Program Development Manager at Translators without Borders (TWB)

Location: Nigeria, home-based; ideally based in Maiduguri - if not, regular travel to Maiduguri
Travel: Abuja, Maiduguri, and affected areas of the north-east
Contract length: 3 months starting October 2017, with the possibility of extension
Hours: Full-time

Background

• TWB conducted an initial assessment of language support needs in the humanitarian response in north-east Nigeria in July 2017.
• This found very significant levels of need: in a context where people affected by the conflict and food crisis speak dozens of first languages, humanitarian communication is overwhelmingly in English and Hausa.
• Organizations lack basic information about the languages spoken and understood by affected people, and struggle to hire either language professionals or national staff and volunteers with the right language skills.
• So far TWB has developed a protection glossary app, conducted comprehension testing with IDPs, worked with partners on collecting and mapping language data, and carried out training on the basics of interpreting.
• The next step is to prepare the groundwork for setting up a full program of activities in support of affected people and the humanitarian community working with them, over an initial period of three to six months. Program implementation proper is expected to start in early 2018.

The Role

• The Program Development Manager leads and coordinates the set-up of TWB’s Nigeria project, with overall responsibility for timely and effective identification, planning and delivery of activities, efficient and transparent financial management, and learning.

Responsibilities
Humanitarian liaison and coordination:

• Represent and build the profile of TWB within the humanitarian community in Nigeria, ensuring professional and productive engagement with government authorities and national and international civil society partners
• Engage with humanitarian coordination and strategy development, using existing evidence to ensure that issues around language and communication with communities (CwC) are taken on board in key decisions, including around the Humanitarian Response Plan 2018
• Liaise with organizations on CwC efforts, to ensure that language is factored in with TWB’s support

Implementation of program activities:

• Lead on scoping existing capacity of professional language service providers (LSPs) for the key language pairs relevant for affected people in north-eastern Nigeria, collaborating with language experts, language professionals and TWB’s translation and crisis response teams to identify potential collaborators and training needs
• Contribute to the design of a strategy for developing and maintaining a community of translators for the key languages of the humanitarian response
• Build positive relationships with language professionals and language institutions, with a view to partnership.
• Liaise with humanitarian organizations on developing an open-access library of information, education and communication materials (IECs) translated into key languages of the affected population
• Liaise between partner organizations, LSPs and TWB’s translation team to ensure the timely delivery of high-quality translation and terminology services
• Coordinate training activities, including liaising with partner organizations on needs, timings and venue; identifying suitable trainers with the right skills and languages; managing budget and logistics; monitoring learning outcomes and satisfaction levels; and maintaining a register of trained translators and interpreters
• Liaise with sectoral working groups and individual humanitarian organizations and with TWB’s translation team on expanding the Nigeria glossary app to other sectors and languages according to need.

Evidence and research:

• Coordinate the implementation of field activities, including comprehension studies, needs assessments and wider research on language
• Liaise with humanitarian organizations in Maiduguri and Abuja, and internationally, on collecting, visualizing and disseminating data on language
• Disseminate and promote understanding of TWB’s findings and products for Nigeria within the humanitarian community

Monitoring, accountability and learning:

• Work closely with the TWB MEL Manager on executing the M&E plan for the Nigeria project, ensuring flexibility and innovation are incorporated and embraced
• Monitor and manage budgets in compliance with TWB and donor requirements
• Ensure that management and donors are aware of extensions, budget revisions or substantial changes in the project in a timely manner
• Proactively seek opportunities to expand the depth and breadth of the project in response to need, and relay information to crisis response team colleagues to that end
• Working with the crisis response management team, lead on planning and resourcing (staff, finance, etc.) for the development of any new areas of intervention
• Maintain open and professional relationships with the internal TWB team, TWB volunteers, partner agencies and donors
• Contribute to a positive, innovative and supportive work environment

Qualifications

• The Program Development Manager should be an organized self-starter with an understanding of the humanitarian sector and management credentials, and enthusiastic about the importance of increasing access to knowledge through language.
• The right candidate is an energetic team player and leader who agrees with TWB´s basic beliefs and values and who can work virtually with team members based throughout the world.

Requirements

• 3+ years of project management experience in the humanitarian or development sector
• International humanitarian aid experience and demonstrated understanding of the aid sector
• 5+ years’ experience of external representation
• Strong writing skills in English
• Knowledge of one or more of the languages of north-east Nigeria preferred
• Training skills and experience a plus
• Interpreting or translation experience a plus
• Location and authorization to work in Nigeria, with willingness and capacity for regular travel in the country

Core Values:

• Translators without Borders employees and volunteers are made of people who believe passionately about the value of this work and take personal responsibility for achieving the mission. Translators without Borders’ mission and organizational spirit embody the core values established in its strategic framework:
• Excellence: As the leading voice for communicating humanitarian information in the right language, Translators without Borders is a leader in the translation industry and in the non-profit sector.
• Integrity: Translators without Borders believes that every person, whether it is the people who we serve, our volunteers or our staff, has value, deserves respect and has inherent dignity.
• Empowerment: Translators without Borders believes in using language to empower people around the world to control their own development and destiny.
• Innovation: Translators without Borders recognizes and celebrates the power of innovation to address humanitarian and crisis issues around the world.
• Sustainability: Translators without Borders recognizes that meeting our mission necessitates establishment and maintenance of a solid financial and organizational infrastructure.Tolerance: Our staff and volunteers are highly knowledgeable and skilled; value each other, our partner and our recipients; create a supportive work environment; and, conduct themselves professionally at all times.