Chief of Party, Water for Agriculture, Nigeria at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job ID: #3202454
Location: Adamawa
Job Type: Regular, Full Time
Reports to: Deputy Country Representative (Northeast Nigeria)

Background

• CRS is bidding for a multi-million-dollar, multi-year USAID/Nigeria Water for Agriculture Program. This program seeks to develop and implement interventions that will sustainably increase water availability and management, towards increasing agricultural productivity in in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states of Nigeria.
• This effort will contribute to CRS' agriculture and livelihoods signature program area and ongoing efforts to promote resilience, recovery and development within Nigeria and neighboring countries around the Lake Chad Basin.

Job Summary

• The Chief of Party (COP) will have overall responsibility for the USAID/Nigeria Water for Agriculture Program. Responsibilities include meeting program objectives and deliverables while providing overall leadership in technical, administrative, operational, and management aspects.
• The COP will act as the primary relationship manager for the program with USAID/Nigeria, Government of Nigeria, partners and external stakeholders.

Specific Job Responsibilities

• Provide overall strategic guidance, leadership, management and general technical oversight of the entire program, with a strong focus on achieving defined results.
• Act as the key liaison with the USAID AOR, Government of Nigeria, all implementing partners and stakeholders involved with the program.
• Represent the program and present its work nationally and globally to CRS leadership, the donor, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Lead, manage, supervise and mentor program staff and consortium partners.
• Coordinate relationships with consortium partner organizations, including organization of review/planning workshops. Contribute to coordination of the roles and activities of staff from other consortium member organizations in implementation in line with CRS partnership principles.
• Ensure high-quality monitoring and evaluation of program impact and timely submission of donor reports and deliverables.
• Ensure compliance with CRS and USAID policies and requirements
• Ensure coordination between program and operations teams; and ensuring CRS program quality standards are adhered to per MEAL policy and procedures.
• Oversee compliance with USAID regulations, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration and reporting to USAID.
• 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. Identify performance gaps and training opportunities for CRS and partner staff and recommend trainings and technical assistance.

Key Working Relationships

• Supervisory: DCoP and Award Manager
• Internal: Consortium Partners, CoPs and Program Managers of other CRS programs, Support Departments including Operations etc.
• External: Government Ministry Agencies (MDAs), UN agencies, Peer agencies (NGOs) and Community Representatives.

Agency Wide Competences (for all CRS staff):

• These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results:
• Serves with Integrity
• Models Accountability and Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning
• Committed to Continuous Improvement and Innovation
• Has a Strategic Mindset

Qualifications and Skills

• Masters' degree in Engineering, Water / Natural Resource Management, Administration, Management or other relevant field.
• At least 7 years of management and technical experience on similar programs.
• 5 years of staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching senior program staff.
• Track record of managing large and diverse teams.
• 5 years experience managing donor funds, including multi country grants. Strong knowledge and experience in budget management.
• Demonstrated experience in institutional strengthening, capacity building and market-based approached to water management.
• Capacity to build and maintain relationships with host governments, donors, other donor-funded programs and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners.
• Experience managing programmatic and financial reporting requirements.
• Experience with USAID rules, regulations and requirements.
• Experience working in sub-Saharan Africa required. Prior experience in Nigeria preferred
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Strong computer literacy with a full knowledge of office applications.

Personal Skills:

• Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities with diverse/multi-disciplinary teams. Coaching skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.

Required Foreign Language:

• English fluency, including excellent oral and written skills, required. Proficiency in Hausa or Kanuri preferred.
• Required Travel: To field locations in Nigeria
• Work Environment: Office environment. Please note this position will be based in the field (Adamawa State)