Consultant - Research Coordination for the Child Development Grant Programme at Save The Children

Background
The Child Development Grant Programme (CDGP) is a flagship nutrition-sensitive social protection programme funded by the United Kingdom’s Agency for International Development (UKAID), operating in Jigawa and Zamfara states of Nigeria.  The CDGP provides a monthly unconditional cash transfer of 4, 000NGN to pregnant women from the time their pregnancy is confirmed until their children are two years old, targeting the critical first 1,000 days of a child’s life. The cash transfer is accompanied by nutrition education and Behavioural Change Communication (BCC) to the beneficiaries. The programme started in April 2013 and will run to July 2019.

The CDGP aims to reduce malnutrition and stunting in children. CDGP also seeks to boost federal and/or state political and institutional commitment to adopt the programme or implement some key learnings from the programme to ensure improved nutrition, food security and poverty reduction for women and children. This will ensure sustainability of social protection for women and children when UKAID funding ends in 2019.

The CDGP is implemented by Save the Children International and Action Against Hunger.

Rationale

• CDGP is approaching its final year and is committed to strengthening the results achieved, improve quality, strengthen its processes, disseminate and share its lessons locally, regionally and internationally as well support the federal government’s programme to adopt relevant component of the CDGP.
• CDGP will be disseminating the lessons and results from 5 years of programme implementation, as well as lessons from studies and evaluations; to an array of local and international audiences and stakeholders.
• Extra support is required to complete the planned studies and rollout the dissemination to the identified stakeholders with the short timeframe.

Purpose

• This job holder is responsible for research and study coordination, including field research coordination and liaison with key stakeholders; and other key deliverables around research and study operations and roll out.

Roles and Responsibilities
Specific responsibilities will include the following:

• Conduct background research to be used in developing study and consultancy terms of references;
• Support Lead consultants on researches undertaken by them, by ensuring that there is synergy in their work and that they deliver research of the highest quality;
• Coordinate all researches undertaken by CDGP, by providing input into the design, planning, conduct, analysis and reporting.
• Support the team in developing budgets for researches.
• Liaise with the research leads to distil the policy findings and key lessons learned from documents including the Project Completion Reports, to be used in reporting to Donors, Government and other key stakeholders.
• Support the KM advisor and lead Research in the design and dissemination of key research findings, for example, policy briefs, facts sheets, preparing media briefing packs and press releases;
• Help with organization and execution of CDGP events especially stakeholders’ engagements and research findings dissemination;
• Support the KM advisor with the follow up activities required after CDGP events, to ensure we are building up a solid database of names, contact details, as well as PowerPoint presentations and reports produced saved on the server under the correct files.
• Support the KM advisor in ensuring that CDGP’s research findings and or abstracts are published in major journals both local and international, also that CDGP research findings are presented at both local and International events.
• Support the KM advisor in coordinating research/study capacity building initiative that CDGOP might undertake from time to time with its partners.
• Any other duties assigned by the KM Advisor or the National Programme Manager.

The following reports will expected from the role holder:

• Monthly report;
• Other reports related to the deliverables.

Skills, Experience and Qualification Required
Essential:

• A University Degree in Public Health, Health Economics, or any related social Sciences.
• Substantial experience in research and study management.
• Excellent interpersonal, team work and communication skills
• Demonstrable experience in people management and leadership including remote support and capacity development
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Commitment to and understanding of SCI and AAH aims, values and principles.

Desirable:

• Experience in working with international agencies.

Working Conditions:

• Ability and willingness to travel within Nigeria.

Deadline
22nd January, 2018.