Deputy Chief of Party / Technical Director at Helen Keller International

Background

• Helen Keller is seeking a candidate for a project that implements and provides technical support to nutrition interventions across sectors and disciplines for both its donor and partners.
• The project’s multi-sectoral approach draws on global nutrition experience to design, implement and evaluate programs that address the root causes of malnutrition.
• Committed to using a systems approach, the project strives to sustain positive outcomes by building local capacity, supporting behavior change and strengthening the enabling environment to save lives, improve health, build resilience, increase economic productivity, and advance development.
• The overall purpose of the project in Nigeria aims to provide technical support, implement innovative nutrition specific and sensitive interventions, and generate evidence to enhance nutrition programming toward achieving the overall goal of improving nutrition indices for a healthy, productive, and resilient Nigeria.
• This activity will support the donor’s effort to strengthen the enabling environment for innovation, commitment, capacity strengthening, coordination, collaboration, and support for multi-sectoral nutrition policies and programs among government, donors, civil society, and private sector stakeholders in Nigeria.

Scope of the Position

• The Deputy Chief of Party/ Technical Director will provide overall technical direction for the project, leading a team of in-house and partner technical experts and will ensure rigorous, evidence-based prioritization of activities, that activity components are results-oriented, that deliverables are of high quality, and that reporting is relevant and timely.
• The position will take a lead role in representing the project in key technical fora. The position will work under the direct line management of the Chief of Party and is expected to work closely and coordinate with Helen Keller colleagues including the Country Director, Vice President- Nutrition, and any other staff assigned to support the project.
• Helen Keller has a matrixed reporting structure. Regular communication and a spirit of teamwork among colleagues, both hierarchically and laterally are essential to make this structure thrive.
• This position is based in Abuja, with frequent travel to the project states in the northern and Eastern part of Nigeria (up to 40%).

Specific Responsibilities
The Deputy Chief of Party will be responsible for the following, under each area of accountability:
Technical:

• Oversee the project’s technical portfolio, assigning and monitoring work to ensure high quality and on-time submission to Donor; and ensuring quality control and the overall responsiveness of the project assistance.
• Guide and oversee the technical management of the project in coordination with the Chief of Party.
• Oversee all program activities, including routine data collection, and assess these activities for cost effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain a detailed understanding of the health and nutrition issues in Nigeria including national policy development, key players in government, INGOs, Donors, UN and national/regional and local civil society organizations.
• Provide guidance and support to technical teams delivering multi-sectoral coordination at the National and state levels.
• Provide guidance and support to technical teams delivering for nutrition interventions, especially in the areas of gender, and maternal, newborn, and child health, WASH, private sector and education.
• Provide technical input to and assist in the revision of technical documents with the team and other partners work areas as requested. Lead the process of streamlining existing materials and trainings.
• Draw on and coordinate technical expertise from the rest of the organization, key consortium members and external stakeholders as needed.
• Ensure technical deliverables stay on track. Ensure project performance meets results and deliverables in the project framework and identify solutions and corrective actions.
• Provide quality assurance to the program design and implementation.
• Prepare policy papers, advocacy briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.
• Carry out other technical tasks as needed.

Programmatic:

• Lead and oversee the implementation of project activities, including technical components, work plan and budget development.
• Supervise and mentor technical staff, ensuring thoughtful alignment of skills-to-activity during work planning, and purposeful cultivation of project staff talent and capacity.
• Collaborating with the COP, provide leadership for quality implementation, including annual work plan development and management; annual reporting and compliance requirements; and ensure quality and timeliness of technical deliverables.
• Oversee activity budgets, collaborating with finance staff to monitor spending and ensure appropriate allocation of resources.
• Oversee activity operations and logistics requests, collaborating with finance and operations staff to ensure compliance with system requirements.
• Develop and manage relationships with key stakeholders including Donor, the Government of Nigeria, and private and public partners.
• Represent the project in external forums, including with Donor, the Government of Nigeria, and partners.
• Ensure all project activities are implemented in compliance with Helen Keller Intl and Donor policies and Guidelines.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Representation and coordination within the organization and other stakeholders:

• Represent the project in national and international forums, as needed.
• Develop and maintain a detailed understanding of the health and nutrition issues in Nigeria including national policy development, key players in government, INGOs, UN and national/regional and local civil society organizations.
• Maintain active and cooperative relationships with all key stakeholders, including donor, government officials, consortium partners, other implementing agencies, and related institutions.
• Ensure the dissemination of information about project achievements and lessons learned.

Qualifications

• Education: Master’s Degree in Nutrition and/or Public Health, with doctoral level preferred.
• Experience: Over 10 years of professional experience leading complex nutrition programs and interventions, preferably with direct experience in Nigeria; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience working and/or collaborating with government ministries and other development partners in multi-sectoral nutrition programming.
• Substantial institutional and staff expertise in implementing complex capacity building programs, in resource-constrained environments.
• Strong experience and demonstrated success in coordinating activities with multiple stakeholders to optimize use of limited resources, including development of joint work plans.
• Excellent capacity building, team building/management, and coordination skills. An ability to delegate responsibilities effectively and coach and mentor staff from different cultures.
• Ability to respond rapidly to shifting implementation scenarios. An ability to work in challenging and changing environments, and to see through challenges to find solutions; an ability to maintain balance when under stress.
• Demonstrable respect for all persons regardless of religion, ethnicity, class or gender, with a high comfort level working in a diverse environment with a demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards.
• Experience working effectively in partnership with staff, collaborating organizations, international donors and agencies, U.S. Government agencies, host country governments and ministries and other relevant stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to stay up-to-date on issues in nutrition, prioritize and synthesize evidence into actionable information for programs and policy makers.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft software packages: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.
• Excellent English language skills, both written and spoken with strong presentation skills. Ability to prepare and disseminate project findings, success stories, and other documents effectively.
• Willingness and ability to undertake travel outside Abuja (up to 30%).

Required Competencies:

• Superior leadership, management, and communication skills to lead a multi-faceted nutrition project. This includes professional experience interacting with US Government agencies, host country governments and other relevant stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience working effectively in teams and cross-cultural settings. Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent time management and personal organization skills.
• Ability to respond rapidly to shifting implementation scenarios.
• Comfortable working in a matrixed, integrated work environment.
• Confident giving and receiving feedback in a direct, professional manner.
• Capacity to direct multiple long and short-term activities simultaneously with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work effectively with local government and NGO stakeholders.
• Skilled in developing and managing new and effective partnerships facilitating meetings, and effectively participating in technical working groups.
• Ability to apply monitoring and evaluation plans to determine activity results and monitor impact.
• Knowledge of USAID regulations, policies, strategies, and program priorities.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to travel regularly to the project states (Bauchi, Kebbi, Ebonyi, FCT and Sokoto) as needed.