Senior RMNCH / Gender Equality (GE) Advisor at Cowater International / FSSP-Nigeria

Cowater International provides program field support services for Global Affairs Canada in Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior RMNCH / Gender Equality (GE) Advisor

Location: Abuja (FCT)
Employment Type: Full-time

Background

• The Federal Ministry of Health in 2023, signed a Health COMPACT Agreement with States and development partners to strengthen the implementation of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Initiative (NHSRI), which references the Revised National Strategic Health Development Plan II. In its early implementation, the NHSRI has prioritised the establishment of key TWGs - RMNCH; Monitoring and Evaluation; Health financing; and States Advisory Group. In line with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) requires the services of a senior RMNCH/Gender Equality (GE) Advisor to provide expert analysis and advice to the RMNCH TWG.

Description of Activities

• The advisor will provide technical services and advice to the RMNCH TWG in the areas of sub-sector performance and trend analysis, sector-based opportunity and constraint assessment, policy analysis, strategic planning, programme and project feasibility assessment, institutional capacity analysis at the federal and state levels, programme and project planning, implementation facilitation, assessing results and analyzing lessons learned.
• The technical advisor will explicitly and systematically guide the TWG for the integration of women’s and girl’s empowerment as well as considerations related to reducing gender equality gaps and eliminating barriers linked to gender equality, vulnerability and inclusion, into all aspects of governments implementation of the NHSRI.
• The following provides a range of potential activities. The planning and timelines for these activities will be validated through a regularly updated work plan.

Strategic Research, Analysis and Advice:

• Provide technical RMNCH support and advice in support of the design and development of RMNCH programming and investments.
• Advise and update The TWG on the latest development progress, trends and priority challenges related to RMNCH with emphasis on the role of Gender Equality.
• Review, analyse and provide technical comments and recommendations as needed.
• Review, analyse and provide technical comments and recommendations on reports, strategies and other documents relating to Government of Nigeria (GoN) health sector at federal and state level.
• Provide, as needed, summaries, analytical papers, think pieces, recommendations and/or technical briefs on RMNCH and GE, relating to the areas of social norms, family planning, health system strengthening and identifying best practices to increasing adolescent uptake of SRHR services and commodities.
• Advise the TWG on the extent to which RMNCH interventions are i) aligned with government policy and sector priorities, such as the Revised National Strategic Health Development Plan II; and, ii) are coordinated with federal and state government policy and sector priorities as well as the activities of other development partners, including civil society.
• Identify opportunities for synergies among GACs investments across different delivery channels (bilateral, partnership, regional and multilateral) in Nigeria.

Support for External Coordination and Engagement:

• Participate in, and/or provide technical support at key meetings for RMNCH.
• Participate in and provide technical support to joint initiatives with other development partners and stakeholders (e.g. reviews, joint field visits, joint monitoring and evaluation exercises, multi-stakeholder consultations or events), as requested.
• Help ensure accountability for results with development activities in the RMNCAH sector.
• Attend meetings or events and represent GAC’s interests upon request and report back.

Schedule of Activities:

• This assignment is expected to start in May 2024, with an estimated level of work of approximately 50 days averaging 2-3 days per week over a period of 6 months at the initial phase, and possibly thereafter, subject to review. The work also demands that the successful candidate is based in Abuja.

Essential Qualifications / Experience

• Candidates for this role are required to demonstrate how their combination of education, training and work experience is suited to this assignment and fully meet the following requirements:

Education:

• Postgraduate Degree from an accredited, recognized institution in a relevant discipline such as Public Health, Global Health, Gender Equality, Women's Health, Sociology, International Development, or another related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience working on international development projects focussing on RMNCH, as well as on gender equality, sexual, reproductive health and rights (SRH), health system strengthening, and reducing the burden of key diseases and harmful practices affecting women and children.
• Demonstrated experience of 5 years or more providing advice, including drafting briefing notes, sectoral analyses, and monitoring and assessment reports for senior decision-makers in government, donor agencies, or civil society organizations or private sector. Samples of work to be supplied upon request.
• Demonstrated experience in performing monitoring and/or external evaluation.
• Prior experience with government approaches to RMNCH and SRHR, GE, health system strengthening, reducing the burden of key diseases.
• Significant experience in the following thematic/sectoral subject matters: Public Health, RMNCH, particularly SRHR, health equity/social determinants of health (especially gender), and health system strengthening (particularly health financing and human resources for health).

Knowledge:

• Nigeria’s health system at federal, state and local government level including knowledge of Nigeria’s health strategies, plans and flagship programs.
• Results-based management (RBM) including the function of the logic model (LM) and performance measurement frameworks (PMF), and theories of change.
• Development implementation issues and challenges to achieving project results.
• Social/gender norms and behavior change in the context of health interventions.
• Knowledge and application of epidemiology and public health.
• Knowledge and understanding of the global health context including international health architecture.
• Knowledge of global partnerships for health and roles of multilateral organizations.
• Knowledge and application of the wider determinants of health, particularly gender.

Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrated skill in time management and delivery of finalised reports/deliverables by deadline.

Application Closing Date
23rd May, 2024.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Application Letter and CV in a single file to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.

Note: Applicants must meet the minimum education and experience requirements to be shortlisted.