Jobs at Save the Children

Save the Children works in 9 States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria including Regions in Niger with 143 staff and expenditure of approximately US$ 20 million each year with programme in Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, Education, Food Security and Livelihoods. Under the general direction and guidance of the Programme Development and Quality Director and the Food Security Adviser in Abuja, Nigeria, and the HEA Sahel Regional Project Manager based in Dakar, Senegal ensure all activities related to the HEA Sahel project in Nigeria are implemented with high quality and in a timely manner. The post-holder shall also contribute to the development and/review of the country strategic direction.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY (indicative % of full time employment):

HEA Project Delivery (75%)

• Coordinate with the Operations department and ensure all the activities of the HEA project in Nigeria are implemented in a timely manner, with a high degree of technical rigour. In consultation with the relevant managers agree on the range of advice, support, training and/or other assistance required from you to provide HEA expertise to other thematic sectors.
• Ensure all project activities are timely implemented and technically sound according to the donor’s general rules governing the grant (ECHO). The main activities may include:
• HEA baseline training: supervise and participate technically in a full HEA baseline training consisting of 6 days of classroom training; 15-18 days fieldwork and 6 days analysis and report writing for 20 participants from Government technical teams, UN agencies (WFP and FAO) and NGO partners
• Outcome Analysis (OA) training: supervise and participate technically in one 5 day classroom training in Abuja for 15 participants from Government technical teams, UN agencies (WFP and FAO) and NGO partners.
• HEA baselines: supervise and lead technically the development of two additional or updated HEA baselines in two uncovered livelihood zones of the North Eastern and North Western States of Nigeria with support from FEG Consulting.
• Key parameters data collection exercises: supervise and lead on this training of enumerators and data collection exercises (7 to 14 days each) in the field three times prior to the three seasonal analysis sessions.
• Response analysis exercise: supervise and lead on this one off workshop with the support of the HEA Regional Project Manager and with relevant RO or HO based advisers.
• Seasonal outcome analysis sessions: supervise and lead technically the consolidation of key parameters either from primary or secondary sources and subsequent analysis and reporting on the findings with the support from FEG Consulting as an activity coordinated by the HEA WG.
• The HEA Working Group: animate and set up regular coordination groups in coordination with the national working groups (i.e. FSTG). The HEA Project Manager chairs the working group attended by representatives from national EWS and Government response planning units (i.e. NEMA, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health), UN (FAO, UNICEF), FEWSNET and other NGO (i.e. ACF, Oxfam). It includes finalising the TOR of the working group.
• HEA awareness sessions: animate and set up three half-a-day or one-day sessions to Ministry of Agriculture technical and decisional staff members (including from the Department of Food Security and Livelihoods); National Planning Commission members; and Ministry of Youth and Social Development and Ministry of Health staff members.
• Livelihood atlas presentation: animate and set up three half-a-day or one-day sessions to relevant decision makers from Ministry of Agriculture, NEMA and SEMA, National Planning Commission, Ministry of Youth and Ministry of Health.
• Cadre Harmonise participation: actively participate in the CH food security and nutrition analyses and ensure that HEA data is used appropriately
• Coordination: participate and share results of the HEA project in coordination meetings organised by the Food Security Theme Group, and other meetings called by NEMA and SEMA, FAO, FEWSNET. It includes the initial information of stakeholders with kick off meeting in Abuja and States, and constantly engaging the NEMA and SEMA to communicate officially on the basis of the HEA Sahel, joint missions and other assessments findings.
• Report monthly on the progress again all the indicators presented in the M&E Plan for Nigeria with the support of the Regional Project Manager. H/She will lead on the donor reporting at country level and in coordination with SC RO and HO. The main success indicator that the post holder will report on are:
• Government Emergency Response Plan (NEMA ERP) and UN CAP in Nigeria informed by HEA seasonal analysis.
• Fully train 15 relevant participants on OA, monitor knowledge retention of participants.
• Ensure that 20 participants attend 2 presentations (10 in each minimum) of the Sahel livelihood atlas (one presentation on the present version, one on the version that will be updated in 2014).

Internal Networking and Cooperation (10%)

• Liaise (at least weekly) with the HEA Regional Project Manager and Technical Coordinators based in Dakar, Senegal to share progress, achievements and challenges, seek advise and guidance to jointly find solutions.
• Regularly communicate (at least monthly) with Save the Children members’ (US, UK and other ones as appropriate) Regional and Head Offices to share project updates, key findings and issues, and seek technical support whenever necessary
• Participate in the development of the Country Strategic and Thematic Plans. Specifically contribute to the definition of thematic or sub thematic strategic axis of Early Warning (EW), link with response and Food Security Information Systems (FSIS) within the broader fields of resilience, social protection, safety nets and livelihood support.
• Participate in the systematic documentation of project impact, lessons learnt and corrective measures based on case studies, compilation and analysis of monitoring information in collaboration with the MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning) and FSL teams. Documentation (reports, briefs, presentations as appropriate) will be shared through External Networking & Representation.
• Participate in any donor visit to project(s) directly linked to the HEA Sahel project and proactively make the necessary adjustments with the technical and coordination teams.

