Head of Programming II, Nigeria

JOB DESCRIPTION

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Background:

CRS programs in Nigeria this year will have $160M in total programming value and, in 2022, reached over 80M direct participants, representing one of the largest Country Programs in the agency. CRS’ portfolio in Nigeria boasts a robust health sector representing over 60% of programming, a growing livelihoods sector and strong emergency and early recovery portfolio in northeast Nigeria. Health programming includes investments in health systems strengthening, disease control programs (malaria, polio and HIV/AIDS), and integrated child health and nutrition, while livelihoods work is focused on social cohesion, cash and market-based programming, strengthening value chains, and harnessing the private sector for improved livelihoods. Our work in the northeast comprises an integrated approach to emergencies and early recovery focusing on shelter, WASH, livelihoods, nutrition, social cohesion and infrastructure. The Nigeria Country Program is also implementing a new strategy that seeks to position the agency as a leader in providing technical assistance to local government and non-governmental partners in Nigeria, in the use of technology to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of development and emergency programming (ICT4D) and in resilience programming. Within this new strategy is the implementing of the concept of the “Magic Triangle”, which brings together monitoring, evaluation, accountability & learning (MEAL), marketing & communications (Marcomm) and business development (BD). This is being done with the goal of utilizing project and program quality experiences, in support of country programming positioning and advocacy for optimal impact at scale.

Job Summary

As a member of the Nigeria Country Program (CP) Leadership Team (LT) and Senior Management Team (SMT), the Head of Programming (HoP) will provide overall strategic direction, leadership, and management of the CP’s programming to ensure the establishment and successful implementation of large and complex programming serving the poor and vulnerable. Your leadership, management and knowledge will enable the CP to deliver high-quality programming and continuously work toward improving the impact of its programming. As part of the LT, you will support the Country Representative and Security Manager to proactively manage security and mitigate security risks

RESPONSIBILITIES

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the Country Representative (CR) provide leadership and strategic direction for the design of Nigeria’s strategic frameworks and plans, including the development of resource mobilization strategies to optimize the impact of large and complex programming interventions in line with regional and agency strategic priorities. Represent and promote CRS.
• Lead high-quality project design with innovative approaches that incorporate project management standards and MEAL methods, appropriate to scope, context, and technical requirements of large and complex projects. Contribute to establishment of new project management standards. Lead planning of activities across projects from different sectors to ensure integration and efficiency in implementation.
• Effectively manage senior programming talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching and mentoring for the Deputy HoP. Strategically tailor individual development plans and complete performance assessment for direct reports. Contribute to developing staffing plans for large and complex projects and to the recruitment process of senior project staff. Contribute to Global HoP orientation and training program.
• Create and maintain proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to deficiencies. Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management overseeing application of the MEAL policy, as well as cross-sectoral and cross-department learning.
• Coordinate with regional and CP operations leads to ensure appropriate project budgeting and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• Lead the business development cycle of increasingly complex, strategic, and competitive growth opportunities from intelligence gathering and positioning to proposal development to learning and marketing to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards.
• Lead the identification, assessment and strengthening of appropriate partnerships and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Ensure technical assistance and capacity strengthening for project teams and partners in project management standards and related MEAL, business development and operational activities. Identify training opportunities, develop training curricula and deliver trainings.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations or relevant field.
• Minimum of 10 years work experience in a program management position with progressive responsibilities for an international NGO, including at least three years with successful performance in a Head of Programming position.
• Strong experience in project grants management for large and complex projects, including project design, budget preparation, expenditure tracking, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, etc., for projects funded by multiple public donors, including USAID.

Preferred Qualifications

• Substantial experience with successful business development activities capturing significant public and private donor funding, including serving as a proposal coordinator for a Feed the Future opportunity.
• Excellent English writing skills.
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Experience working with Church partners a plus.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching and mentoring senior program staff.
• Experience and abilities in capacity strengthening – developing curricula and facilitating trainings.
• Experience using MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, and knowledge sharing networks.
• Commitment to gender sensitive programming and management.

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English – Native or Full professional proficiency

Travel Required 50% travel to project sites across the country.

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: Seven direct reports including DHoP, CoP/PMs, Emergency Coordinator, Business Development and MEAL Coordinator

Internal: Regional Director, Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality and Growth, Regional and HQ Technical Advisors, other programming staff including HoPs and DCRs from other CPs, Programming Unit Heads, Head of Finance.

External: Church (Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria – CCFN, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria – CSN, Diocesan and other implementing partners, etc.), USG (USAID, CDC, etc.) and other donors, Government of Nigeria (National Planning Commission, relevant Ministries, etc.), consortium partners (current and potential), NGO network members, and civil society.

Note: All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside their home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical examination.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

ABOUT US

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

ABOUT THE TEAM

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer