Head, Social Investment & Strategic Partnerships at FIRST E&P Limited

The Head, Social Investment & Strategic Partnerships is responsible for shaping and leading FIRST E&P’s corporate philanthropy, impact investment, and development partnership agenda. The role defines the strategic direction and execution of the company’s health and education impact strategy, manages the multi-year Impact FIRST grants portfolio, and cultivates alliances with NGOs, development agencies, and institutional partners to enhance FIRST E&P’s social footprint and external credibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and lead the implementation of FIRST E&P’s long-term social investment strategy, with a focus on transformative outcomes in education and healthcare.
• Oversee the full lifecycle of the Impact FIRST grants program, ensuring transparent selection, effective monitoring, and measurable community impact.
• Develop and institutionalize a framework to transition high-performing NGOs to multi-year strategic partnerships.
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with external parties.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Identify opportunities for partnerships and collaborations that align with organizational objectives.
• Manage and maintain partnership documentation and records.
• Oversee development of measurement and evaluation frameworks that assess social ROI, track grant performance, and inform future investment decisions.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders (Communications, ESG, CSR, Legal, Finance) to ensure alignment, governance, and storytelling of impact.
• Provide advisory to senior leadership on social investment positioning, reputational opportunities, and alignment with sustainability and ESG goals.
• Ensure all investments are compliant with corporate governance, risk management, and transparency standards

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Development Studies, Social Policy, Economics, Public Health, or a related field.
• Partnership Brokering Certificate or Accreditation by the Partnership Brokers Association of the UK. 
• Minimum 12–15 years of progressive experience in corporate philanthropy, impact investing, or development partnerships, preferably in the energy or extractive sectors.
• Proven track record in designing and managing high-impact education and health initiatives.
• Demonstrated expertise in grantmaking, social innovation, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
• Deep knowledge of Nigeria’s development landscape, donor ecosystems, and social investment trends
• Strategic and forward-thinking leader with strong execution capability.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, negotiation, and communication skills.
• High standards of integrity, governance, and performance accountability.
• Ability to translate social vision into practical programs that deliver measurable impact.
• Strong ability to position the company as a thought leader and trusted development partner