Governance Advisor at GIZ Nigeria

Job ID: 007

Background
GIZ Solutions that work:

• As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.
• The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German government, European union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries.
• We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for economic cooperation and Development (BMZ). The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn. Our approximately 23,500 employees, almost 70 percent of whom are national personnel, work in around 120 countries (July 2020).
• GIZ has worked in Nigeria since 1974. Since 2004, GIZ has maintained a country office in the capital city Abuja. Currently, 361 national and 66 international employees, 19 regional staff, 4 integrated specialists, and 3 development workers are working in the country (June 2020).

The project

• Social and Economic Participation of Returnees, IDPs and the Host Population in North-East Nigeria (SEPIN). On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is implementing the Programme, ‘Social and Economic Participation of Returnees, IDPs and Host Population in NorthEast Nigeria’ (SEPIN).
• The main objective of the programme is to improve the economic and social participation of returnees, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable members of host communities in Adamawa State in a gender responsive way.
• Adopting an integrational approach, the programme contributes to SDGs1, 2, 5, 10 and 16 in accordance with the ‘leave no one behind’ principle and hopes to complement the humanitarian response to the crisis in the Northeast by going beyond a humanitarian short-term approach and focusing on a more long-term development perspective, through the institutionalization of gender responsive participatory planning and provision of livelihood support.
• Addressing the situation of IDPs, returnees and the host population, the Programme is primarily implemented at LGA and community level to ensure direct benefit for the target groups. Through the Community Development Planning (CDP), the Programme hopes to strengthen the relationships between local communities and community leaders, government institutions and civil society. Simultaneously, the Programme hopes to build the capacities of local and state governments as well as civil society and community-based organizations for improved service delivery. Alongside the CDPs, the Programme will set up and consolidate spaces and mechanisms where women can meet to engage in dialogue to identify problems, needs and priorities and voice their concerns to the leadership of their communities.
• The gender and governance interventions will be supported by livelihoods activities in the agricultural sector. Here the focus is on group initiatives, which will give access to markets and improve conditions for economic participation.

Responsibilities & Tasks
Responsibilities:

• Under the supervision of the Head of Component for Governance, the Governance Adviser provides technical support to the design, planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the activities of the governance component.

Tasks:
Programme Planning and Implementation:

• Supports internal processes e.g. preparation of concept papers, strategy development, result monitoring, project progress reviews and reporting.
• Prepares activity budget and activity reports in a timely manner.
• Supports goals setting, priorities and elaboration of operational plans.
• Supports the development of calls for proposals, assessment of partner proposal submissions and preparation of contract documents.
• Checks financial reports/documents of partner(s) before submission to programme finance team and gives feedback on adjustments needed for correction of financial reports, ensuring that expenditure tallies with budget provisions.
• Performs regular field visits to the target LGAs and ensures strategic focus is maintained by the implementing partners and delivery of all envisaged outcomes.
• Contributes to building strong and effective working relationships with local and international development partners, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), CSO networks and government MDAs operating in the governance sector in Borno State.

Community Development Planning:

• Supports the preparation, facilitation, and documentation of context-sensitive, participatory Community Development Planning (CDP) processes that provide a holistic, long-term development perspective for target LGAs in line with the provisions of the Citizens’ Engagement and Participatory Planning Policy (CEPPP) of Adamawa and Borno States.
• Works closely with implementing organizations to organize and facilitate state-citizen dialogues.
• Supports the integration of the Ward Development Plans into LGA plans and budgeting and ensures the elaboration of local government development plans,
• Supports the integration of the LGA Development Plans into the State Development Planning and budgeting in line with the provisions of (CEPPP)
• Supports the Governance team in strengthening follow-up mechanisms to monitor the implementation of development plans.
• Identifies capacity needs for state and LGA planning officers and makes recommendations to the Head of Governance Component on capacity development measures.
• Organizes capacity development measures for state and local government officials, including preparation of Terms of References and contract documents for trainers and consultants.

Knowledge management:

• Ensures knowledge transfer to other program units and GIZ internal knowledge management as well as contributing to the Governance Component`s internal knowledge management e.g. collection of good practices and documentation of lessons learned and revising factsheets and communication materials.
• Updates the knowledge management folder structure for the governance unit and ensures consistent transfer and storage of all relevant documents in the appropriate file structure.
• Supports with regular report writing and editing.

Other Duties / Additional Tasks:

• Performs other duties and tasks at the request of management

Required Qualifications, Competences, and Experience
Qualifications:

• A University Degree in Political Science, Law, Economics, Sociology, Public Administration, or other relevant Social Science field).
• A Master’s Degree will be an added advantage.

Professional Experience:

• 5 years of relevant experience in the international development sector with a specific thematic focus on democracy, civic participation, and governance reform.
• Knowledge and experience working in North-East Nigeria. Extensive work with government actors in Adamawa State is a plus.
• Experience and familiarity with key regional, state and local government level political, top administrative and traditional leaders & actors in the Northeast.
• Knowledge & familiarity with the political and administrative structure and systems in of states in the Northeast.
• Knowledge of North-East Nigeria security context – the actors, challenges, current and previous efforts by state and non-state actors.
• Familiar with International development and humanitarian actors working in the Northeast including CSO’s and CSO networks.
• Knowledge of the humanitarian and development nexus, especially as it applies to Northeast Nigeria.
• Hands-on project management experience and ability to efficiently manage numerous activities simultaneously, a flair for problem-solving and an ability to self-navigate through complex bureaucratic environments.

Other Knowledge, Additional Competences:

• Fluent written and oral knowledge of English. Knowledge of Hausa, Fulfulde and other relevant local languages would be an asset.
• A very good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.