Gender, Communication and Knowledge Management Advisor at GIZ Nigeria

International cooperation between Germany and Nigeria commenced in 1974. GIZ was initially represented by an office in Lagos until 2003, but since 2004 it has maintained a country office and four project offices in the new capital Abuja. At present, GIZ has around 25 seconded staff, 100 Nigerian and regional experts, and four CIM experts working in Nigeria. Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and has a population of 175 million, making it the continent’s most populous country. With a young, highly motivated and growing population, abundant natural resources and an increasingly diversified economy, Nigeria is not only a regional power but also an increasingly significant political player on the African continent and in the world. However, Nigeria faces major challenges. So far, its substantial oil revenues have had little impact on poverty. More than two-thirds of the population still live in extreme poverty and unemployment remains high. Sustainable economic and social development is hampered by corruption and by regional, ethnic, religious and social differences and the associated conflicts, which sometimes lead to attacks and unrest. As agreed between the Nigerian and German Governments, GIZ’s activities since 2002 have focused on sustainable economic development. GIZ is also engaged in the energy sector, agriculture and regional integration. The 'Pro-poor Growth and Employment Promotion in Nigeria’ (SEDIN) programme aims to increase income-generating employment in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and improve access to financial services. The programme is currently being implemented in Abuja and in Niger, Ogun and Plateau states. The Nigerian and German Governments also cooperate in the energy sector. On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ provides advisory services to Nigerian partners on topics such as rural electrification, energy efficiency and renewable energies, and is contributing to the success of the Nigeria-German Energy Partnership (NGEP) as well. GIZ provides support to the ECOWAS Commission (Economic Community of West African States) in Abuja, focusing on the management, implementation and monitoring of ECOWAS decisions on economic and trade policy, and peace and security. In addition, two regional programmes focusing on agriculture are under way in Nigeria. The first aims to promote African rice value chains; the second builds the capacities of market-oriented small-scale farming. The purpose of both programmes is to achieve sustainable improvements in the livelihoods and food security of poor farmers in Nigeria and other West African countries. A distinctive feature of GIZ’s activities in Nigeria is the high level of cofinancing obtained from other sources, primarily the European Union (EU) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These additional funds make it possible to broaden the scope and intensity of the programmes being implemented on behalf of the BMZ, boosting the effectiveness of German development cooperation with Nigeria.

ID: 101

Background
GIZ. Solutions that work:

• As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security. The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries. We work with businesses, civil society actors, and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn. Our approximately 23,500 employees, almost 70 percent of whom are national personnel, work in around 120 countries (July 2020).
• GIZ has worked in Nigeria since 1974. Since 2004, GIZ has maintained a country office in the capital city Abuja. Currently, 361 national and 66 international employees, 19 regional staff, 4 integrated specialists, and 3 development workers are working in the country (June 2020).

The Project
Agriculture Value Chain Facility (EU-VACE):

• The German Government and the Nigerian Government addressing ongoing challenges in the Agri-Food System in Nigeria. The German Government through the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is supporting the Nigerian Government and especially the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in the implementation of Nigeria's National Development Plan 2021 - 2025 and the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) among others. Both strategies highlight the relevance of the agricultural sector in overcoming the economic downturn thereby fostering economic diversification.
• The GIZ Cluster “Transformation of Agricultural Systems” is implementing several projects in the agriculture and rural development sector with a total budget of over 60 Mio. Euro. The projects contribute to better yields and income of small-holder farmers, performance of agri-business, access to finance, promotion of jobs and rural development through a private business-driven value-chain approach and with this enhance the regional food supply in the rural target regions as well as transformation of the agri-food system by cross-sectoral approaches.
• The Agriculture Value Chain Facility (EU-VACE) project, co-financed by the European Union and the BMZ seeks to improve sustainable rural economic development by promoting specific agricultural clusters in selected "transition" states in Nigeria. The aim is to increase agricultural production, create lucrative employment opportunities, and increase the incomes of the rural population thus contributing to food security and strengthening the resilience of the population to external shocks, and at the same time makes an important contribution to the effective transformation of the Nigerian agricultural sector. Project activities support existing enterprises to improve the quality and yield of production and subsequent processing and also generate opportunities for new businesses to emerge that will lead to sustainable outcomes in the rural and blue economy. Inclusive development principles ensure responsible approaches to social and environmental sustainability with a focus on the adoption of practices that are resilient to climate change, and which improve biodiversity, and combat desertification and deforestation. Improved opportunities for employment, particularly for women and vulnerable groups, are created at all stages of the value chains with a commitment to develop processing facilities reflecting EU standards in decent work and product quality to improve export opportunities.

