings.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with government representatives, for-profit private sector entities, local community organizations, donors and other stakeholders, particularly at the sub-national level.
- Leadership qualities and ability to create synergies where applicable.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team.
- Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.
- Expert computer skills in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
- Qualified Nigerian nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.
Job Title: Social Welfare Systems Strengthening (SWSS) Advisor, OVC – Nigeria
Location: Abuja
The Organisation
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
Location: Abuja
The Organisation
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
- No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
- All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
- Violence against children is no longer tolerated
We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.
Role Purpose
Role Purpose
- The primary role of the Social Welfare Systems Strengthening Advisor is to provide technical leadership and assistance to OVC programming with emphasis on strengthening social service systems and building capacity of the social welfare workforce (formal and informal) in the target areas of Nigeria.
- As a member of technical leadership technical team, the Advisor will ensure technical excellence through contributions made to project implementation, delivery and monitoring and evaluation. S/he will support the implementation of learning agendas, tool development and relevant strategic initiatives.
- The Advisor will liaise closely with technical advisors from other sectors to ensure seamless quality programming. Finally, the Advisor will be responsible for sharing organizational know-how, information, and experiences in vulnerable children programming within and outside the organization, as well as incorporate a broad-based approach for the overall well-being of those impacted.
- This position is contingent on the issuance of USAID funding and the selection of applicants is subject to USAID approval.
Key Areas of Accountability
- Advise project staff on technical issues related to OVC programs such as financing of social services, strong coordination and referral mechanisms, social service workforce development, and service delivery with an emphasis on providing comprehensive support at the community and household level.
- Support program efforts by providing guidance and hands-on support in conducting assessments, advising on partnerships and strategies.
- Ensure the day-to-day implementation of the work plan activities in the work plan and provide input into the development, on-going management and maintenance of the work plan.
- Provide technical support to partners and government counterparts to implement social welfare system strengthening activities and to ensure that agreed targets are met.
- Support the monitoring and evaluation efforts of OVC projects by conducting on-site monitoring during field visits or participating in monitoring and evaluation team meetings.
- Support partners to strengthen community child protection structures across project communities, monitor protection needs, gaps and interventions in and around child protection issues.
- Support sub-partners to develop and implement case plans including reviews and evaluations.
- Advocate with the government and other stakeholders to take appropriate measures to remedy violations and address the protection concerns facing children in the communities as well as liaise with relevant line ministries and commissions in order to foster partnerships and encourage national interest and ownership in protection of children
- Collaborate with relevant international development, donor and research institutions through relationship building, information sharing, and representation.
- Facilitate, draft, and participate in the development of, and/or the timely completion/review of OVC technical reports, such as: monthly, quarterly, and/or annual reports and newsletters; strategic plans and work plans; and other ad hoc reports, as required.
- Stay abreast of state-of-the-art developments in quality and innovations related to OVC programming and social service system strengthening and share relevant information as appropriate.
Required Background and Experience, Skills and Behaviors
- Advanced degrees in Social Work and Public Health or related fields
- Minimum of seven years’ experience in international development either as a technical advisor or social services/health program manager, preferably in Nigeria
- Comprehensive knowledge of the social welfare context and health system in Nigeria, and preferably in the South South / South East.
- Experience working with and/or managing PEPFAR OVC projects preferred.
- Understanding of PEPFAR OVC programming priorities, strategies and monitoring and evaluation tools and systems.
- Technical expertise in principals, theories, concepts and techniques in the area of social service systems strengthening, including knowledge of and ability to integrate across related disciplines
- Knowledgeable of social service professionals and resources in Nigeria is an added advantage
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English (professional level).
- Willingness to travel regularly and in difficult circumstances.
- Leadership qualities and ability to create synergies where applicable.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team.
- Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.
- Expert computer skills in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
- Qualified Nigerian nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application Deadline 30th April, 2018.
Note: We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
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