Mobilizing for the Millennium Development Goals (M4M) Recruits National Local Governance Advisor and State Local Governance Coordinators (LGC)

Mobilizing for the Millennium Development Goals (M4M) is a new DFID - supported programme that aims to support local governance for improved service delivery in the areas of health, education, water and sanitation and improved livelihoods. It will also leverage Nigeria's MDG Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) to scale up technical and capacity Support for local government authorities (LGAs) and local-level civil society and community-based organizations (CSOs and CBOs) and stakeholders.

M4M is especially interested in working to support innovative and increased access to services for socially excluded groups, and will cover both demand and supply-side governance reform. M4M will work initially in three states - Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa States where it will work in three local governments each.

After an initial set of assessments, the programme, with its head office in Kano, now wishes to hire a number of Local Governance roles to support this:

1.) National Local Governance Advisor

Location: Kano

Reporting to the National Team Leader.

Responsibilities

• This role will work across both the 'demand and supply' sides, providing "thought leadership" on Local Governance - building collective action around local issues.
• The post holder will have a good grasp of civil society, advocacy, and community development - especially around tackling social exclusion and gender inequality.
• The candidates will demonstrate capacity to use a range of tools, methodologies and approaches to support the development of contextually relevant and effective mechanisms at local level to improve organization, engagement and dialogue between citizens, policy makers and service providers.

Qualification

• Minimum of a first degree in a relevant discipline, with at least 10 years post-graduation experience
• Demonstrate a sound understanding of local governance, including practical skills and experience across PRA techniques, community strengthening, capacity building as well as research and monitoring and evaluation.
• Have strong interpersonal, communications and presentation skills, with experience of governance and work in Northern Nigeria.
• This role will be Kano based and requires frequent travel to the focal states.
• Should be able to communicate in/willing to learn Hausa.

2.) Three (3) State Local Governance Coordinators (LGC)

Location: Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa states

Responsibilities

• Reporting to the State Programme Manager (and based out of the each State office), each LGC will provide the key interface and support for the programme at local level
• Working across the three Local Governments, the role will assist in strengthening communities and excluded groups to engage with service providers and policy makers, while supporting local policy makers and service providers to enhance their capacity to deliver services effectively as well as engaging with other initiatives - such as the government’s Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS).
• The LGC will also support and mentor Community Development and Outreach Officers based in each local government area.

Qualification

• The successful applicants will be educated to degree level in a relevant discipline and have at least five years post-graduation experience.
• S/he will demonstrate sound understanding of local governance, have a strong grasp of participatory processes, research and data gathering competencies, a good understanding of inequality and social exclusion as well as ability to contribute to monitoring and evaluation.
• Based in the respective state offices of M4M in Kano, Kaduna, and Dutse, these roles will travel frequently. Candidates must be able to communicate fluently in Hausa.

Given its focus on excluded groups, applications from women and people living with disabilities are especially encouraged.

Application Closing Date
1st February, 2013

Method of Application
Applications (stating clearly the position applied for) with a cover letter, a two-page capability statement (addressing the criteria set out above) and an up-to-date CV should be addressed to the Team Leader, M4Mand submitted via e-mail:
[email protected] Applications not meeting this criteria will not be considered

Only shortlisted candidates will be communicated with. Interviews Will be conducted in the weeks beginning 4th and 11th February with successful candidates assuming their roles as soon as possible thereafter.