Consultant Writer/Story Teller Individual Consultant

Background

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Guided by its global strategy 100 Million Reasons, Plan works to address poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination that undermine the rights and potential of children—particularly girls and other vulnerable groups. Through rights-based, gender-transformative, and youth-centred programming, Plan supports children and young people from birth through adulthood and enables communities to prepare for, withstand, and respond to crises and adversity. Plan International Nigeria has been operational since 2014, working in partnership with communities, civil society organisations, development partners, and government institutions to promote child protection, education, health and nutrition, youth participation, livelihoods, and humanitarian response. Programming in Nigeria prioritises inclusion, safeguarding, accountability, and ethical engagement with children, adolescents, and vulnerable populations. To strengthen visibility, evidence-based storytelling, and donor engagement, Plan International Nigeria seeks to engage a professional writer/storyteller to work closely with the project team and the Brand and Communications team to produce high-quality written documentation of project results and human-interest stories.

Assignment Objective

The writer/storyteller will develop compelling, human-centred narratives that accurately document project activities, outcomes, and lived experiences, translating programme impact into clear, engaging, and ethical stories aligned with Plan International’s safeguarding, representation, and brand standards.

Specific Objectives

The assignment will:

• Produce high-quality written success stories, case studies, and human-interest narratives for visibility, donor reporting, advocacy, and resource mobilisation.

• Strengthen the positioning of Plan International Nigeria as a strategic Partner advancing the rights and well-being of children and young people, particularly girls and women, in Nigeria through basic education.

• Translate technical programme results into accessible, evidence-based narratives suitable for internal and external audiences.

• Develop human-centred content that highlights the impact of Plan Nigeria’s development and humanitarian interventions in selected states within Nigeria.

Scope of Work

Working in close coordination with the project team, the Writer, and Plan International Nigeria’s Brand and Communications team, will:

• Participate in pre-field briefings to align on story angles, messaging priorities, safeguarding considerations, and consent processes.

• Travel to targeted communities in Sokoto, Kano, and Jigawa, Borno and Adamawa States to conduct interviews with programme participants, caregivers, community members, partners, and relevant stakeholders (subject to informed consent).

• Develop a range of written outputs, including but not limited to success stories, case studies, short human-interest features, captions, and quotes aligned with project objectives.

• Ensure all stories are accurate, well-structured, emotionally engaging, and grounded in verified programme data and context.

• Work collaboratively with the Photographer to ensure visual and written narratives are coherent, complementary, and mutually reinforcing.

• Submit draft stories for review and incorporate feedback from the Brand and Communications team promptly.

Expected Deliverables

• A set of well-written, edited success stories and case studies suitable for donor reporting, media engagement, advocacy, and digital platforms. (36 stories per trip per location) itemised as follows: o 16 Detailed Success Stories (800–1,200 words each) o 10 In-Depth Impact Case Studies (1,500–2,000 words each) o 10 Social and Behaviour Change / Gender Transformative Narratives (800–1,200 words each)

• All stories must be a balanced representation of specific project components at a given time, such as (Education, livelihoods, agriculture, SRHR, youth empowerment, VSLA, cash assistance, social cohesion, gender equality).

• All submissions must be made in English language.

• Participant quotes aligned with safeguarding and consent requirements.

• Caption text to accompany approved photographs and visual assets.

• Final written outputs organised by state, community, and project component, submitted in agreed formats.

• Confirmation that all written content complies with safeguarding, consent, and ethical storytelling requirements. Quality Standards and Compliance All outputs must:

• Comply fully with Plan International’s safeguarding, consent, and ethical storytelling and representation guidelines. • Align with Plan International Nigeria’s brand voice, tone, and messaging standards.

• Be accurate, respectful, non-sensational, and reflective of dignity, agency, and context.

• Avoid stereotypes, exaggeration, or harm, and ensure the voices of children, girls, and communities are represented responsibly.

Methodology

The Consultants are expected to apply participatory, gender-responsive, youth-centred, and conflict-sensitive qualitative methods, including:

• Outcome harvesting and Most Significant Change (MSC) approaches
• Feminist and inclusive storytelling techniques – Intersectional analysis (gender, age, disability, displacement status)
• Ethical storytelling standards, including safeguarding, PSHEA compliance, and informed consent.

Required Qualifications and Experience

The Consultants should have:

• An advanced degree in Development Studies, Communications, Social Sciences, Journalism, or a related field.

• A minimum of 5–7 years’ professional experience in communications, qualitative research, or storytelling within development or humanitarian programmes.

• Proven experience documenting success stories, impact stories, and SBC narratives for donor-funded projects.

• Strong understanding of gender equality, child and youth rights, SRHR, GBV, livelihoods, and humanitarian response in fragile contexts.

• Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills in English; knowledge of Hausa and/or other local languages is an asset.

• Demonstrated experience working in North-East Nigeria or similar conflict-affected settings.

Further information including all Annexes can be assessed via this link: https://tinyurl.com/5n6f627x

Submission Guidelines

• All requested documents must be included in the submission package.

• All attached annexes must be duly completed and included in the submission package.

• All submissions must carry the reference number PIN/CNSLT/026/003 – Proposal Writing Consultant in the email title.

All submissions are to be sent to Nigeria.procurement@plan-international.org no later than 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 6th, 2026. Submissions beyond this timeline will not be considered.

Women and Young People are strongly encouraged to apply.

Tagged as: Agriculture, Food Security and Livelihoods