Capacity Assessment Consultant at Helen Keller International / USAID Advancing Nutrition Project - 3 Openings

Helen Keller International is a global health organization dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition and diseases of poverty.Cofounded by Helen Keller – and guided by her fierce optimism and belief in human potential – the organization delivers life-changing health solutions to vulnerable families where the need is great but access to care is limited.In the US, Africa, and Asia, Helen Keller’s proven, science-based programs empower people to create opportunities in their own lives and build lasting change.

The USAID Advancing Nutrition implements and provides technical support to nutrition interventions across sectors and disciplines for USAID and its partners. The project’s multi-sectoral approach draws together global nutrition experience to design, implement and evaluate programs that address the root causes of malnutrition. Committed to using a systems approach, USAID Advancing Nutrition strives to sustain positive outcomes by building local capacity, supporting behavior change and strengthening the enabling environment to save lives, improve health, build resilience, increase economic productivity and advance development.

The overall purpose of the project in Nigeria is to provide technical support to the Government of Nigeria, and other nutrition stakeholders and generate evidence to enhance nutrition programming toward achieving the overall goal of improving nutrition for a healthy, productive, and resilient Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultants to facilitate Capacity Assessment for State Committees for Food and Nutrition

Locations: Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto
Employment Type: Part-time
Program Name: USAID Advancing Nutrition
Activity Start and End Date: June to July, 2022
Name of Prime Implementing Partner: JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc.
Contract Number: 7200AA18C00070
Name of Subcontractors / Subawardees: Helen Keller International
Geographic Coverage: Bauchi, Kebbi, and Sokoto States

 Introduction
About USAID Advancing Nutrition:

• USAID Advancing Nutrition is the Agency’s flagship multi-sectoral nutrition project, led byJSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI), and a diverse group of experienced partners.Launched in September 2018, USAID Advancing Nutrition implements nutrition interventions across sectors and disciplines for USAID and its partners.
• The project’s multi-sectoral approach draws together global nutrition experience to design, implement, and evaluate programs that address the root causes of malnutrition. Committed to using a systems approach, USAID Advancing Nutrition strives to sustain positive outcomes by building local capacity, supporting behavior change, and strengthening the enabling environment to save lives, improve health, build resilience, increase economic productivity, and advance development. In Nigeria, the project aims to meet the following objectives;

Objectives of the Project:

• Objective 1: Strengthen multi-sectoral linkages and coordination through technical assistance to the Government of Nigeria, the Mission, and implementing partners
• Objective 2: Support the Government of Nigeria to strengthen wasting prevention and treatment services
• Objective 3: Generate evidence and test innovative approaches to improve nutrition programming and inform future designs.

Activity Description

• State Committees for Food and Nutrition (SCFN) have been established in all states within the state planning ministry or its equivalent. These bodies are meant to provide oversight of multi-sectoral activities that impact food and nutrition issues. They are also responsible for supporting the state planning ministries, which serve as the state-level secretariat, to plan, budget, implement, monitor, and advocate for activities.
• During a USAID Advancing Nutrition scoping exercise, stakeholders cited the need to strengthen the capacity of the SCFNs both in their understanding of multi-sectoral nutrition and also skills in planning, budgeting, and oversight. As a result, USAID Advancing Nutrition is undertaking a capacity assessment in each of its implementing states (Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto) to inform the content and design of orientation and training packages and capacity-strengthening processes. This initial capacity assessment will also allow us to track changes in SCFN capacities throughout the life of the project.
• The Capacity Assessment will be carried out using an Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool (OCAT) to draw insights from the leadership and members of the SCFN in order to perform a qualitative diagnosis of its planning, budgeting, oversight and organizational capacity and competency for implementing state nutrition policies and programs.

Major Stakeholders

• Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning (FMFBNP), Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Federal Ministry of Education (FMOE), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Breakthrough ACTION, Integrated Health Project (IHP)
• In Bauchi, Kebbi, and Sokoto: State Ministries of Budget and Economic Planning, State Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development (SMARD), State Ministries of Health (SMOH) and other members of the State Committees on Food and Nutrition (SCFNs), and co-located Feed the Future (FTF) implementing partners and projects.

Objectives of the Workshops

• The Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool (OCAT), revised by USAID Advancing Nutrition[1], is a self-assessment tool used to draw insights from the leadership and members of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN) to perform a qualitative diagnosis of its planning, budgeting, oversight and organizational capacity and competency for implementing state nutrition policies and programs. Findings from the assessment will be used to identify areas where gaps exist and to produce an action plan for addressing them. The tool will help the SCFN prioritize where it should focus its improvement efforts, decide on responsibilities and timeframes, and know when to request possible technical assistance. Specifically, the OCAT results will be used to:
  • Inform the development of capacity building plans by identifying specific areas that should be prioritized; and
  • Demonstrate progress in building the SCFN’s capacity throughout the USAID Advancing Nutrition project.

