Catholic Relief Services (CRS) A non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 99 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality. CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs, therefore, strengthening and building the capacity of these partner organizations is fundamental to programs in every country in which CRS operates. 

POSITION : Sustainability and Capacity Strengthening Specialist

Background
Initiated in September 2014, The Comprehensive, Coordinated Care for Children Project (4Children) is a five  year USAID funded consortium of organizations led by Catholic Relief Services with partners IntraHealth, Maestral, Pact, Plan and Westat. 4Children designed to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for OVC affected by HIV and AIDS and other adversities. 4Children draws on global evidence, which illustrates that HIV and other adversities are best prevented and addressed when families and children have access to both high quality health and social welfare services. 4Children helps countries to identify practical and appropriate policies, programs and services that reduce the risk of HIV and maltreatment and promote child well-being. It promotes approaches that address the unique needs of each child and family, including strengthening front line social service workforce and case management systems.

The United States Government (USG) has made a significant investment in the prevention and response to HIV and AIDS in Nigeria over the past decade. In fiscal year 2015, more than 800,000 children benefitted from PEPFAR-supported services. Currently, PEPFAR-funded OVC programming is occurring across the country in approximately 180 local government areas (LGAs).

Under PEPFAR 3.0, approaches will focus on the highest impact interventions in key geographic areas where data demonstrate the highest prevalence of HIV. In Nigeria, this has resulted in the identification of 32 LGAs where facilities report the highest prevalence of HIV. These LGAs, also referred to as “scale up” LGAs, will be the focus of intense PEPFAR-funded interventions aimed at significantly decreasing the rate of new HIV infections and successfully treating existing cases and controlling the spread of the disease. Future interventions will have an increased focus on linking OVC and their caregivers to HIV testing and counseling (HTC) and treatment and outreach to adolescent girls to prevent new HIV infections. Through this new focus, it is anticipated that 300,000 OVC will be graduation or transitioned from current programming by end of fiscal year (FY) 2016 and an additional 600,000 OVC by end FY 2017.

To achieve these targets, 4Children will implement a two year project focused on the provision of technical assistance to PEPFAR OVC Implementing Partners, Government of Nigeria entities and Networks to graduate and transition OVC households and children from care and support. To support these efforts, the project will strengthen programming around sustainability planning, case management and referral of OVC and vulnerable households to health facilities, household economic strengthening activities parenting, and youth/adolescent girl programming, as well as supporting the development of a HIV-sensitive social service system.

 Summary

• The Sustainability and Capacity Strengthening Specialist will work as part of a team led by the 4Children Sustainability Director to support PEPFAR OVC IPs as they strengthen the capacity of government and civil society organizations (CSOs) partners to lead, coordinate, and sustain the OVC response in Nigeria.
• More specifically, the Sustainability and Capacity Strengthening Specialist will be based in one of three zonal offices. S/he will provide technical assistance (TA) to IPs in organizational development and private sector engagement.
• The position will focus on (1) support the development of novel funding mechanisms; (2) strengthening key business functions and processes that enhance organizational sustainability of OVC-serving CSOs and networks; (3) work in collaboration with IP and 4Children staff and technical advisors to ensure systems and processes are in place at the CSO and network levels to facilitate the graduation/transition of OVC and their households, including appropriate case file management; (4) support planning, monitoring reporting and learning around sustainability, graduation and transition.

Specific Responsibilities
Develop novel funding mechanisms:

• Assist the States, LGAs, CSOs and networks to identify and develop alternative funding sources to sustain, complement and expand the coverage of the OVC services.
• Collaborate with IPs to conduct private sector mapping
• Collaborate with the lead IP, Zonal Coordinator, OVC-serving network, government and the private sector to developed a State-level pooled fund to support vulnerable children
• Support the lead IP, State, network and private sector to put in place a governance structure and accountability mechanisms to ensure transparent management of the pooled fund
• Support IPs to work with CSOs to strengthen their business development skills and marketing
• Support IPs to work with CSOs to diversify funding through social enterprises/cross subsidies; strengthen CSO financial systems and management procedures
• Support IPs to work with CSOs to increase community engagement and mobilization to address the needs of OVC through by increasing transparency and accountability
• Support IPs to work with CSOs to develop a value proposition and conduct value-for-money calculations
• Identify opportunities for linkages with other USG-funded and donors supported projects and organizations to support 4Children Nigeria project objectives.
• Generate novel approaches for fund generation from all sectors of society

Strengthen Business Processes and Systems:

• Provide strategic leadership in the contextualization of standardized approaches to sustainability planning with a focus on strengthening OVC-serving CSOs and networks
• Collaborate with 4Children technical staff and IPs to identify ways to incorporate sustainability planning, graduation/transition into on-going project activities such as social service and health system strengthening, case management and household economic strengthening.
• Identify any gaps in understanding or application, by IP and CSO/network staff, of key sustainability related terms or principles, and address them through dialogue, provision of tools, etc.
• Support IPs to conduct/update CSOs capacity assessments and capacity strengthening plans to align with sustainability plans; ensure that findings for any additional capacity assessments in the areas of sustainability, linkages, household economic strengthening, planning, quality improvement, knowledge management and learning are incorporated into capacity strengthening plans.
• Support IPs to develop capacity strengthening approaches to address the needs of partner CSOs/networks based on assessed; approaches will include a mix of mentoring, on-the-job training, exchanged visits and limited targeted, outcome-focused training.
• Collaborate with 4 Children staff and technical advisors to develop/identify guidance, training and other resources to support IP CSO capacity strengthening efforts
• Support IPs to develop tools to track and monitor improvement plans
• Support IPs as they work with CSOs and networks to put in place the staffing, systems and structures to support high quality service delivery that supports graduation or transition of OVC and their households
• Conduct training needs assessment to identify a limited number of targeted, evidence-informed training.
• Contribute to the development of standardized SOPs that describe the process CSOs will undertake to graduate or transition OVC and household from the program, including case file management.
• As needed, facilitate zonal-level trainings in collaboration with 4Children and IP staff in areas of expertise

