Nigeria Joint Response (NJR) Project Manager at Save The Children

Job Description

• The Project Manager (PM) will be based in Maiduguri and work under the supervision of the Deputy Team Leader (DTL) and in collaboration with the Nigeria Joint Response (NJR) Consortium Coordinator, to provide technical guidance, manage the project team, ensure monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning, and quality implementation of the project.
• He/she will also lead on effective financial and operational management of the project.

Key Roles
Work closely with the DTL, NJR Coordinator, Head of Food Security and Livelihoods, the emergency Food Security and Livelihoods Coordinator and the Humanitarian Nutrition Advisor to:

• Develop, and lead the successful and timely implementation of work plans as well production of reports and other project deliverables to the Dutch Relief Alliance.
• Oversee and support the implementation of activities assigned to local partners, including proper targeting as well as identification, registration, and monitoring of beneficiaries, ensuring the services they receive complement those of other SC humanitarian projects as well as those of other INGOs implementing in the project area especially those of the NJR
• Lead and coordinate the provision of quality technical support to all project stakeholders for qualitative project implementation and monitoring.
• Work closely with other humanitarian actors, agencies and working groups to ensure project activities are in line with national humanitarian priorities and recommendations as well as humanitarian principles, SPHERE standards, protection mainstreaming and relevant good practices.
• Ensure that efficient systems are in place to support all aspects of project planning and implementation, including financial and grant management, project monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), and sub grant management, in line with DRA compliance regulations.
• Work closely with the MEAL team to develop appropriate monitoring and evaluation, as well as accountability plans as well as identify, document, share with (including with partner INGOs of the NJR) and facilitate the implementation of learnings from the project by relevant project stakeholders
• Work with the logistics team to ensure timely sourcing and management of project inputs including the selection and monitoring of vendors for the voucher system as well as inputs for the nutrition component of the project (including tools for communication for behavioral change)
• Lead on the monitoring of market prices and generation of monthly market assessment reports.
• Ensure that all stakeholders involved in the project are abreast and comply with all SCI procedures, rules and regulations including those related to the rights of and accountability to beneficiaries, child safeguarding, security and fraud.
• Lead on the identification and roll out of capacity building initiatives in favor of local partners
• Maintain close contact with the service providers, and ensure timely recharge of beneficiary voucher accounts as well as tracking of beneficiary transactions.
• Ensure compliance with all SC, DRA and government provisions, and timely reporting to donor, government and other relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure expenditures are timely and as per approved budgets monitored to avoiding under spending and overspending on grant line items, and programmatic and budget realignments proposed to the donor on time.
• Lead on initiatives to ensure visibility (as per SC, donor and security guidelines), including of project activities and outcomes, to project stakeholders including donor, NJR INGO partners and other relevant stakeholders.

Other Roles
Personnel management and Administration:

• Supervise as per SC reporting lines, project field based staff, conduct performance evaluations and ensure talent development.
• Ensure all project staff are aware of and understand SC policies and procedures, and appropriate disciplinary measures taken as need be.
• Promote team work, accountability, collection and communication of expectations and constructive feedback.
• Responsible for the timely recruitment, orientation, and capacity building of project staff.
• Ensure all administrative procedures are followed, such as those regarding sourcing and management of project resources

Representation and Leadership:

• Represent Save the Children in coordination, consensus and communication fora relevant to the project.
• Maintain good working relationships with officials and other humanitarian and project actors, especially those of relevant government agencies (SEMA etc.), other INGO including those of the NJR, and leaders of community structures
• Keep abreast of NJR, INGO, government, and donor initiatives, relevant to the project and SC’s work. 

Monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL):

• Make regular visits to field sites, to monitor, oversee and support project implementation.
• Lead on project assessments, internal (including at mid-term) and external evaluations and other required reviews
• Contribute to other relevant analyses as well initiatives related to the development of relevant strategy and sector documents and plans.
• Coordinate with the MEAL team for the timely development of periodic evidence-based project impact reports and post-distribution monitoring
• Ensure the findings and best practices of past phases of the project as well as those of other relevant projects feed into implementation of the project.
• Contribute to the development and deployment of relevant project MEAL systems and tools (including for surveys and assessment) and ensure their data contributes to Country office MEAL tools including the humanitarian output tracker.

Communication for Behavioral impact:

• Ensure through the use or appropriate tools and mechanisms, that project livelihood and nutrition activities lead to sustained behavioral change, and positive impact in the lives of beneficiaries and children under their care.

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• Extensive experience working (including in a management role) in a complex country programs in an emergency response or fragile state
• Previous experience of managing program teams in large-scale first phase emergency response is essential
• Experience managing, monitoring and reporting on grants from institutional donors
• Education: MA / M.Sc level (or equivalent field experience) in the applied sciences including in the domain of Economics, Agriculture, Nutrition, Development Studies and any other related domain
• Experience with M&E, and implementing learning and beneficiary accountability in a large complex program
• Experience of negotiating, developing and implementing successful partnerships with multiple stakeholders
• Proven ability to influence change at an operational and strategic levels
• 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 values of Save the Children (SC). In particular, a good understanding of the SC’s mandate and child-focus, and the ability to ensure this always underpins the support we provide.

Desirable:

• At least 5 years of humanitarian experience
• Previous experience working in West Africa.