Expected Outputs:

• Identify and document major areas of strengths and gaps for the SCFN
• Record baselines for the different assessed Capacity Areas.
• Develop capacity building plans
• Capacity Assessment conducted in Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto states.

Users of the Findings:
The result of the capacity assessment will inform the content and design of orientation and training packages and capacity-strengthening processes that USAID Advancing Nutrition will implement as part of its intervention in Nigeria. The capacity assessment will also allow us to track changes in SCFN capacities throughout the life of the project. Major users of the assessment results will include:

• USAID Advancing Nutrition country team for easy implementation.
• USAID Advancing Nutrition Technical and Senior Management Teams for informed decision making.
• National and State Committee for Food and Nutrition
• Other partners of the project and external agencies working on nutrition

Geographical Scope:

• The assessment will be held in Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto States.

Scope Covered:

• The Capacity Assessment will be facilitated by an external facilitator(s) trained to conduct Organizational Capacity Assessment. Staff from USAID Advancing Nutrition will also be on hand to provide additional support for data analysis and facilitation of the assessment. Staff from USAID Advancing Nutrition may support the facilitator during the workshop sessions and participate in the analysis of scores and development of capacity building plans.

Crosscutting Issues:

• Throughout the planning and the assessment processes, gender, norms, beliefs, and protection concerns should be addressed. Different needs of women, men, youth (male and female) should be considered throughout the workshop process.

Key Deliverables:
The facilitator/s will be expected to conduct the proposed assessment in line with the approved activity protocol and methodology taking into cognizance USAID Advancing Nutrition team review, feedback, and approval. Other key deliverables will include (both in hard and soft copy): during the activity proper would include;

• Copies of completed OCAT
• Draft report
• Final report

Methodology

• The day will be divided into scoring sessions, with one capacity area being scored in each session; the facilitators introduce one capacity area at a time, review the questions to ensure proper understanding, and allow a discussion aiming at establishing a mutual understanding among the participants of the SCFN’s processes surrounding the indicators and an agreement on the SCFN score. Note that the discussion is critical to the OCAT and should be allowed to continue. It is often the most critical part of the OCAT. If the group is small, one tool can be used with a recorder. The process is repeated for each capacity area being scored by that group.

Tentative Timeline

• The anticipated duration of the task is 19 working days in June-July 2022.
• Below is a tentative timeline for the assessment:

Management Arrangements

• The consultant will directly report to the Monitoring Evaluation and Research Advisor USAID Advancing Nutrition in Abuja. The consultant will submit all outputs directly to the Monitoring Evaluation and Research Advisor who will coordinate the technical validation of the work before declaring it ready for dissemination.
• Any comment to the final report, put forward by USAID Advancing Nutrition team will have to be promptly addressed by the date agreed between both parties or as soon as the comments are received by the consultant. The consultant will consider all comments to finalize the report and will submit it to the organization without delay. Accommodation and internal transport will be taken care of by USAID Advancing nutrition.

Ethical and Legal Matters:

• The ownership of the draft and final documentation belongs to the agency and the funding donor exclusively. The document, or publication related to it, will not be shared with anybody except USAID Advancing Nutrition has approved of it.
• USAID Advancing Nutrition is to be the main addressee of the analysis and its results might impact on both operational and technical strategies. This being said, USAID Advancing Nutrition is likely to share the results of the analysis with the following groups:
  • Donors
  • Various coordination bodies
  • Government stakeholders
• For independent consultancies, it is important that the consultant does not have any links to project management or any other conflict of interest that would interfere with the independence of the activity.

Intellectual Property Rights:

• All documentation related to the assignment (whether or not in the course of duties) shall remain the sole and exclusive property of USAID Advancing Nutrition.

Consultant (Facilitator) Profile / Expertise Required

• Minimum of BSc qualification in a discipline related to Health, Nutrition, Medical Sciences or other relevant discipline.
• At least 4 years proven experience in carrying out at assessment/research related to health, food or nutrition.
• Experience in facilitating workshops, data collection, including data management and analysis.
• Experience in both quantitative and qualitative methods is an advantage.
• Ability to apply participatory methods of data collection and recommending solutions that are context specific and community-adaptive.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, considering cultural and language difficulties with tact and diplomacy.
• Strong personal discipline and capacity to respect deadlines, even if under pressure.
• Ability to communicate effectively in the English language (oral and written).
• Ability to communicate effectively in local languages (Hausa is a strong asset).
• The ability to work closely in a team, to be patient, adaptable and flexible.
• Understanding the social and economic context of Northern Nigeria is an added advantage.
• Relevant experience in a similar work in Nigeria is preferred.

Application Closing Date
27th June, 2022.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Cover Letter to: [email protected] using the position title as the subject of the mail.