Accountability and Advocacy Advisor (Ebonyi) at Palladium Group

Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact - the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with foundations, investors, governments, corporations, communities and civil society to formulate strategies and implement solutions that generate lasting social, environmental and financial benefits.

For the past 50 years, we have been making Positive Impact possible. With a team of more than 2,500 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of more than 35,000 technical experts, Palladium has improved - and is committed to continuing to improve - economies, societies and most importantly, people's lives.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Accountability and Advocacy Advisor

Location: Ebonyi

Project Overview and Role   
Health Policy Plus (HP+) is a USAID-funded five-year project awarded to Palladium (formerly Futures Group) on August 28, 2015. HP+ has a mandate across global, country and sub-national levels to strengthen and advance health policy priorities in the areas of family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH), HIV, and maternal health. HP+ aims to improve the enabling environment for equitable and sustainable health services, supplies, and delivery systems through policy development and implementation, with an emphasis on voluntary, rights-based health programs.

HP+ aims to help public health and policy leaders attach higher priority to their national and sub-national health needs, secure sustainable financing, advance health equity, and monitor policy implementation to ensure gains stay on track. HP+ aims to secure long-term enduring change by working with coalitions both inside and outside of health and showing common cause with neglected populations and other development actors. Central elements of HP+ revolve around building in-country capacity, institutionalizing achievements of past investments, and promoting country ownership of programs and initiatives.
 
HP+ Nigeria is supporting state-level efforts to effectively capitalize on key health financing reforms, specifically the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), by strengthening systems and structures to operationalize the fund, while also meet, and potentially exceed or improve performance to meet, the requirements of Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR). Working in Abia, Osun, Ebonyi and the FCT, as well as some national-level support, HP+ Nigeria is looking to advance the following key objectives: (1) strengthen state-level governance, coordination, and synchronization to sustain stewardship and ownership of key health financing reforms; (2) identify and mobilize predictable and sustainable revenues for state-level health reforms; (3) improve transparency, accountability and efficiency of mobilized resources.
 
Position Summary

• The Accountability and Advocacy Advisor, Ebonyi, will be responsible for providing content knowledge, technical assistance, consultation, and support to the state government in the implementation of PHCUOR and the BHCPF in Ebonyi, including implementation at ward and facility levels.
• This position will be responsible for leading implementation support for social accountability mechanisms called for in the PHCUOR and BHCPF.
• Knowledge and use of social accountability tools and frameworks, participatory approaches, and consensus building will be key.
• Moreover, the accountability and advocacy advisor will liaise with various stakeholders at state level from the public health sector, other LGA and ward offices, facilities, and civil society organizations.
• The advisor will design and implement workshops, meetings, and consultations, aimed at supporting PHCUOR and BHCPF. This position will be based in Ebonyi.
• The position will report to the Ebonyi State Team Lead, with technical oversight provided by the Senior Advisor, Health Systems, Governance and Leadership, based in Abuja, and the HP+ Governance Technical Lead, based in Washington DC.
• The position is restricted to Nigerian nationals.

Responsibilities
The advisor will undertake the following:

•  At the state level, convene CSO meetings to review progress and identify recommendations for how to further improve the State Social Health Insurance Agency (SSHIA).
• Provide technical assistance to and support capacity building efforts for selected State-level structures, Local Government Authorities/Areas, wards and facilities to plan and implement feedback processes as required by the BHCPF.
• Implement capacity development of ward and facility level institutions to support feedback processes.
• Develop and implement strategies for assessing, developing and/or strengthening mechanisms and processes that enable citizens to provide feedback on the health system at ward and facility levels.
• Lead expansion of support for CBO meetings and/or other community platforms for beneficiaries to provide feedback on the BHCPF.
• As needed, support development of state-level demand generation plans.
• Develop and manage grants to local civil society organizations to support implementation of feedback processes.
• Actively contribute to the development of annual work planning, design, implementation, and reporting related to project technical activities.
• Assist the project team on monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and documentation of project results.
• Respond to ad-hoc technical requests from HP+ and USAID.

Requirements   
Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's Degree or higher in Public Administration, Public Health, Public Policy, or a related technical degree.
• Minimum of 9 years of experience in applied public administration supporting social accountability mechanisms in Nigeria and/or Africa.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in the health sector.
• Prior experience working with USAID-funded programs preferred.
• Experience working with State governments, LGAs, wards, health facilities, and civil society organizations strongly desired.
• Written and oral fluency in English is required.

Skills Required:

• Demonstrated success providing technical leadership and advice to sub-national government counterparts in the health sector, particularly in supporting the establishment, implementation, monitoring of citizen feedback mechanisms.
• Experience supporting demand generation activities.
• Demonstrated strength and experience providing technical assistance and writing technical reports in the health sector.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively and build consensus across diverse sets of stakeholders.
• Experience in client relationship management, reporting, program work planning, program budgeting and financial management, and program implementation, as related to international project implementation is preferred.
• Professional and diplomatic demeanor and conduct, especially during interactions with the client and its constituents.
• Ability to anticipate, respond and adapt quickly to changing requirements and competing demands.
• Ability to take initiative and/or respond independently to situations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability and willingness to travel within Nigeria.

Application Closing Date
11th December, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online