Program Director at Tearfund Nigeria

Tearfund is a Christian international relief and development agency working globally to end poverty and injustice, and to restore dignity and hope in some of the world’s poorest communities.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Program Director

Job ID.: 2669
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Grade: 2
Reports to: Country Director
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Job Category: International Relief & Development (Outside UK) Group International Group
Team East and Central Africa (WA)
Responsible to Country Director

Main Purpose of the Job

• The Programme Director (PD) is responsible for serving as a key advisor to the Country Director on all matters related to programming, operations and security focusing on the delivery of Tearfund’s Nigeria Strategy while ensuring projects reflect Tearfund Quality Standard commitments.
• Leading and managing Tearfund supported development and humanitarian projects with partners. This includes the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Tearfund and partner project activities.
• The role is responsible for leading, managing and capacity building team; delivering on quality and accountability commitments, and for ensuring Tearfund policies and procedures are adhered to by staff and partners.
• The role is also responsible for supporting partners, ensuring programme management, and managing country project coordinators, and teams in producing and submitting internal and external narrative and financial reports to donors, government and Tearfund strategic partners.

Position in Organisation

• Supervises the CCT Officer, Advocacy Manager, JISRA Project Manager, SGBV Coordinator and other team members as delegated by CD
• Works closely with the Finance Manager, Programme Development and Partnerships Manager,
• Logistics Manager and HR Manager
• Works closely with Tearfund Partners operating in Nigeria.

Duties & Key Responsibilities
Programme Strategy:

• As a member of the Nigeria country office management Team, helps to shape the overall country programme for Nigeria in line with the Country Strategy.
• Assists the CD in ensuring timely execution of project activities within the allocated budget, strategic development and implementation.
• Ensures that Tearfund’s purpose, values and the programme objectives are communicated amongst staff to create mutual understanding and ownership and facilitate input from staff in the strategic planning process
• Actively monitors the changing local security, socio-economic, political, and humanitarian situation which may have an impact on the programming, sharing and discussing trends and potential responses with the Country Director.
• Supports the Country Director in developing the strategic direction for the complex and emergency programmes
• Assists the Country Director in identifying and securing donor funding in accordance with budget targets and maintaining a diversity of funding options.
• Provides advice and assists with defining the required team composition and structure for the programme in accordance with Tearfund standard structure and sectoral requirements
• Support the Country Director to ensure the periodic review and adaptation of the country strategy based on evidence and insights mined from program reviews and context analyses.

Project / Support Function Management:

• Either independently or in collaboration with the country team and partners, undertakes detailed analysis and designs appropriate project interventions to meet needs and strengthen partner local capacities.
• Actively engages with other humanitarian actors currently implementing interventions to ensure coordination and harmonisation of approaches where appropriate.
• In conjunction with the business development lead, writes project proposals (narrative, log frame, activity schedule and budget) for Tearfund approval and submission to donors.
• Ensures projects are designed and implemented in accordance with Tearfund’s Quality Standards, PCM good practice, and reflects the priorities outlined in the Quality Standards action plan.
• Provides strategic direction, technical assistance and capacity building support to partners and managers in implementing of project activities to achieve project goals and objectives including designing and implementing relevant indicators, monitoring and evaluation systems and frameworks (including baseline surveys, ongoing market analysis and price monitoring, expenditure tracking and impact assessment methodologies) in addition to supporting project reviews in accordance with Tearfund and donor requirements.
• Conducts regular monitoring visits to projects to review progress, ensures programme quality, and incorporation of beneficiary feedback, and provides technical support to partners on risk management and identification and solution of technical issues.
• Participates in project evaluations, assists in the analysis of results and oversees regular project learning reviews to identify learning, disseminating to project staff and adopting learning into implement action plans to improve programming and policy formulation.
• Coordinates the arrangements for in-country donor visits for monitoring and evaluation, in consultation with country Director and the wider SMT
• Facilitates the submission of quality donor reports, ensuring timely submission in accordance with required reporting formats.
• Assists with staff recruitment, induction and training as required.
• Frequent travel to field locations (at least 30% of working time).

