Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action – helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant for Effective Service Delivery and Civic Engagement

RFQ: 002
Locations: Yola – Adamawa, Taraba (Northern Region)
Employment Type: Contract
Program Title: Contributing to the Mitigation of Conflict Over Natural Resources Between Farmer and Herder Communities in Taraba and Adamawa State, Nigeria (COMITAS)
Consultancy Title: Build Local Authorities’ Service Delivery and Resource Management Capacity (Effective Service Delivery and Civic Engagement).

Background

• Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on humanitarian assistance, economic recovery and development, and conflict mitigation and peacebuilding. Considering the protracted conflicts between farmer and herder communities in Adamawa State, Nigeria, competing claims to land, water and other natural resources are at the root of these growing tensions.
• Indeed, pressure on natural resources have increased due to demographic growth, expanding human settlements, privatization of land, year-round farming practices, environmental degradation, and climate change. In many instances, traditional conflict resolution mechanisms that play significant roles in mitigating these resource-based conflicts locally have become overwhelmed.
• Besides, low levels of trust in authorities by communities due to widespread inaction, impunity and perceived biases or reactive responses by government to shared natural resource conflicts complicate the tensions further.
• Through funding from the EU, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Search for Common Ground (Search), and Mercy Corps have designed a comprehensive and integrated approach (COMITAS) that builds on the comparative strengths of each organization to contribute to the mitigation of conflicts over natural resources between farmer and herder communities.
• This program is developed around 4 interconnected objectives: strengthen traditional conflict resolution; improve trust in authorities; enhance collaboration on natural resource management and; improve intra and inter communal perceptions.
• Mercy Corps is leading the implementation of objective 3, which focuses on enhancing collaboration on natural resource management. A critical part of this objective is the establishment of Natural Resource Management Committees (NRMCs) to facilitate localized actions for negotiating and mitigating local conflicts related to shared natural resource access, use and control, address other root causes of natural resource conflicts, and implement concrete solution actions to ensure long-term peace between farmer and herder communities.
• Also, Mercy Corps will build the capacity of local government authorities in natural resource management (NRM) to facilitate their collaboration with communities towards sustaining concrete natural resource initiatives that communities will develop.
• The collaborations that the program is enabling between communities and authorities will improve communities trust and confidence in government, promote collaborative NRM and governance, enhance livelihoods, and improve social cohesion and conflict management between farmer and herder communities.

This activity that Mercy Corps is conducting for government officials seek to:

• Strengthen the capacity of local authorities in Effective Service delivery, NRM, and interest-based negotiation.
• Facilitate shared learning on service delivery, sustainable practices and/or strategies for promoting trust-building between communities and authorities on NRM and governance and resource-based problem-solving.
• Promote opportunities for good governance and citizen-centered service delivery.

Objectives of the Consultancy

• For this activity, Mercy Corps identifies the relevance of ensuring that local authorities acquire critical knowledge and skills required for sustaining NRM initiatives and resource-based conflict management. Hence, the organization is looking for a skilled Facilitator with demonstrated experience in Governance, advocacy, Effective Service Delivery, Strategic planning, resource-based conflict sensitivity programming.
• The Facilitator should possess requisite experience in providing capacity building training to government leaders and mid-level government officials in the stated area.
• S/He will provide training to government officials from the COMITAS program LGAs in Taraba and Adamawa State to enable them to recognize their roles in providing good governance, natural resource governance, planning and management, as a pathway for improving social services, social cohesion between farmer and herder communities.
• The Consultant will lead the development of training modules and deliver training on natural resource planning to representatives of government authorities in Adamawa state, where the capacity building training will hold.

Strategic Deliverables:

• Consultant will consult and coordinate with Mercy Corps’ COMITAS team to strengthen understanding on the overall goal of the COMITAS program and the specific objectives of the training.
• Develop an Effective service Delivery, strategic planning training manual for the workshop to address the specific objectives of the training.
• Deliver 4 day-each (three tranches) capacity building training s on Effective service Delivery, civic Engagement training.
• Prepare a report detailing the components of the training delivered.
• Support participants to develop action plans, showing how local authorities will effectively deliver services and strategically plan in their various ministries.

