Head of Strategy, Programme Effectiveness and Learning (SPEL) at WaterAid

Job purpose

• Accountability for effective CP programme monitoring, thematic reviews and assurance of linkages between strategy and delivery rest with this role. The incumbent will lead the team responsible for designing and implementing an effective programme reflection, monitoring, evaluation and knowledge management architecture.

Accountabilities 

Programme Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation 

• Ensure the country program meets WaterAid global programme accountability commitments and ensure improved monitoring practices, data quality and use of data within the CP. As part of this, champion an organizational culture shift from a focus on data being primarily for donor reporting or counting user numbers to using data for programmatic course correction and other strategic decisions.
• Responsible for developing and implementing processes that ensure all CP plans and activities are aligned with the CP strategy and for building effective collaborations with respective thematic leads to ensure that annual plans, sub strategies and other planning documents are developed in full alignment with the CP strategy. 
• Provide inputs into the design stages of program proposals, budgets, logframes, indicators, and measurement methodologies, plans and tools.
• Accountable for a coordinated monitoring of strategy implementation; conduct of strategy reviews and evaluations (periodic and midterm strategy reviews; Country Programme Evaluations etc.) and for tracking the implementation of actions plans agreed from strategy reviews and evaluations.
• Ensure Programme Monitoring, evaluation and reporting (PMER) processes and systems are functioning effectively in the CP, advocate and champion full utilization of Project Centre in the CP and support CP colleagues to achieve this. Accountable for the CP fulfilment of all requirements of the PMER core procedures. 
• Identify, monitor and report unmet needs of WANG and partners related to Programme Monitoring a, evaluation and reporting; Explore the potential of WANG to address those needs within the parameters of the CP strategy, processes and systems.
   

Team and People Leadership

• Support the recruitment of competent staff and effectively manage the team to deliver high performance; develop team members in order to maximize their contribution to the team and organization. 
• Coach, guide, and mentor leaders of sub teams within the department so that they are effective as leaders and managers in managing their teams.
• Create and maintain a positive environment conducive for high performance of the department.
• Accountable for forecasting and developing periodic budgets for the department; manage day to day expenses in a manner that demonstrates WaterAid value of accountability and provide periodic budget management reports as may be required.
• Responsible for proactively seeking and optimizing opportunities to increase WaterAid’ Nigeria’s image, visibility and profile as a leader in the international NGO and WASH sector.

Research and Knowledge Management

• Develop the strategic context for the generation and use of research and knowledge outputs, coordinating the processes that would help identify/generate cross-cutting ropportunities for sharing this knowledge and projecting WANG’s niche as a source of leading-edge knowledge and research required to catalyse change in the WASH sector in Nigeria and across the region
• Provide direct leadership to assessments and research aimed at generating strong evidence base for WANG’s programmes, as well as to inform WANG’s influencing and advocacy for WASH sector improvement both in Nigeria and across the region

Cross organisation collaboration 

• Promote a culture for learning and knowledge management across the organization. Encourage effective documentation and sharing of learning through workshops, seminars, exposure visits, sharing meetings etc.
• Demonstrate responsibility as an active member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) and contribute to strategic direction, organisational decision-making, and management of the Country Programme.
• Promote interaction and collaboration between departments
  Represent WANG in different taskforces, working committees, networks, alliances, workshops and meetings as assigned.
• Deliver other cross organizational projects and/or initiatives as may be required by the Country Director.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• University/Masters degree in International Development/Development Studies, Social Sciences, or other related discipline
• Minimum of Ten (10) years of prior work experience and at least three (3) years should be in senior level position with responsibility for programme monitoring, evaluation and learning.
• Excellent technical understanding of contemporary Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning methods and practices; hands-on experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.
• Comprehensive knowledge of WASH and broader development sector accountability principles and their translation into practice.
• Strong program/technical and budget management skills, demonstrable experience and ability to develop and review complex budgets required.
• Experience in designing projects and delivering activities under tight completion deadlines.
• Experience developing donor specific grant project log frames and reporting tools and in applying such tools in reviewing, monitoring and reporting against funder contracts
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties. Strong ability to communicate information and ideas effectively and to produce high quality and accurate documentation.
• Experience of working in a matrix management structure, ability to influence others to achieve results and deliver on time.
• At least 5 years’ experience leading teams of experienced professionals and effectively managing their performance; Ability to effectively support and challenge colleagues and other stakeholders and to effectively plan, prioritise and co-ordinate the work of own team and collaboration with other teams
• Ability to work autonomously with minimum supervision and under pressure in response to competing demands.
• Ability to resolve conflicts as required and negotiate effectively with others
• Strong initiative, with a willingness to take on new responsibilities and challenges.
• Commitment to WaterAid’s values and a working style that reflects these.

Desirable Criteria

• Strong experience in research design and management of research study projects.