Country Director at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Country Director, Nigeria

Requisition ID: 220000AZ
Location: Abuja (FCT)
Employee Status: Permanent
Contract Length: Open Ended

The Role

• As a member of the West & Central Africa Senior Leadership team, you will have shared accountability for Save the Children’s international development and emergency programming in the region of a portfolio of $248 million (2021) through an organisation of over 2,500 people.
• To achieve our ambitious goals and breakthroughs for children, the leadership team will, in collaboration with Save the Children Members and in conjunction with the other regional organisations, aim to drive growth of the donor landscape to $3 billion in the coming years.
• The Country Director will lead the transformation of the country office to a new operating model, whilst also delivering Save the Children’s strategy within the country through:
  • Delivering quality programmes, including advocacy, for children; and
  • Serving Members and their donors
• Save the Children has been actively working in Nigeria since 2000. We have 13 offices and sub offices in 9 States (Lagos, Cross River, Borno, Gombe, Yobe, Gombe, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina and Abuja) and presence through partners in a further 4 States (Kebbi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano).  
• Our program is implemented in various sectors including Food Security & Livelihoods, Nutrition, Education, and Protection, WASH with some Health programming also.
• With a full-spectrum approach to programming, we engage in both Humanitarian and longer term development work.
• The Nigeria Country Office employs over 550 staff and has an annual operating budget of approximately $66 million this year most of which is focused on the humanitarian response in the North East involving cash / evouchers We work directly with families and communities, foster the participation of children and partner with local organizations, UN bodies, International NGOs and the Nigerian government to deliver results for children.

Qualifications and Experience 

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in a relevant field
• Experienced leader who has held senior positions in complex/high profile/ multinational organisations
• Experience of working with large, complex donors (USAID, EU, DFID etc.) to secure and/or manage new large-scale and/or competitive funding
• Understanding of key trends in international and humanitarian development
• Demonstrable ability to recruit, lead and develop high calibre specialist senior staff with a range of backgrounds and expertise
• Strong track record in building high performance teams and future successors/leaders
• Ability to manage and motivate self and others to respond to a significant and complex crisis situation in extraordinary circumstances, requiring swift action and rapid changes in priorities
• Innovative approach to solving a range of highly complex issues and galvanising buy-in to the solutions at all levels
• Experience and knowledge of context and actors in WCA region.
• Fluency and speaking and writing in both French and English
• Commitment to the Save the Children vision, principles, mission and values
• Experience on humanitarian programs and ability to work in a volatile environment preferred.

Application Closing Date
31st January, 2022.