Chief of Party (CoP) at Care Best Initiative (CBI)

Program Description

• The purpose of Borno WASH Activity (Activity) is to increase safe, sustainable, climate resilient and inclusive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Services in communities, schools, and healthcare centers.
• In addition, the Activity also aims to address the sustainability challenges.
• An integrated and participatory approach is envisioned to engage with the key stakeholders, especially with the Borno state government or/and other relevant government entities, and targeted beneficiaries.
• The key part of this approach is based on the cocreation to design, implement, and oversee innovative, impactful, and locally driven development with some degree of shared power and decision-making.

Purpose of the Role

• The Chief of Party (COP) will be the direct link with the donor and other relevant stakeholders such as government partners and accountable for achieving results.
• The COP will be based in Maiduguri, Borno State. S/He will be required to exhibit effective resources and personnel management, coordination, and while demonstrating decision-making skills.
• The COP is expected to have the strategic vision, leadership qualities, depth and breadth of technical expertise and experience, a solid professional reputation, management experience, interpersonal skills and written and oral presentation skills to fulfil the diverse technical and managerial requirements of the program description.

Job Description / Principal Accountabilities
Rank 1 -  % Of Time: 100%:

• Provide high quality leadership and strategic vision to the activity, with hands-on management when needed, ensuring program activities achieve expected outcomes and targets, coordinated inputs and quality programming with data-driven decision making and adaptative management.
• Ensure program implementation in compliance with donor rules and regulations, agreements signed with partners and CBI internal policies and procedures.
• Ensure effective project management, oversees implementation and monitoring of CBI and partners’ program activities, expenditure, M&E and procurement plans, by organizing joint and regular monitoring and review meetings, assessing progress and reviewing program approaches, identifies proactively implementation challenges and solutions to reach program outcomes and targets.
• Lead quality of Project Cycle Meetings (PCM) throughout the project period, promote regular reviews of program progress (internal and external) and budget spending (i.e., through tracking spending plans, BvA meetings, etc), conduct learning meetings in a timely and participatory manner with all consortium members and relevant stakeholders, and proposes recommendations for changes in partners’ activities, approaches, and areas of action as appropriate.
• Ensure production of quality reports, both narrative and financial, and other deliverables by the consortium.
• Ensure a culture of client responsiveness through adequate resource allocation, advocacy, and project design and by requesting and using client feedback data to make decisions.

Staff Performance Management, Learning and Development:

• Manage a diverse team, cultivating and maintaining a work environment promoting collaboration and mutual respect, and promote a strong team spirit by providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their roles.
• Hire, supervise, and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, holding regular meetings, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews
• Identify opportunities for career growth, where appropriate, and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, as part of succession plan and nationalization goals.
• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.
• Identify, as required, staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being, healthy work-life balance practices, and support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs.
• Approve and manage time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly accurate timesheets submission and carry out probationary reviews.

Key Relationships (excluding own line manager and staff):
Consortium Management Unit:

• Senior Water Sanitation and Hygiene Advisor
• Finance and Administration Manager
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Specialist Internal
• Program Coordinator
• Finance and Support Services team
• Various staff based in all CBI core departments, as and when necessary (e.g. funding, MEAL, finance, logistics and procurement, etc.).

External:

• Partners
• Consultants
• Service Providers/Stakeholders (Other NGOs)
• Government agencies
• Community leaders/CBOs.

Job Holder Entry Requirements
Knowledge (Education & Related Experience):

• Advanced Degree or Post-graduate Degrees in Water Resource Management or Engineering, Public Administration / Management or other relevant fields
• Minimum of Five (5) years of experience with successful water and sanitation projects including, water resource management, strategic sector development approaches, institutional capacity strengthening, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• The COP must have demonstrated progressive experience on similar donor- funded projects, preferably experience on U.S. Government funded activities. Experience with successful water and sanitation projects is required.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills and a proven track record of interacting with other projects, high-level host country governments, and international agencies.
• Proven track record of working effectively with diverse groups of civil society organizations, media, and government counterparts.
• Demonstrated experience in institutional strengthening, capacity building, and market-based approaches to service delivery.
• Fluent in English.
• A strong knowledge and experience of working with or on institutional donor funded projects/programmes such as USAID, DFID, EU etc. is highly essential.
• The candidate must have a proven track record of working effectively with diverse groups of civil society organizations, media, and government counterparts.
• S/he will have advanced degree or postgraduate degrees in water resource management or engineering, public administration/management or other relevant fields.
• S/he will have demonstrated experience in institutional strengthening, capacity building, and market-based approaches to service delivery.
• S/he must be fluent in English.
• Skills (Special Training or Competence):
• Ability to observe and understand cultural and social contexts and reflect the understandings in programming
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills
• Strong community engagement and facilitation skill
• Ability to infuse positive energy to the team
• Attention to detail, keen at following procedures and meeting deadlines
• Ability to organize tasks simultaneously and prioritize work
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills working with cross cultural and multi diverse teams
• Ability to build strong working relationships for partnerships
• Standards of Professional Conduct especially on integrity, service, and accountability.

Key Behaviours:

• Interpersonal and intercultural sensitivity.
• Social and receptive (active listener).
• High degree of integrity.
• Ability to work independently and as a part of the team, as the situation dictates.
• Pro-active and ready to take initiative.
• Ability to assimilate and handle a wide range of information efficiently and effectively.
• High level of stress tolerance and ability to work under pressure with minimum supervision.
• Willingness to undertake extensive field trip within the project working area.