Consultants - Domestication of National Policy on Food and Nutrition at Helen Keller International / USAID Advancing Nutrition Project

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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant for Domestication of National Policy on Food and Nutrition

Location: Bauchi
Employment Type: Contract

Overview

• 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.

Background

• 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.

Activtiy Description

• The Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning (FMoFB&NP), in collaboration with Line MDAs, Extra-Minsterial Agencies, Acedemia, Private Sector, SCOs and Development Partners in the Country in 2016, developed the National Policy on Food and Nutrition. The document provides the policy framework to address the challenges of food and nutrition insecurity in the country; from the individual, household, community, State and up to the national level.
• The policy guides the identification, design, and implementation of the various interventions activities by different stakeholders across relevant sectors of the economy. Consequently, and in line with the provision of the policy document, the FMoFB&NP enjoined all States to domesticate the national policy in their various States through the adoption and adaptation of the national policy to suit their various local settings.
• Thereby ensuring the development of State specific food and nutrition and plans and programmes are in line with the national goals and aspirations. The state Committees for Food and Nutrition (SCFN), housed under the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning was established in all states, to provide oversight of multi-sectoral activities that impact food and nutrition issues. Also responsible for supporting the state planning ministries, which serve as the state-level secretariat, to plan, budget, implement, monitor, and advocate for activities.
• through USAID Advancing Nutrition Project will support the Bauchi State Government, through the SCFN to domesticate the National Policy on Food and Nutrition (NPFN) in Bauchi State.
• The consultant will lead and support the State to fully domesticate the policy document through series of activities that involve technical evaluation meetings and stakeholder workshops that include the following:
  • The conduct of a stakeholder situational and contextual analysis of food and nutrition in the State; challenges and way forward.
  • The development, in conjunction with stakeholders, a guiding document that would adequately address food and nutrition challenges of the State.
  • The conduct of a validation meeting with stakeholders to adopt and endorse the final policy document for the State.
  • The conduct of a dissemination workshop to formally launch the document to the general public.

Participants:

• The participants for the activity are the major stakeholders in food and nutrition space in the State economy cutting across Government MDAs, Academia, Professional Associations, Community Groups, Civil Society Organization (SCOs), the Private Sector and Partners, both local and international including the multi-sectoral members of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN).

Objectives:

• To Support Bauchi State to domesticate the National Policy of Food and Nutrition with the aim of developing and producing a document that addresses the problems of food and nutrition insecurity/challenges; to proffer implementable solutions, that takes into cognizance the State peculiarities and that would ultimately fit into the national nutrition policy.

Scope of Work (SoW) for the Consultant:
The consultant is expected to lead the whole process that will take the form of an intensive desk review, a series of workshops (that involves presentations at plenary, Q&A sessions, group work/presentations) and submission of final reports. The detail activities will be in the form of:

• The conduct of a 2-Day Technical Situational Analysis Workshop in Bauchi (with key stakeholders), to find out the current food and nutrition outcomes of the State.
• The conduct of a 3-Day Stakeholders Review Workshop of the NPFN Document outside of Bauchi, with the view to adopt, adapt and review sections to conform with the State present realities on ground.
• The conduct a 2-Day validation meeting with stakeholders in Bauchi, to agree and endorse the final document as the State Policy on Food and Nutrition Policy Document.
• The conduct of a 1-Day dissemination workshop in Bauchi to formally launch the document to the general public.
• Final submission of full report of the whole exercise.

Time Lines for Activity

Expected outputs and Deliverables:

• The consultant is expected to deliver on the above specific objective i.e., to produce the developed Final Bauchi State Policy of Food and Nutrition document within the period stipulated.

Activity Period:

• The series of activities to be undertaken to accomplish the Task i.e., the development of a fully domesticated document for the State, is envisaged to start from the 2nd week of July and is to be concluded in August, 2022.

USAID Advancing Nutrition Nigeria Responsibilities:
USAID Advancing Nutrition Nigeria shall have no obligation to provide any assistance to the consultant in performing the services other than as expressly set forth herein:

• Provide information and feedback, in a timely manner and as long as consultant’s requests for information and feedback are also made to USAID Advancing Nutrition Nigeria within reasonable time.
• Provide the selected consultant/s with reasonable and timely access to USAID Advancing Nutrition Nigeria personnel as may be required to perform the services.
• For on-site work, provide physical access to the necessary work area and any required identification badges and pass codes before work commences.
• A single point of contact responsible for representing USAID Advancing Nutrition Nigeria in status meetings and assisting with the decision-making process regarding the engagement.

Expert Profile
Education:

• Candidates must have Advanced University Degree in Social Sciences, Public Health, Medical or related Technical Field.
• Sound experience in Public Health, Health Systems or related Technical Areas, with at least 10-year experience preferably in policy planning and strengthening, monitoring and evaluation of large-scale programmes.
• Proficiency in written and oral English language, good conceptual, communication, negotiation and networking skills, as well as familiarity with working in a multi-cultural environment.

Work Experience:

• Ten years of progressively responsible professional work experience that involves policy planning and management.
• Ability to use MS Office packages will be an added advantage.

Consultancy Fees

• Fees will be based on agreed upon deliverables for an all-inclusive rate including but not limited to allowance, overhead, travel to Bauchi, lodging, miscellaneous costs etc. All quotation and costing should in NAIRA.

Travel Expenses:

• The travel costs will be reimbursed in accordance with Helen Keller Travel Rules and Regulations for pre-authorized and agreed upon travel.

Supervision:

• The consultant will report to USAID Advancing Nutrition Bauchi state Multisectoral Coordination Specialist and Senior Program Officer.

Application Requirements:

• Technical Proposal / Proposed Plan and Approach; A concise technical proposal,not exceeding ten (10) pages on task completion methodology including a detailed work plan and schedule of tasks; Proposed type and number of each staff position for completion of work in specified time frame; Estimated delivery period of the task (timeline) to fulfil the scheme of work. Financial proposal/Costing to conduct the activity. Also include profiles of previously related tasks carried out in the last 3 years, including team composition and CVs of key personnel, detailed work plan, and budget.

Application Closing Date
7th July, 2022.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should forward their CV and cover letter to: [email protected] using the position as subject of email.