Country Director/Nigeria at Equal Access International (EAI)

Supervisor: Director, Peacebuilding & Transforming Extremism (Washington, DC)

Equal Access International (EAI) places people at the center of every project. Our programs are designed to foster breakthrough solutions and normative change that enable communities and societies to transform disempowerment and marginalization into empowerment and possibility. EAI’s mission is to create positive social change for millions of underserved people in the developing world by delivering critically needed information and education through innovative media, appropriate technology and direct community engagement. EAI addresses challenges within the following key Practice Areas (a) Peacebuilding & Transforming Extremism; (b) Governance & Civic Engagement; (c) Championing Gender Equality & Womens Empowerment. Dedicated to supporting local solutions and lasting positive social change, EAI receives funding from the US Government (USG), bi-laterals, multi-laterals, foundations and individual donors and has a 17-year track record of implementing social change projects with current programming in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan and The Philippines.

POSITION OVERVIEW

EAI is currently recruiting for a Country Director (Nigerian national) to manage and direct all of EAI’s activities in Nigeria. The position holder will oversee program strategy and implementation, community outreach, and partnership development. S/he will ensure that EAI is delivering quality programming to communities across Nigeria and will liaise with potential business partners and sponsors to help drive their sustainability.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Staff Capacity Development

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of EAI’s projects in Nigeria, while planning, developing and communicating clear organizational goals. Lead the design and development of the Country Strategy, while ensuring that this planning is in line with organizational priorities.
• Promote transparent decision making through open communication and accountability; communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via one-one discussions, regular meetings and performance reviews.
• Lead and manage all Country Office matters related to human resources, finance, procurement, grants and contracts, security, legal, and donor compliance.
• Provide the requisite capacity development for senior management, program and operational staff, ensuring a clear understanding of their roles; with the support of external training if necessary; while maintaining the application of EAI principles and methodologies in all aspects of our work; ensure there is a continued focus on producing, editing, and finalizing high-quality radio, television and social media content. 2
• Provide team members with information, tools and resources to improve their overall performance; while maintaining a harmonious working environment which exemplifies mutual respect, promotes discipline, and efficiency. Program Management
• Maintain oversight of EAI’s multi-media programming components, including but not limited to Radio Programming, Social Media Distribution, Film & Documentary Production and Content Development ensuring that existing programmatic workplans are followed, deliverables are in line with EAI’s strict quality standards and that all donor funded activities are implemented in accordance with all donor and EAI policies and procedures.
• Effectively manage the EAI Country Office Operational, Financial, Security and Legal components, ensuring that sound internal controls are in place to protect EAI financial and non-monetary assets; and that all operational and financial programming is undertaken in accordance with EAI and donor funded policies and procedures.
• Support quality project planning, implementation, and monitoring & evaluation in a manner consistent with EAI’s working principles, ensuring that programming is managed and implemented in a timely and high-quality manner, according to pre-established workplans, and basing program decisions on reliable and accurate data with a continued focus on beneficiary impact. Identify and document best practices and lessons learned that can be successfully replicated and enable program staff to integrate these findings into their work.
• Manage subaward agreements, ensuring that both grants and sub-contracts are closely managed, including sound projections and regular budget monitoring.
• Lead the Country Office business development opportunities and participate in the design and development of proposals, concept notes and budgets.
• Develop a Growth Strategy for the EAI Nigeria Country Office in coordination with the organizational headquarters and other EAI regional actors. Communicate a clear vision of organizational goals and strategies to team members and program partners; lead the annual Country Strategy planning process.
• Substantial knowledge of the development programming, institutions and donor community within Nigeria, including compliance requirements, accountability frameworks and best practices, prior experience with funding from USG, DFID, EU and other leading donors.
• Manage in-country donor relations and foster productive working relationships with government authorities at the local, state and federal level; and international and national non-governmental organizations.
• Oversee programming quality, ensuring that execution of project activities and deliverables are undertaken and submitted on time, in an appropriate format and in-line with EAI’s strict quality standards.
• Identify and document best practices and lessons learned that can be successfully replicated and assist program staff to integrate into their work; while ensuring timely accurate, and professional monitoring & evaluation of our work

Representation

• Legally represent EAI within Nigeria (and abroad, as necessary); employing the necessary diplomatic, interpersonal and negotiating skills to engage with government, non-government officials, organizational personnel, consultants, community leaders and beneficiary populations.
• Lead resource mobilization efforts through coordination and writing of high-quality proposals and budgets for submission to donors (coordinating with EAI headquarters), building and strengthening key donor and local partner relationships and rigorous regular reporting and coordination of business development prospects.
• Provide strong leadership skills in managing multiple programs from different donors and program personnel who are geographically spread over a wide area.
• Continue to identify revenue sources and income generating opportunities through advertising, sponsorship and investment that leverage impact and integrate initiatives and activities; support and direct related while continuing to engage with both bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors (including USG, Foundations, DFID, EU and others).

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, business, communications, or relevant field
• Minimum of 10 years progressively challenging international development experience.
• At least 5 years’ experience working with international donor-funded projects and/or working with investors in the capacity of Country Director, Deputy Country Director or Senior Program Manager.
• At least 5 years’ experience working in Africa, or on Africa-focused projects or media outlets
• Proven understanding of Nigerian media, preferably including the Northern Nigeria context
• A thorough knowledge of media production processes, knowledge of audience research and media commercialization desired
• Proven experience in coordinating with external donors, suppliers, producers, sponsors, investors, and other partners
• Demonstrated ability to lead, write and produce compelling and technically sound and strategically priced proposals both individually and in collaboration with teams
• Strong creative and analytical skills
• Superior organizational and management skills: ability to multi-task; manage teams to deadlines; apply results-oriented problem-solving approaches; and collaborate effectively as a team member
• Strong work ethic, impeccable integrity and sense of accountability
• Excellent spoken and written English, knowledge of Hausa and/or French a plus
• Computer skills: Final Cut Pro, Pro Tools, and experience with other editing software packages; MS Word and Excel
• Able to undertake travel to the project locations as required, including internally in Nigeria and able to work under extreme pressure and deadlines