Consultant (Communications Expert) at Helen Keller International - 5 Openings

Helen Keller International (HKI) - Established in 1915, is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to saving the sight and lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Headquartered in New York City, HKI currently conducts programs in 21 countries in Africa and Asia, as well as in the United States.

HKI implements integrated package of cost-effective interventions that are proven to improve maternal and child nutrition. HKI supports policies and programs on food fortification, vitamin A supplementation, infant and young child feeding, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, community-based management of acute malnutrition and prevention and treatment of neglected tropical diseases. At the core of HKI’s programs is advocacy and social behavior change communication to various stakeholders. HKI also undertakes cutting-edge research to influence policy decisions and inform program quality.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - To Provide Communications Expertise for the Upscaling of Nutrition Advocacy in Nigeria

Locations: Abuja, Kebbi, Sokoto, Bauchi & Ebonyi
Type of Contract: Individual Contractor (IC)
Contract Duration: 66 non-consecutive days
Project Title: USAID Advancing Nutrition, Nigeria

Background of USAID Advancing Nutrition Project

• USAID Advancing Nutrition is the Agency’s flagship multi-sectoral nutrition project, led by JSI 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.

Objectives of the Project
In Nigeria, the project aims to meet the following objectives:

• 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.

Background of the Consultancy

• The National Council on Nutrition has been in existence since October 2017 but is yet to implement its communication and advocacy strategy that will include all stakeholders and raise awareness on the role of nutrition in national development.
• It is obvious that policymakers and decision-makers are yet to recognise nutrition as a priority issue despite the increase in multisectoral collaboration. The purpose of this consultancy is to implement the NCN communications and advocacy strategy that will promote nutrition and behavioral change as a pre-condition for human capital development.

Objectives of the Consultancy

• The Communications Expert will facilitate, co-ordinate and implement with the NCFN and SCFN the communications and advocacy strategy while also strengthening capacity of implementing stakeholders on the National Social and Behavioral Change Communication Strategy SBCC strategy. This is a short-term, full-time assignment that will be embedded within the National Council on Nutrition Program Delivery Unit.
• The consultant is to assist the NCN and the NCFN/ SCFN to implement the communications and behavioural change strategy, tailored to the National multisectoral plan of action on food and nutrition.
• To ensure a results-oriented nutrition policy development and program implementation by relevant sectors at the Federal and State levels.
• The consultant will support the NCN DU to facilitate the prioritization of designed nutrition interventions in a manner that responds to and surmounts complex underlying systems and processes. The focus will be to align Nutrition outcomes with the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP 2021-2025) and the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) to accelerate Human, Social and Economic Capital development.

Duties and Responsibilities
The Communications Expert Consultant will with the NCN-DU work in close collaboration with the USAID Advancing Nutrition teams and do the following:

• Design and produce creative media content and messaging for the NMPFAN
• Provide brand platforms on radio/TV and brand identity awareness using celebrities/TV and radio drama series
• Describe how the central idea, key messages of the NMPFAN are to be disseminated in the benefitting communities.
• Design and develop a variety of relevant messages on nutrition programming targeting different categories of beneficiaries
• Development of messages for community sensitization and advocacy
• Development of story scripts for radio drama series
• Design and develop messages for billboards, social media, handbills, flyers and all other online content
• Serve as the primary point of contact for NCN-DU to implement its communication and advocacy strategy.
• Support in capacity strengthening needs to implement the communication and advocacy strategy for NCN, SCFN and local governments.
• Capacity strengthening activities utilizing innovative methodologies to strategically disseminate behavioural change processes 
• Support the formation and revitalization of Local Government Committees for Food and Nutrition and distil activities of the SCFN to this level of coordination.
• Total Deliverable Value*

Expected Deliverables and Schedules
The Consultant is responsible for the timely submission of the following deliverables, as part of the SoW:

Communication Strategy:

•  A system of implementing the NMPFAN Communication Strategy that includes media outreach and social media content creation -10 days

Online-Presence:

• A website with links to appropriate social media handles to give visibility to Nutrition activities in country - 20 days

Communication Products:

• Products including press releases, content for website, infographs, blogs, result flyers, newsprint articles, social media posts/articles on Nutrition activities - 16 days

 Report:

• Knowledge management, internal and external communications, and documentation of best practices - 20 days

To be completed by the Contracts Manager.

Reporting and Institutional Arrangements:

• The Consultant shall report all required deliverables and reports shall be submitted to the SPO USAID Advancing Nutrition, Nigeria

Duration of Assignment, Duty Station and Travel:

• The Consultant will be engaged for approximately equivalent of 66 days, unless revised in a mutually agreed timetable by USAID Advancing Nutrition. In which case changes in the duration of the contract will be implemented through the issuance of a contract amendment.
• Duty station: National (Specific to Kebbi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Abuja)
• Travels required: Yes (Within the States of operation.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Competencies
Education:

• Master's or equivalent Post Graduate Degree in Mass Communication or related fields. 

Experience:

• At least ten (10) years of relevant and demonstrable professional experience, either in government, private sector, or academia, in the field of communications and stakeholder management. 
• Experience translating technical health/nutrition/human capital concepts, policies, programs
• Experience in arranging and coordinating press conferences, and planning events. 
• Experience in conducting quality-driven research and policy-level analysis. 
• Experience in preparing high quality policy briefs and guidance notes for use by senior policy makers. 

Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent communication, listening, and facilitation skills
• Ability to design activities to meet stakeholders' areas of improvement
• Ability to work effectively in a highly collaborative team environment
• Strong interpersonal skills, including demonstrated communication and personnel management skills.
• Adaptable, creative, collaborative, and able to think strategically.
• Ability to work under pressure, to tight deadlines, and in demanding and/or austere conditions. 
• Welcomes constructive feedback. 

Consultancy Fees
Fees will be paid based on agreed deliverables for an all-inclusive rate including but not limited to insurance, allowance, overhead, lodging, miscellaneous costs etc. All quotations and costings should be in Naira.

Application Closing Date
5th December, 2022.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their Resume to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.