New Openings at Save the Children for Consultants

Save the Children is the world's leading independent organisation for children. We work in 120 countries. We save children's lives; we fight for their rights; we help them fulfill their potential. We work together, with our partners, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. We are recruiting to fill the position below: Job Title: Consultant - Process Evaluation and Baseline Study for the Stop Diarrhoea Initiative Project Location: Lagos Job Type: Part-time The Stop Diarrhoea Initiative (SDI)

Through the Stop Diarrhoea Initiative (SDI), Save the Children in partnership with the Lagos State Government and Reckitt Benckiser (RB), aim to fully implement the WHO/UNICEF 7-point plan as a Signature Programme in Shomolu Local Government Area (LGA).
This four year programme will contribute to Save the Children and RB’s global ambition of removing diarrhoea as a top five leading cause of death amongst children by 2020. In line with Save the Children’s theory of change, the programme will: test the effectiveness and efficacy of the WHO/UNICEF 7-point plan; collate evidence to demonstrate proof of concept and value for money and advocate the Lagos State and Federal Government of Nigeria, and its partners, to replicate and scale up the approach nationally.
The Stop Diarrhoea Initiative (SDI) focuses on the treatment and prevention of diarrhoea in the targeted communities. The aim is to contribute to at least 50% reduction in the prevalence of diarrhoea. The core programme elements include child health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), advocacy, community capacity building/participation, service delivery and partnership.

Purpose of the Study

The overall purpose of the process evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of selected SDI interventions and document the evidence on the process: (what is working / not working and explore the reasons why; assess whether the interventions have been implemented as design intended; the extent of uptake; challenges; lessons; whether they have achieved their intended outcomes;), and assess the level of participation of community members and children.
In addition, the process evaluation will be used to validate the impact so far, with specific focus on the results that have been achieved in the implementation to provide a transparent basis for accountability for results, decision making, learning and for drawing lessons and for improvement on future programming.

Specific Objectives The process evaluation seeks to address the following issues and provide specific, actionable and practical recommendations for programme improvement:

Determine the effectiveness of selected SDI interventions that form part of the SBC strategy (School Health Clubs, Community Action Cycle and Photo Voice)
Assess the effectiveness of the school health clubs focusing on: the functionality of the clubs according to training guidelines; effective facilitation by teachers; and meaningful participation of children as change agents for social and behaviour change around health and hygiene at school, home and in the community;
Assess the effective uptake of the Speaking Book in school health clubs, including creating a baseline for schools yet to receive the book and setting up periodic monitoring opportunities and tools to gauge changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices of children exposed to the speaking book and their capacity built for improved health outcomes at school, home and in the community
Assess the effectiveness of community action cycle approach on the capacity of the community to organize themselves to identify, prioritize and develop local solutions to community issues, plan, implement and evaluate their progress in a gender sensitive and empowering way for improved health and social outcomes, reaching the most marginalised;
Assess the effectiveness of Photo Voice on children’s capacity as change agents to use the approach as a means of raising their voice on issues of concern to them to influence policy making and policy implementation.
To document evidence on successes, challenges, and lessons learnt and actionable recommendations for improved programming for SDI on selected intervention.
Assess the level of effective participation of community members and children in selected interventions and gather stories of most significant change for selected interventions;
To review current monitoring tools and plans for selected SDI interventions and assess their effectiveness in gathering periodic data which can be used to document changes in behaviours and practices, as well as monitor improvements in the effectiveness of selected approaches.
Modify and/or create new tools to improve programme monitoring, including participatory monitoring tools that can be institutionalised (used by existing structures) to enhance sustainability.

Methodology

The successful consultant will be expected to develop a detailed study methodology, data collection tools, budget and workplan to undertake the research study.
The research consultant must be skilled and prepared to work with children. Efforts should be made to ensure that terminology and language used facilitates the integration of children into the discussions of sophisticated topics and debates.
Child safeguarding and Ethical considerations regarding data collection, storage and analysis, including confidentiality must be clearly highlighted in the methodology.
As required, the study protocol and instruments will be subject to review and approval prior to the study’s initiation.

Scope of Work

The scope of the research study will focus on the Process evaluation questions on programme effectiveness. These include what is working and not working, what are the successes achieved so far, what are the challenges encountered, what recommendations should be incorporated into the implementation for the next two years, which mechanisms within the interventions triggered changes and are these changes being maintained, what are the conducive conditions for the intervention to work, what is the level of child participation in Schools Health Committees and wider community members for CAC and to gather stories of most significant change.
The work will also include a baseline for school health clubs focusing on their existence, functionality and activities to involve children as change agents; a baseline for speaking book; a baseline for community Action Learning Cycle; a baseline for photo voice; and a review of current monitoring tools for selected interventions with suggested modifications/new tools that will facilitate participatory monitoring for the process evaluation embedded into existing structures.

The process and tasks within this work will be the following:

Collaborate with SCUK Advisors and SDI project team to define the scope of the research study
Preparation for field work, including the production of a topic guide and tools for data collection
Preparation of logistics for field work
Carry out fieldwork in x wards in Somolu over a xx period, carrying out xx FGDs, xx KIIs etc (detailing duration and scope). Final details will be agreed on.
Preliminary analysis in the field at the end of data collection presented to key stakeholders for their input
Full data analysis and a sub-set produced which will be used for benchmarking
Produce a substantive report
Carry out preliminary preparation of the research proposal for Nigiera, including a review of background literature and key project documents;
Produce a brief inception report which will be used to input into a more detailed research proposal
Full literature and background review and detailed methodology for the research design
Produce a one page advocacy summary of the results which will be shared with MoH
Represent the project and its findings as appropriate and agreed throughout this process

Key Deliverables for the Consultancy

Tools for Baseline, Process Evaluation, and participatory monitoring
Inception report
Substantive report including a presentation of data collected and an in-depth analysis as well as ramifications of the data for programming
Power Point summary of key actionable recommendations

Educational Background, Skills and Competencies

At least M.Sc Degree in Statistics, Sociology, Demography, Psychology or any other related Social Science. A Ph.D. holder in any of the above subject will be an added advantage and preferred;
Experience in quantitative and contemporary statistical packages, as well as in systematically analysing qualitative data;
Experience in conducting high quality quantitative and qualitative research in communities in Nigeria;
Child safeguarding and Ethical considerations regarding data collection, including confidentiality must be clearly highlighted in the methodology.
At least 5 to 10 years field experience in work related to survey or operational research;
Demonstrable and practice ability indicating good experience in household survey through previous work in rural communities, in particular participative data collection work directly with children;
Planning should take into consideration Ethical Checking Requirements in country.

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply Application Deadline: 25th August, 2017.

View all Jobs in Nigeria

Lagos State

Lagos State job vacancies in Nigeria