Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor, Nigeria State2State

Job Description

Position: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor

Place of Performance: Bauch Main Office, Bauchi, Nigeria, with periodic travel to State2State’s partner states and Abuja as the need arises.

Reports to: State2State Citizen Engagement and CSO Director

Application Deadline: May 31, 2023

Background:

The purpose of the five-year (2020-2025) “State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness” (“State2State”) Activity is to increase the accountability, transparency and effectiveness of selected state and local governments (LGAs) in Nigeria. This will be achieved by: strengthening governance systems (with a focus on public financial management [PFM] and procurement, as well as monitoring and evaluation) related to the delivery of services in key sectors (basic education, primary health care, and water, sanitation and hygiene [WASH]); increasing government responsiveness to citizen needs and priorities; and improving government and civil society capacity to manage conflict (through work on prevention, mitigation and reconciliation with the same sectoral partners, not stand-alone assistance to the police or judiciary). State2State will achieve this purpose by facilitating the strengthening of subnational governance systems in a sustainable manner, supporting the efforts of local reformers, and building on locally derived solutions including, to the extent possible, reforms already working in other parts of Nigeria.

Position Objectives:

The GESI Advisor is responsible to ensure the high-quality and timely development, planning and implementation of State2State’s gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) interventions across the State2State’s six partner states. S/he will lead technical approaches and interventions to address issues related to engagement and participation of women, marginalized groups especially youths and persons with disability in reforms in the project, and ensure an inclusive approach and lens to all interventions, across the State2State’s partner states and its two objectives.

The GESI Advisor will provide effective and timely technical supervision, quality assurance, and coaching to all the State2State staff, and in particular the state-level GESI Specialist, GESI Coordinator and other state-level specialists, as may be required.

Responsibilities:

The GESI Advisor will work closely with long-term staff, principally the Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, Citizen Engagement and CSO Director (CECD), Technical Director Public Financial Management (PFM), State Team Leads, GESI Specialist and GESI Coordinator. S/he will also work as a member of the State2State National Advisory Team and will work closely with the CECD and other advisors in conflict, and capacity building. S/he will collaboratively work with them to successfully develop, plan and implement a GESI mainstreaming approach to explore how to expand women’s and other socially marginalized groups’ (especially youths and persons with disability) engagement and participation and lead an analysis of gender and social inclusion dimensions in each of the State2State’s priority governance reforms and service delivery sectors, including measuring reform impacts. S/he will participate in the design of evolving program interventions, in order to ensure that any relevant GESI issues are addressed, and marginalized groups are included in the dialogue with clients. Act as an advocate for marginalized groups’ engagement and participation through frequent dialogue with State2State staff, clients, and stakeholders including government officials and CSOs. In collaboration with the National Advisory team, STLs, GESI Specialist and GESI Coordinator, organize and lead periodic capacity building events such as trainings, dialogues, seminars, etc., on current GESI issues (as appropriate) based on identified needs and available resources. S/he will also ensure effective mainstreaming of GESI into State2State Objectives 1 and 2. S/he will travel to state offices to provide additional technical expertise as required by the evolving needs of each state. S/he will tap the latest approaches in all areas of gender and social inclusion for application in states. S/he will serve as a connector by collecting and sharing capacities and knowledge and linking State2State staff and partners across states as they identify, test, and refine tools, approaches, and innovations.

Other specific responsibilities are:

