Program Assistant-Shomolu at Mercy Corps

General Position Summary

The GIRL-H Program Assistant will lead the successful implementation of the GIRL-H program in each of the five implementing Local Government Areas (LGAs). The Program Assistants are an integral part of the project management team of GIRL-H in Nigeria and will be required to work closely with community mentors in Lagos and the Nigeria GIRL-H team.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Program Management

• Lead program start-up (bridge) and implementation across the LGAs, including identification or retention of community mentors and other community stakeholders.
• Manage and oversee program implementation in the LGAs, in cooperation with key program stakeholders, local government officials, community-based organizations, and other international agencies on the ground.
• Support the GIRL-H Program Officer in the development of activity plans and reporting format for activity implementation and ensure that every activity reported is supported with evidence.
• Support the GIRL-H Program Officer in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the program activities.
• Supervise the activities and performance of community mentors; conduct routine team meetings, adhere to performance review timelines, troubleshoot challenges, and standardize implementation approaches.
• Identify and document best practices and lessons in the GIRL-H program and provide timely feedback to the Program Officer.
• Work with the Finance team to ensure that activity budgets are prepared, and payments processed promptly.
• Ensure timely and consistent submission of program reports, success stories, and other relevant data to the Program Officer (weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports).
• Work with identified public and private sector partners within the LGA.

 Team Management

• Develop the capacity of the community mentors, deepen understanding of their roles, and assist with career development.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one-on-one and review meetings.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where community mentors strive to achieve excellence.
• Oversee community mentors and quality of program implementation and if security context allows, conduct frequent field visits to all program sites within their LGAs.

 Monitoring and Evaluation

• Provide ongoing mentorship to the community mentors on quality data collection processes for completeness, accuracy, and timely submission.
• Oversee the governance structures filling system in the GIRL-H program implementation wards, districts, and communities, and ensure that information is organized according to the reporting and auditing needs of the program.
• Work with MEL and Program Officer to ensure accurate data collection including Sex and Age Disaggregated Data (SADD), data validation, assuring quality control measures, and timely data submission.

Finance and Compliance Management

• Monitor adherence to the donor grant agreement as well as Mercy Corps and donor’s policies and procedures for procurement and compliance.
• Create and maintain systems to ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with program, donor, and Mercy Corps’ needs.
• Work closely with financial and operational management to optimize resources through sound budgets, consistent financial tracking, and timely submission of reports to the donor.

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 Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our participants 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.

Supervisory Responsibility

Community Mentors

Accountability: 

Reports Directly To: GIRL-H Program Officer Lagos with dotted lines to MEL Officer Nigeria.

Works Directly With: Other GIRL-H staff, Community mentors, HR and Operations departments, and Nigeria teams.

Knowledge and Experience

• Diploma, Bsc or equivalent educational qualification in International Development, Political Science, Gender Studies, Economics, Sociology, or other relevant fields.
• 1-3 years of experience in gender and youth development work including gender/youth mainstreaming and engaging in gender advocacy.
• Demonstrated ability to implement a program, manage a team, and develop their capacities.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead the collection, analysis, and utilization of information from a broad range of sources to ensure effective integration of gender and youth concerns throughout the project’s duration. In-depth understanding of gender, age, and other socio-cultural factors in the context of livelihoods programming.
• Strong public speaking and facilitation skills required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Fluency in written and spoken English required.
• Fluency in the local language (Yoruba) prevalent within the operational state of Lagos is highly desired