Scholarship Program Management Consultancy at Banyan Global

Nigeria Health Workforce Management (HWM) Activity
Scholarship Program Management Consultancy 
Overview
BG Laurel International Nigeria LTE/GTE is an owned subsidiary of Banyan Global, Inc, a woman-owned small business and international development consulting firm committed to improving livelihoods through market approaches for a broad and lasting impact. The firm is headquartered in Washington, DC and has program operations and activities in over fifteen countries around the world. Banyan Global operates within six practice areas: gender, youth, finance and investment, enterprise development, health, and evaluation and learning.

Banyan Global is the prime recipient of the Nigeria Health Workforce Management (HWM) Activity in Nigeria. The HWM Activity is a five-year task order to support the establishment of a cost-effective, well-trained, and motivated health workforce, particularly in targeted rural and remote areas of Bauchi, Ebonyi, Kebbi, and Sokoto States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). By its conclusion, HWM is expected to increase the production of new health workers competent to respond to current and future population health needs in these locations by 100,000; improve the distribution and skill mix of front-line workers to meet specific local demands; and strengthen the capacity of pre-service institutions to adopt and apply innovative education approaches. Targeted interventions will contribute to 1) improved management of maternal, child, and newborn health conditions and 2) increased responsiveness to community health needs. USAID will support the Government of Nigeria’s (GON’s) commitment to plan, recruit, train, manage, and retain its primary health care (PHC) workforce. This activity will contribute to the achievement of USAID/Nigeria’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Development Objective 2 “a healthier, more educated population in targeted states” and Intermediate Result (IR) 2.1 “Utilization of quality health services in targeted areas and population groups increased.”
The Scholarship Program Management Consultancy will be based in Abuja and four other states and will report to the HWM Technical Director. The consultant will collaborate with stakeholders in the four target States and FCT to support young women in entering the health care workforce through:
Scholarships to support the cost of training (including tuition and fees, books, uniforms, exam costs, a monthly stipend, and other items as needed)
Social support (by connecting female students with peers and mentors to provide encouragement and assistance as needed) 

Tasks
S/NTasks    LOE
1    Select schools eligible to participate 

• Work with the State MoH, HWM State HRH Coordinators, HWM Training Specialists, and relevant Pre-Service Health Training Institutions (PSHTIs):
• Develop criteria for selecting eligible PSHTIs to participate in the program
• Screen, select eligible PSHTIs and share list with HWM for approval 
• Orientate and onboard selected PSHTIs
• Identify tutors that will provide added academic support to benefiting students 
• Train selected tutors to provide the support

Monitor and support the tutors    5 days
2    Select eligible candidates
With the guidance of the HWM Technical team, develop criteria for the evaluation and selection of students to receive a scholarship. 
Collaborate with the State MoH, PSHTIs and HWM to:

• Develop and promote an application process that is appropriate for the targeted beneficiaries
• Collect and reviews applications against the set criteria
• Identify and share shortlist of eligible applications with HWM for validation and approval 
• Develop set of data to be collected from the beneficiaries including 
• Create an electronic database of the scholarship beneficiaries     5 days 

Quality assurance and safeguard
Work with the HWM team to:

• Develop processes and quality assurance measures to guide and safeguard the disbursement of scholarship funds
• Collect bank account or other appropriate disbursement information from selected scholarship recipients
• Facilitate the disbursement of scholarship funds
• Follow up with scholarship recipients and health training institutions to ensure that HWM funds reached the intended beneficiary
• Capture appropriate data to report to HWM on all scholarships awarded    5 days 
• Work with the HWM staff and other stakeholders as appropriate to design, coordinate, and execute state-specific scholarship award ceremonies.    5 days
• Work with HWM State HRH Coordinators, TAG, and health training institutions, on innovative strategies for private sector institutions to provide future funding in support of the scholarship program.    5 days
• Develop a final report on behalf of HWM summarizing the scholarship program and its impact, including (but not limited to):
• The number of women who received a scholarship in each State
• The details of the funds disbursed 

Strategies for the private sector engagement in preservice training    5 days
    Total LOE    30 days
Deliverables/Activities 

By the conclusion of the consultancy, the consultant will submit the following deliverables: 

• Database of identified potential beneficiaries from rural communities, and accredited schools of Nursing and Health Technology
• Application evaluation and selection criteria
• List of selected students and associated awards
• Confirmation of the delivery of all scholarship funds to the appropriate beneficiary
• Comprehensive report of work done, including a database of students who have received scholarships, and all documents pertaining to the implementation process

Approach and Reporting Line
The HWM Scholarship Consultant will report directly to the Technical Director, while working closely with the IR 1 Technical Lead and the Director of Finance & Administration. The consultant must be based in Abuja and willing to work as needed from the HWM office in Abuja. The consultant may be expected to travel to the target States and throughout the FCT to perform their duties as described above. The consultant is expected to work closely with the HWM project team to determine if travel is necessary. HWM will make all travel arrangements and cover appropriate costs of approved travel only. HWM will provide the consultant with a communication stipend and access to HWM virtual meeting platforms to facilitate their work. 
Qualifications

• Five to seven (5-7) years of demonstrated professional experience working in the health care, public health, or tertiary education sector in Nigeria. Experience in health education is a plus.
• Strong knowledge of and commitment to gender equity principles.
• Demonstrated professional experience developing and implementing complex logistical processes. Must be able to describe detailed processes clearly and confidently.
• Strong organizational skills. Familiarity and comfort working with, maintaining high quality data, and utilizing data to support decision-making.
• Fluency in English and strong writing skills. Demonstrated capacity to analyze complex issues, draw relevant conclusions, and produce a comprehensive technical report. (May be asked to provide a writing sample)
• Effective communication and people skills. Must be comfortable and able to consult with the pre-service health training institutions within the locations, NMCN, CHPRBN, and other external stakeholders and represent HWM in such a way that maintains our positive and effective reputation.
• Cultural sensitivity, particularly in multi-ethnic and multi-religious contexts.
• Timing and Level of Effort 

The expected period of performance for this assignment is from April to September 15, 2022.