State Citizen Engagement & Capacity Building Specialist

Title: State Citizen Engagement & Capacity Building Specialist

Role Location: Sokoto & Kebbi (to be based in Sokoto)

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 states 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]); and increasing government responsiveness to citizen needs and priorities. 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 State Citizen Engagement & Capacity Building Specialist will support the planning and implementation of the State2State Objective 2’s interventions including advocacy, forums, oversight, engagement, and capacity building and ensure the advocacy and or oversight of interventions in Sokoto and Kebbi States. S/he will also address gaps in capacity of priority partner ministries, departments & agencies (MDAs) and civil society organizations(CSOs), through range of technical assistance, mentoring and peer learning, ensuring sustainable capacity for implementing reforms in each of the states.

Responsibilities:

The State Citizen Engagement/Capacity Building Specialists will work under the technical guidance of the State2State Citizen Engagement and CSO Director, with necessary support from the Citizen Engagement and Capacity Building Advisor, the State2State Advisory team at the Abuja Main Office (AMO) and the State2State State Team Leads (STLs) of Sokoto and Kebbi, and partner organizations in the two partner states to ensure effective design, planning, implementation and reporting of all the State2State objective 2’s and capacity building’s interventions in each of the two states. S/he will contribute to the development and implementation of the annual work plan and preparation of periodic program reports.S/he will facilitate, coordinate, monitor, track, and report on the engagement of citizens in all components of State2State’s governance/ public financial management and core activities of priority sectors (basic education, primary health care and WASH); strengthen individual and institutional capacities of priority MDAs and citizens/CSOs for good governance reforms, ensuring sustainable skills’ building and knowledge application. S/he will also support the state government and respective Steering Committees and Technical Working Groups (TWGs) in the implementation of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) initiative in the two states. S/he will carry out any other function(s) as may be assigned by her/his supervisors, Deputy Chief of Party and Chief of Party.

Reporting: The State Citizen Engagement & Capacity Building Specialist will report to the State2State Citizen Engagement & CSO Director primarily, and the State Team Leads (Sokoto and Kebbi) secondarily.

Minimum Requirements:

• A relevant degree or HND in social sciences, development studies, etc. Master’s degree preferable.
• At least eight (8) years of demonstrated work experience. Experience in successful implementation of international development activities, with preference given to governance activities under a USG instrument, building the technical and organizational capacity of CSOs in areas of advocacy planning and engagement of government and stakeholders is required.
• Stated experience in working for or with civil society to drive a reform agenda.
• Stated experience in community mobilization and civic engagement.
• Stated experience using facilitative, participatory approaches to organizational and technical capacity development.
• Demonstrated effective training, capacity building and coaching skills, networking, interpersonal skills, creative problem solving, conflict, and ethical management skills.
• 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.
• Previous experience of familiarity and working in activity/program’s priority sectors in the state will be an added advantage.