Senior Specialist-OVC and Social Welfare Systems Strengthening at PACT

Open To: All qualified candidates

Duration: 12 Months

Introduction

Pact West Africa (Nigeria) is a Country Office of Pact, an international non-government and non-profit organization established in 1971 with its headquarters in Washington, DC.  Pact works on ground in nearly 40 countries to improve the lives of those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization. Pact achieves its strategic objective by building systemic solutions in partnership with local organizations, businesses, and governments to create sustainable and resilient communities where those we serve are heard, capable, and vibrant.

Program Summary

Adolescents and Children, HIV Incidence-reduction, Empowerment, and Virus Elimination—ACHIEVE— is a USAID-funded global project to reach and sustain HIV epidemic control among pregnant and breastfeeding women, adolescents, infants, and children. ACHIEVE is implemented by Pact, in collaboration with a consortium of other relevant partners. ACHIEVE Nigeria program is designed to support local partners in Nigeria to lead the delivery of HIV sensitive services for vulnerable children (VC) and to strengthen systems that support those services. ACHIEVE provides technical assistance to the four implementing partners of the Integrated Child Health and Social Services Awards (ICHSSA) for OVC program implementation, social welfare systems strengthening, and VC information systems improvements for the management and use of VC program data.  ACHIEVE also provides capacity development support for the ICHSSA partners aiming to support them to address any organizational or technical capacity needs related to the implementation of their USAID prime awards

Position Summary

Pact seeks to recruit an experienced Senior Specialist, Vulnerable Children and Social Welfare Systems Strengthening to lead the design and implementation of project activities that will enable the delivery of quality HIV sensitive services for vulnerable children reached through the ICHSSA project and ensure that the relevant systems are strengthened to support such services.  

Key Responsibilities.

• Work with ICHSSA partners and other relevant partners including academia, Government, private and CSOs review, harmonize and standardize the Social Workforce Strengthening Curriculum,
• Coordinate with the ICHSSA implementing partners and other relevant stakeholders to harmonize and standardize the framework for institutionalizing Auxiliary Social Work training curriculum in ICHSSA implementing States and in Nigeria
• Coordinate with the ICHSSA Implementing partners to advocate to relevant Government Authorities and institutions for the institutionalization and recognition of the Social Work certificate as minimum qualification for entry into the social workforce in the State and in Nigeria
• Support the ICHSSA implementing partners to identify and engage institutions to provide relevant trainings (Certificate, Diploma and Degree) using the standardized social workforce training curriculum.
• Lead the development of Handbook for Social Welfare Staff orientation
• Support the finalization of the LGA Social Workforce Skill gap analysis tool
• Support the ICHSSA partners to conduct LGA Social Workforce Skills gap analysis, develop skill improvement plan (SIP) and monitor the implementation of the LGA SIP
• Lead the preparation of high-quality narratives & reports to ensure accountability to donors.
• Develop key policy recommendation to strengthen the social workforce system in Nigeria
• Support the development of abstracts, success stories, technical briefs and other ACHIEVE communication product in collaboration with the team.
• Other duties assigned by the supervisors

Minimum Requirements

• An advanced degree (Master's or doctorate) in Development Studies or Social Sciences.
• Minimum of seven years’ relevant professional experience managing and implementing development activities, including those related to social work and systems strengthening 
• Experience in curriculum development
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with wide range of stakeholders to achieve specific task including Academia, professional organizations, Government institutions at Federal, State and LGA, as well as NGOs
• Experience leading advocacy initiatives within the public and private sectors
• Demonstrated understanding of VC eco-system in Nigeria
• Demonstrated ability to influence, motivate and collaborate with others;
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills
• Experience working on donor funded VC and systems strengthening projects in Nigeria

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, citizenship status, genetic information, matriculation, family responsibilities, personal appearance, credit information, tobacco use (except in the workplace), membership in an employee organization, or other protected classifications or non-merit factors.