Corporate Policy and Compliance:

• In conjunction with the HR and Compliance Lead, responsible for the comprehensive briefing and induction for staff, ensuring their familiarity with Tearfund’s vision, values, Quality Standards, policies and country strategy objectives and their individual responsibilities in upholding these standards and policies.
• Ensures staff are fully briefed/trained on the security measures and understand individual and collective responsibilities for safety and security, including appropriate actions in case of security incidents, that incidents are reported, learning is recorded and corrective actions taken.
• Ensures health and safety policy is understood by staff and implemented and any accidents are recorded and reported appropriately, critical learning is captured and corrective actions taken.
• Ensures that policies and commitments regarding the protection of children and vulnerable adults and the prevention of fraud and bribery are consistently applied.
• Ensures compliance of all projects to Tearfund’s Global Process System (GPS) for the development and implementation of project proposals, reporting, monitoring, evaluation, audit, learning, project completion and for compliance with donor terms and conditions.
• In conjunction with the Grants and Finance Manager ensure financial management is in accordance with Tearfund financial systems and policies.

Team Management:

• Ensures Tearfund’s purpose, values and the programme objectives are communicated amongst staff to foster understanding and ownership
• Leads and manages direct reports ensuring clarity over plans and priorities, providing supervision, guidance and mentoring, encouraging effective team work and inclusiveness and building a team spirit through regular team meetings and events.
• Provides management support to direct reports, in their management and development of others, and implementation of their role objectives, work plans and budgets.
• Coaches, mentors and capacity build teams and partners in project cycle management, sector good practice, and embedding Tearfund’s Quality Standards
• Implements Tearfund’s performance management system with direct reports with objective setting, probationary reviews, regular catch ups, 6-monthly performance appraisals, development planning and exit interviews, carried out for staff, and takes appropriate remedial action to address any areas of poor performance.
• Conducts disciplinary and grievance procedures as required, in conjunction with the Country Director and HR and Compliance Lead.
• Provides spiritual and pastoral support to direct reports and other staff where appropriate.
• Contributes to developing and model a team culture characterised by a shared vision, commitment and mutual accountability that reflects Tearfund’s values.
• Serves as security focal point and updates the country team, cluster and other Tearfund team members on new developments in consultation with the Country Director.

External Representation:

• Builds positive working relationships with Tearfund Strategic Partners including Local Partners,
• Government Authorities, UN and other related stakeholders to build the image of Tearfund. In conjunction with the Country Director, represents Tearfund with other NGOs and UN agencies and visitors ensuring coordination and constructive working relations and attendance at relevant inter-agency coordination and security meetings.
• Actively supports policy influencing (advocacy) activities at local levels, in consultation with the country Director, and in line with the country strategy and specific advocacy plans.
• In conjunction with the Country Director, builds constructive relations with Tearfund Partners and local churches, seeking opportunities for collaboration work in accordance with the Country Programme Strategy.
• Support the Country Director to effectively engage externally based on real time evidence from program implementation and learning.

Person Specification
Qualifications:

• Degree and / or equivalent qualification in Strategic Management, Rural Sociology, Project Management, Humanitarian, and Development related disciplines
• Masters in International Development or a related discipline
• Security Training
• Management Training

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years experience in:
  • Planning, implementing and managing In Aid and Red Cross Codes of Conduct international development programs
  • Multi sector project management and management, finance, procurement, implementation logistics, and systems development
  • Monitoring & Evaluation
• Proven experience in:
  • Strategic planning designated context
  • Staff development and capacity building
  • Designing and conducting market assessments
• Proven and significant work with local partners in a participatory manner
• Proven security management experience
• Proven budget management experience
• Proven team management in humanitarian environments with successful examples of local staff management.
• Successful experience of project cycle management, especially in complex environments
• Proven experience of operating in insecure environments
• NGO experience (specifically working with INGO’s and partner organisations)
• Experience in Nigeria development context

Application Closing Date
20th March, 2023.

Potential Interview Date
3rd April 2023.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here for more information (PDF)

Note: The role will be filled when the right candidate has been found and will involve travel within the West Africa region as well as occasionally to the United Kingdom.