Head of Regional Team - A1 at DFID - Department for International Development

Reference Number - NIG0118

Purpose of the Job

• Support the Head of Office in the effective management of DFID Nigeria, as part of the Management Team.
• The Head of Regional Team will take collective responsibility for management decisions on programmes, administrative or staffing issues.
• S/he should be a role model for DFID values and behaviours.
• S/he will also be expected to actively participate and contribute to processes of change, including leading on some corporate change tasks.
• To provide effective strategic leadership and direction to DFID Nigeria’s Regional Team, comprising six Regional Coordinators (RCs) and regional staff based in Abuja, Kano, Lagos, and Enugu (with transitional arrangements for new Maiduguri office), and ensure our programmes are delivered in a way that takes account of local political economy and fully reflect realities and priorities of stakeholders at sub- national level.
• Deliver effective programmes in a coherent and coordinated way in line with our Business Plan and wider HMG objectives, and do this through maintaining strong and effective high level relationships at Federal level and with our three partner states (Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa) and three priority regions (of South West, South East, and North East) in Nigeria.
• To support the Head of Office (HoO) on strategic policy and programme engagement with relevant Government ministries and with other development partners, as required.

The key Functions
Leadership:

• As part of the senior Management Team (MT), contribute to leadership across DFID Nigeria. The MT plays an important role in delivering strong, transparent and collective leadership of DFIDN’s country operation, as part of HMG’s overall efforts in Nigeria. The MT supports and adds value to decision making and continually reinforces the emphasis on results, value for money and delivery of the Business Plan.
• A key feature of DFID programming in Nigeria is the way we reflect the federal and regionally diverse nature of the country. We have over time established what is a fairly unique model and network of offices throughout the country. The centrepiece of the Head of the Regional Team (HoRT) role is therefore to ensure the synergy and linkages across programmes and policies. They have an important advocacy role and will travel and engage extensively with state governments to bring the respective views from the regions and states to the MT. And in turn to ensure that MT decisions are transmitted to state and regional partners.
• In addition the post holder will work with the Head of Office (HoO) and the Deputy on strengthening relations at the Federal level, in particular with the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, and ensuring complementary of policy approaches and linkages between federal and state level partners.

Leadership of Regional Offices:

• The HoRT will also lead the work of the Regional Coordinators (RC) to maximise the performance of DFID’s programmes at State and regional level and ensure strategic integration of DFID and wider HMG objectives. This may include, but is not limited to agreeing on the degree of state-level portfolio management and coordination to be undertaken by RCs; ensuring that RCs are engaged at critical programme review points; and encouraging high-level engagement with state governments and key partners.
• To support the development of State and Regional Narratives for our partner states and priority regions. These form the basis of the office’s 6-monthly reviews (SMRs)of progress of our portfolio of programmes, and going forward ensures a more systematic approach across each of offices, capturing and replicating best practice across the network.

External relationship building:

• Effectively represent DFID by building strong high level relationships at Federal and sub-national level. This means regular engagement with State Governors and their teams, and also encompasses other key interlocutors including, but not limited to, programme implementers, donor partners, civil society and the private sector. Develop (and implement with others) an engagement strategy for key state and region partners in order to establish a more systematic approach.
• The HoRT will lead regular reporting and analysis from the states and regions setting out the strategy for each. This will enhance our understanding of the places in which we work and inform policy making and programme interventions. They will ensure delivery of appropriate and timely communication products from the Regional Team, including State and Regional Narratives; and Quarterly Reports for each of our places.
• They will develop strong relationships which the rest of the office (and wider HMG) can utilise. Whilst RCs have developed their pwn relationships and handle many day- to-day interactions in State capitals, the HoRT will focus on high level engagement and gaining capital to improve DFID influencing and messaging. This will include high level representational work, preparation and planning for high level visits, drafting of presentations and speeches for state events, participating in quarterly programme reviews, and leading on other strategic reviews.

Internal staff and office management:

• Strategic oversight and effective handling of all staffing, estates, iT and security issues across all regional offices.
• The HoRT will line manage remotely our four Regional Coordinators based in Abuja, Kano and Lagos, and has overall responsibility for the management and development of our other programme staff based in these regions. So, ensuring excellent line management across the team, keeping morale and team spirits high, and proactively resolving concerns by ensuring regular (two-way) flow of information.
• Pro-actively support talent management and identify opportunities for Staff Appointed In Country advancement within DFID Nigeria - in particular across the regional offices - and seek opportunities for RCs to play a more prominent programme management and leadership role within the office.
• Work closely with the Deputy Head of Office and BHC Security Manager on security and monitoring incidents and trends, particularly relating to Kano and northern states.

Policy and Programme Management:

• The HoRT will develop context based understanding of political, economic and social development at State and regional level to inform programme implementation and achievement of HMG objectives.
• They will encourage and enhance cross team working and in collaboration with HoO and policy teams keep under review the current policy of operating the “3+3+1” geographical footprint, whereby DFID programme resources are targeted primarily at three states, three regions and federal level.
• Support HoO on improved programme portfolio performance and coordination of DFID-N programmes through collaborative cross-team working that delivers quality programme monitoring, analysis and reporting. Externally through RC-chaired state-level team leader coordination meetings - ensure effective information sharing and coherence across state programmes.
• Identify opportunities for explicit engagement of RCs in the PM cycle and more systematically build state level inputs into programme management processes eg in reviewing log- frames and supporting monitoring, Annual Review, PCRs and audit processes.
• Working closely with Evaluation and Results Adviser to provide effective whole-of-office engagement at Six Monthly Reviews (SMR) whè We review state level results monitoring and impact across o’ur states and regions.
• To support elections work and the transition/establishment of new administration in Nigeria in 2019 through effective leadership and engagement on State elections, with positive contribution to overall UK effort on election monitoring of Federal elections. This will mean close engagement with outgoing and incoming administrations.

Educational Qualifications

• Minimum of a Master's level qualification in a related field.

Required Competencies
Evidence of meeting the following DFID Civil Service Competencies must be provided in the applications:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leading and Communicating
• Building Capability or All

Working Pattern:

• This post is a full time position and is not suitable for part time applicants.

Remuneration

• DFID Nigeria offers a competitive salary and benefit package. Indicative offers are inclusive of local taxes.
• Salaries are reviewed annually in accordance with local Pay Determination Guidelines. The current starting salary for this position (graded A1) full time per annum is NGN35, 271,459.