Research and Policy Analyst - Social Investments for Recovery Job Vacancy in Nairobi Kenya

Job Title: Research and Policy Analyst - Social Investments for Recovery 

Location: Nairobi Contract: One-year renewable Responsible 

To: Director JCAM Justice and Ecology Office (JEO) Working language: English (a knowledge of French and/or Portuguese is an advantage) 

Start date: January 2022 Salary: Negotiable

JENA’S WORK IN SUPPORT OF RECOVERY

In its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, JENA is focusing on supporting recovery, restoration and building back better. JENA will support countries in their effort to convert COVID-19 losses into social investments that protect the future. In this regard, JENA’s work of advocacy will involve calling for the maintenance of critical government services and for effective social service delivery, particularly in health and nutrition, education, social protection, water, and sanitation. Social investment is about investing in people to allow them to participate fully in all aspects of life. It is shifting our mindset to one of prevention and building a prosperous future rather than only focusing on cure. A happier, healthier, and more productive population will have a positive impact on our society, economy, resilience, and individual and collective well-being. Creating a healthy, educated and socially protected population, society and labour provides greater opportunity for everyone including young and older people, migrants, and vulnerable groups to contribute to the wellbeing of society. Such a socially protected and capable population not only makes our society more inclusive but also moves to address Africa’s growing challenge of demographic change toward a population that is predominantly very young. This will break the intergenerational poverty cycle and will result in lower expenditure in response to poor health outcomes, higher crime rates and increasing need for social protection. Therefore, advocating for the maintenance of efficient government social services including advocating for equity in access to health and education and other social services will be an important component of JENA’s advocacy work with a focus on reaching vulnerable groups like women, refugees, the disabled, children, especially girls, etc as guided by the second Jesuit Universal Apostolic Preference (UAP). JENA understands that all this is good economics but even more importantly, for JENA, this is an ethical imperative and a human rights issue.

JOB DESCRIPTION

With a view to further advance its advocacy work to support recovery and to help sub-Saharan African countries and communities imagine a better future in the wake of COVID-19, the Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network-Africa (JENA) is looking for a research and policy analyst – Social Investment for Recovery, with a particular focus on health, education and social protection public policy and financing. The research and policy analyst will be responsible for providing rigorous policy analysis and effective policy suggestions for the development of sound public health, education, social protection, and related public social sector programmes to support post-COVID-19 recovery in sub-Saharan Africa.

OBJECTIVES:

• Contribute to the overarching values, priorities, and goals of JENA to support recovery in subSaharan Africa 

• Highlight JENA’s work to promote human dignity and human rights as guided by Catholic Social Teaching and the Jesuit Universal Apostolic Preferences 

• Monitor and analyse sub-Saharan Africa policy developments and their impact on people’s access to social services especially education and health in the wake of COVID-19

• Support JENA member organisations (MOs) in their advocacy work at national level 

• Raise African action for justice in international space for global justice 

• Facilitate one of JENA’s Advocacy Working Groups 

• Contribute to the JENA training events 

• Contribute to the JENA communication work 

• Contributes to the design, implementation and evaluation of JENA programmes and projects

TASKS:

Research

• Undertake research and analysis on Africa’s post-COVID-19 recovery process with a focus on social investment in health, education, and social protection. 

• Apply the latest procedures, standards and trends like cost benefit analysis, public social sector program evaluation, etc., for the development of a robust social sector plan for African countries 

• Together with country Jesuit Social Research Centres, assess and analyse national budgetary allocations for the social programs both in terms of amounts and the quality of spending 

• Prepare reports, graphs, briefs, presentations, and other modules for reference 

• Design social sector metrics and data for analysis 

• Policy Analysis: 

• Monitor global, AU, regional and country policy developments and assess their impact on population social outcomes 

• Assess the impact of the COVID-19 health and economic crisis on people, on poverty eradication, public social investment programmes 

• Support JENA member organisations in their advocacy work at national level. 

• Inform and brief the member organisations of global, AU and regional policy developments. 

• Participate in the creation and implementation of the JENA work plans. 

• Prepare well-informed advocacy on health and education and other social policy issues, mainly by collecting input from member organisations and in consistency with Catholic Social Teaching.

Advocacy:

• Design and implement result-oriented advocacy strategies for the different working lines on public social investment with a focus health, education and social protection 

• Prepare and/or ensure representation of JENA at relevant public events and meetings 

• Carry out efficient internal and external communication on social investment and social policy issues in cooperation with the Communication Unit 

• Prepare policy briefings for and with JENA member organisations 

• Public campaigning: 

• Contribute to the concept development, elaboration and implementation of Africa-wide and global JENA public campaigns 

• Capacity building: 

• Prepare and participate in capacity-building events for JENA MOs in the field of advocacy 

• Essential Skills 

• The candidate must possess good knowledge of the functioning of the public social sector and budget analysis

Research And Policy Analysis Skills

• Strong quantitative analysis skills, especially statistical and/or econometric analysis 

• Knowledge of computer applications and programming skills with SAS, SQL and STATA and other relevant econometric analysis software 

• Excellent written and verbal communication • Excellent interpersonal and organisational skills 

• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills

Educational Qualification

• An entry level candidate must be in possession of at least a master’s degree in Economics, Public Policy, Development Studies, or any related social science. 

• Commitment to overall JCAM’s and JENA’s objectives 

• Be familiar with the JCAM and JENA’s objectives and align work to achieving them.

• Implement other JCAM/JEO/JENA strategic objectives pertaining to communication, gender and child protection.

Essential

• Willingness to commit to JCAM Safeguarding Policy (available on JCAM website) and undergo a police background check. Desirable • A close knowledge of the structures of the Catholic Church

How to apply

Application letters, Curriculum Vitae (CV), photocopies of Academic Certificates, National Identity Cards or Passports, and a short sample writing (maximum 1,000 words on a related topic. See: https://www.jenaafrica.org/) should be mailed or emailed to the Executive Assistant to the President (socius@jesuits.africa) on or before Thursday, 30 December 2021, at noon. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.