Job Vacancies at Save the Children, 21st April, 2017

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries, including the United States. We aim to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives by improving their health, education and economic opportunities. In times of acute crisis, we mobilize rapid assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters. Each year, we and our partners reach millions of children in communities around the world. Join our dedicated and diverse staff in their work to improve the well-being of children everywhere. We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below: Job Title: Policy Specialist Location: Abuja, Nigeria Role Purpose

• The role of the policy and stakeholder engagement specialist is to provide technical support to the National social investment programme (SIP) team on policy analysis, new Programme development, advocacy initiatives, strategy development and pro-poor governance agenda in the delivery of basic social services with focus on improving quality, efficiency, equity, access and sustainability to Services that will positively impact on the life of the people children especially.
• Advocacy is central to achieving our ambitious goals for children globally. Generating and marshalling evidence, including from existing programme experiences; advocating with policy makers and decision makers; generating political pressure and fostering an enabling environment through public mobilisation; and using media to amplify our messages are all essential parts of our influencing ‘toolkit’. Used well, they can lead to changes in policy and practice by governments and other actors that have lasting benefits for children, on a much bigger scale than what we can achieve through our direct programme activities.
• This role is not rooted in a thematic specialism, but in leadership and expertise in influencing policy and practice through synergized advocacy and popular mobilization.
• The role will be located in Abuja with frequent support to other states where the federal government is implementing the social protection programmes.

• The Policy and stakeholder engagement specialist will provide technical policy direction on child poverty in the design and implementation of the national social protection programme using evidence from existing child poverty programmes particularly the CDGP.
• The policy and stakeholder engagement specialist will provide support in the development of strategies to address key governance and accountability challenges in the country with particular focus to social protection.
• S/he will support the team to come up with systems and tools that will monitor the implementation of government’s plans and budgets.
• She/he will provide leadership in developing social protection advocacy related issues to fit into DFID and SCI’s advocacy and campaign strategy. S/he will also coordinate relationships with partners towards advancement of DFID and SCI’s social protection targets.
• The specialist will lead on key analysis and research of identified child-poverty issues in the country and produce documents and reports to ensure management of such knowledge.

• Provide technical support in reviewing government policies and budgets with particular reference to Social Protection.
• Provide leadership in the integration of good practices from other child-poverty programmes into the new National social protection programmes.
• Create strong linkages with other government child poverty units /departments and, development partners to develop strategies and plans for the National social Investment programmes.
• Direct the development and maintenance of sustained Partnerships and Alliances with Civil Society organizations, media and other partners to advance SCI’s /DFID child-poverty targets.
• Provide leadership in mobilization and capacity building of popular mass movements across Nigeria on issues of SIP.
• Keep abreast with new researches and policies on social protection advocacy related issues across the country and internationally.
• Provide support to the social protection team in forming strong alliance with identified stakeholders.
• Provide technical support in the design, development and implantation of identified child-poverty strategies in the National social protection programmes.
• Prepare advocacy materials to facilitate the advancement of the SIP targets
• Consolidate and share learning and knowledge generated on child-poverty advocacy related issues.
• Mainstream discussion and implementation of National Health Act and social insurance into Government Social Protection plan and implementation.

• The post holder will work directly with the special advisor to the president on social investment.
• H/she will have to report to both the special advisor and also National Programme Manager CDGP.
• H/she will maintain a close working relationship with all the coordinators of the social investment programmes in the country. S/he should also maintain a close relationship with the CDGP team both at national and state level.
• He/she will also liaise frequently with DFID programme supervisor

• The post holder will possess a high degree of analytical skill, political acumen, ability to facilitate change, ability to influence, and ability to communicate key advocacy messages effectively and convincingly to a diverse audience at local, national and international levels.

• Post Graduate degree in any social science field.
• 10 years substantial experience in advocacy and policy development / research in the development context.
• Good knowledge and understanding of inter governmental and multiple stakeholder relationship at Federal, State and Local levels
• Good understanding of strategies for achieving sustainable policies through participatory processes, and the links with gender, diversity and other aspects of identity.
• Excellent conceptual and analytical skills and demonstrable ability to think strategically, innovatively and practically to ensure achievement of desired change objectives.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences at local, national and international levels.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with partner agencies and key contacts in the government, NGO, civil society and media sectors.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to effectively handle multiple tasks and meet strict deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility, adaptability and ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Good understanding of the possibilities and tactics for influencing decision and policy makers, politicians, donors, and other key actors.
• Knowledge of the media and its role in raising awareness and shaping public policy.
• Ability to travel extensively both within and outside the country.
• Good computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets, email / internet).
• Fluent English language skills (written and verbal).
• Commitment to the values, mission, aims and policies of Save the Children.
• Skills in working with civil society and media towards promoting voice and accountability