Planning, Monitoring, Reporting & Learning:

• Participate in annual sustainability planning workshop
• Co-facilitate with 4Children zonal colleagues an annually sustainability planning/monitoring workshop with OVC stakeholders in order to take stock of progress made toward the transition of the OVC program and plan for the following year.
• Prepare and submit monthly and quarterly progress reports on the transition activities to the 4Children national office for review and submission to USAID or CDC.
• Support IPs to implement, monitor and review sustainability plans as needed, and report on progress made in plan implementation.
• Conduct joint monitoring trips with IPs to monitor progress of CSO/network capacity strengthening plans; provide support supervisions as needed.
• Monitor the development of pooled fund mechanism.
• Liaise with OVC IPs to gather lessons learned and case studies around sustainability planning, graduation and transition from similar programs and share this information to inform 4Children Nigeria’s approach to sustainability planning.
• Facilitate exchanges among IPs/CSOs within zones to encourage uptake of promising practices
• Conduct regular monitoring of activities to ensure appropriate approaches to capacity strengthening are used.
• Ensure project planning, reporting, budgeting and financial management pertaining to the sustainability components of the zone completed in a timely manner.
• Liaise with 4Children Nigeria Knowledge Management Advisor to transfer strategy documents, tools, case studies and other relevant IP resources to the States, including the LGAs, Networks and CSOs.
• Remain current on agency guidelines, learning initiatives and policies related to capacity strengthening

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.
• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

Additional Competencies:

• These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each Technical Advisor to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.
• Sets clear goals and manages toward them
• Collaborates effectively with staff and stakeholders
• Manages financial resources with integrity
• Applies program quality standards to project design and organizational learning

MEAL Competencies:

• These are rooted in CRS MEAL Policies and Procedures and used by each program staff to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.
• Evaluation: Supporting project and program evaluations and reviews by ensuring the quality of evaluation methods, tools, and data and facilitating the use of evaluation results to inform decision-making and enhance learning.
• Learning: Promoting excellent knowledge management and collaborative learning processes at the project, program and institutional levels, generating robust evidence for project and programmatic learning that leads to action.
• Analysis and Critical Thinking: Engaging with data, challenging biases and assumptions, posing thoughtful questions, pursuing deeper understanding of evidence through reflection and perspective-taking, and making informed programming decisions.

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Sustainability Director, Senior Zonal Coordinator, Zonal Coordinators, 4Children Technical Advisors for Case Management and Household Economic Strengthening, Organizational Capacity Strengthening Technical Advisor, Government System Strengthening Technical Advisor, Advocacy Technical Advisor and other; CRS Nigeria Programming, Finance, Procurement, and HR/Administration, Department of Program Impact and Quality Assurance Technical Advisors in Capacity Strengthening.
• External: PEPFAR OVC IPs, OVC-serving CSOs and networks, private sector actors, relevant State-level TWGs, select State-level Ministries/bodies e.g., Planning, SMWASD, SACA, and UNICEF.

Personal/Professional Skills:

• Excellent project management skills with the demonstrated ability to successfully lead, manage and coordinate partners to meet and report on project objectives in a timely manner.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills as well as good judgment and vision.
• Sound coordination skills and a demonstrated ability to multi-task.
• Diplomatic, flexible and resourceful.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated experience working successfully in cross-disciplinary teams and facilitating team efforts in the workplace, as well as working independently.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, representation and networking skills.
•  Strong capacity to facilitate collaboration between partners (government, CSO, private sector, NGOs, interiaotnal organizations) and different departments (programs, finance, etc.).
• Strong leadership, advisory, mentoring and negotiation skills.
• Business oriented with entrepreneurial spirit.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Organizational Development, Psychology or Public Administration or concomitant professional experience.
• At least 5 years of experience in progressively increasing responsibility in the design and management of complex, large scale capacity strengthening programs in developing countries.
• Expertise in institution/organization strengthening methodologies, including tool development;  organizational capacity assessment; development, implementation and monitoring of improvement plans; developing and/or improving business processes, policies and procedures to support sustainability and transition to local ownership.
• Demonstrated business development skills and ability to structure funds to leverage private sector resources for social investments.
• Demonstrated experience in project management, within the private sector or international organizations, including: partnership, strategy development, accountability mechanisms, human resources management, project monitoring and evaluation, preparation and analysis of work plans and budgets.
• Professional training and experience with adult learning methods; developing training materials; training and facilitation.
• Strong understanding of the OVC National Plan of Action and OVC care and support programming preferred.
• Experience in social enterprise development and management highly desirable.
• Excellent understanding of USG rules and regulations pertaining to award management.
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Travel:

• The Sustainability and Capacity Strengthening Specialist will be expected to travel within Nigeria.

How to Apply
Candidates should download the Application Form and send with a detailed 3-page resume in a single file word document to:NG_HR@global.crs.org