• Identify and address gaps in GESI capacity of partner states and organizations (including target priority MDAs, partner CSOs, individuals) through range of technical assistance, mentoring and peer learning.
• Provide GESI technical support in engaging STTA consultants and subcontractors engaged by State2State on GESI related activities, and matters/issues and services to State2State.
• Facilitate and participate in periodic onboarding and or catch-up meetings (for updates on their respective consultancies) with STTA Consultants and Sub-contractors engaged by State2State to provide GESI services.
• Review/develop draft GESI interventions’ (including assessment/research/survey, capacity building) materials such as approaches, plan, tools (questionnaires and guides etc.), training agenda, pre- and post-training tests, power point presentations slides, training manuals, etc., in consultation with State2State advisory team and appropriate technical/program team at national and state levels, as may be required.
• Develop/Review GESI interventions’ reports such as capacity building reports, assessment reports, as well as any other survey reports assigned to her/him.
• Provide periodic GESI technical support (in-person and virtual) to GESI Specialist and Coordinator assigned to State2State’s six focal states.
• Develop/review draft GESI intervention concept notes and their budgets (including Terms of Reference (ToR), where applicable) and intervention reports from the GESI Specialists and other specialists, where applicable.
• Support State2State’s MEL team in planning and conducting periodic learning events of State2State interventions, especially on GESI related interventions, for necessary scale-up and /adaptation by other State2State partners and or non-partners for State2State’s priority governance reforms and improved service delivery in the priority sectors.
• Ensure effective and sustainable GESI capacity of partner MDAs and CSOs for implementing reforms
• Strengthen individual and institutional capacity of partners on GESI for State2State’s governance reforms and improved service delivery in priority sectors.
• Carry out any other function(s) as may be assigned by the Line Manager (CECD), Deputy Chief of Party and or Chief of Party.

Reporting:

The GESI Advisor will report to the State2State Citizen Engagement and CSO Director as her/his Primary Supervisor and the Deputy Chief of Party as her/his Secondary Supervisor.

The GESI Advisor will serve as Primary Supervisor to the state GESI Specialist and GESI Coordinator.

Minimum Requirements:

Required Qualifications, Skills and Experiences:

• A relevant degree in social sciences, development studies, or relevant field required. Master’s degree preferable.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Computer literacy in word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software (Microsoft Office).
• Fluency in English, Hausa and/or other local languages is required.

Functional Competencies:

• Experience working for USAID donor funded program(s), or with civil society and government organizations to drive a reform agenda, preferably governance and service delivery in basic education, primary health care and WASH.
• Experience in providing GESI interventions’ services to government officials/MDAs and CSOs to drive a reform agenda, especially in State2State’s governance reforms and priority sectors of basic education, primary health care and WASH
• Demonstrated effective GESI capacity building interventions, including training, mentoring, and coaching skills, networking, interpersonal skills, creative problem solving, conflict, and ethical management skills relating to GESI issues.
• Demonstrable experience in coordinating and managing GESI mainstreaming in governance programs, especially in State2State’s governance reforms and priority sectors of basic education, primary health care and WASH.
• Demonstrable experience in developing/reviewing of quality GESI approaches, plans, tools, GESI interventions, interventions’ concept notes and budgets and interventions’ reports, etc. review of assessment reports and training materials.
• Strong skill set in reporting, monitoring and evaluation of GESI interventions.
• Sound knowledge of current global practices in GESI.
• Experience in working with government officials/MDAs, CSOs, short-term consultants and sub-contractors.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, etc.) and other software that are used in data collection and management.
• Possess both a willingness and an ability to train and be trained.

Core Competencies:

• Ability to produce high quality reports as well as other expected outputs and outcomes in a timely manner while understanding and anticipating the evolving client’s needs.
• Strong organizational and soft skills.
• Ability to work effectively and independently in-person and remotely.
• Excellent written and spoken English, sound judgment, strategic thinking, and the ability to manage competing priorities and people.
• Demonstrates integrity by modelling DAI’s and State2State’s values and ethical standards and fulfils all obligations using gender and social inclusion (GESI) approaches.

Years of Experience:

• At least 10 years of demonstrated experience in the design, planning and implementation of GESI interventions (including mainstreaming of GESI and GESI standalone), especially in governance reforms and service delivery, particularly in basic education, primary health care and WASH.
• At least two (2) years of experience serving in senior program management position, including direct supervision of professional staff.

Note: This is a local hire position only for Nigerian Cooperating Country Nationals (CCNs).

About the Organization

DAI is an international development company. For 40 years, we have worked on the frontlines of international development, tackling fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. Currently, DAI is delivering results that matter in some 80 countries. Our development solutions turn ideas into impact by bringing together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines. Our clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.