- The NHF-funded Integrated Lifesaving WASH & Nutrition Response in Borno and Yobe aims to address acute malnutrition and WASH-related disease risks through a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach targeting over 153,000 vulnerable people.
- Mercy Corps seeks to engage a Communication and Learning Consultant to support the production of end-of-project visual documentation of Mercy Corps' implementation of the project, with a strong focus on capturing learning, evidence, and storytelling.
- The consultant will generate high-quality visual content that documents how programs are implemented, what works, what does not, and why, through structured visual storytelling, interviews, and contextual footage.
- The assignment will be executed across three phases:
- Pre-Production
- Field Production
- Post-Production and Delivery
- The assignment will contribute to the learning plan of the program by addressing the following learning questions:
Learning Questions
Overarching Question (Integration):
- What added value does integrated WASH - Nutrition programming in fragile contexts provide compared to standalone nutrition interventions in reducing child wasting?
Example of a lower-level question to further explore the above:
- Through which pathways does integrated WASH - Nutrition deliver additional reductions in child wastingparticularly through reduced illness burden (e.g., diarrhoea and other WASH-related morbidity), improved caregiver practices (food hygiene, handwashing, safe water use), and improved nutrition service uptake/adherenceand how do these pathway changes translate into improved wasting outcomes (incidence, recovery, relapse/default)?
- How effective are rehabilitated/constructed water points and sanitation facilities in improving access, safety, and hygiene outcomes?
- How do different MAM treatment modalities (RUSF vs. Tom Brown) compare in relation to recovery outcomes and caregiver acceptance?
- What are the enablers and bottlenecks that influence NHF team members' ability to understand, design, implement, and manage integrated WASH and Nutrition emergency responses?
Design, Methods and Deliverables:
- Working closely with the Communications team, the consultant will leverage a mix of desk reviews and primary data collection (through videography) as a critical part of the asset-gathering process.
Desk review documents will include:
- Program-generated stories and reports
- Routine Monitoring Reports
- SOPs and Implementation Approach documents
- Proposal documents
The consultant will also work closely with the Learning and Documentation Consultant to establish a strong foundation for the assignment by aligning with Mercy Corps teams and defining a clear visual learning approach through the following key steps:
- Program Familiarization
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Development of Documentation Plan
- Field Production / Data Collection
Visual Documentation of Program Implementation:
- Program activities
- Implementation processes
- Service delivery quality
- Community engagement and accountability
Interviews and Testimonies:
- Internal stakeholders
- External stakeholders
- Community members/beneficiaries
- Story Development in the Field
- Contextual and Environmental Footage
- Technical Standards
- Post-Production and Content Development
- Photo Processing
- Video Editing:
- Documentary video (15 - 20 minutes)
- Short thematic videos (1 - 3 minutes each)
- Narrative development
- Integration of Learning
Final Deliverables
Final Deliverables Package:
Photo Deliverables:
- 50 - 100 edited high-resolution images, fully captioned and categorized
- One (1) documentary video (15 - 20 minutes)
- Six (6) to Nine (9) short thematic videos (1 - 3 minutes each)
- All raw photos and video footage organized by location, date, and activity
- Produce 3 - 5 high-quality infographic learning briefs. Themes will be jointly reviewed with the Mercy Corps team to ensure alignment with the learning plan.
- Signed consent forms for all participants
- Metadata and file index
- Summary note highlighting key stories and themes captured
Eligibility / Consultant Selection Criteria
The consultant must meet the following minimum qualifications and competencies:
Education:
- Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Economics, Communications, or a related field.
- 3 - 5 years of progressive professional experience in learning documentation, knowledge management, development communication, or research.
- Demonstrated experience producing videography, lessons learned products, analytical reports, frameworks, and learning briefs for humanitarian or development programmes.
- Proven track record of working with international NGOs, donors, and multi-sectoral programmes, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
- Prior experience working in Northern Nigeria or similar humanitarian contexts is a strong advantage.
- Strong qualitative research and synthesis skills, including desk reviews, KIIs, and FGDs.
- Ability to translate complex technical and monitoring data into clear and compelling narratives.
- Proven capacity to design and deliver high-quality learning products, including infographics, briefing papers, and narrative reports.
- Sound understanding of Gender, Social Inclusion, Conflict Sensitivity, and Do No Harm principles.
Communication and Language Skills:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
- Ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including programme teams and community actors.
- Working knowledge of local languages (e.g., Hausa) is an added advantage.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to meet tight deadlines.
- Demonstrated professionalism, confidentiality, and adherence to data protection standards.
- The Consultant will report directly to the Mercy Corps Nigeria Communication Manager and the Program Performance and Quality Director.
- The consultancy will be implemented over 30 days, from 15 July 2026 to 15 August 2026, working closely with the MEL, Programmes, and Communications teams.