Country Director at ActionAid Nigeria

ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) is a not for profit, non-governmental entity registered in Nigeria. It commenced operations in Nigeria in 1999, while the programmatic operations commenced in January 2000 through a Country Agreement signed with the National Planning Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

ActionAid is an anti-poverty agency that prioritises work with people living in poverty and exclusion; promoting values and commitment in civil society, institutions and governments with the aim of achieving structural changes in order to eradicate injustices and poverty in the world. ActionAid Nigeria is an affiliate of ActionAid International, an International Non-Governmental organisation registered in The Netherlands with its headquarters in Johannesburg South Africa. ActionAid International works in more than 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Country Director  

Location: Abuja
Directorate: Country Director 
Job Family: National Chief Executive
Reports to: National Board through the Chair 
Grade: Grade level 11 or 12 depending on experience
Direct Reports: Country Senior Management Team, Head of Internal Audit
Duration: Three years fixed term contract (Renewable once).

Job Description

• To effectively implement the new strategy, Social Justice to End Poverty (2018 – 2023), ActionAid Nigeria is seeking a committed and inspiring Country Director to drive the implementation of the new Country Strategy and lead on providing quality program management and accountability systems; organizational and team development; financial control and resource management; fundraising and liaison with donors to increase and diversify the resource base; policy, research and advocacy; relationship and stakeholder management at local, national and international levels.

Role Overview

• Manage, lead, direct and provide a vision for ActionAid, in line with: established policies, principles and operating practices of ActionAid, good management practice, and the political, social, cultural and economic environment of the country.
• The Country Director will also be responsible for developing country strategic plans, overseeing the implementation of agreed plans and ensuring resources are in place to achieve budgeted performance targets and monitoring overall performance against these. 
• S/he will play a key role in influencing decisions of stakeholders that are outside of his/her direct sphere of authority across the organization. 
• The CD role requires broad organisational experience, thus enabling to manage large teams as well as deep knowledge across a professional discipline that enable the role holder to make significant improvements to policies and processes that lead from mid- to long-term success.

Key Accountabilities / Responsibilities

• AAI Values Practice & Strategy Change Priorities
• Leading Innovation and Change: Establish a culture of excellence in respective team that values experimentation and continuous improvement
• Feminist Leadership: Championing feminist leadership principles and values including commitment to diversity and inclusion (race, gender, power)
• AAI Values Practice: Ensure personal and team culture that demonstrates all of AAI values including: Mutual Respect, Equity and Justice, Integrity, Solidarity with People Living in Poverty and Exclusion, Courage of Conviction, Independence and Humility
• Digital footprint: Championing the digitalization of ActionAid’s work and the use of technology to make impact.

Organisational and Corporate Development:

• Represent ActionAid  International  in a variety of forums and maintain external relationships within a diverse range of stakeholders in the sector including national government, key national and international NGOs, donors, academic, social movements, CBO’s, media and other relevant institutions
• Lead the implementation of the country strategy paper – Social Justice to End Poverty 2023 with its frameworks and implementation strategies; and the tracking of its results and impact.
• Implement and further develop AA’s vision, mission, philosophy and principles in line with agreed, corporate strategies, frameworks and organisational priorities.
• Actively contribute to ActionAid's development as an international federation.
• Maintain regular communication with AA Global Secretariat (GS) through the Head of Country Support, International Platforms, GS central support staff and other corporate; and Country Directors.
• Provide inputs to corporate activities as and when required, including providing peer support, participation on task forces, training courses and conferences.
• Ensure that ActionAid lives up to its dual citizenship role as part of an international federation

Programme Implementation:

• Lead and direct the work of ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) in accordance with sound Management practices and ActionAid's development policies and accountability systems.
• Ensure AAN has a well-balanced, well documented and cost effective programme.
• Develop ActionAid Nigeria's practice to document, disseminate and learn from development work in Nigeria and ensure all reporting is of the highest standard and appropriate to the audience.
• Manage and encourage the co-operative relationships established with various specialist institutions and ensure that these joint initiatives conform to programme objectives.
• Ensure all programme activities are sensitive to and responsive to changes in the political, social, and economic environments.

Policy, Research and Advocacy:

• Encourage the development of appropriate research with a view to improving the quality of field work and influencing change in policy to improve the quality of life for people living in poverty and exclusion in the Country.
• Maintain sound relations with policy, research and advocacy specialists in Nigeria, Africa and international levels.

Emergency Preparedness:

• Develop and maintain appropriate contingency plans for all kinds of emergencies. Such plans to be presented for approval of the Africa Head of Country Support for inclusion in corporate emergency response mechanisms.

People Management:

• Maintain effective and appropriate staff recruitment, induction, appraisal, and remuneration and development practices at all levels to ensure the optimum utilisation and development of AAN's human resources.
• Appoint, develop and manage all senior staff. Ensure high calibres of staff are recruited while promoting diversity and gender balance in the organisation, and those optimum investments are made in their development.
• Encourage a corporate perspective amongst staff and actively promote staff exchange, secondment and development schemes, where these contribute to the meeting of ActionAid's programme objectives and priorities.
• Foster a strong commitment to embedding of feminist analysis in all our work and ensuring that feminist leadership principles and values are integrated in all our performance management processes across teams.