Responsibilities & Tasks
Responsibilities:

• The Gender, Communications and Knowledge Management Advisor is responsible for ensuring effective communication with all programme stakeholders (beneficiaries, government partners, private sector partners, donors, and the wider international development community), ensuring gender is mainstreamed across all pillars, interventions and activities according to the priorities of donors (BMZ and EU) and GIZ, and taking the lead in setting up and managing the knowledge systems of the programme.

Tasks
Communication and Visibility:

• Develop and implement innovative and effective communication/media strategies/tools, visibility plan, and templates both for internal and communication in line with EU, BMZ, and GIZ requirements.
• Develop communication materials in the form of articles, project briefs, newsletters, success stories, project information leaflets, factsheets, project presentation templates, etc., and ensure consistency in the quality, language, formatting, and design of GIZ publication guidelines.
• Prepare speeches and talking points for events as required by the leadership and liaise with the press whenever possible and required, including writing press statements and organizing press conferences/interviews.
• Assist in the organization of fora and events to ensure best possible visibility and keep records of all communication and visibility activities, including a) a full list of upcoming and completed activities, publications, and media mentioning, b) an inventory of all materials related to communication and visibility.
• Coordinate communication to the media, such as press conferences, media interviews and briefings, and ensure that programme communication outputs are published and circulated widely (on websites, print materials, newsletters, social media, etc.) among stakeholders, partners, and donors.

Research and Knowledge Management:

• Assist in the organization of knowledge-sharing events with other GIZ projects, implementing agencies, and project partners.
• Document and disseminate experiences, lessons learnt, and best practices learned from various project and partner activities and upload all project outputs in GIZ’s DMS/SharePoint, MS Teams, and other platforms.
• Organize and update the programme documentation, filing systems, and programme library.

Gender Mainstreaming:

• Ensure gender mainstreaming across all the activities of the project and coordinate gender/other inclusivity topics within the programme, including organizing training for project staff and partners.

Other Tasks:

• Assist partner institutions (FMARD, state government institutions, financial intermediaries, Business development organizations, associations, companies active in the areas of business services and training, etc.) with record keeping, data collection, monitoring, and impact assessments through the production of information materials, training, coaching, and on-the-job advice.
• Assist management in writing progress reports, preparing presentations, and developing workplans and budgets.
• Coordinate photography/videography and ensure visibility and visual documentation for all project activities.
• Perform other duties and tasks at the request of management.

Required Qualifications, Competences, and Experience
Qualifications:

• Master’s/MSc and/or University Degree in Mass Communication, Public Relations and Advertising, International Law, International Development, International Relations, Social / Political Science, or any related field of study.

Professional Experience:

• At least 5 years of professional experience in Gender, Communications, and knowledge management.
• Demonstrated experience in developing communication strategies, content, tools, and proficiency in information dissemination platforms.
• Demonstrated experience in program coordination, and event organization including setting up and running conferences, and public-private stakeholder events, and knowledge of organizing and hosting virtual meetings on diverse platforms.
• Demonstrated technical experience in carrying out similar assignments for international development organizations is highly desirable (Prior experience with the EU and/or GIZ systems would be an added advantage).
• Practical experience in gender integration and other inclusivity topics.
• Demonstrated teamwork and self-management, including planning and meeting deadlines, and sound knowledge of relationship building, relationship management, and networking.

Other Knowledge, Additional Competences:

• Fluent written and oral knowledge of English, with excellent copy editing, writing and research skills, analytical skills, oral and written presentation skills, interpersonal relationship skills, and high integrity.
• Flexible to take on additional responsibilities as assigned/delegated.
• Ability to function effectively in a diverse work environment.

Salary
According to GIZ salary scale for Band 4.

Method of Application

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