Consultant (Embedded Capacity Strengthening) at Helen Keller International - 3 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 Capacity Strengthening (Technical and Organizational Support) to the State Committees for Food and Nutrition (SCFN) in Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto states

Locations: Kebbi, Sokoto & Bauchi
Type of Contract: Individual Contractor (IC)
Contract Duration: 90 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 Government of Nigeria is committed to the reduction of hunger and malnutrition in Nigeria and to this end, the National Policy on Food and Nutrition (NPFN) which was first developed in 2001 was reviewed and launched in November 2016.
• In recognition of the multidisciplinary and multisectoral nature of Nutrition, the Government in collaboration with Development Partners commenced the process for the development of a multisectoral strategic plan of action using a multistakeholder participation approach.
• This National Multisectoral Strategic Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition (NMPFAN) was developed in line with the National Policy on Food and Nutrition in collaboration with Development Partners, the Academia and Civil Society Organizations and the Private Sector. 
• This NMPFAN is used by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) across sectors at Federal, State and LGA levels, and other stakeholders to respond to the challenges of nutrition in Nigeria specifically to inform action plans that will direct all interventions, programme, and activities to be implemented to reduce malnutrition and hunger among the vulnerable and generality of Nigerians leading to increased productivity and national development.
• The funded and implemented NMPFAN is expected to contribute significantly towards the elimination of all forms of malnutrition as a public health problem in Nigeria as well the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals target by 2030.
• USAID Advancing Nutrition’s overall purpose is to provide technical support to the Government of Nigeria and other nutrition stakeholders to enhance nutrition programming toward achieving the overall goal of improving nutrition for a healthy, productive, and resilient Nigeria.
• In fiscal year 2021 (FY21), USAID Advancing Nutrition Nigeria conducted capacity assessments (using a validated Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool (OCAT)) in each of its implementing states per workplan activity

Objectives of the Consultancy

• The Embedded Capacity Strengthening Consultant will facilitate, coordinate and in most cases, lead all training and capacity-strengthening activities in response to the SCFN Action Plans.
• This is a short-term, full-time assignment; that will be embedded within the State Committees for Food and Nutrition (SCFN). The NCN had directed that an annual prioritized list actions be derived from the National Multisectoral Strategic Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition to provide accurate budgeting and tracking of nutrition actions.  
• The NCFN has undergone trainings on the development of prioritized plans and budget for inclusion in the medium-term National development plans and the medium-term expenditure framework.
• It is expedient that at the Subnational level the SCFN is also able to prioritize the plans from the domesticated MPFAN and cost such plans for inclusion in the state development plans .

The development of a prioritized list from the Multisectoral Plan of Action at the state will guide in achieving the following objectives:

• Coordinated interventions in line with the Policy and NMPFAN,
• Effective costing and budgeting that ensures accountability
• Systematically measure results with funding,
• Sharing lessons learned with the stakeholders, development community and policymakers.

Duties and Responsibilities

• The Capacity Strengthening Consultant will work in close collaboration with the USAID Advancing Nutrition teams based in the States and do the following:
• Serve as the primary point of contact, and provide regular hands-on support, for SCFN’s capacity strengthening needs to implement the SCFN Action Plans
• Design and lead holistic capacity strengthening activities to create an environment of continuous learning; bring in USAID Advancing Nutrition staff and other technical experts as needed

Illustrative needs may include:

• Training of Trainers (TOT)
• Leadership, management, and governance
• Financial management, analysis and budgeting
• Monitoring, evaluation and reporting
• Knowledge management, internal and external communications, and documentation of best practices
• Support the development of guidelines, SOPs, and job aides for the continued growth in identified areas
• Support the formation and revitalization of Local Government Committees for Food and Nutrition and distil activities of the SCFN to this level of coordination.

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

NPFN and NMPFAN domestication Framework/tool:

• To produce framework/tool for use in domestication of policy and development plans at state level – 10days

Training of Trainers (TOT) on Policy, plan Framework/tool:

• Training on developed framework/tool for facilitation to domesticate policy and develop plan at Focal states – 5days

Domesticated of policy and NPFAN and set targets:

• Workshop to domesticate policy and develop plan; validation and dissemination – 15days

M&E framework:

• Development of guidelines for routine data collection, collation, analysis, and dissemination of data with a reporting template days

Training of Trainers (TOT):

• Training of Facilitators M&E framework – 10days

Leadership, management, and governance:

• Support SCFN to strengthen its activities; Formation and revitalization of Local Government Committees for Food and Nutrition – 25days

Financial management, analysis, and budgeting:

• Capacity Building on Operationalization of M&E Framework; Budget tracking & utilization of funds – 10days

Knowledge management, internal and external communications, and documentation of best practices:

• Support evidence based decision-making and tracking progress through training and use of data – 10days

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 Lead Capacity Consultant and State Coordinator USAID Advancing Nutrition, Nigeria

Duration of Assignment, Duty Station and Travel:

• The Consultant will be engaged for approximately equivalent of 90 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: Based at SCFN in either Kebbi, Sokoto or Bauchi

Required Qualifications, Skills and Competencies
Education:

• Required: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent related experience
• A Master's Degree is highly desirable

 Experience:

• At least six years of experience in capacity strengthening at various levels, including national, state, district, and community levels.
• Organizational development experience is highly desirable.
• Experience in managing training programs for government and civil society organizations, especially at the state level

Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent communication, listening, and facilitation skills, especially in adult learning
• 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.

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.