Country Director at Center for Civilians in Conflict’s Mission

Location: Abuja, Nigeria (must be willing to travel to Northeast Nigeria)
Travel: Up to 25% required (domestic and international)
Staff Reporting:Staff in-country full-time plus consultants located in Nigeria and on temporary duty

Summary

• Candidates who will be an integral part of the CIVIC program team reporting to the Director, Africa, and works closely with other staff members at HQ.

Job Purpose

• The CD has overall responsibility for setting the strategic vision and implementing CIVIC’s programs in Nigeria. This includes managing the offices in Abuja and Maiduguri, recruiting and supervising staff and consultants, ensuring overall financial management and accountability, adhering to all technical requirements and deliverables in CIVIC’s grants, and achieving the results set out the program documents and codified in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plan(s).

Overall Management and Leadership:

• Implement and periodically update CIVIC-Nigeria strategic plan including planning for future programming.
• Generate funding from donors in collaboration with national, regional and headquarters staff in alignment with the country office's strategic plan.
• Manage financial resources and provide oversight for grants (with assistance from country operations manager).
• Manage project personnel including the support of their ongoing professional development.
• Provide strategic vision and direction for overall program design and proposal development; program implementation and reporting; grant management; financial planning; and human resource planning and management; work closely with the country team to accomplish the strategic goals.
• Represent CIVIC in formal and informal meetings with government and security officials, international organizations, donors, and national civil society groups pertinent to CIVIC project activities.

Programmatic:

• Country knowledge of Nigeria and on protection of civilians during armed conflict and in stabilization/reintegration phase.
• Provide technical input to the government, security forces, donors and civil society groups pertinent to CIVIC’s project activities.
• Oversee research design, dissemination of reports and research products, and advocacy to advance programmatic and policy changes.
• Oversee and coordinate the program portfolio to ensure the highest level of project quality and accountability, while fostering continuity through building local capacity.
• Ensure implementation of strong program MEL functions.
• Strengthen the quality and effectiveness of existing programs in civilian protection and harm mitigation advocacy, technical assistance, and training, including through the development of a strong MEL framework.
• Disseminate findings from CIVIC’s work that are of importance to decision-makers in a position to fund or implement projects in Nigeria.
• Keep the international and national partners and others informed about progress of the projects, plans for the development of new programs/projects/activities and donor involvement in the overall program.

Financial and Administrative:

• Provide oversight to finance and administrative services including procurement, property management, human resources management, vehicle and facilities management, and staff safety and security (aided by in-country operations manager).
• Work with CIVIC headquarters to manage the development and implementation of annual country budgets.
• Ensure the preparation and accuracy of financial reports that comply with grant or contract agreements and ensure compliance with all aspects of donor funding and CIVIC policies.
• Ensure timely submission of financial reports within the established CIVIC guidelines.
• Authorize expenditures for grant or contract allocations and ensure compliance with procedures required by grant or contract agreements.
• Hire and manage personnel for Nigeria projects in compliance with CIVIC policies, and lead initiatives to develop staff capacity.

Requirements

• Minimum of fifteen years of experience in the human rights, peacebuilding and conflict mitigation, humanitarian, community engagement, or related fields.
• Minimum of five years spent conducting research, engaging in advocacy, or managing programs or partnerships in complex and conflict-afflicted environments. 
• Minimum of ten years in a management position, with responsibility for recruiting, supervising, and developing staff.
• Minimum of ten years of program management experience, including conducting assessments, designing programs, developing proposals, overseeing implementation, creating and adhering to MEL plans, collecting and validating data, producing donor reports, and ensuring compliance and delivery on all aspects of grants, especially from major government donors (DFID, Germany, EU, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to develop and adhere to budgets and oversee financial accountability.
• Minimum master's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Country knowledge and experience working in Nigeria.
• Demonstrated contacts and ability to undertake high-level representation with the Nigerian government and military.
• Experience advocating for new policies or approaches to sensitive and complex issues, like protection, humanitarian access, or human rights.
• Demonstrated capacity to mobilize program funding including donor cultivation and grant writing.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including an ability to effectively lead a team, communicate a vision, make timely and transparent decisions, and manage conflict.
• Experience working in a multicultural environment and engaging with traumatized and/or vulnerable populations.
• Experience in research design, data analysis, and interpretation.
• Excellent oral and written English language skills, including the ability to quickly synthesize complex technical and programmatic issues into concise communications.
• Computer literacy, including use of internet, word processing and spreadsheets.
• Experience establishing security and safety protocols and managing staff in insecure environments is desirable.
• Ability and willingness to travel within Nigeria and periodically internationally.
• Availability for a period of 1.5 years (renewable pending funding).
• A sense of humor and passion for CIVIC’s mission.