Facilitation Consultant at Palladium International

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse.  All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.

Project Overview and Role:

NPI EXPAND Overview

The New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) Expanding Health Partnerships—NPI EXPAND Project—is a global five-year (2019-2024) U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project that supports locally-driven efforts to increase the availability and utilization of high-quality health and education services. In line with USAID's Journey to Self-Reliance (J2SR) framework, NPI EXPAND invests in new and underutilized local partners (NUPs) and strengthens their capacity to strategize, plan, and implement programs with USAID funds. Enhanced participation of capable local organizations to increase demand for and to deliver high-quality, high impact services will enable governments to meet crucial goals equitably and sustainably. NPI EXPAND will also catalyze opportunities to scale up innovative interventions by strengthening the capacity of NUPs with varying levels of capabilities and exposure to USAID.

NPI EXPAND in Kenya

In Kenya, NPI EXPAND will support locally driven solutions to increase access to and use of health services in Narok County. Specifically, the program will provide grants and tailored assistance to local organizations to implement context-specific approaches aimed at removing barriers to family planning. The activities will also promote continuity of services and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on routine health services. The primary beneficiaries of the program include adolescents and youth who are in- and out-of-school, women, men, and couples. While the NPI EXPAND program focuses on the health sector, this activity forms part of an integrated program that also advances livelihoods, food security, sustainable livestock raising, and conservation in the Mara Landscape.

Purpose and Description of Consultancy:

NPI EXPAND is seeking an accomplished consultant to facilitate participatory sessions with county government officials, USAID, implementing partners, nongovernmental organizations, and other key stakeholders to introduce them to NPI EXPAND and to elicit information on needs, gaps, and opportunities in health and family planning. This information will be used to refine project plans in grant making, capacity strengthening, and ongoing stakeholder engagement. The consultant will advise on the design of these sessions and will review session discussion guides, presentations, and other content. The project will provide technological, note-taking, logistical/administrative, and other support for these sessions. This consultancy will entail working closely with NPI EXPAND global and Kenya staff (hiring presently underway), USAID Kenya, and HQ personnel, government, and other stakeholders.

Only applicants currently eligible to work in Kenya will be considered. Location for this consultancy is in Narok County or willingness to travel to Narok County is expected. While some facilitation will occur through online means, in-person meetings are also likely to be required, in line with COVID-19 and other safety and security protocols. The Facilitator Consultant will report to the NPI EXPAND Field Support Director and the NPI EXPAND Country Activity Manager, both based in Washington, D.C. This may shift when the project hires a Kenya team lead.

 Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Design agendas, facilitation guides, presentation materials, and other meeting details in collaboration with NPI EXPAND team and USAID
• Facilitate participatory sessions with key stakeholders through online or virtual platforms and in-person meetings
• Review and provide inputs on meeting notes and other documentation
• Liaise with NPI EXPAND's HQ staff, USAID personnel, implementing partners, and government personnel as needed

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred
• Strong experience facilitating participatory sessions with officials and senior staff of government, donors, non-governmental organizations, and others preferred
• Adept facilitating online or virtual sessions as well as in-person meetings
• Strong experience designing interactive, participatory workshops
• Knowledge of health and gender issues a strong plus
• Familiarity with health, family planning, and development challenges in Narok County
• Fluency in written and spoken Kiswahili and English is required
• Experience working on USAID-funded or donor-funded projects strongly preferred

Only local applicants currently eligible to work in Kenya will be considered. Location is in Kenya with internal travel anticipated in alignment with safety and security concerns.

Anticipated Period of Performance and Level of Effort

This engagement is anticipated to be part-time from July to September, 2021.