National Program Manager at IPAS

The National Program Manager works at a national level to provide technical and managerial leadership for the Nigeria program under the direction of the Country Director. This position is responsible for the development and implementation of strategies and work plans to ensure that program goals and objectives are met. This includes providing strategic inputs for annual work plans, proposal development, analysis of programmatic results, identification and resolution of challenges and program performance, application of lessons learned and best practices to improve program performance, donor reporting, financial monitoring, and personnel management. In addition, the National Program Manager works with in-country counterparts to ensure successful implementation of work plans. The National Program Manager will also oversee the Monitoring and Evaluation, Operations, HR, Policy, Community and Youth engagement functions while providing technical support to the health system work.

Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities

• Supports the Country Director to provide leadership for planning and effective implementation of programs in Nigeria
• Solicits guidance from Global units to resolve technical issues as needed
• Conducts field visits to program states in order to provide programmatic oversight and assistance
• Leads and facilitates discussions during technical meetings for Nigeria team, and offers strategic and technical recommendations at quarterly review meetings etc ; follows up on issues as necessary.
• Provides technical and programmatic inputs into the development of annual country work plans and budgets, reviews quarterly budgets and expenditure reports, and monitors activity budgets spending to ensure financial planning is on track
• Provides input on preparation of proposals and donor reports, especially related to sharing of lessons learned and best practices
• Supports the Country Director in representations with government officials at Federal and state level meetings
• Interacts with senior members of other units to meet their directives, share progress of work, resolve problems, and find alternate workable strategies

Key Characteristics

• Strong communication skills
• Business Acumen
• Diplomacy
• Interpersonal skills
• Leadership/management skills
• Planning and organization

Professional Knowledge

• Must be able to work and communicate with government officials and external partners
• Must possess working knowledge of project management and strategy development
• Must be familiar with women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights

Impact on Business

• Responsible for determining necessary program adjustments which ensure the program’s success
• Develops workplans and budgets for projects that allow program implementation to run smoothly and effectively

Internal & External Customers/Suppliers as well as Third Parties

• Collaborates with output leads and the Country Director in reference to allocation of resources, budgetary issues, and program results
• Works with Programs Associates and Advisors in reference to program implementation, field level challenges, and other program issues
• Works with Regional Support Team in reference to implementation of program work plans, budget review, and development of proposals and donor reports
• Reports to the Country Director in reference to special requests, strategic planning, and program results and progress
• Supports relationships with partner organizations in reference to common goals and programs needs
• Supports relationships with government and other stakeholders

People Leadership

• Manages the operation of a unit, section, or a major function and typically directs the activities of supervisory personnel and oversees the work of others who do not directly report to the position

Requirements:

Minimal Requirements

• Education to minimum of Masters Level, in a subject relevant to Ipas work.
• Demonstrated skills in leadership, planning, management and technical skills working with health systems and community programs.
• Five (5) or more years of leading program operations and logistics experience
• Previous supervisory experience of a minimum of four full time technical staff members required
• Cross-cultural work experience required
• Travel: 25%

Preferred Requirements

• Working knowledge of project management and strategy development
• Working knowledge of budget management including forecasting and tracking spending.
• Working knowledge of managing project operations and logistics.
• Must be able to effectively communicate and interact with government officials, donors and other stakeholders
• Must posses strong writing and presentation skills
• Must be able to complete some HR responsibilities when necessary
• Must be able to oversee monitoring and evaluation functions and senior technical staff.