Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Weze

Scope of Work – MIGEPROF/NECDP Embedded Advisor

1. About CNFA

Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in designing sustainable, market-led agricultural, agribusiness, and livestock initiatives. CNFA builds strong local and global partnerships, incorporates innovative approaches in its programs, and fosters inclusive development to offer enhanced opportunities to underserved groups. Since 1985, CNFA has managed more than $600 million in donor-funded agriculture development programs, and has worked in 44 countries across the world in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latina America, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia.

2. About Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Weze Activity

USAID Hinga Weze Activity is a five-year (June 22, 2017 – June 21, 2022) project funded by USAID and Feed the Future and implemented by a consortium composed of CNFA, Rwanda Development Organization (RDO) and the Imbaraga Farmers’ Organization. Over the five years, the $32.6 million project aims to sustainably increase the income of at least 200,000 farmers, improve the nutritional status of women and children, and increase the resilience of the agriculture and food systems to the changing climate. Hinga Weze interventions are directly implemented in the following ten districts of Rwanda: Gatsibo, Kayonza, Bugesera, Ngoma (Eastern Province); Nyabihu, Rutsiro, Ngororero Nyamasheke, Karongi (Western Province); and Nyamagabe (Southern Province).

3. About the National Early Childhood Development Program (NECDP)

National Early Childhood Development Program (NECDP) is a government of Rwanda institution, which replaced the National Food and Nutrition Committee Secretariat (NFNCS) with the mission of coordinating all interventions that support adequate early childhood development for children from their conception to six (6) years of age and eradicate stunting. In its implementation policy 2016, NECDP works under five pillars including i) Parenting Education and support, ii) School readiness and transitions, iii) Child Protection and Family Promotion; iv) Health, Nutrition and WASH, and v) Coordination, governance, resourcing, monitoring, and evaluation.

4. Assignment Objective(s) & Scope

4.1    Overall objective

The overall objective of this Technical Assistance is to strengthen the coordination and execution of nutrition interventions in Rwanda including the coordination of the expansion of DPEM in all Districts, Sectors, Cells, and Villages.

4.2    Specific objectives

• Bring technical expertise on nutrition planning, M&E, sharing of knowledge to meet client demand and coordination of prioritized Nutrition interventions at the national and district level.
• Build capacity of health staff and community health workers (mentorship, supportive supervision, training, and oversight) for effective implementation and coordination of nutrition intervention.
• Coordinate the expansion of DPEM in the districts, Sectors, Cells, and Villages

5. Expectations

This technical assistance is expected to scale up effective planning, implementation and coordination of prioritized nutrition interventions with an emphasis on stunting reduction interventions through District Plan to Eliminate Malnutrition and to coordinate the expansion of child scorecard in selected districts focusing on:

1. Improved planning and delivery of multi-sectoral nutrition interventions.
2. Strengthened capacity to deliver/ nutrition action plan, especially at the district level.
3. Integration of ECD pillars into annual work plans, action plans

6.    Duties and Responsibilities 

The Embedded Advisor will provide support to NECDP in coordinating activities implemented under Hinga Weze’s Components 3 and in supporting activities conducted under the Hinga Weze MEL Plan and Work Plan. In support of this, the Embedded Advisor in NECDP will:

1. Provide technical support to the NECD program for planning, delivery, and coordination of prioritized nutrition actions at the national and district level.
2. Build capacity of district staff in planning, monitoring, and coordination for sustainability (mentorship, supportive supervision, training, and oversight)
3. Enhance continuous learning and mainstreaming of multisector ECD coordination into existing plans.
4. Establish the  Integrated ECD district Committees at District and Sector levels
5. Support the functioning of IECD district Platforms, have an action plan, and report quarterly.
6. Support the functioning of the Nutrition Technical working group.
7. Support the updating of District DPEM into broader SAP that accommodates other pillars including WASH, FOOD security. Social Protection and ECD.
8. Monitor regularly if the DPEM guideline is implemented in all levels
9. Regularly monitor the implementation of Child scorecard, DPEM scorecard in all districts
10. Contribute to strategic discussions regarding development challenges in nutrition
11. Bring technical expertise on M&E, strategic planning, and nutrition/public health
12. Coordinate the expansion of child scorecard in selected districts
13. Any other relevant tasks needed by the NECDP to support the advancement of the stated objectives
14. Work closely with Hinga Weze and NECDP in order to facilitate action planning around the provision of capacity-building by Hinga Weze to the Community Based Volunteers in the 10 districts of Hinga Weze
15. Assist Hinga Weze to provide ideas and recommendations to NECDP on diverse topics such as DPEM, Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture
16. Connecting to NECDP the USAID new hub model to be piloted in Kayonza district
17. Attend to any other task as may be assigned by the NECDP

7.    Assignment Deliverables

After initial field visits to Hinga Weze Kigali office and target districts are conducted, the Embedded Advisor in NECDP will develop a comprehensive timeline of activities.

Upon agreement on the timeline and proposed activities, the deliverables are as follows:

1. Develop a quarterly work plan agreed upon by both NECDP and Hinga Weze
2. Provide a monthly report to NECDP and Hinga Weze on activities conducted
3. Develop special and ad hoc reports as needed, especially on activities such as DPEM, ECD, and Maternal and Child nutrition.
4. Conduct time reporting in accordance with USAID policies and Hinga Weze procedures, while complying at all times with NECDP guidance.

8.    Period and Place of Performance

The NECDP Embedded Advisor, a fulltime position, will be based in Kigali, conducting field visits as needed to the 10 above-mentioned focus districts under the Hinga Weze activity.

9.    Qualifications and Experience

• A Master’s degree in Human Nutrition and dietetics Nutrition, Food Science, Development Studies Economics, Social Sciences, and at least 5 years of relevant experience.
• Experience in working with multi-stakeholder platforms and processes, or other complex collaboration platforms across sectors
• Significant experience in the international environment with a proven record of managing and motivating diverse teams in a complex environment. Field experience in multi-sector rural development or food, nutrition, and health program and policies is an asset.
• Experience in coordinating and managing a team of subject matter experts.
• Excellent communication, analytical and writing skills
• Experience with donor-funded projects/programs focused on Maternal and Young Infant Nutrition
• Demonstrated experience in preparing and implementing successful food and nutrition development projects
• Demonstrated experience in designing/implementing support for maternal and young infant nutrition
• Extensive work experience with local governments (districts) and/or donors.
• Good report writing and presentation skills in English
• Demonstrated ability to deliver quality results within strict deadlines.
• Fluency in oral and written English and Kinyarwanda is required.

10.    Reporting and Logistics

The Embedded Advisor in NECDP will report operationally to the NECDP Head of Nutrition & Hygiene Department and administratively to the Hinga Weze COP.  He/she will be hosted at NECDP. The Embedded Advisor will be paid on a monthly basis against the delivery of a monthly report detailing activities accomplished in line with the above tasks.

All interested and qualified candidates are invited to send their applications with an application letter together with a detailed curriculum vitae, a copy of degrees and certificates, sent in PDF or Word format to [email protected] with the subject: APPLICATION for MIGEPROF/NECDP Embedded Advisor, not later than September 14^th, 2020 at 05:30 PM. ONLY ONLINE APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.