Chief of Party (COP) at Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Limited (SCANL)

Reports to: Sahel Consulting’s Managing Partner
Travel: Extensive travel across project States

About the Program
Sahel, in collaboration with other partners, seek to catalyze the local dairy sector in Nigeria in an inclusive way through a program that will improve the livelihoods, productivity, nutrition, and empowerment of smallholder women dairy farmers and the communities in which they live. If approved, the program will span 5 years and will:

• Advocate for an enabling environment for local sourcing through engagements with the government and relevant private sector stakeholders.
• Increase demand for locally sourced milk through partnerships with dairy processors currently or interested in sourcing locally.
• Improve smallholder dairy farmers’ productivity by increasing their access to technical support services and right inputs.
• Empower women dairy farmers and enable them to improve their livelihoods and that of their households.
• Improve nutrition outcomes among smallholder dairy households through innovations in food systems.

Duties and Responsibilities
The COP’s primary responsibilities are outlined below. The COP is however expected to perform any tasks that are necessary within the context of the evolving needs of the program:

• Leadership & Program Oversight: Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for the entire program, ensuring an integrated vision among different components and actors, and a focus on achieving the program objectives and expected outcomes. Work with the program team to develop values, mission and goals. Ensure compliance with laws, regulations, Sahel’s internal policies, and donor guidelines.
• Relationship Building & Management: Build and manage high-level relations with the funder, Government of Nigeria, all implementing partners and stakeholders involved with the program in order to ensure ongoing alignment, commitment and accountability to deliver on the program’s targets
• Represent the program at the highest-levels vis a vis the Federal and state government, donor and other relevant stakeholders nationally and globally.
• Financial Oversight Oversee fiscal management to ensure that financial activities including budgeting, reporting and auditing align and are compliant with Sahel’s internal policies, and donor guidelines. Ensure that program is operating within the approved budget, ensure maximum resource utilization, and maintenance of the program in a positive financial position.
• Program Implementation: Coordinate the development of strategic plans, annual and quarterly work plans, and the overall management of the program. Oversee program administration, and operations, implementation. Ensure reports, work plans, and other program deliverables are timely and of high quality. Identify and effectively manage all key risks related to the program, including compliance with Sahel’s policies and donor transparency and due diligence requirements. Ensure the development of strong M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation.
• Team Building & Management Oversee the hiring, onboarding, training and retention of top talent. Create an environment and culture that promotes great performance and positive morale. Lead and inspire project teams to deliver on program objectives.
• Branding & Communication: Oversee the development and implementation of the program’s branding and communication strategy in order to ensure effective communication with program partners, donor and other relevant stakeholders.

Minimum Required Skills & Experience

• Professional Qualification: Master's degree in International Development, Business, Economics, or related field of study
• Minimum of ten (10) years of work experience in senior management position with demonstrated results focus, skills and a track record of delivering beyond expectations
• Operational Expertise Strong organizational abilities including planning, delegating, program development and task facilitation
• Experience in supply chain management and in leading implementation in a complex, international organization and/or in large multifaceted programs
• Good financial management skills including cash flow management and budgeting
• A familiarity with and commitment to addressing gender equality is also required
• Leadership Skills: Able to shape a vision and strategy
• Demonstrated experience in developing and managing alliances with the private sector; ability to build consensus and relationships among executives, partners, and the workforce; adept at aligning stakeholders with differing agendas Able to attract, inspire, retain and lead a diverse team of highly talented professionals
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills
• Superior interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skill so
• Strong negotiation and diplomatic skills to support effective work through implementing partners
• Fluency in the English language, and excellent writing and presentation skills;
• Ability to inspire confidence and create trust
• Personal Characteristics and Other Requirements 
• Excellent judgement. Ability to understand new issues quickly and make wise decisions
• Ability to work under pressure, plan personal workload effectively and delegate
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook;
• Willingness to travel across program states within Nigeria, with a focus on Northern Nigeria.
• Please note that the position is subject to donor approval of the program.

