Policy and Governance Reform Advisor, Nigeria Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement at Palladium Group

Project Overview and Role:

The objective of the SCALE Activity is to support civil society organizations (CSOs) and business membership organizations (BMOs) across all of USAID/Nigeria’s programmatic sectors with a basket of managerial, business strengthening, and advocacy capacity-building interventions aimed at advancing Nigerian CSO sustainability combined with targeted grants to advance mutually agreed upon priorities. The activity is designed to enhance local civil society organizations’ ability to be positive and responsible change agents in Nigeria.

The project has five main components: 1) Improve CSO organizational capacity, 2) Enhance capacity for CSO advocacy, collaboration, and management, 3) Improve the policy and regulatory environment for civil society, 4) Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP), and 5) Sector strengthening and advocacy.

The Policy and Governance Reform Advisor provides technical leadership to strengthen policy, legal, and regulatory reform for CSOs and oversees Component 3 (Improve the Policy and Regulatory Enabling Environment for Civil Society). The Policy and Governance Reform Advisor supports the design and implementation of activities and grants to improve the enabling environment for civil society and promote accountability and transparency.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Lead review of the regulatory frameworks affecting CSO/BMO's operations, citizen participation, access to government data, and engagement in policy and governance processes to understand the relevant policies, barriers, and facilitators.
• Assist CSOs/BMOs and clusters with their efforts to develop strategic interventions for influencing national policies.
• In coordination with the relevant stakeholders, lead identification and design of select interventions from the “Strengthening Regulatory Frameworks for a More Accountable and Transparent Civil Society in Nigeria,” for implementation to promote and complement the ongoing efforts in strengthening an effective self-regulation framework for CSOs/BMOs.
• In line with the assessment recommendations, in collaboration with the project technical staff and resource partners, work to design grant fund, including scope, milestones and M&E plan, for local CSOs as applicable
• In consultation with stakeholders, lead the design of an effective and efficient national CSOs/BMOs directory.
• Develop a promotion and marketing plan and other incentive mechanisms to increase uptake of the directory by the CSOs/BMOs and develop a sustainability plan for the ongoing maintenance and utilization of the system.
• Advise and monitor local organizations in implementation of the grant’s interventions.
• Identify priority topics/issues around CSOs/BMOs regulatory environment, assist the CSOs/BMOs, and clusters and the government counterparts to conduct dialogue forms; and assist with follow-up of the action items from the dialogue forum meetings.
• Lead the implementation of SCALE's media strategy, with SMART objectives, in consultation with USAID, the resources partners and the Advisory Committee.
• Lead the management and implementation of Civil Society Organization ATLAS (Management Information Systems)
• Implement the action plan for the platform as well as a sustainability plan to ensure self-sustainability of the platform.
• Provide monthly, quarterly, annual reports and other reports as requested.
• Draft success stories and project highlights to reflect project achievements.
• Adhere strictly to the branding and marking policy of the project.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's or Bachelor's Degree in International Affairs, Public Administration, Policy, Social Sciences, Law, Development Studies or related field;
• Relevant experience in civil society engagement; policy and regulatory reform and advocacy in Nigeria.
• Prior experience of working with donor funded projects.  
• Experience of engaging and working with senior leadership in government, civil society, and private sector.
• Experience in multi-sectoral coordination and networking with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Experience working in gender, vulnerable populations (including women and children) and/or human rights desired.
• Strong technical expertise in advocacy/accountability/research/media campaigns, program and strategy development.
• Demonstrated strategic ability, diplomacy, conflict management, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
• Good computer skills (Microsoft Office, email, internet)
• Fluency in English and a local language.