Deputy Project Director - ENGINE Program at Mercy Corps Nigeria

Mercy Corps, an International Humanitarian Organization is looking for a suitable candidate to fill a very strategic position within our Operations Department. We are looking for a motivated individual, who is enthusiastic about the work we do, to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Project Director - Empowering Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) Program

Position Status: Field-based, full-time, regular, exempt
Position Level: Level 5
Location: Abuja
Current Employee: N/A
Reports Directly to: ENGINE Project Manager

Program/Department Summary

• The ENGINE Deputy Project Manager will support the project manager to lead the initiation and implementation of a 3-year program to reduce financial and education barriers for marginalized Nigerian adolescent girls and young women.
• The objectives of the ENGINE program are to increase girls' and young women's access to (1) financial education and life skills; (2) peer to peer networks and mentors; and (3) direct assets (materials and savings).
• ENGINE will integrate young women into value chains as well as conduct other market-driven employment opportunities.
• ENGINE will also work with girls in formal and informal education to increase their learning opportunities and outcomes to prepare them for future economic activities.
• ENGINE is implemented in the Federal Capital Territory/Abuja as well as in Kano, Kaduna and Lagos states.
• Mercy Corps is a sub-awardee to a large international company and will collaborate with other stakeholders for the implementation of the ENGINE program, including the Nigerian Ministry of Education and Central Bank, as well as private sector actors.

General Position Summary

• The Deputy Project Manager will provide technical, management and strategic vision to the implementation of the ENGINE program, managing staff, national partners and resources to ensure that the program meets performance-based targets on-time and within budget, per DfID requirements.
• The deputy Project Manager will coordinate with other donor funded programming to link marginalized girls with ENGINE activities.
• S/he will ensure program funds are spent efficiently and maximize Value for Money per DfID requirements.
• The deputy Project Manager will supervise and build the capacity of key program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations.
• S/he will support the Project Manager in liaising with donors, relevant government entities, public and private sector partners, Nigerian diaspora groups, and external stakeholders.

Essential Job Functions
Vision and Strategy:

• Review and revise strategic plan, in the light of new opportunities, particularly for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Play an active role in identifying new initiatives that foster and/or improve strategic objectives of the country office, whether utilizing existing resources or requiring program/ project development, in coordination with the project Manager

Program Implementation:

• Ensure effective implementation of the ENGINE program, including meeting deliverables on time, within budget, and according to MC and DFID standards.
• Ensure that ENGINE is responsive to marginalized Nigerian girls, their communities, state and non-state secondary schools, vocational schools, and other skill-based centers. This also includes implementation partners and aligned with Mercy Corps principles, values and strategic plan.
• Ensure the ENGINE team adheres to DfID's Value for Money principles (i.e. economy, efficiency, effectiveness and equity).
• Monitor adherence to grant agreement, Mercy Corps and DfID policies and procedures and relevant external rules and regulations.
• Oversee performance of consortium partners and sub-grantees and conduct frequent field visits to all project sites in Middle and North Nigeria.
• Resolve partners problems as needs arise.

Personal Leadership:

• Demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
• Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.
• Demonstrate an awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs.

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Reporting:

• Facilitate the achievement of performance-based targets and outcomes and lead efforts to design effective, proactive, and iterative M&E systems following DfID's logical framework.
• Oversee the production of high-quality reports on all aspects of the ENGINE program in a timely and efficient manner.
• Ensure that M&E team members focus on assisting programs to generate practical information that can be used for ongoing program decision-making while also capturing results at the impact level.

Representation:

• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events in the field, in close coordination with the Mercy Corps' Nigeria Country Representative.
• Coordinate activities with consortium partners, subgrantees, local government, private sector actors and as well as with other Mercy Corps programs in Nigeria.
• Proactively form relationships with private sector actors to complement DfID funding.

Team Management:

• Implement performance planning and management systems, establish performance expectations with team members, and regularly provide constructive feedback on team members' performance.
• Promote accountability by conducting staff annual performance reviews and ensure that supervisory staff does the same.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

Program Support Operations:

• Coordinate with program, finance, operations, and administration staff to ensure effective systems are in place to support field activities including logistics (transport, warehousing and asset management), procurement, security, administration and human resources.
• Help design operational policies and practices as needed and in accordance with DFID and Mercy Corps regulations.

Security:

• Work closely with Mercy Corps Nigeria country team's security focal point to develop and maintain systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all aspects of its work.
• Ensure that ENGINE activities are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security management priorities for Mercy Corps staff, ENGINE participants, and implementing partners ensuring Do No Harm principles are followed.

Organizational Learning:

• As part of Mercy Corps' agency-wide Organizational Learning Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.

Accountability:

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• Direct supervision of: Program coordinators and Advisors.
• Works directly with: Other MC Nigeria operations and finance team and other gender programs.

Knowledge and Experience

• Master's degree or equivalent in Education, Management, International Development or other relevant field;
• A minimum of 6 to 9 years of experience, including 3 years in a senior management position, with experience in Middle or Northern Nigeria strongly preferred;
• Experience operating large, complex programs in an insecure environment is required.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Strong understanding of DfID compliance issues; experience managing contracts and performance based payments is desired.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing. Hausa language skills strongly preferred.
• Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues in high security environment. Experience managing a multi-organizational team (international and national partners) is a plus.
• Experience managing large-scale secondary education or school to work and especially targeting marginalized girls or young women programs required. Prefer expertise in at least one of the following areas: accelerated learning programs, Islamic and/or community-based education targeting community acceptance of girl's education, increasing economic assets through savings clubs and links to financial institutions. Experience using SMS for training or messaging preferred.
• Experience coordinating with private sector actors to leverage complementary funding and increase scale of activities.
• Demonstrated experience working with country-level ministries and government officials, Ministry of Education and/or Central Bank of Nigeria experience preferred.

Success Factors:

• The successful candidate will combine exceptional management skills and experience in maintaining DfID and partner relationships with a focus on innovative interventions to engage adolescent girls in informal education and skills building linked with private sector entrepreneurship and employment opportunities in a culturally and religiously conservative environment.
• S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative and complex programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region.
• S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills.
• Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.
• The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions:

• The deputy Manager will be based in Abuja and will manage activities throughout the country. The deputy Manager will travel frequently to program locations, where security may be particularly difficult at times. Security in Abuja is generally good, although petty crime is a problem.
• Housing, health care, water, electricity and consumer goods are all reasonably accessible and there are good international and domestic travel options from Abuja Airport.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Applications Closing Date
21st July, 2015

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV's and Cover Letter, addressing the position requirements to: [email protected] Applications must include the position title in the subject line

Note: Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.