Job Description

Intersectoral action is key to improving early childhood development (ECD) outcomes, yet major evidence gaps persist about how intersectoral policies interact with multi-level governance systems; how to engage communities, civil society, and children; and which factors enhance stakeholder coalitions and sustainability. Few models of intersectoral action have been developed from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Under the Children in All Policies (CAP-2030) initiative, Argentina and Ghana have explored intersectoral responses to shared challenges around ECD including child poverty, malnutrition, and limited participation of children in policy processes. These countries’ differing governance systems and levels of political prioritization of ECD provide an opportunity to compare the development of intersectoral coalitions and their integration, coherence, and accountability.

This prospective policy analysis will assess a participatory, data-driven intervention to improve intersectoral ECD policy for children aged 0-8 years at sub-national level in 5 localities each in Argentina and Ghana. The five-stage intervention is designed to redress common pitfalls of intersectoral action for health by using inclusive issue framing; deliberate co-production with public and non-public-sector actors, including children; and collaborative resource generation.

Employing the theoretical lens of collaborative governance, the study uses a mixed methods to address the following research objectives over a five-year span:

• Explore how typologies of intersectoral action evolve in the context of differing political and fiscal power-sharing arrangements.
• Investigate whether intermediate process indicators of collaboration and partnership are aligned with intersectoral policy coherence, integration, and effects on early childhood development indicators.
• Analyze how the engagement of non-governmental actors including civil society, communities and children can be maximized using inclusive issue framing and participatory data systems.
• Promote institutionalized learning and increase stakeholders’ knowledge of and self- efficacy to engage in intersectoral policy processes. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The candidate will spend half of his/her time on project implementation and the other half on writing grants and manuscripts. They will work collaboratively with the PI to:

• Lead implementation of the study
• Laise between the study team and stakeholders
• Organize and co-lead stakeholder engagement across multiple sectors
• Lead a team that includes a research coordinator, research assistants, and interns.
• Support grant application to build on the success of this project.
• Lead manuscript writing.
• Prepare reports for grant funder
• Mentor Master-level students

Required Skills or Experience

• PhD, medical degree (MBChB, MBBS, MD) or related qualification, with policy and planning experience.
• Excellent academic credentials
• Background in early childhood development or policy and planning
• Experience with mixed-methods studies, with strong qualitative research background preferred.
• Experience or exposure to stakeholder engagement methodologies required. Excellent writing skills required.
• Willingness to travel across the country for extended periods required.
• Be an early-stage researcher (obtained PhD not more than 5 years at the time of application)