Consultant - Technical Assistance in Designing a New State-level Cash Transfer Programme for Jigawa State at Save The Children

Background

• The Child Development Grant Programme (CDGP) is a DFID Funded program that provides an unconditional cash transfer of 4,000 NGN per month to pregnant women and women with children under the age of two (2) in Zamfara and Jigawa. It is delivered in partnership with Action against Hunger (AAH)). The programme is being implemented in close collaboration with state governments
• The programme is aimed at reducing the prevalence of stunting and improving food security. The overall anticipated outcome is: A scalable programme showing how cash transfers can bring cost-effective immediate and long-term food security and nutrition benefits to eligible households with young children in poor communities in northern Nigeria.
• DFID, SCI and AAH, through the CDGP, aim to secure increased political and institutional commitment by the Zamfara and Jigawa state governments to implement effective state-wide social protection to deliver improved nutrition, food security and poverty reduction for women and children at scale
• The CDGP is accompanied by an independent evaluation that will provide rigorous evidence on impact that will be used at a variety of stages through the life of the programme to influence Zamfara and Jigawa state governments to adopt and scale up state-wide the approaches used in CDGP
• The programme also aims to inform the design and roll out of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) and specifically their flagship programme, National Social Safety Net programme (NSSNP).

Objective and Overview of the Consultancy

• The Jigawa State government, with the support of the CDGP, has recently approved the State Social Protection Policy following state-wide consultations. In order to operationalize the policy the state government has inaugurated a “State Council on Social Protection (SCSP)”, a central steering body of all social protection interventions in the state under the direct auspices of the Deputy Governor.
• The SCSP has formed and mandated a Technical Working Group (TWG) to reflect and produce a tangible programmatic roadmap for operationalizing the SP policy. Amongst its deliverables the TWG is to prioritize designing a new Cash Transfer Program (CTP) of the State government
• The State Executive Council has affirmed its commitment to support the design and consider startup of this new CTP during the first quarter of 2018. So the scope of work of this consultancy shall be within the confines of designing a new CTP for the Jigawa State government as an integral component of the broader plan /strategy of the state to effectively and holistically operationalize the state Social Protection Policy.
• Considering its expertise in social protection programming and related existing programmatic infrastructure and resources in the state, the CDGP consortium has been appointed as members of both the SCSP and the TWG by the Jigawa State Government. More so, the programme has been solicited to lead in providing technical support to the TWG as the state government embarks on the design and launch of its new CTP.

Purpose of the Consultancy

• Provide technical guidance and orientation to the State Council on Social Protection and the Technical Working Group in designing a New State-level Cash transfer Programme for the Government of Jigawa State.
• This technical support will require holding briefing with relevant stakeholders of the TWG and the CDGP consortium, taking stock of the various social protection initiatives in the state, providing the TWG with technical brief and step-by-step guidance in designing the new CBT project with emphasis on maximizing impacts and sustainability
• This ToR includes desk review, leading field study composed of interviews (key informant and focus groups) a time allocation for feedback, and discussions with the TWG and the SCSP, crafting the design of the CTP with all related management and implementation tools including implementation guidelines (standard operating procedures) and monitoring and evaluation framework.

Main Tasks and Deliverables

• Co-lead and participate actively in the TWG working sessions and contribute in providing technical support in form of reports, policy briefs and other critical inputs to support the policy functions of the in a consultative effort to designing the new CTP;
• Lead in designing a new state-level CTP for the consideration of the Executive Governor and the State Executive Council. The programme should be in line with the concept of “Social Protection” giving particular attention to programme goals and objectives, scope and coverage, financing and sustainability;
• Co-lead in developing a short-term action plan for the council in rapport with an efficient and effective project cycle management (PCM) as pertains to the envisioned CTP;
• Develop basic standard operating procedures (SOPs) with a view of ensuring maximizing efficient and effective management of such CTP program;
• Develop an M&E framework for the proposed cash based social protection programme;
• Conduct capacity assessment/requirement report that can give a clear picture on the capacity requirement to implement the proposed CTP progressively;
• Facilitate a discussion on the coordination and collaboration of the proposed CTP with the ongoing Social Protection initiatives including the Federal government-initiated Special Investment Program (SIP) for knowledge sharing, utilizing exiting capacity and also for the sustainability perspectives;
• Conduct a light touch mapping of all existing social protection programs in the state to cover such issues as nature, scope and coverage, coordination, financing, goals/objectives, target beneficiaries. This will highlight the gaps in social protection support and inform the CTP design; this will later be complemented by the social protection sector review that will conducted by CDGP for the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO).
• Highlight recommendations that would ensure a smooth take up and implementation of the envisioned CTP;
• Submit a final report to SCI and AAH on the experience gathered during the process including lessons learnt, challenges, and recommendations for future engagement with consultants.

Design Considerations:

• The CDGP would advocate mainstreaming programs that address areas not covered by the National Social Investment Program (SIP) of the Federal Government and the target groups that are not planned to be addressed in the near future by any other programs including the NSIP in the design consideration
• Contingent on the existing and/or potentiality of the enabling environment across the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the state government, a nutrition sensitive Social Protection program such as the CDGP model that addresses nutrition needs for the first 1,000 days of a child’s life shall also be advocated for
• A cash-Plus model with inbuilt systematic beneficiary graduation in a clearly specified/defined time period shall also be strongly advocated for.

Key Deliverables

• CTP Design document/proposal
• Final policy documents

Location and Duration:

• Location of assignment: Abuja and Jigawa
• Total Person Days technical input: 40

Required Skills / Experience

• A Postgraduate Degree in a field related to Social Protection (Economics, Social Sciences, Public Policy and/or International Development Policy);
• Verifiable previous experience in cash transfer programme design and implementation;
• Previous experience designing cash transfer programmes in Nigeria. Experience in Northern Nigeria is an added advantage;
• Experience developing M&E Frameworks for programmes;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills are required;
• Ability to work independently and respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner;
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.