Social Protection Specialist at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Social Protection Specialist

Job ID: 200003IM
Location: Abuja with travel to the field states
Employee Status: Fixed Term
TEAM: Nigeria Country Office Seconded to Ministry for Humanitarian and Disaster Management
Reports to: Senior Social Protection Specialist
Staff directly reporting to this post: None

Child Safeguarding: Level 3

• The responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children or young people and, in the overseas context all posts are considered to be level 3 posts in view of potential situations which may allow staff unsupervised access to vulnerable children and young people.

Role Purpose

• The Social Protection Specialist will be knowledgeable about social protection as a poverty reduction strategy and will assist the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (MHDS) in the effective oversight to enhance planning and implementation of National Social Safety Nets Programme (NASSP) delivery.
• The particular key role will be to ensure strengthened social protection governance and systems in the roll-out of the NASSP.

Key Accountabilities

• Support to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to continue implementation of the NASSP by providing appropriate technical assistance;
• Support on policy priorities in the area of social protection and possible research gaps in the area of social protection in coordination and cooperation of different ministries/departments, including inter-sectoral coordination;
• Coordinate the support of social protection implementation and interface with development partners which are supporting the Ministry in the implementation of programme activities;
• Support the overall social protection governance and coordination based on the structures established for the NASSP development process; specifically, the retention of key oversight functions of the Ministry;
• Building linkages with allied sectors and providing a policy forum to address cross-cutting issues, specifically on education, health, nutrition, women and children; assisting policy evaluation of programme design features and their coherence with other sector strategies;
• Engagement with best international social protection practices for learning and experience sharing;
• Interface with NASSP for an overall knowledge management through a policy research facility in support of social protection policy and delivery analysis, drawing from best international practices and providing guidance to programme and system development;
• Facilitating nationally authored research reports and policy notes, based on empirical evidence, to inform public dialogue and policy and programme decision-making based on new evidence.

Skills and Behaviours (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:

• Accuracy and timeliness in all areas of responsibility
• High level of accuracy in work, and ability to analyse complex sets of relationships and situations
• Holds self and others accountable

Ambition:

• Creating a best-in-class EA function
• Future-orientated thinks pro-actively

Collaboration:

• Working effectively with stakeholders to achieve common goals
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Designing more effective admin systems
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• 5 years and above of direct experience of social protection related to one or more of these fields: health,, nutrition and/ or economics. Strong analytical skills.
• Computer literate.
• Ability to build support from staff across teams and across members, and to build the capacity of others.
• Proven ability to coordinate effective resource allocation to ensure quality programmes.
• Sound strategic thinking and planning skills, including ability to think creatively and innovate and to set priorities, manageable workplans and evaluate progress.
• Strong communications skills (both written and verbal). The ability to analyse complex data and summarise it for a range of different audiences.
• Experience of working within budget constraints.
• Commitment to SC’s mission, values and approach (includes child protection, equal opportunities and health and safety).
• Commitment to support cross-organisational initiatives.
• Commitment to team working and understanding of how to contribute.
• Ability to operate within a predominantly administratively self-servicing environment.  

Desirable:

• Professional qualification at postgraduate level or equivalent in economics or related discipline
• Experience working with social protection or cash transfer programmes
• Experience of qualitative research techniques
• Experience in international development

Additional job responsibilities

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities:

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

• We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

• The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Health and Safety:

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Application Closing Date
16th July, 2020.