Deputy Chief of Party (WN/R/01/010) at West Africa Network for Peace-building (WANEP)

Program / Department Summary

• Waves of resource-based, ethnic, and sectarian conflict, rising criminality and banditry, and expanding violent extremism are rendering North Central and Northwest Nigeria increasingly insecure.
• While multiple initiatives seek to address the complex causes of violence, community and security responses to drivers and triggers are often piecemeal at best, and ineffectual at worst.
• Existing Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems suffer from slow responses, poor coordination, top-down mandates that limit community ownership, weak dispute resolution skills among responders, little political and financial investment, leadership structures that exclude women and youth, and scant rigorous evidence.
• The result of ineffective EWER systems is that unchecked, violence proliferates.
• To examine and mitigate these barriers, Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigerian Early Response (PARTNER) will pursue a bold approach to collaboration across local, international, government, non-government, community, state, and security stakeholders.
• The current consortium of government agencies and CSOs is led by Mercy Corps in a mentorship capacity in Year 3, after which WANEP will assume leadership, working hand-in-hand with other consortium members.
• Local ownership, fuelled by iterative organizational performance assessment and capacity strengthening, will inform each component of the proposed sustainable, flexible, and evidence-based national EWER system that builds on existing locally-led and gender-sensitive conflict management mechanisms for vertical integration; incentivizes quick responses through horizontal coordination; and fosters increased trust in security and government actors to promote inclusive and collective action.
• By embedding EWER innovations within formal structures from the beginning, PARTNER will increase Nigeria’s self-reliance in leading a holistic, coordinated, and effective effort to promote sustainable peace.

General Position Summary

• The Deputy Chief of Party (D/COP) will support the Chief of Party (COP) in managing and leading an Early Warning, Early Response System strengthening program in Nigeria.
• The D/COP will assist the COP in program oversight, and directly manage the technical, administrative, operational and logistical aspects of the program.
• The D/COP will work closely with different Thematic Teams and support functions to ensure effective program coordination and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance and accountability.
• The D/COP will also work directly with partner agencies, both national and international, to achieve the objectives of the program.
• The DCOP will serve as the Head of programs, act as an alter ego to the COP and serve as the principal point of contact in Nigeria for procedural and substantive matters in the absence of the COP.
• The DCOP will be responsible for the day-to-day technical activities and implementation of the activity.
• This includes ensuring that monitoring and evaluation plans align with the activity’s goals, as well as the capacity-building efforts for the consortium partners as part of the New Partnership Initiative.

Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Vision:

• Provide technical leadership and strategic vision to the technical components of the program including workplan development, partnership selection and management, and overall strategy.
• Monitor adherence to grant agreement, WANEP policies and procedures and relevant external rules and regulations.
• Oversee the performance of consortium partners and sub-grantees.
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Assist Chief of Party with the development of a program-wide framework to guide coordination and integrated implementation.
• Contribute to program and country team-building efforts and communications support for field teams.

Program Management:

• Lead the development of detailed implementation plans, flowing from annual strategic work plans, and ensure the delivery of the same.
• Lead the socialization of the program with Government of Nigeria Stakeholders, ensuring necessary approvals and collaboration required.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria.
• Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate.
• Provide managerial and programmatic oversight to Partners.
• Document processes and achievements to ensure best practices are captured and disseminated. This will include the continual re-evaluation of program activities and information, with resulting activity adjustments in keeping with new insights.
• Produce written reports on program activities, capturing the impacts of the activities.
• Oversee efforts to design effective M&E systems for the program, and linkages with internal M&E systems.
• Create and follow effective stakeholder management plans, ensuring sound and proactive communications with Mercy Corps Nigeria, partner organizations, Mercy Corps Headquarters, USAID, Government of Nigeria authorities, and colleague agencies.
• Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites – spend up to 50% of time in the field.

Program Support Operations:

• Coordinate with program, finance and administration/logistics staff to ensure operational systems are in place to support field activities including logistics (transport, warehousing and asset management), procurement, security, administration and human resources.
• Propose design of new local policies as needed and in accordance with donor and WANEP regulations.

Information Management:

• Facilitate the achievement of performance-based targets and outcomes and lead efforts to design effective, proactive, and iterative M&E systems following the program’s logical framework and results chain measurement.
• Oversee the scope of work, deliverables and overall quality of work of any internal or external evaluation or research partners.
• Oversee the scheduling and production of formal and informal reports on all aspects of the program in a timely and efficient manner.
• Ensure Program data and analysis are used for learning by holding and leading semi-annual program workshops with all program partners.
• Document achievements/impacts of innovative program components of the program.
• Ensure that M&E and all team members together focus on assisting the program to generate practical information that can be used for ongoing program analysis and decision-making while also capturing results at the impact level.

Capacity Building & Mentoring:

• In close partnership with the Chief of Party, create a work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of excellent personnel at all levels.
• Implement, and ensure all staff are effectively using, the performance planning and management system, establishing performance expectations and regularly providing constructive feedback.
• Promote accountability by conducting staff annual performance reviews with direct supervisees, and ensuring the supervisory staff do the same in a timely manner.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

Internal & External Coordination:

• Active contributor and collaborator with regional and global counterparts to promote the use of best practices.
• Maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other relevant International NGOs, and local NGOs and associations in Nigeria.

Security:

• Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
• Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.

Organizational Learning:

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit WANEP as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries:

• WANEP team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
  to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant fields such as social sciences, law, development studies, etc.
• At least seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in the successful implementation of international development activities managing sectors and/or sub-sectors of interventions;
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills and experience in managing teams;
• Experience relevant to the accomplishment of the cross-cutting objectives including gender, youth and marginalized populations.
• Experience building and/or overseeing the capacity building of local organizations.
• Ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel of all sectors.
• A clear understanding of logistics, finance and administrative procedures.
• Excellent oral and written English skills.
• High computer skills, especially MS Office programs.
• A demonstrated ability to multi-task and process information into action so as to not delay program activities.
• A clear understanding of procurement ethics and donor compliance is essential.
• A willingness to travel throughout the project areas.
• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response is preferred.

Success Factors:

• The successful DCOP will possess technical skills in program coordination involving multiple partners, the ability to deliver various capacity development models; manage and motivate staff and ensure field-level implementation of activities is fully supported with resources.
• The DCOP also will possess skills to network with various State and Non-State actors including security agencies, donors and other CSOs
• The ideal candidate will have a strong curiosity for understanding and working effectively within the complex cultural, political, security and social environment of Nigeria.
• He/She will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, and able to work in ambiguous situations.
• He/She will be a tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures.
• The successful candidate will be focused on team building and capacity-building of national staff; be a strategic thinker, have strong skills in design monitoring and evaluation of development programs and maintain a sense of humour.
• WANEP team members represent the organization both during and outside work hours when on a visit to a field posting.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and WANEP's policies, procedures, and values always and in all Nigeria venues.