Mentoring and Capacity-Building (5%)

• Provide technical on-the-job assistance to FSL staff members in Nigeria and partners as requiredon HEA, OA especially on the Child Development Grant Programme in Jigawa and Zamfara States and the Cash Transfer Programme in Katsina State and their crisis modifier components. Share all results of the HEA project internally with other teams and adapt to some of their needs as feasible.

External Networking & Representation linked to the HEA project (5%)

• Participate, as appropriate, in joint food security analysis missions (including field data collection, analysis of results and report writing) led by CILSS (ECOWAS), FAO and FEWSNET and participate in Food Security and Livelihoods field assessments (including emergency seasonal assessments – following droughts or floods – and Household Economy Approach baselines and Cost of Diet surveys); and actively participate in the Nigeria-level CH analyses
• Represent Save the Children as appropriate and confidently engage with UN agencies, Donors, Nigeria Government at Federal, State and Local levels, other International and National NGO, FEWSNET and other stakeholders at the central and local levels in both verbal and written communications on the HEA project and results. The post holder will promote Save the Children vision and work in Nigeria focusing on early warning and response systems in the quarterly Food Security Theme Group (let by FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture);

Others (5%)

• Share and exchange best practices with other international and local NGO (ACF-USA, Oxfam GB, CRS) working the Food Security and Livelihood sector in Nigeria:
• Promote the exchange of tools based on HEA for programming (design, targeting, monitoring, evaluation) between agencies and ensure Save the Children is recognised as a proactive actor and leads on some of the initiatives falling under its mandate;
• Participate in the development of a joint advocacy platform, and produce short advocacy notes from the HEA results.
• Comply with all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to child safeguarding policy, health, security and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies.

Any other reasonable duty as may be assigned by the line manager that is consistent with the nature of the job and level of responsibility

Objectives and Outputs
The overall goal of our work on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) is to end preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths. One contribution to this is to achieve universal access to the integrated continuum of care for RMNCH services. This requires equitable progress which ensures access for the poor and excluded groups urgently.

Through this report, we aim to offer a conceptual approach that links RMNCH, health system strengthening and Universal Health Coverage. We will complement existing academic evidence with new analysis from Nigeria and will outline clear recommendations for policy makers on what is needed to make further progress.

Specific objectives are:

1. To conduct analysis on access to the RMNCH continuum of care and identify what factors are preventing or contributing towards this – including financial and non-financial barriers, systematic discrimination, etc – with a focus on inequalities and excluded groups. This will look at the health system policies which are affecting access, including funding, charging, distribution of health resources, and the balance between primary Health care and other levels. This will draw on research from Nigeria (see below for details), evidence from StC programmes, and complemented by existing literature.
2. To explore how RMNCH services can support and/or be the first priority within broader strategies on universal health coverage, by focusing on practical examples (drawing on states in the country , evidence from StC programmes, and wider examples from existing literature).
3. To increase pressure on governments, through targeted advocacy, media and campaigning around the launch of policy products, to pursue policies to expand access to comprehensive, free and universal health services for RMNCH as the first priority, within national strategies on universal health coverage. Strong links will also be made with the SDGs – in particular the focus on maternal and child health and UHC – and national implementation of the goals.
4. To present the case to global RMNCH advocates and actors within the UHC movement for RMNCH and primary care as the first priority in moving towards UHC. (This will draw on research showing the rationale in terms of rights, health outcomes, cost effectiveness, effects on the wider health system).

Expected Outputs:

We plan a number of interlinked policy products for this research for national and global audiences.

• National briefings (Nigeria) to be launched in December for UHC day[1], with clear policy recommendations calling on governments to pursue relevant policies to expand access to the RMNCH continuum of care, prioritising equity and excluded groups, as the first step for expansion of service coverage.

Expected Deliverables

• Research tools and methodologies for the study
• Final report based on the outline above
• 5 National briefings ( reference in Nigeria’s focus above)
• Power Point presentations to Save the Children in Abuja.

Person Specification

Essential

• A lead expert in the field of maternal, new-born and child health research in Nigeria.
• Demonstrate competency in maternal, new-born and child health programming.
• Must have a good understanding of RMNCH Policies in Nigeria.
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research in Nigeria.
• Minimum qualification required: MBBS, MPH, M.Comm or advanced degree in Health Economics.
• A good analytical, communication and report-writing skills.