National Local Governance Advisor (1), State Local Governance Coordinators (LGC) (3) at Mobilizing for the Millennium Development Goals (M4M)

Vacancies: National Local Governance Advisor (1), State Local Governance Coordinators (LGC) (3)

Mobilizing for the Millennium Development Goal (M4M) – Programme Vacancies

Mobilizing for the Millennium Development Goals (M4M) is a new DFID-supported programme that aims to support local governance for improved service delivery in the areas of health, Education, Water and Sanitation and improved livelihoods. It will also leverage Nigeria’s MDG Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) to scale up technical and capacity support for local government authorities (LGAs) and local-level civil society and community-based organizations (CSOs and CBOs) and stakeholders. M4M is especially interested in working to support innovative and increased access to services for socially excluded groups, and will cover both demand and supply-side governance reform. M4M will work initially in three states – Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa States where it will work in three local governments each. After an initial set of assessments, the programme, with its head office in Kano, now wishes to hire a number of Local Governance roles to support this:

Position: National Local Governance Advisor (one post) based in Kano:

Requirements:

• Reporting to the National Team Leader, this role will work across both the ‘demand’ and ‘supply’ sides, providing “thought leadership” on Local Governance – building collective action around local issues.
• The post holder will have a good grasp of civil society, advocacy, and community development – especially around tackling social exclusion and gender inequality.
• The candidates will demonstrate capacity to use a range of tools, methodologies and approaches to support the development of contextually relevant and effective mechanisms at local level to improve organization, engagement and dialogue between citizens, policy makers and service providers.
• Applicants should have a minimum of a first degree in a relevant discipline, with at least 10 years post-graduation experience and demonstrate a sound understanding of local governance, including practical skills and experience across PRA techniques, community strengthening, capacity building as well as research and monitoring and evaluation.
• The successful applicant will also have strong interpersonal, communications and presentation skills, with experience of governance and work in Northern Nigeria.
• This role will be Kano based and requires frequent travel to the focal states.
• Candidates should be able to communicate in/willing to team Hausa.

Position: State Local Governance Coordinators (LGC) Three (3) – one based in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa states respectively:

Requirements:

• Reporting to the State Programme Manager (and based out of the each State office), each LGC will provide the key interface and support for the programme at local level Working across the three Local Governments, the role will assist in strengthening communities and excluded groups to engage with service providers and policy makers, while supporting local policy makers and service providers to enhance their capacity to deliver services effectively as well as engaging with other initiatives – such as the government’s Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS).
• The LGC will also support and mentor Community Development and Outreach Officers based in each local government area.
• The successful applicants will be educated to degree level in a relevant discipline and have at least five years post-graduation experience.
• S/he will demonstrate sound understanding of local governance.
• The candidate will have a strong grasp of participatory processes, research and data gathering competencies, a good understanding of inequality and social exclusion as well as ability to contribute to monitoring and evaluation.
• Based in the respective state offices of M4M in Kano, Kaduna, and Dutse, these roles will travel frequently.
• Candidates must be able to communicate fluently in Hausa.

Method of Application:

Applications (stating dearly the position applied for) MUST consist of a cover letter, a two-page capability statement (addressing the criteria set out above) and an up-to-date CV. Applications should be addressed to the Team Leader, M4M and submitted via to: vacanciesinm4m@gmail.com applications not meeting these criteria will not be considered.

The closing date for applications is Friday 1^st February 2013. Only shortlisted candidates will be communicated with. Interviews will be conducted in the week beginning 4^th and 11^th February with successful candidates assuming their roles as soon as possible thereafter. Given its focus on excluded groups applications from women and people living with disabilities are especially encouraged.