Proposed Modules for Training
Thematic areas:

• An overview of MDAs, Local Goverment and Service Delivery in Nigeria
• Nature & Evolution of MDAs and Local Government systems in Nigeria
• Understanding Governance and Public Service delivery
• Roles and Responsiilities of stakeholders in Effective service Delivery.
• Challenges to Effective service Delivery
• Service Delivery Reform
• Social Services, capacity Building and Leadership Development
• Strategic planning for effective and citizen- centered service delivery
• Equitable civic Participation and voice
• Effective service delivery and government responsibilities

Framework
Module One:
Demand Side:

• Session 1: Human Rights and Rule of Law
• Session 2: Citizen And Residents Participation in Development Processes.
• Session 3: Service Delivery Standards and Expectations
• Session 4: Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation

Module Two:
Supply Side:

• Session 1: Citizen And Residents Participation in Development Processes.
• Session 2: Power And Empowerment
• Session 3: Introduction Of Advocacy and Lobbying.
• Session 4: Improving Service Delivery in Adamawa And Taraba and The Development Of Score Card.

Module 3:
Development Of Score Cards:

• Session 1: Accountability Tools.
• Session 2: Partnership for Service Delivery
• Session 3; Action planning (where to start)

Total Level of Effort:

• 15 days

Reporting:

• The Consultant will report to Mercy Corps’ COMITAS Program Manager. However, s/he will be required to work closely with the Conflict and Governance Specialist.

Mercy Corps, Responsibilities

• Mercy Corps will make provision for all need as it relates to, refreshment during training days, accommodation and logistics for the consultant however per diems will be paid during weekends and training off days.
• Consultancy fees do not cover weekends or training free days in between batches.
• Mercy Corps will provide a list of participants, project target information for NE and other relevant project documents.
• Mercy Corps will provide oversight support and initiatives as required.

Timeframe / Schedule

• Estimated Commencement Date: 20th November 2023.
• Estimated End Date: 8 December 2023.

Total Level of Effort:

• 15 days

Status updates/reporting:

• The Activity report will be sent to the MC team within 5 days of completion of the 3 batch of Training, however each batch will have its report.
• The consultant will conduct his/her work using his/her own computer equipment.
• Other miscellaneous costs directly related to the task will be supported with any cost needing prior approval from MC.
• Payments will be made after completion of each of all the Batches and upon submission of Activity report.

Reporting

• Reporting will be directly to Mercy Corps’ COMITAS Program Manager.

Ethics, Standard & Quality Control
The selected training institute/ consulting firm should comply the following ethics & standards to ensure the quality control of the study visits programs:

• Study, rationalize & finalize the draft course module before starting the training programs.
• Engagement of experts on different fields for training programs must have minimum bachelor’s degree and in selection process considering degree or above with at least 5 (five) years practical experiences with comprehensive intellectual and professional knowledge and be a trainer on related fields.
• Acquainted with different content, situation, and problems.
• Acquainted with various law and policies of Nigeria and in-depth understanding of the water sector, natural resource management and its implications on policy that affects farmer and herder relations.
• Have ability to conduct training independently.
• Selection of supporting institutes with all necessary resources/ supporting facilities to be done.
• Selection of venues/spots with practical demonstrations to be done.
• Design and develop training manuals with the highest standards and user-friendly language.
• Interpretation in Hausa language during workshop and field visit
• Provision of training materials with the best standard.
• Establishing a certification system.

Required Experience & Skills
The ideal Consultant will possess the following experience and skills:

• 10+ years of experience in designing and facilitating trainings for INGOs, utilizing participatory learning methodologies.
• Demonstrated expertise in Governance, conflict management and peacebuilding.
• Profound knowledge of farmer and herder conflicts within the context of Adamawa State (knowledge of program locations will be a value added).
• Fluency in Hause is required.

Application Closing Date
10th November, 2023.