• Experience in training facilitation techniques and influencing tactics.
• Prior work experience in advocacy in Nigeria.
• Knowledge of the policies, functions, structures and decision-making processes of key national institutions in Nigeria with regard to child poverty and Social protection.
• Experience working with children will be an added advantage.
• Local language skills ( Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba)

• The Child Development Grant (CDG) Programme is a five-year DFID funded programme, with Save the Children, ACF and the Government of Nigeria being implemented in a total of 5 LGAs in Zamfara and Jigawa States of Northern Nigeria, where high levels of child stunting is a serious problem.
• The CDG Programme (CDGP) aims to remove the food security and financial barriers to improving nutrition practices and preventing stunting.
• These northern states are each characterized as conservative, with a number of cultural dynamics that limit women’s involvement in household and market level decision making and other markers of empowerment.
• The CDGP works to remove the substantial financial barriers to improving nutrition in the first “1000 days of life” (pregnant and lactating women and children up to the age of 24 months) and is delivering a behaviour change strategy to improve nutrition practices and prevent stunting in children.

• Defining role and expectations
• Retaining and sustain providers (and how to deal with possible inequalities, such as with targeted CTs)
• Capacity building
• Measuring quality and impact of CV and CHEW efforts and
• Identification/Recruitment
• Program Design (recommendations for CDGP to put into action plan 2017-2019)

• The Lead Consultant will be responsible for the Recruitment, orientation, guidance and management of a Nigeria - based Field Coordinator.
• Conduct with team additional analysis and field study composed of qualitative interviews and a time allocation study. The time allocation study will assess the level of effort of CVs in carrying out their cash transfer and the BCC nutrition tasks. Information from the time allocation study and qualitative interviews (key informants and focus groups) will clarify urgent outstanding questions necessary for short term program quality covering the key areas and questions below
• Recommend immediate short-term (by June 2017) and longer- term (until July 2019) modifications to strengthen quality of the CV approach in CDGP and prepare action plan.
• Review the draft SOPs for the CVs and provide suggestions to update generic JD from CV study.
• Highlight recommendations that would be suitable for advocacy

• Final report with specific short and longer team recommendation that address the key areas if interest stated above
• Power point presentation of findings to CDGP and SCUK team in Abuja

• Experience working with CV programmes in Africa. (Experience working with CV programmes in Nigeria would be an added advantage.
• 10 years working experience in international development
• Good qualitative research methods and analytical skills
• Evidence of similar work done

• The Distribution Assistant supports the BSFP Distribution Officer and works with urban and rural communities at the grass root level, stakeholders and partners, responsible for fulfilling his/her assigned role within the distribution team to conduct sensitization, mobilization, registration and delivering technical support and oversight to targeted communities/groups to ensure that food/non-food items are timely distributed to the deserving beneficiaries.
• Support the distribution team in setting up and executing distributions of commodities to large numbers of beneficiaries in a safe and expedient manner.
• Help direct beneficiaries from station to station within the distribution process as dictated by the Distribution Officer.
• Record in in official registration documents and on beneficiary cards distributed amounts of commodities and ensure that such records are properly cared for through the distribution process.
• Perform assigned tasks related to screening of children Under 5 (U5) for malnutrition using the simplified MUAC screening tape (with instruction from nutrition team)
• Ensure that a beneficiary sharing groups receive the correct amount of commodity.
• Monitor group sharing process of commodities and ensure that equal shares are received by beneficiaries.
• Assisting with community sensitization/training on project activities on food utilization
• Register program beneficiaries in the targeted areas according to the designed targeting criteria
• Conduct verification of beneficiaries for purposes of minimizing inclusion/exclusion errors
• Under the guidance of the Distribution Officer, setting up a proper distribution layout ensuring good of movement through the process, maintain proper crowd control restrictions and limit situations where too many people are inside the distribution exclusion zone at any one time
• Assist the Distribution Officer in monitoring delivery of commodities to distribution sites and ensure that the correct quantity of commodities arrive and are of good standards
• Stay observant and report to Distribution Officer any site security concerns and keep self and other team members out of harm’s way
• Any other assignments that may be assigned by the supervisor.

• Minimum education of TBD by HR team based on Nigeria Context
• Ability to collect and record data documenting distribution details especially as relates to commodity quantities and numbers of beneficiaries
• Good communication skills with the rural community members, local and traditional leaders, good planning, reporting functions.
• Understanding of basic anti-fraud practices
• Prior experience in Humanitarian or International Development programming with at least 1 year of field experience working with beneficiaries, preferably on distribution projects
• Understanding of distribution best-practices
• Experience working in a conflict setting
• Excellent written and spoken English

• Previous experience in WFP, USDA or USAID/FFP programmes
• Experience in community mobilization and group organizational skills
• Understanding of basic nutrition concepts, screening stages of malnutrition
• Competence in Microsoft Office.