Nigeria Country Lead at Chemonics International

General Background 

• UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) supports countries with high emissions reduction potential to overcome barriers to clean growth and to accelerate climate change mitigation efforts.
• Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), PACT is the UK’s flagship technical assistance program for climate mitigation.  
• The program’s overall objective is to alleviate poverty through emissions reductions.
• PACT projects are catalytic in nature, aimed at shifting the countries’ own public funding and private finance towards low-carbon development and infrastructure investment.

The program will focus on: 

• Supporting the creation of low-carbon policy, regulations, and financial mechanisms;
• Piloting innovative ideas for mainstreaming by the Government and private sector, and;
• Building long-term capacity in key institutions to integrate climate into their work. 
• The program can support a low-carbon transition in any sector of the economy and delivers capacity building by funding projects and expertise with key institutions (for example, government departments, local authorities, research institutes, or the private sector).
• We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world. 

Role Purpose  

• The Country Lead is responsible for leading the team to deliver results aligned with project objectives and Nigeria sectoral priorities - including a likely focus on just transition issues, sustainable agriculture and mangroves, carbon markets, gender and climate change. This Program will most likely begin in 2023 and will run for 3 years (with renewal possible for an additional 3 years).  
• The Country Lead will be responsible for overall leadership, management, and the delivery of PACT programs in Nigeria, overseeing in-country staff to achieve project results.
• The Country Lead will ensure objectives, deliverables and outcomes are met and the country team adheres to FCDO’s operational, commercial and reporting requirements.
• In addition, the Country Lead will represent the program on behalf of Chemonics and the client to government officials, stakeholders, and partner organizations in-country.  

Key Responsibilities  

• Manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders including embassy staff and partners, while ensuring adherence to Chemonics and FCDO’s policies and best practices.
• Undertake regular assessments of the broader political environment within which the project operates to ensure flexibility and rapid reprioritization of activities when necessary.
• Oversee country portfolio to ensure all projects, skill-shares and secondments are robustly managed, delivered on time and reviewed with regular reporting and invoicing.
• Provide technical expertise to ensure country programs are delivered accurately, timely and on budget with appropriate assessment, analysis and training.    
• Supervise in-country staff to ensure performance, coordination and learning across teams and portfolios.
• Work with African Hub Lead and team to ensure implementation of funding mechanisms are responsive to demand and mitigate risks, especially fraud and safeguarding.
• Ensure gender equity and social inclusion are effectively integrated across all activities in a contextually appropriate manner..
• Ensure frequent and effective communications with hub office, in-country counterparts, program leadership, and Chemonics.

Experience, Skills and Qualifications  

• A Post-graduate Degree or relevant professional experience in Climate Change, Green Growth, or related fields (e.g., Nature-based Solutions, Carbon Markets, Sustainable Livelihoods, Energy Policy, or Energy Planning).
• Prior experience as either a Country Director, Country Lead or similar role.  
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility and integrity.
• High-level strategic visioning and project management, preferably with experience in managing complex activities involving coordination with multiple partner institutions.
• Proven leadership in the management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of large-scale donor-supported development programs.
• Experience and established relationships with regional project counterparts, particularly senior-level officials from the government, private sector, and civil society.
• Technical expertise in governance and institutional capacity building, and demonstrated leadership skills necessary to develop, articulate and carry out a vision for the country team.
• Fluent written and spoken English, and local language.