Advocacy and Capacity Building Specialist (ACBS) at RTI International (6 Openings)

RTI International is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to conducting innovative, multidisciplinary research that improves the human condition. With a worldwide staff of more than 5,000 people, RTI offers innovative research and development and multidisciplinary services.

RTI International, hereby invites applications from highly resourceful, motivated and experienced professionals to fill the vacant position below:

Job Title: Advocacy and Capacity Building Specialist (ACBS)

Locations: Abia, Delta, Imo, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba

Summary
RTI International in collaboration with Plan International and other partners are implementing a 4-year USAID funded Effective Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (E-WASH) program. E-WASH will provide technical assistance to and will work in collaboration with state governments to improve urban water service delivery by strengthening the governance, financial, and technical viability of six (6) state water boards (SWBs) in Nigeria. The overall goal is improvement of urban water and sanitation service delivery.

Job Descritpion

• The objective of this position is to improve WASH service delivery through heightened and more effective advocacy and capacity building efforts that will spur transformational change in the sector at the state level. This will entail the organization of a set of coordinated activities to bring about sustained political change, adapted to the specific context in focus within the state.
• The ACB advisor will therefore serve as key liaison with target state communities (the political leadership, SWB employees and consumers), facilitating the process of establishing and implementing priority development projects to promote cohesion and resilience at the local level. Strengthen capacity of local officials to engage with citizens, include them in participatory planning processes, and incorporate their priorities into planning documents. Facilitate citizen participation in collaborative decision making, management, and monitoring related to service delivery. Support CSOs to access and effectively utilize the Civil Society Engagement Fund to improve social accountability, monitoring, and sanitation/hygiene promotion for improved access to and quality of WASH services. Support technical monitoring of grants.
• Facilitate the development of a strategy focusing on gender and pro-poor transformational approaches and support the implementation of activities to increase CSO and other stakeholder participation in utility reform processes (tariff adjustments, service delivery monitoring) to support sustainability of project efforts.

Qualifications and Experience

• At least a master's degree in communications, media studies, journalism, development or such related fields.
• A minimum of master’s degree and 6 years of experience or Bachelor's Degree and 10 years of experience post qualification experience in any of the above areas
• Experience in designing communication strategies for reforms -in any sector.
• Proven experience in working for or with civil society to drive a reform agenda
• Experience in designing social accountability tools, mobilizing the key stakeholders including media, the political leadership and consumers to support reforms
• Experience in mobilizing high political level buy in to reforms or transformation, gathering high level buy in for reforms.
• Expertise in training and capacity building and/or customer satisfaction and engagement.
• Knowledge and experience in designing gender inclusive development programs.

Application Closing Date
26th October, 2018.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their Application Letters and CV's as one single Word document to: Recruitment@ewash.rti.org Using the Job Title and Location as the subject e.g "ACBS Abia", "ACBS Delta", "ACBS Imo", "ACBS Niger", "ACBS Sokoto", or "ACBS Taraba" (no other text should be on this subject line) If you would like to be considered in 2 or more states, then you have to submit two or more applications but stating the states of your interest as per the above instruction.

Note

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis hence i.e we stop recruiting as soon as the right candidate is found. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as they see this advert. This is a re-advertisement hence you are required to re-apply if you had done so earlier. Only shortlisted candidates will receive an invitation for an interview.
• Women are strongly encouraged to apply. We offer a highly competitive renumeration. Take note that any successful candidate will be subjected to a pre-employment background investigation.
• We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V