BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Cowater is seeking a national social protection advisor for an upcoming UKAID funded Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) project focusing on poverty reduction, market systems development and social protection in Bangladesh. This position is contingent upon contract award.
SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
Cowater is seeking a social protection advisor for the UKAID Pathways to Prosperity for Extremely Poor People (PPEPP) project in Bangladesh funded by the FCDO. The PPEPP project will provide technical support and assistance aimed at facilitating the development of local markets to connect poor households to mainstream economic growth and coordinating policy initiatives at national and local government level to promote action on extreme poverty. The program will work in regions with large numbers of extremely poor people who are particularly vulnerable to climate change and other disasters. PPEPP will deliver results through four main components: (i) Market Systems Development, (ii) Social Protection / Life Cycle Grants, (iii) an Extreme Poverty Governance Facility and (iv) a Livelihoods, Community Mobilization and Nutrition delivered by an NGO implementing partner. The project will be overseen by a supplier managed Programme Management Unit (PMU).
SUMMARY OF THE POSITION
The Life-Cycle Grants Pilot (LCGP) Unit Lead will lead the design, implementation and monitoring/learning for a social protection pilot to be designed in partnership with the government of Bangladesh and in line with the National Social Security Strategy. The pilot will follow the life-cycle approach to social protection that focuses on long term planning across different stages of the life cycle and particular life cycle risks (early childhood, school age children, youth, working age, old age, disability) and vulnerabilities (disaster, climate, economic shocks, COVID). The pilot will support a more coordinated and shock-responsive social protection system in Bangladesh.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- In coordination with the Bangladesh government, oversee the design and management of a pilot time-bound top-up of one or more government social security grants in selected areas, focused on accelerating and catalysing the national security reform process to increase protection for the most vulnerable;
- Negotiate, design, and pilot a lifecycle grant system under the National Social Security Strategy in coordination with the Bangladesh government;
- Work with the Bangladesh government to accelerate and catalyse implementation of the national social security reform process;
- Ensure robust results and financial monitoring arrangements are in place in line with the recommendations for funds transferred to government agencies;
- Capacity building and technical assistance to government agencies on the design and implementation of cash transfer programmes targeting the ultra-poor and disadvantaged groups; and
- Evaluation of the pilot and undertaking monitoring, evaluation and learning activities to share lessons from the pilot with key government, donor and civil society stakeholders and support the scale up and sustainability.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Education:
- An advanced degree in any technical disciplines relevant to poverty, economics, development and social protection.
Minimum Experience:
- 10 years of experience in the design and implementation of social protection and social safety nets projects;
- Experience in the design of cash transfer programmes targeting the ultra-poor and/or a particular disadvantaged group (elderly, persons with disability, women etc);
- Experience working with social security and livelihood support grants;
- Experience designing and monitoring complex cash transfer programs and working with extreme poor people and labour-poor households;
- Experience in capacity building and technical assistance on social protection systems (targeting mechanisms, payment systems, evaluation mechanisms, grievance mechanisms, MIS systems for social protection, different social protection policies/tools/instruments etc.);
- Experience collaborating and working closely with government agencies on social protection issues and advocating for social protection reforms;
- Experience in conducting impact evaluation and analysis of social protection pilots;
- Experience working in South East Asia and/or Bangladesh (desirable); and
- Experience managing UKAID and FCDO funded projects (desirable).
Essential Skills:
- Detailed understanding of the life cycle approach to social protection and experience in its implementation;
- Deep understanding of the graduation module and the Bangladesh government's social protection system;
- Deep understanding of the Bangladesh National Social Security Strategy;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
- Fluency in English essential; and
- Fluency in Bengali is highly preferred.
Employment conditions: The position is contingent upon contract award. The position is full-time, for 5 years and Bangladesh-based.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Candidates are encouraged to apply by January 18, 2021/as soon as possible.
For your application to be considered, please upload your documents as followed: Candidate Last Name, First Name, date, Title of the Position.
We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.
ABOUT US
With more than 35 years' experience, Cowater International is Canada's global leader in management consulting services specializing in international development and has managed the implementation of over 800 projects in more than 80 countries around the globe. We work with governments, partner organizations, communities and civil society to design and implement sustainable solutions that generate lasting social, financial and environmental impacts. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Cowater International also has corporate offices in Montreal, Quebec, Paris, London, United Kingdom and Nairobi, Kenya in addition to project offices in a wide variety of other locations across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow with Cowater International.