Social Accountability Consultant at Palladium International

Overview:

ESHE is a Family Planning (FP) project funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID). It is managed by a consortium of expert partners and agencies led by Palladium. The programme, which is implemented across most parts of Kenya, is designed to respond to the needs of the Government of Kenya (GOK) in reducing unmet need and increasing the contraceptive prevalence rate. ESHE’s results also contribute to the global FP initiative, FP2020. FP is not only a key intervention for improving health but also a key strategy for the achievement of national and international development goals.
 
Brief background:

The ESHE project has identified a need of furthering the social change work currently being undertaken by the programme to include elements of social accountability and community based monitoring  through the promotion of the community’s voice in holding their local governments and leaders to account in the area  of health service delivery specifically though not limited to  Reproductive health services. This is in line with the project’s  2017 key priorities. The integration of social accountability will be value addition to the  social change work that is already ongoing, inspiring communities to go beyond understanding and embracing the FP messages, to demanding for quality  services from their institutions and leaders. This will empower the Communities to hold their leaders to account resulting to improved service delivery and better utilisation of resources. 
 
Purpose of the assignment:

To support the ESHE project integrate, Coordinate and manage Social accountability in the already ongoing Social change work in Turkana and Samburu counties  within the timeframe left to the end of the project in January 2018.

General position summary:  

The Social Accountability Consultant will function as the lead person on all the accountability work and activities under ESHE. This will include overall leadership and technical support in the final design of the functioning accountability model, management and coordination. The Accountability Consultant will primarily work with the Accountability Coordinators in Samburu and Turkana counties who will be tasked with the actual coordination and management of activities in the field.
The primary purpose will be to ensure that County leadership is held to account by the community through citizen voices. Therefore the Accountability team will have a 4 fold function;  

• to Integrate Social Accountability into the already existing and ongoing Social Change work,
• Link up and coordinate with partners that are already working on Social accountability, identifying and harnessing points of synergy,
• Create a clear loop of feedback to the county leadership and as well as to the communities.
• Ensure the implementation of effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that relate to Social Accountability.

 
The Consultant will report to the ESHE Technical Director.

Key functions and responsibilities:

• Be the focal person responsible for all Social accountability work.
• Review what so far has been done, identifying what will work with in the time left to the end of the project.
• Develop, document and adopt the ESHE accountability strategy, aligned to current ESHE plans and budgets.
• Ensure that project activities are technically sound, evidence-based, and responsive to the needs of the County, its people especially poor, marginalised women and girls.
• Provide leadership, support and guidance to the Accountability Coordinators in Samburu and Turkana on their implementation plans and related logistics.
•  Update County Management Health team on the ESHE social accountability work.
• Provide technical support and guidance to the Accountability Coordinators.
• Develop and lead on the implementation of the role out plan.
• Finalise/finetune the Integrated Social accountability model to be used in the ESHE project.
• Provide leadership in the coordination and orientation of Palladium, EXP and relevant partners on the Social change-Social accountability integration, that can work in the ESHE.
• Ensure relevant Partner collaboration MoUs are fully signed and effectively implemented.
• Ensure the effective integration of Social accountability work in the  already existing 2017 ESHE planned activities. 
• Develop social accountability tools and support  Palladium and EXP in the adoption of the  tools and implementation materials. 
• Support EXP in the modification of the social change forum content to include accountability information.
• Deliver a training of trainers for selected Palladium and EXP staff on the implementation of accountability interventions.
• Work with the M & E Specialist, ensure that analysis of progress is done and that evidence relating to activities is generated.

 
Deliverables:

1. A finalised costed Social Change/Social Accountability roll plan,
2. Revised and adopted Strategy and work plan for integrated Social Change/Social Accountability,
3. Clear Joint partners implementation plans for Samburu and Turkana,
4. Fully signed partner collaboration MoUs.
5. Revised EXP Forum curriculum (including accountability components),
6. ESHE customized accountability tools and materials for use during the accountability activities in the field,
7. M & E accountability costed plan.
8. Monthly Progress reports.

 
Duration of assignment:
Approximately 8 months with 5 days/month

Qualifications and Experience:

• A master’s degree in policy, advocacy or related qualification.
• A bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences.
• Previous experience in the design and implementation of Social Accountability projects. Previous experience relating to health is an added advantage.
• A thorough understanding of Kenya’s health policy environment and related accountability issues.
• 5 years’ work experience in policy, advocacy and accountability work in the health sector.
• 5 year’s management experience, especially managing field teams.
• Previous experience in working in ASAL counties is a distinct advantage

Skills:

• Excellent project planning and management skills,
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Articulate and analytical with attention to details
• Must have requisite experience to work with minimum supervision.