Country Director at FHI 360

Job Summary:

• The Country Director (CD) will be the key representative for FHI 360 activities in Nigeria. S/he will be responsible for direct supervision of Chiefs of Party (COPs) and Project Directors (PD), as assigned and updated yearly, and the primary point of contact for business development tasks in Nigeria.
• In coordination with the security team, s/he will ensure duty of care and safety for staff throughout Nigeria, including humanitarian operations in the Northeast of the country. S/he will coordinate closely with FHI 360’s allied organization (AHNi) and all other local organizations working with FHI 360 in Nigeria.
• The CD will manage Country Office (CO) enterprise services, including cross-departmental and/or cross-functional teams focused on the delivery of new or existing projects.
• S/he will select, develop, and evaluate personnel necessary to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the CO. S/he will oversee the CO shared services platform.
• The shared services platform includes human resources, procurement, contracts management services (CMS), finance, enterprise services (facilities, travels/logistics, storage/warehousing, communication, utilities, etc.), administration, information technology (IT), security and compliance.
• S/he will coordinate with all projects operational in Nigeria and ensure collaboration with global projects as well as bilateral.
•  S/he will take the lead in planning for office size and staffing changes and ensure best shared services value to clients and donors. S/he will lead the CO's drives for excellence in internal business processes, financial performance, technical performance, innovation, learning and growth.
• Strong candidates will have experience in leadership and management of international NGOs.
• Experience will include managing diverse staff, including expatriates, multiple in-country locations, and demonstrated ability to motivate and lead a large team. Good understanding of the local contexts associated with various parts of Nigeria as well as good relationships with high-level officials in the Nigerian government, the private sector, and the international donor community in Nigeria.  

Eligibility: National locals only. 

Accountabilities:

• Provides leadership, ensures quality and oversees all company operations in Nigeria. 
• Manages project portfolio as detailed above 
• Responsible for overall vision of the Nigeria portfolio, including projects managed by other COPs/PDs. 
• Oversees the operational functions of the CO and all sub-offices, to ensure the offices and projects are compliant with FHI 360 and donor policies and procedures. 
• Ensures technical oversight and quality assurance for projects (where the CD is also designated as PD/ COP)  
• coordinates with the primary technical supervisor(s) within the appropriate HQ sector(s) or departments(s) to ensure adequate technical oversight and support to the project. 
• Coordinates a matrixed management approach to capacity building, support and oversight of shared services staff, and program/technical staff in across projects. 
• Provides operational support to global or regional projects, to enhance process and systems performance, and overall organizational excellence in the CO. 
• Identifies local opportunities and makes contributions toward improvements in landscape analysis, strategic plans, proposals, protocols, papers, reports, and project budgets to achieve project and company goals. 
• Collaborates with appropriate departments in HQ to identifies opportunities for improvements in staff development, including training and coaching, to achieve the overall strategic goals of FHI 360 in Nigeria. 
• Ensures talent development and teambuilding 
• Establishes, serves, and maintains partnerships with internal and external stakeholders. 
• Ensures a harmonized enterprise services platform at the country level. 
• As chief of safety and security for FHI 360 operations in the country, ensures security and safety of all FHI 360 operations, staff, consultants, and related assets in the country. 
• Provides direction to the overall leadership and management team in Nigeria as regards strategic direction, managed growth and compliance with organizational policies and procedures, as well as donor regulations. 
• Manages, implements, and monitors systems, services, and staff, to ensure all operations are within project budgets and achieve financial, administrative, and programmatic goals. 
• Provides timely and accurate country office data (i.e., HR, inventory, financial, programmatic, etc.,) to FHI 360 management and donors as required. 
• Prepares and monitors approved budgets for shared services and country managed projects. 
• Approves and manages all expenditures relating to general and administrative (G&A) budgets. 
• Reviews proposals, protocols, papers, reports to ensure accuracy and appropriateness. 
• Recruits for open positions, orients, and supervises departmental, project or unit directors, and ensure all technical, programmatic, financial, and resource development needs are met. 
• Leverages international technical resources to mentor local staff and reinforce the culture of project accountability. 

Applied Knowledge & Skills:

• Knowledge of theories, concepts, and practices in project management, process development and execution. 
• Excellent and demonstrated public relations, policy, representation, and diplomacy skills required. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. 
• Strong consultative and negotiation skills 
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills to strategize, plan and manage resources for successful completion of projects 
• Ability to motivate, influence and collaborate with others 
• Ability to build positive local working relationships with local communities, local/state/federal government officials, the private sector, UN and other multilateral bodies and donor representatives. 
• Deep knowledge of budgeting, financial management, human resources and compliance policies and best practices 
• Ability to analyze and establish effective and supportive cross-program coordination, organizational procedures, and management systems. 
• Discretion on legal and HR issues; point of contact for legal counsel in country 
• Visionary leadership skills, with innovative and mission driven strategies at heart 
• Proactive communication with HQ 

Problem Solving & Impact:

• Decisions and actions have a significant impact on management and operations. 
• Problems encountered are moderate to complex and highly varied. 
• Exercises judgment to meet business strategies and develops objectives that align with organizational goal and corporate management priorities. 

Supervision Given/Received:

• Sets goals, objectives, timelines and budgets for projects and leads country/specialized technical area in achieving strategic goals.
• Leads coordination of resources for ongoing projects across functional areas and addresses/resolves project issues.
• Oversees project implementation that requires use of the Operational Model (RACI) frameworks.
• Typically reports to a Portfolio Director.

Education:

• Master’s Degree or its International Equivalent
• Knowledge/Information Services, Communications, Education, Environment, Health, Behavioral, Life/Social Sciences International Development, Human Development or Related Field.

Experience:

• Typically requires a minimum of 12 years with project management experience. 
• Demonstrated experience in sector specific multi-sector project management and implementation. 
• Demonstrated strategic planning, staff development and capacity building experience. 
• Demonstrated experience in leading and managing complex projects that are strategic in nature and national/international in scope. 
• Must be able to read, write, and speak fluent English; fluent in host country language(s) preferred. 
• Experience operating in challenging environments. 
• Experience working in a non-governmental organization (NGO). 

Typical Physical Demands:

• Typical office environment.
• Ability to spend long hours looking at computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
• Ability to lift/move up to 5 lbs.

Technology to be Used:

• Personal Computer/Laptop, Microsoft applications (i.e., Office 365, SharePoint, Skype/Zoom/Teams), cell phone/mobile technology, and standard office equipment.

Travel Requirements:

• Greater than 25%