Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in over 20 countries around the world. Recognized for our commitment to accountability, innovation and collaboration, our work takes us into the heart of communities, where we help children and families help themselves.
We work with other organizations, governments, non-profits and a variety of local partners while maintaining our own independence without political agenda or religious orientation. Save the Children’s mission is to Inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.
We are recruiting to fill the position of:
Job Title: Project Manager
Location: Borno, Nigeria
Role
- The Project Manager is responsible for managing the strategic design and modification of the humanitarian response in line with the Response Strategy and Master budget.
- This will include supporting the Humanitarian Programme Manager to identify needs and resources and elaborating programme recommendations for the emergency response in line with Save the Children Nigeria SMT and regional response priorities.
- The post-holder will develop the response strategy and identification of the necessary resources for the response.
- The Project Manager will establish working relations with other agencies, looking for opportunities for partnership and harmonisation of approach with donors to ensure resources are made available to the response
- The Project Manager will negotiate the positioning of the humanitarian response within the Country Programme and support the SMT to ensure the suitable resourcing of the response.
- He/she is also expected to coordinate the Emergency Response for Displaced Households in Northeast Nigeria (ECHO project) at field level.
- He/she will ensure that all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to child safeguarding, safety and security, code of conduct, equal opportunities and other relevant policies are in place.
- The post holder will play a strategic role in defining the effective scale up and management of Save the Children emergency programmes to maximise impact and enable positive change for children.
Main Responsibilities
Programme Support:
- Assume overall oversight of the Nigerian response within the regional emergency response in collaboration with the HPM.
- Ensure the large number of multiple grants (across up to 10 sectors), contribute to the achievement of the response strategy ensuring strict compliance of programme activities with Save the Children national and global policies and procedures and with relevant donor regulations and agreements, SPHERE guidelines and the NGO code of conduct.
- Lead on Nigeria Response Strategy, country level strategic planning, action plans, and monitoring to ensure an effective emergency response and a smooth transition to recovery phase
- Lead on the development of a 24 month master budget for the Nigerian response, based on direction from the SMT, predicted funding for the North East response. Take overall leadership on the implementation of national level budgets of US$ 10-20 million of annual budget, keeping relevant stakeholders informed and ensuring any corrective actions are taken.
- In coordination with the TAs and the awards team, ensure the preparation of timely programme and donor reports on project activities in compliance with internal SC requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
- Work with the TA’s to develop scaling up plans for programming, based on existing Nigerian experience and the experience during the early months of the response
- Establish project monitoring plans and systems for identifying and tracking the indicators and develop processes/procedures and forms to support monitoring and inform learning.
- Oversee effective establishment of a functioning logistics systems to procure, store and distribute stock, supplies and services for the timely delivery of project objectives at national level
- Through embedding direct and remote processes into each sector programme design, ensure strong accountability to beneficiaries
- Plan, identify and resource appropriate and effective structure & staffing needs for entire response (including ensuring that personnel policies are in accordance with national laws)
- Oversee the development & implementation of staff well-being (policy) and ensure appropriate staff well-being and R&R policy and processes in place.
Capacity Building:
- Ensure that all programme designs and budgets sufficiently incorporate pre-deployment training requirements and capacity building plans and performance management systems are in place.
- Ensure training plans include capability statements and measuring systems to allow the development of the requisite competencies in staff at each level to ensure timely delivery of a quality of response
- Coach and mentor international and national staff and partners and link in to wider organisational talent development mechanisms.
Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:
- Represent Save the Children’s emergency response on a national, regional and international level to donors, the media and members of the humanitarian community.
- Help shape broader sector strategies through influence of and leadership within inter-agency coordination forums, ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed
- Regularly undertake high level representation and advocacy with Government partners and officials as well as donor representatives. Establish systems for communication with local Government partners, relevant line departments and community representations in the project area(s).
- Lead on organisational level operational practice, innovation and learning in consultation with Humanitarian team.
- Oversee the implementation of Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to child rights and safeguarding, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential:
- Extensive experience of working within a senior management role within a complex country programme in an emergency response or fragile state
- Previous experience of managing programme teams in large-scale first phase emergency response is essential
- Education: MA / MSc level (or equivalent field experience)
- Senior management experience of multi-national, multi-sector team at a Country Director level.
- Experience of managing multi-donor, multi-site programmes (including ECHO, DFID and OFDA) of GBP 5m+ in a first phase response at regional or country level
- Multi-site security management in insecure environments
- Experience of international level representation with key stakeholders, and co-ordination with other NGOs/UN
- Experience of international media representation and advocacy
- Experience of M&E and beneficiary accountability systems in large complex programmes
- Experience of developing and negotiating successful partnerships with institutional donors
- Proven ability to influence change at an operational and strategic level
- Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
- A high level of written and spoken English
- The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
- Commitment to the aims and principles of SC. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support
Desirable:
- Fluent in English and Hausa.
Application Closing Date
22nd February, 2016.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online