Deputy Director at Pyxera Global

Division: Enterprise And Community Development
Reports To: Project Director, Rayuwa Nigeria Project

Summary

• PYXERA Global, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. with offices in Nigeria, is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Deputy Director. The position is full-time and based in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria with regular visits to Kaduna and Katsina communities.
• This position will work with the Rayuwa project team to implement an integrated community development project with a focus on enhancing resilient agriculture and accountable education in the region. The Rayuwa project is funded by the John Deere Foundation and is housed within the Enterprise and Community Development division of PYXERA Global.
• The Rayuwa project involves collaboration with diverse partners and a drive to be continuously adaptive to the local context. The Deputy Director is expected to provide strategic, technical, and operational leadership in the areas of program design, planning, implementation, personnel management, and the monitoring and evaluation of the project’s resilient agriculture and accountable education activities.
• The ideal candidate will have significant experience managing multisector and integrated development programs, leading teams, designing, and starting up projects, and managing iterative and adaptive projects related to community agriculture and education in a rural setting. Preference will be given to candidates with strong strategic speaking and writing skills.
• The candidate must be willing to participate and contribute to program and organizational development via virtual and in-person meetings. As part of the Rayuwa Nigeria team, the Deputy Director will also exemplify the Rayuwa Values (below) and value and encourage teamwork, equality, and a strong work ethic across all members of the team.

Key Position Responsibilities
The Deputy Director will report directly to the Project Director and will have the following responsibilities:

Strategic, Technical, and Operational Management:

• Work closely with the Project Director to oversee day-to-day programmatic operations in line with Rayuwa’s strategy and vision.
• Alongside the Project Director, maintain operational oversight over the project to ensure the smooth functioning of Finance, Administration, Procurement, Logistics, and technical initiatives.
• Assist in program design and work plan development in the field, in consultation with the Project Director, in-country stakeholders, and the PYXERA Global DC Office.
• Participate in decision-making on strategic issues including program design and adaptation and program quality, as well as other project priorities and concerns.
• Travel, as required by the project including frequent site visits to observe and monitor field program activities, as well as engage and build relationships with project communities.
• Identify programmatic challenges or obstacles that may affect timely implementation, work inclusively with relevant team members to develop feasible solutions, and work with the Project Director to provide timely communication of adjustments in programming to the PYXERA Global DC Office.
• Identify promising areas of research and programming that present opportunities for innovation and/or fill potential gaps in project initiatives and work with the Project Director and relevant Rayuwa team members to assess the value and/or adaptability of the concepts to the local context and program model.
• Ensure project and staff compliance with local Nigerian laws and regulations, and adherence to PYXERA Global’s and donor’s legal, financial, and operational policies and procedures.

Team Management and Leadership:

• In collaboration with the Project Director, promote a performance-based culture ensuring that performance management systems are in place, functional, and effective.
• Support the success of the Rayuwa team and provide leadership and capacity building for technical staff and help establish an effective project plan that ensures performance goals are met on time and within budget.

Planning, Monitoring, and Reporting:

• Support effective monitoring of project and activity indicators, per the project’s monitoring & evaluation plan, to drive work plan design, adjustment, and execution.
• Assist the Rayuwa team in the development of regular programmatic reports and presentations for the PYXERA Global DC Office per donor and partner requirements.

Stakeholder and Partnership Management:

• Support the establishment of and strengthen collaborative relationships with key partners and stakeholders in the region.
• In coordination with the Project Director, manage partnerships with project stakeholders and develop and execute an effective outreach strategy to achieve long-term sustainability of project outcomes and impacts.

Commitment to Rayuwa Values:

• Exhibit and stay committed to the Rayuwa Values of honesty, transparency, integrity, humility, freedom to innovate, equality, keep a “light” attitude, quality, teamwork, focus on the goals, accountability to all partners, and monitoring to learn and improve.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Education, Rural / Community Development, Sustainable Development, Project Management, Agriculture, or related field of study.
• A minimum of 8 years of significant experience implementing complex projects in rural communities, particularly in northern regions of Nigeria.
• Proven capacity to lead large implementation teams on complex, multi-year programs, and experience with iterative and adaptive project management strongly preferred.
• Strong familiarity with rural farming communities, the Nigerian educational system, and programs in Northern Nigeria preferred.
• Excellent facilitation skills, familiarity with training-of-trainer (ToT) approaches and methodologies, and competencies in the use of tailor-made and diversified facilitation/training methods and tools.
• Experience organizing community and/or youth outreach and support programs.
• Excellent presentation and writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Well-versed in computer and internet operations.
• Fluent in English required.
• Proficiency in Hausa and other local languages strongly preferred.
• Nigerian national required.