Country Programme Manager – Nigeria

Purpose

The overall purpose of the Country Programme Manager (CPM) is to achieve Norwegian Red Cross (NorCross) humanitarian objectives at country level through results-based programme management and risk management. The CPM will be seconded to ICRC Nigeria delegation and will be responsible for the planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of NorCross supported health programmes in close collaboration with the Nigeria RC (NRCS). The CPM will support in ensuring sound technical quality of the NorCross supported health programmes, in line with established technical standards and as planned in ICRC annual PfR, including NorCross’ technical standards, and best practices. This should contribute to NRCS implementation of quality health programmes and improving humanitarian outcomes.

Strategic responsibilities

• Develop and strengthen the tripartite partnership between Nigeria Red Cross (NRCS), NorCross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) through programme development and management in line with existing and future agreements and plans.
• Represent Norwegian Red Cross in-country within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement (RCM) and vis a vis the Norwegian stakeholders as applicable in IRCA context and contribute to complementary RCM roles and responsibilities.
• Draft yearly plans of action for NorCross country portfolio and follows up on progress through regular meetings and reporting.
• Develop further with effectiveness and efficiency the cooperation with NRCS and the ICRC in accordance with established in-country agreements.
• Safeguard agreements and plans and follows up on risk assessments for all in-country initiatives.
• Takes initiative to conduct needs assessments and develops fundable programme proposals aligned with organizational strategic ambitions.
• Oversee that NorCross supported interventions comply with established technical standards and relevant thematic frameworks.
• Consistently and proactively monitor planned and unplanned effects of all projects supported by the NorCross and reports on progress through quarterly and yearly reports and complies with established deadlines.
• Ensures reliable data and information collection from all projects in accordance with NorCross results framework and drafts yearly results reports.
• Engage team members by providing clear expectations manifested in individual work plans and follows up through expressing positive expectations and holding each other accountable.
• Promote good collaboration between NorCross in the Africa region and beyond to ensure use of available technical expertise and standards.
• Manage staff (mobile and resident as applicable) contracted for the purpose of the NorCross supported programmes under IRCA

Operational responsibilities

• Ensure that NRCS NorCross supported health programmes are designed, implemented and monitored in line with established NorCross health technical standards and overall project management (planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting) standards.
• Contribute proactively with other technical personnel to NorCross global efforts to establish and operationalise technical approaches and standards for community-based health programmes (with all above mentioned components), including community engagement and accountability methodologies
• Assist with the technical capacity strengthening of the national society on health-related matters to ensure coherence and technical alignment with other community-based initiatives supported by Movement partners in Nigeria.
• Coordinate with and complement the work already done by ICRC in the Primary health centres/posts and mobile health units.
• Provide technical support to the quality design, including monitoring structures, of community-based health programmes, in line with NorCross strategic documents and technical standards.
• Conducts technical assessments and scoping missions as requested and contribute technically to project development and implementation.
• Ensure timely implementation and quality monitoring of NorCross supported community health projects through structured and regular monitoring, field visits, follow up and reporting on them.
• Ensure operationalisation of NorCross and ICRC health technical standards with focus on community-based health to ensure an evidence-based approach, including Community Engagement and Accountability methodologies are used in the design and implementation of community-based health projects.
• Provide continuous follow up of technical input, support, and guidance to the relevant counterparts to implement activities with high quality standards.
• Ensure that community health volunteers receive consistent professional clinical supervision, and that outreach activities are tied to the provision of adequate clinical services
• Support the connection of community health interventions with appropriate clinical supervision e.g. monitoring for remote and inaccessible areas, measuring progress towards health outcomes, including with cash and health relevant methodologies as appropriate
• Support the design, implementation, and analysis of base- and end-line studies, and the application of the qualitative and quantitative data in the planning, evaluation and reporting of the projects.
• Responsible for quarterly and annual narrative reporting to NorCross regional office in Nairobi and contribute to ICRC internal reports.
• Responsibility includes overall financial management of the project and appropriate budget vs expenditure monitoring
• Advise the NRCS on evidence-based interaction with community members and groups on issues related to diagnostic screenings, sanitation or hygiene, self-care, risk or prevention of conditions and issues related to improving general health
• Advise the NRCS on best practices on building relationships with community members; including home visits for pregnant women, new-born infants, or other high-risk individuals to monitor their progress or assess their needs, and how to retain contact with clients/beneficiaries in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed, required or recommended actions.
• Provide technical input to NorCross regional office and ICRC that enables conveying the purposes and services of community health projects to back donors and other stakeholders, including the humanitarian outcomes that the projects contribute to.
• Support the host National Society to better plan for future projects, review and provide input to reports, analyse trends and suggest project adjustments.
• Fully ensure respect for applicable security rules

Collaboration

• Collaborate with ICRC country health and other technical teams and NS to ensure coordination and complementarity for maximized humanitarian outcomes
• Collaborate and ensure complementarity with ICRC health programmes which are carried out in the same areas.
• Collaborate with and support the Host National Society on technical matters, particularly health technical staff and project staff with responsibilities for community health projects
• Collaborate with NorCross regional team and national office to ensure alignment with NorCross established work processes, technical standards, and efficient use of NorCross technical resources for the purpose of the country portfolio.
• Coordinate regularly with all other PNSs, IFRC and ICRC in country and in project location (as applicable)
• Collaborate with ICRC to ensure an inclusive approach putting the NS closer to the center of the operation and with a stronger focus on the reinforcement of local capacities of the branch
• Collaborate with ICRC sub delegations and NS branches in target zones in matters related to community health project and field security management

Mission specific responsibilities

• The position will be initially based in Abuja (ICRC HQ), with frequent travel, up to 60% of working time, to the selected programme sites.
• Provide technical input to formulation of health related components to be considered for MFA strategic partnership with NorCross 2024-2026 and other relevant upcoming NorCross strategic processes

Qualifications

Formal Competence

• Master degree in Public Health preferred combined with relevant field practice

Personal qualifications, skills and knowledge

Skills and knowledge

• In-depth understanding of relevant technical standards and the operationalization of technical health standards in humanitarian projects.
• Strong experience from designing, implementing, and managing community health projects in humanitarian settings
• Proven strong experience from project management, including needs assessments, base and end lines, project design, and reporting.
• Skills related to building technical capacities of partner organizations.
• English work proficiency is required, local and regional languages an asset.
• Advanced understanding of the use of innovative tools and approaches in relevant technical discipline, is an asset

Personal Qualifications

• Very good ability to take initiative and accept responsibility
• Very good ability to work towards achieving objectives and results
• Very good ability to cooperate and share competency
• Very good ability to develop and coach others
• Collaborates well with others and supports others in the pursuit of team goals.
• Creates a stable and re-assuring work atmosphere and is firm and reliable