State Team Lead at Jhpiego - John Hopkins University

Position Reports to: Project Director

Overview

• The State Team Lead will provide programmatic, technical and financial responsibility for state level leadership and management of and reporting on MCGL-Nigeria program activities, making decisions and solving problems in short timeframes while ensuring operational and program quality and integrity and serving as the program’s first point of interface with USAID, government and other critical stakeholders on routine and strategic matters.
• This includes ensuring effective organizational management and communication interacting with other projects, Government of Nigeria stakeholders at the National, State, and LGA levels, community and local stakeholder groups, other international implementing partners, and USG and other agencies.

Responsibilities

• The STL will lead the implementation of the MCGL Project in the state, oversee all MCGL staff, consultants and sub-grantees in the state and assist with work planning and harmonize with State strategic plans.
• The STL will serve as the key technical officer/gender expert on gender/ GBV related issues to ensure the technical and programmatic integrity of all MCGL activities implemented in the state.
• Lead State-level advocacy and support to SMOH, SMoWASD and other critical stakeholders to the MCGL program
• The STL will foster a productive working relationship between MCGL team and partner organizations including sub-grantees while maintaining an excellent working relationship with counterparts at state and local government levels, USG implementing partners, and local institutions.
• The STL will work with sub-grantees, supervise their activities and oversee quality of interventions at project-supported communities, monitor and maintain technical quality and cost performance of activities in all aspects of the project’s deliverables.
• The STL will work with M&E staff to implement existing M&E plans, including Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA), that will feed data into data management systems and help document programmatic results, achievements, success stories and challenges in a timely manner, as required by the project.
• The STL will work with the finance team to ensure the financial integrity of all project expenditures in the state.
• Work with MCGL global and MERL staff to design and implement a plan to track data/results related to gender and social behavior change activities to inform adjustments in project implementation.
• Document issues affecting achievement of deliverables and work with Project Director and other team members to resolve issues.
• The STL will perform all other duties relating to the project as assigned by the Project Director.

Required Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Development and Gender Studies, Women Studies, Human Rights, Communication, Public Health, International Health, International Development or a related field with a minimum of 7+ years working experience in the areas gender, women’s health, gender-based violence (GBV) and human rights defense.
• Understanding of the Nigerian social and political context and developments in the area of gender equality mainstreaming, women empowerment and gender-based violence programming
• Strong understanding of social behavior change (SBC), empowerment and gender-based violence prevention frameworks
• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and sustain interpersonal and professional relationships with government stakeholder and representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, the private sector and donors.
• In-depth knowledge of USAID -funded projects, regulations, compliance and reporting will be an added advantage
• Demonstrated outstanding leadership, strategic thinking, organizational, supervisory and team-building skills.
• Familiarity with the State Ministry of Women Affairs, State Ministry of Health, structures and functions in the state of implementation
• Experience in managing and supervising technical/facility staff
• Ability to multi-task and proven knowledge and skills in use of Microsoft Office Suite (Word processing, Excel and PowerPoint) is mandatory
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, presentation skills and fluency in English language
• Ability to speak a local language in the respective project state will be an added advantage
• Excellent group facilitation and communication skills; experience in multi-stakeholder consultation, and strategic planning.

Required Abilities/Skills:

• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform
• Experience using program management tools
• Ability to collaborate, learn and adapt programme interventions in varied contexts
• Ability and willingness to inspire and empower others
• Excellent social and emotional intelligence skills
• Strong persuasive skills capable of driving sustained demand generation across services
• Excellent communication, public speaking, presentation skills in English and Hausa
• Result-oriented and comfortable with adaptive management and a team approach to programming
• Familiarity with GBV programming, especially IPV, SV and CEFM.
• A passionate gender equality advocate and GBV programming enthusiast
• References will be required.