Deputy Project Manager / Project Officer - I at Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI)

Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts, and natural disasters. For 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Project Manager / Project Officer - I

Location: Damaturu, Yobe
Employment Type: Full-time

Overall Responsibilities

• The Deputy Project Manager will coordinate the WFP CERF CBT Project team, under the guidance and direct supervision of the Project Manager, to set up the food security and nutrition activities, ensuring that COOPI technical recommendations and procedures are followed.

Main Responsibilities and Tasks
Under the direct supervision of the Program Manager, and in collaboration with the other staff of the projects and of the Base, he/she will:

• The Deputy Project Manager (CBT) will provide strategic leadership to the CERF project, providing advisory support in the choice between different implementation modalities and representing COOPI in conversations with stakeholders including the government.
• Overall day-to-day oversight and management of CERF CBT operations and facilitating the implementation and monitoring of the CBT-based program in Damaturu LGA.
• Provide project management support to CBT intervention, ensuring a coordinated approach with a wider program that complies with COOPI standards and procedures.
• Develop and coordinate data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reporting on project and activities that enable informed decision making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration, monitor ongoing projects and highlight potential risks to project delivery.
• Guide and supervise more junior staff, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with analysis and queries.
• Contribute to gender transformation, youth engagement and the inclusion of disadvantaged groups in the project effort.

Setting up the activities /control and supervision:

• Compile the weekly plan of activities and have them approved by his/her Project Manager:
• Plan human resources needs (daily workers, workers...)
• Plan tool and material needs (request from stock)
• Anticipate administrative issues (requests in advance)
• Anticipate logistics issues (transport/fuel, communication...)
• Aggregate and compile weekly activity reports for all the teams.
• Supervise and monitor each stage of activity. Ensure that standards and instructions given by his/her Project Manager, as well as COOPI procedures, are followed.
• Report back any problems and constraints encountered during the course of the activities and suggest operational solutions.
• Ensure beneficiaries are treated with dignity and apply COOPI’s Code of Ethics and Conduct, the UN Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in the field, including regularly sensitizing the teams on such principles.

Support in collating and analysing monitoring data, as well as report on findings from monitoring activities:

• Support the M&E Manager to ensure proper monitoring of the program, focusing on overall M&E framework of the projects;
• Facilitate monitoring data collection;
• Drafting and sharing lessons learnt from the different project intervention for programme development and quality control.

Logistics and Administration:

• Train his/her team members to use and maintain the available tools correctly;
• Ensure that safety procedures are followed by members of his/her team;
• Compile and submit the weekly movement plan.

Coordination and Representation:

• Participate in humanitarian coordination forums to keep COOPI informed about other partners’ food security activities as well as opportunities for expansion of COOPI activities.
• Represent COOPI in liaising with local authorities and communities, in cooperation with the Field Coordinator.

Work with program teams to ensure COOPI information on program activities is shared within LGAs and provide beneficiary feedback in line with relevant guidelines and frameworks:

• Collaborate with government and humanitarian partners to ensure the smooth sharing of information in consultation with the Project Manager/Field Coordinator/Program Manager
• Support the program team in facilitating the process of setting up Complaint Response Mechanism at the Ward/ LGA level and handling complaints/ feedback.
• This ToR shall be inclusive of any other task specifically assigned by the direct supervisor that concerns the implementation of the program activities.

Profile of the Candidate (Education, Training, Competences, Skills)
Minimum Requirements:

• University Degree / HND in any of the following disciplines: Project Management, Social Sciences, Arts, Economics, Sciences or any related field.
• At least 3 years of experience in connection with project management in the food security and/or livelihood sector, and preferably in a non-governmental organization of humanitarian and international character.
• Previous experience in the food distribution supervisory field is preferable.
• Ability to write reports.
• Able to work outside of regular working hours as required, including evenings and weekends if required.
• A good experience in supervision is required.
• Experience with survey methodologies, nutrition assessment, and relevant data analysis
• Previous experience working with an INGO or a Development organization.

Skills & Experience:
Essential:

• Be professional, motivated, flexible, and culturally sensitive
• 2 - 3 years in Distribution, CVAs, and FSL-related work experience with an INGO
• Experience in In-kind food distribution activities from planning to execution, monitoring, and reporting.
• Have excellent communication, writing, and analytical skills.
• Be excellent in communication skills and proficient in report writing
• Be resident and familiar with the terrain in Northeast Nigeria.
• Experience designing and leading capacity building and training for national teams.
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office programming (Access, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word).
• Knowledge and experience in using database-specific software.
• Excellent communication, writing, and analytical skills.
• Experience designing and leading capacity building and training for national teams
• Perform any other related duties or responsibilities that may be assigned by the supervisor
• Given the stressful nature of the Yobe security situation, which remains fluid and unpredictable, and its high interpersonal and communication skills demands, the CBT officer will need to be able to fit easily into a complex and operative team of various cultural backgrounds.

Preferred:

• Knowledge of the local language (Hausa and Kanuri).
• Proficient in data collection and handling bulk registers of beneficiaries.
• Willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote areas, where services are limited.
• Strong level of autonomy to provide independent follow-through on processing issues and concerns
• Excellent planning, organizational, and time management skills
• This ToR shall be inclusive of any other task specifically assigned by the Program Manager and direct supervisor for what concerns the implementation of the program activities.

Application Closing Date
26th July, 2022.