External Communication
Donors and Funders:

• Ensure a regular flow of information is available to the funding departments and to donors and official funders as required by the various funding mechanisms, especially child sponsorship, high value, partnership income and community sponsorship.
• Establish and develop working relationships with key donors in Country and actively develop local funding sources and establish new funding products and donor engagement mechanisms appropriate to AA Country's resource needs

Media:

• Develop and manage a sound relationship with all sections of the media and ensure that any published material accurately reflects the views of the organisation.
• Establish an appropriate public image for ActionAid Nigeria that is in line with ActionAid values and culture.

External Engagement/Stakeholder Management:

• Lead active engagement with Civil Society organisations, Governments Agencies for policy influencing.
• Lead effective networking with INGOs, multilateral and bilateral agencies for policy influencing, best practices and effective consultation on development issues
• Establish, develop and maintain excellent working relationships with the Government of the country; in particular with relevant national, state and local level officials.
• Ensure that AAI operates within the terms and conditions of all legal agreements with the Government of the country.

Operations & Finance:

• Ensure that the control of expenditure and the disbursement of resources is in accordance with the established procedures and maintain the financial and legal integrity of ActionAid and partners.
• Provide progress and financial reports as required by the Government and ActionAid's accountability procedures and as required by other organisations.
• Ensure the financial integrity and accountability of ActionAid Nigeria in accordance with International financial standards and ActionAid Financial Management framework
• Manage the financial resources allocated to or raised by the country in compliance with approved policies/ frameworks as well as national law and donors’ regulations
• Ensure budgets and financial plans are prepared to control expenditure and the disbursement of resources in accordance with the established procedures; provide progress and financial reports as required by the government, ActionAid's accountability procedures and as required by other organisations or stakeholders
• Maintain an efficient internal control framework and good practice with regard to the identification and management of risk.

Qualification & Experience

• The candidate must hold a post graduate degree in social sciences, development studies or a development related field and at least 10 years proven track record in leading and managing institutions and development programs as well as having a strong presence in civil society and social movement in Africa, Nigeria in particular.
• S/he should have a strong analytical skills and understanding of the international political economy, particularly the Nigerian socio economic and political context.
• S/he should be committed to gender equity, empowering management practices, be value driven and possess strong networking, human resources and financial management skills.
• S/he will have the perspectives and competencies for fundraising and donor relations; regional and international linkages and a sound basis of organizational development.
• The candidate must have excellent communication skills.

Person Specification

• Post Graduate degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies or a Development related field.

Essential Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years in the management of development work and poverty eradication programmes.
• Demonstrated Senior Management expertise, including proven ability to develop the capacities of multi-disciplinary professional teams undertaking comprehensive poverty eradication strategies.
• Sound and up to date knowledge of development concepts, methodologies and techniques including demonstrated expertise in at least one specialist development field.
• Appropriate degree level qualifications, preferably supplemented by relevant post-graduate qualifications.
• Ability to properly manage complex financial control and management systems.
• Ability to lead an organization through a change process
• Experience working with Board and Board development activities.
• Demonstrated expertise in strategic and long term planning and the ability to ensure that operational plans and activities meet targets and appropriately reflect longer term perspectives.
• Capacity to reflect and examine programmes to ensure evolution and to encourage this from others.
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills, including demonstrated ability to handle sensitive diplomatic and Government level negotiations on matters affecting ActionAid's programmes.
• Sound awareness of the political, social, economic and historic environment in which ActionAid's poverty eradication programmes are operating at both national and community levels.
• Proven initiative, flexibility and enthusiasm in managing complex activities in a changing environment.
• Understanding of feminist leadership and experience in promoting it

Desirable Knowledge and Experience:

• Proficiency in English and a familiarity with Nigeria’s socio economic and political context.

Competency Profile:

• Change Management: uses effective strategies to facilitate organisation change initiatives and overcome resistance to change by involving others, listening and building commitment.
• Decisiveness and Agility: prefers quick and appropriate actions in many management situations, able to adapt and respond to fast changing eco system/environment
• Leading others: leading teams, attracts, motivates, and develops high performing teams.
• Building Collaborative Relationships: builds productive working relationships with co-workers and external parties, whilst valuing diversity (gender, race, culture).
• Communication: expresses ideas clearly and concisely; disseminates information about decisions and plans proactively.
• Leading Self: leading with purpose and credibility, acts in accordance with stated values; has strong commitment to develop, promote and practice AAI’s values
• Innovation and Taking Initiative: takes charge and proactively seeks new ideas, experiments with new processes/practices that capitalizes on opportunities.

Application Closing Date
27th November, 2017.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send in their application containing their Curriculum Vitae and Motivation letter. The Curriculum Vitae should not be more than 3-4 pages providing information under the following headings:

• Educational and other formal qualifications
• Competencies and skills
• Work experience especially in development sector
• Experience in Governance related matters e.g. being on Board of organizations including any roles as chair or secretary of Boards
• Other relevant experience

All applications should be sent as an MSWord attachment to: [email protected]

Note

• Only Electronically submitted applications will be considered.
• While we respect all applicants, interview date will be communicated only to short listed candidates.