Consultant - Review of Independent Review Committee (IRC) at Technical Advice Connect Limited / GTE

Technical Advice Connect Limited/GTE (TA Connect) is a non-profit organization registered in 2021 and based in Nigeria to bring innovative solutions to the provision of Technical Assistance (TA) services across Africa. TA Connect was established by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to deliver tailored and cohesive support for states in Nigeria by strengthening their PHC systems and enhancing PHC service delivery. As an innovative platform, we respond to state TA priorities to promote sustainable improvements in state Primary Healthcare (PHC) systems’ performance and increase uptake of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant for the Review of Independent Review Committee (IRC)

Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Level of Effort: (Two weeks – 10 working days)

Background

• Technical Advice Connect LTD/GTE (TAConnect) is an innovative Technical Assistance (TA) delivery platform, conceptualized by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to respond to State
• TA priorities to promote sustainable improvements in State Primary Healthcare (PHC) systems' performance and increase the uptake of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and
• Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services.
• The core function of the IRC is to independently evaluate the proposals of shortlisted TAConnect partners to select and recommend the optimal TA Partners for each TA deployment. The IRC
• will also provide other technical advisory services as required by the Executive Director or the Board.
• The current IRCs tenure will be expiring soon and TAConnect is seeking to review its
• performance before a new engagement and increase the number of IRCs in the database.

Objective
The objective of this short-term consultancy is to provide technical and advisory services to TAConnect in the following areas:

• As an independent consultant to review the performance of the current Independent Review Committee (IRC) for the purpose of recommending whether to renew contracts
• of members that met performance expectations or drop those that performed below the expectations.
• To expand the number of expertise of IRCs in the database to cover other needs of TAConnect. The organization is integrating healthcare financing, supply chain management, and gender advocacy into its portfolio of Technical Assistance (TA)
• To increase the number of consultants to include both university lecturers and private individual consultants in the database to improve efficiency.
• Review the entire process of IRC for effectiveness and efficiency Scope:
• This scope of work (SOW) sets forth the services to be provided by the Independent Review Consultant.

Selections:

• Develop a transparent and credible comprehensive process of selecting new IRC from conducting a needs assessment to developing an IRC database.
• Develop IRC Terms of Reference (ToR).

Performance Review:

• Set criteria for evaluating the current IRC performance
• Comprehensive evaluations of IRC including their performance
• Evaluation of individual IRC performance during the review period.
• Identify the gap or weakness in performance for improvement and efficiency

Define Deliverables:

• Reconstitute New IRC
• Recommend successful and credible consultants to TAConnect board/management.
• Define expected deliverables with timelines of IRC
• Any other task assigned by the TAConnect management/board consistent with the scope of this review.

Job Qualifications

• Minimum of Master's Degree or equivalent in the relevant field of Social Sciences, Management, required; Advanced Degree preferred.
• At least 8-10 years of relevant field experience as an independent consultant reviewer in the humanitarian and development sector.
• At least 5 years of experience in reviewing grants and proposals is required.
• Understanding of multiple donor compliance frameworks is strongly preferred including but not limited to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, DFID and/or EU regulations preferred.
• Demonstrated experience and skill with administrating solicitations for sub-awards, assessing potential sub-recipients and the proven ability to oversee a team that is
• responsible for monitoring sub-recipients.
• Prior management experience developing workflows, processes, and templates is strongly preferred.
• Strong organizational, multi-tasking, and prioritization skills.
• Excellent oral and written English skills required.
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.

Reporting Requirements:

• Final Activity Report detailing the tasks performed for the period in line with the ethical requirements of principal duties and responsibilities stated above, and as may be assigned within the period, progress made on tasks, achievements, and challenges.
• The report will be reviewed and signed as technically satisfactory by the TAConnect board/management before processing payment.

Accountability:

•  Reports Directly to Board of Directors

Selection Criteria:
While the exact set of criteria will usually vary based on the nature of the assignment, the following criteria are generally applicable for the evaluation of the potential consultant:

• Academic and professional qualifications capacity to carry out the assignment: 20
• Work experience, relevant skills,
• knowledge and its adequacy for the
• assignment: 50
• Experience reviewing proposals for BMGF or related
• development/humanitarian agencies: 15
• Suitability considering age, skills (training, computer skills, proficiency in English and others): 15
• Total: 100

Application Closing Date
9th October, 2022.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their comprehensive CV, Cover Letter and Portfolio as a single document (PDF or Doc or Docx.) to: info@taconnect-ng.org using “Consultant for Review of Independent Review Committee (IRC) ” as the subject of the email.

Note: TAConnect will only contact candidates that are successful at this pre-qualification stage.