Cash Transfer Specialist Vacancy at Save the Children 111 views0 applications

Towards accelerating growth and development in Nigeria, the federal government has recently rolled out a comprehensive Social protection Programme, to address unemployment and better the condition of living of the extremely poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
The sum of Five Hundred Billion Naira has already been approved in the 2016 Appropriation Act to finance this social intervention programme. Specific schemes under this programme include the creation of Five Hundred Thousand teaching assistance for qualified teachers for a period of 12 to 24 months in the first instance; the training of one hundred thousand artisans and the provision of soft loans for them to commence business activities; and conditional cash transfer which is intended to pay the sum of N5, 000.00 to one million Nigerians across the country. Others are micro credit scheme for more than 1.5 million Nigerians and N50,000 education support grant for 100,000 students in tertiary institutions who are undergoing courses in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Education. Another key component of this programme is the National Home Grown School Feeding Scheme targeted at 24 Million pupils in eighteen pilot states in 2016. The food for the programme, which will run till 2020 would be sourced from local farmers and prepared by qualified caterers within the host communities.

The Government of Nigeria is partnering with the World Bank to support the development of the social safety nets in Nigeria under a National Social Safety Nets Project (NASSP). To implement NASSP, the Government has established a National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) to consolidate existing social safety net programs at the Federal level, and a National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) to operate safety nets transfers to targeted poor and vulnerable households across Nigeria.

NASSP involves two components: (i) establishing systems for social safety net that would serve as a robust platform for effectively targeting and delivering social assistance; and (ii) implementing cash transfers to targeted poor and vulnerable households. The program has national coverage, with all states eligible to participate. The systems developed for social safety net in Nigeria will be used across the country’s different safety net programs, irrespective of funding source or targeted beneficiary group.

NASSCO and NCTO are based under the Office of the Vice President, and headed by a Special Adviser, Social Investment, who provides overall leadership to the safety net program in Nigeria. A National Coordinator of NASSCO reports to the Special Adviser and provides management and coordination. A Project Coordinator of NCTO is responsible for the administration of cash transfers and livelihoods. Additional managerial and technical staffs are expected to support NASSCO and NCTO.

Donor supported social protection programmes have already been existing in the country towards promoting different aspect of wellbeing of the citizens. One of such large-scale social protection programmes is being implemented by SCI and ACF with funding from DFID in Northern Nigeria, the Child Development Grant Programme (CDGP). CDGP provides an unconditional cash transfer of 3,500 NGN per month to pregnant women and women with children under the age of two (2) in Zamfara and Jigawa accompanied by behavioural change communication, to tackle poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition. The programme is being implemented with close collaboration and involvement of state governments. The programme is aimed at reducing the prevalence of stunting and improving food security.

Over three years of implementation of this programme has led to tremendous progress in tackling child poverty with particular reference to malnutrition. The programme has also recorded a high rate of success in the operational aspect of its implementation. Such good knowledge in management of cash transfer programme needs to be shared widely especially in a country where social protection programming is quite at its elementary level.

Save the children has also made tremendous progress in policy analysis and stakeholder engagement in different sectors leading to substantial inputs and adoption of policies both at national and state level.

ROLE PURPOSE:

Therefore this new position of a cash transfer specialist is a huge bridge towards ensuring evidences and knowledge gathered by the child development programme especially the cash transfer aspect is well shared within the new National social safety net programmes as elaborated above. It’s also an opportunity to provide technical advice to the federal government on ensuring child poverty issues are integrated in all the key social protection schemes already identified by the federal government.

The cash transfer specialist will provide technical skills on management of cash transfers to over one million beneficiaries across the country and also provide expertise in the design and establishment of the management information system for the project.

The role will be located in Abuja with frequent support to other states where the federal government is implementing the social safety nets projects

Job Summary

The role of the cash transfer specialist is to provide technical support to the National social safety nets project (NASSP) in ensuring high quality and timely inputs. This entails making sure that the project maintains its strategic vision and that its activities result in the achievement of its intended outputs in a cost effective and timely manner. This will involve providing support for the planning, supervision and coordination of cash transfers services to the poorest and most vulnerable households in the country.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

He/she will be responsible for assisting the Project management specifically linked to administration of the cash transfers and livelihoods options. This will include:

1. Provide operational support to NCTO and SCTU.
2. Technical guidance and support to team on project/activities planning.
3. Support the MIS team in the design of a comprehensive MIS that captures and tracks data of up to a million programme beneficiaries for use by the NCTO designated bank and programme reporting purposes.
4. Responsible for coordination of cash transfer activities to beneficiaries.
5. Technical support and review on payments to beneficiaries.
6. Preparation of periodic high level reports on performance.
7. Build internal capacity of team.
8. Facilitate the coordination of project activities across participating States;
9. Track cash transfer performance across project implementation areas to ensure agreed procedures, policies and MOUs.
10. Ensure that an effective beneficiary payment monitoring system is in place for achieving prior agreed targets in relation to programme activities, budget allocations and financial expenditures, ensuring that value for money can be effectively demonstrated.
11. Identify and effectively manage all key risks related to beneficiary data and payment
12. Assess and identify success element of the CT program to strengthen sustainability of the project’s results.
13. Any other duties as may be assigned by the National Coordinator.

Key relationships: the post holder will work directly with the National coordinator NASSCO. He/she will have to report to both the National coordinator and also CDGP programme Manager. He/she will maintain a close working relationship with the CDGP team particularly the National programme manager and cash transfer manager at national and state level. He/she will also liaise frequently with DFID programme supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

General Skills

• The post holder will possess a high degree of analytical skill, political acumen, ability to facilitate change, ability to influence, ability to manage a team, and ability to communicate key messages effectively and convincingly to a diverse audience.

Essential

• A degree in numerate field or ICT
• Minimum of 3 years experience with the government, or donor/multi-lateral development agency projects or social development projects within a large NGO.
• Minimum of 5 years experience in management of social safety nets programmes especially in Nigeria.
• Demonstrates commitment to the vision and values of social safety net programs.
• Exercises strict adherence to regulations and procedures and familiar with internal control frameworks and results based management.
• Accepts responsibility for the quality of the outcome of his/her decisions.
• Ability to achieve results and meet tight deadlines in an effective manner and maintaining high quality standards throughout;
• In-depth knowledge on MIS, M&E and development issues.
• Demonstrated proficiency with MS Project, MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint, Access and other relevant management software.
• Good research and analytical skills as well as excellent in reporting writing.
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) and sensitivity to and responsiveness to all stakeholders.
• Must have the ability to work as a member of a multi professional team
• Demonstrated creativity in problem solving involving multiple stakeholders
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy-in
• Proven ability to manage large, multi-region data collection and analysis systems
• Degree qualification in ICT systems development or significant relevant experience
• Demonstrable experience in managing complex data systems
• Demonstrated ability to creatively address challenges and problems
• Understanding of bank operations and/or retail banking

Desirable

• Experience in training facilitation techniques and influencing tactics.
• Prior work experience in Nigeria on cash transfer.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy-in
• Knowledge of the policies, functions, structures and decision-making processes of key national institutions in Nigeria with regard to child poverty.
• Experience working with children will be an added advantage.
• Local language skills.