go to method of application »

Reports to: Sahel Consulting’s Managing Partner
Travel: Extensive travel across project States

About the Program
Sahel, in collaboration with other partners, seek to catalyze the local dairy sector in Nigeria in an inclusive way through a program that will improve the livelihoods, productivity, nutrition, and empowerment of smallholder women dairy farmers and the communities in which they live. If approved, the program will span 5 years and will:

• Advocate for an enabling environment for local sourcing through engagements with the government and relevant private sector stakeholders.
• Increase demand for locally sourced milk through partnerships with dairy processors currently or interested in sourcing locally.
• Improve smallholder dairy farmers’ productivity by increasing their access to technical support services and right inputs.
• Empower women dairy farmers and enable them to improve their livelihoods and that of their households.
• Improve nutrition outcomes among smallholder dairy households through innovations in food systems.

Duties and Responsibilities
The COP’s primary responsibilities are outlined below. The COP is however expected to perform any tasks that are necessary within the context of the evolving needs of the program:

• Leadership & Program Oversight: Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for the entire program, ensuring an integrated vision among different components and actors, and a focus on achieving the program objectives and expected outcomes. Work with the program team to develop values, mission and goals. Ensure compliance with laws, regulations, Sahel’s internal policies, and donor guidelines.
• Relationship Building & Management: Build and manage high-level relations with the funder, Government of Nigeria, all implementing partners and stakeholders involved with the program in order to ensure ongoing alignment, commitment and accountability to deliver on the program’s targets
• Represent the program at the highest-levels vis a vis the Federal and state government, donor and other relevant stakeholders nationally and globally.
• Financial Oversight Oversee fiscal management to ensure that financial activities including budgeting, reporting and auditing align and are compliant with Sahel’s internal policies, and donor guidelines. Ensure that program is operating within the approved budget, ensure maximum resource utilization, and maintenance of the program in a positive financial position.
• Program Implementation: Coordinate the development of strategic plans, annual and quarterly work plans, and the overall management of the program. Oversee program administration, and operations, implementation. Ensure reports, work plans, and other program deliverables are timely and of high quality. Identify and effectively manage all key risks related to the program, including compliance with Sahel’s policies and donor transparency and due diligence requirements. Ensure the development of strong M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation.
• Team Building & Management Oversee the hiring, onboarding, training and retention of top talent. Create an environment and culture that promotes great performance and positive morale. Lead and inspire project teams to deliver on program objectives.
• Branding & Communication: Oversee the development and implementation of the program’s branding and communication strategy in order to ensure effective communication with program partners, donor and other relevant stakeholders.

Minimum Required Skills & Experience

• Professional Qualification: Master's degree in International Development, Business, Economics, or related field of study
• Minimum of ten (10) years of work experience in senior management position with demonstrated results focus, skills and a track record of delivering beyond expectations
• Operational Expertise Strong organizational abilities including planning, delegating, program development and task facilitation
• Experience in supply chain management and in leading implementation in a complex, international organization and/or in large multifaceted programs
• Good financial management skills including cash flow management and budgeting
• A familiarity with and commitment to addressing gender equality is also required
• Leadership Skills: Able to shape a vision and strategy
• Demonstrated experience in developing and managing alliances with the private sector; ability to build consensus and relationships among executives, partners, and the workforce; adept at aligning stakeholders with differing agendas Able to attract, inspire, retain and lead a diverse team of highly talented professionals
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills
• Superior interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skill so
• Strong negotiation and diplomatic skills to support effective work through implementing partners
• Fluency in the English language, and excellent writing and presentation skills;
• Ability to inspire confidence and create trust
• Personal Characteristics and Other Requirements 
• Excellent judgement. Ability to understand new issues quickly and make wise decisions
• Ability to work under pressure, plan personal workload effectively and delegate
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook;
• Willingness to travel across program states within Nigeria, with a focus on Northern Nigeria.
• Please note that the position is subject to donor approval of the program.