Consultant - Action-Learning-Research at Christian Aid

Approximate Duration: 36 days covered within the period of 18 Months
Start Date: August 1st 2018
Reporting To: Project Lead & MEAL Manager

Overview

• Christian Aid would like to engage a consultant for 18 months to design and establish an Action-Learning-Research framework as part of the implementation of the Improved Early Warning and Early Response (EW-ER) to Strengthen Disaster Preparedness in Nigeria's Middle Belt.
• This 24-month project will contribute to improved emergency preparedness, timeliness and quality of risk information and response actions for multiple natural hazards by ward, government (local to federal) and NGOs in a coordinated manner.
• The action will focus on 27 rural locations across 9 LGAs of 3 States of Benue, Kaduna and Plateau. Interventions proposed through this action are based on various needs assessments carried out 2012-18 as well as learning and project reports from on-going action in Kaduna state focused on Improving Early Warning and Early Response.
• Needs assessments, annexed, focused on natural hazards, reveal critical gaps in National Disaster response which is not fully informed by comprehensive integrated context specific Early Warning Systems (EWS) particularly for flooding hazards. The beneficiaries are communities in watershed rural and urban areas with a record of incessant natural hazards/flooding disasters.
• The locations are selected because of vulnerability to multiple natural hazards including flooding disaster, a cross-border' element to hazards and because of unmet needs in preparedness and response. Addressing these needs is through:
• Setting up/strengthening improved context specific decentralized EWS SYSTEMS linked to state and federal levels, strengthening coordination platforms, capacity building of state and local actors in DRR monitoring, testing and disseminating of EWS information
• Strengthening local RESPONSE by contingency planning, IEC, stockpiling and testing; DRR strategy planning
• LEARNING linked across all levels will lead to reduced suffering (saving lives, protection of livelihoods and health) of at least 40500 vulnerable people and reduced disaster risks at ward, local and state level. The action will be implemented directly by CA through offices across the 3 States. Protection, gender, a focus on vulnerability, risk, inclusion and innovative learning will be mainstreamed.
• As such, CA seeks to ensure that from the onset of the project, all involved will understand LEARNING, Documentation and capitalization on lessons learnt and piloted experiences through
• Setting up an active learning process for active participatory engagement by key stakeholders in the learning process on EWS
• Documentation of learning and good practices from the improved systems shared and fed into wider coordination platforms at national, state and local level thereby strengthening linkages that replicated

Purpose

• Design and establish an Action-Learning-Research framework and coordinate/document key lessons that is replicable

Rational/Justification

• The core element of an Action-Learning-Research (A-L-R) approach is the role of active learning, meaning actions are taken to solve real problems, and reflection upon the results is undertaken in order to improve problem-solving processes and solutions developed by the team. Due to the dynamic nature of disasters and fragile states, flexibility and adaptability in programme design is essential in the context of the rapidly changing environment is essential. Keeping this flexibility in mind, it is also crucial that sound disaster management and/or context analysis strategies, a disaster sensitive approach, and the mainstreaming of gender is considered in both design and implementation. These considerations are equally important in the monitoring and evaluating, and/or learning, components of this project. In addition, while the EWER project as a whole seeks to improve and decentralize Early Warning System for natural disasters leading to Early Response at all levels is adopted across targeted states, the Learning strand has a more programmatic focus; it seeks to build the learning capacity of programmers so that they may improve the ways in which they build community capacity going forward as well as elucidate what the system should be adapting to remain strengthened and sustainable. This Action-Learning-Research will therefore be used by CA, government agencies, community representatives and stakeholder as a reference for continuous adaptation.
• The Action-Learning-Research framework will support a strengthened culture of information-based decision making to protect lives and livelihoods and ensure human dignity is promoted for vulnerable disaster affected communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt

Specifically, the consultant is required to:

• Design and establish the Action-Learning-Research framework
• Build the learning capacity of CA staff, government agencies and community representatives on Action-Learning-framework and the documentation process
• Develop the Learning-Action-Research methodology which will be used to operationalize the Learning Framework
• Engage stakeholders in the design and testing of the framework
• Produce a learning report/guide-based project implementation over the project timeline that that can help in documenting key lessons and remain a resources in preventing similar disasters in the future

Specific Tasks
The consultant will:

• Review existing documents in the states on DRM, humanitarian action preparedness and response
• Review learning materials to identify objectives and content for the Action-Learning-Research framework
• Identified core areas for the framework and ensure consistency of purpose, message, target audience and linkages across the areas and with other learning programmes as appropriate
• Develop a learning content for Action-Learning-Research
• Work closely with technical staff in CA to ensure learning framework is suitably designed
• Ensure that learning framework take into consideration other inter-agency and DRR learning initiatives and programmes and utilize latest learning tools, technologies and methodologies.
• Pilot test the framework and refine based on feedback from an identified user group
• Produce a final learning report

Deliverables and timeframes:

• The consultant will be expected to deliver a well-designed and established Action-Learning- Research framework, pilot tested and well documented within the timeframe provided for the project
• Expected Background and Experience of the Consultant

Qualifications/Requirements
Education:

• Advanced university degree in one or more of the following disciplines: Economics, International or Humanitarian Affairs, Human Resource Management, Education, Learning and Training, Social Sciences or related area.
• A first level degree with relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience in a related area may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in designing Action-Learning-Research and training, public sector management, Disaster management, development and/or humanitarian projects, operational analysis, crisis management, humanitarian affairs or emergency assistance.
• Previous experience in designing, developing and facilitating Action-Learning-Research and training curriculum in the area of disaster risk management, humanitarian action, emergency preparedness and response
• Familiarity with and experience in emergency preparedness planning and response at agency and/or inter-agency level

Technical knowledge and skills:

• Strong knowledge of learning and training methodology, curriculum design and evaluation
• Excellent analytical and writing skills
• Knowledge of ECHO system’s policies and procedures disaster risk management and humanitarian response mechanisms

Personal skills:

• Capacity to establish and maintain productive relations with a range of actors from different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to write clear and concise reports and communicate effectively.
• Excellent analytical skills and a constructive approach to problem solving.
• Ability to advise others.
• Ability to manage her/himself and others.
• Ability to deliver outputs by agreed deadlines – sometimes at very short notice.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.