Policy Advisor at Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited

Background

• The Sustainable Employment in the Poultry Value Chain for Youth and Women Program (SEPTP) is a 5-year initiative led by Christian Aid and funded by the Mastercard Foundation. SEPTP is designed to reach 245,560 financially disadvantaged young people (ages 18–35) and create dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for at least 220,780 of them, including 80% young women, 5% persons with disabilities, and 1% refugees or displaced people, across the poultry value chain in Nigeria.
• Sahel Consulting is responsible for leading Component 6 of the program, Institutional and Ecosystem Strengthening, which aims to build a more functional poultry value chain ecosystem by enabling supportive policy and regulatory frameworks, strengthening industry associations, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.
• To deliver this mandate, SEPTP seeks to engage a Policy Advisor (Consultant) who will provide high-level technical expertise, strategic leadership, and facilitation support for policy reform, advocacy, and multi-stakeholder engagement.

Objectives of the Assignment
The Policy Advisor will:

• Support the completion, review, and implementation of key poultry sector policies (e.g., National Animal Feed Policy, National Poultry Policy).
• Strengthen the advocacy and institutional capacity of industry associations, particularly the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN).
• Facilitate inclusive, multi-stakeholder policy dialogues and coordination platforms at national and state levels.
• Establish and support a functional Community of Practice (CoP) to sustain cross-sector collaboration.
• Provide policy and advocacy guidance to ensure alignment between SEPTP activities and Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agendas.

Scope of Work and Key Responsibilities
Pillar 1: Policy and Regulatory Support: 

• Facilitate at least four multi-stakeholder policy dialogues annually, engaging national and state-level partners.
• Provide technical support to fast-track the completion of the National Animal Feed Policy by Year 2.
• Support the review, adoption, and implementation of the National Poultry Policy by Year 3.
• Strengthen the policy advocacy capacity of PAN and other industry associations through targeted training, mentorship, and provision of technical tools.
• Produce and disseminate policy briefs and position papers to influence government and development partner decisions.

Pillar 2: Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships:

• Forge and strengthen partnerships with federal/state governments, private sector actors, industry associations, and development partners.
• Establish and coordinate a Community of Practice (CoP) for poultry feed and policy stakeholders:
  • Facilitate bi-monthly meetings initially, transitioning to quarterly as the CoP matures.
  • Document and share lessons, best practices, and solutions for systemic challenges in the poultry ecosystem.
• Build platforms for continuous engagement to address bottlenecks in feed supply, input quality, and regulatory enforcement.
• Ensure that advocacy and partnership efforts integrate gender equality, social inclusion, and youth priorities.

Cross-Cutting Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the Program Lead and consortium partners to ensure strategic alignment with overall program goals.
• Maintain strong relationships with key ministries and agencies, including:
  • Federal Ministry of Livestock Development
  • Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS)
  • SMEDAN
  • Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN)
  • Poultry Input Suppliers Association of Nigeria (PIFAN)
• Provide regular progress updates and inputs for program reporting, donor reports, and learning events.
• Contribute to capacity building of Sahel Consulting’s project team on policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement.

Deliverables
The consultant will be expected to deliver:

• National Animal Feed Policy completed by Year 2.
• National Poultry Policy reviewed and adopted by Year 3.
• At least 20 policy advocacy initiatives organized (minimum 4 annually at national/state level).
• Functional Community of Practice (CoP) established by Year 2, meeting regularly and producing shared outputs.
• Strengthened advocacy capacity of PAN and other associations, demonstrated by active participation and documented contributions.
• Quarterly progress reports and policy briefs summarizing key achievements, challenges, and recommendations.

Expected Outcomes:

• Improved policy and regulatory environment supporting poultry value chain development.
• Stronger advocacy capacity of poultry sector associations.
• Institutionalized stakeholder coordination platforms that sustain collaboration beyond the program’s life.
• Increased visibility and influence of SEPTP in national and state-level policy discussions.

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced degree in Public Policy, Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years’ progressive experience in policy development, advocacy, and institutional strengthening within the agriculture or livestock sectors.
• Demonstrated success in supporting policy reforms and multi-stakeholder initiatives in Nigeria.
• Strong understanding of Nigeria’s agricultural and livestock development policy landscape.
• Proven ability to engage effectively with government, industry associations, the private sector, and development partners.
• Excellent facilitation, negotiation, and strategic communication skills.
• Strong written and analytical skills, including the ability to prepare policy briefs and technical reports.

Reporting and Coordination:

• The Policy Advisor will report to the Program Lead (Sahel Consulting).
• Close coordination is expected with Christian Aid’s program management and M&E teams.
• The role requires participation in consortium planning meetings, joint monitoring visits, and learning events.