Signature Program Technical Lead - Nigeria at Heifer International

Heifer International, since 1944, has empowered over 46 million smallholder farmer families globally to overcome hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. Our new goal is to close the Sustainable Living Income gap for 10 million more households by 2030. In 2021, Heifer launched its Nigeria Country Program and the "Naija Unlock" Signature Program. This initiative aims to enhance Nigeria's agricultural sector, focusing on rice, tomatoes, and poultry, with plans to include cattle and small ruminants. Naija Unlock seeks to boost productivity, access to innovative finance, market opportunities, mechanization, and climate-smart practices for smallholder farmers, ultimately assisting at least two million households by 2030 through strategic partnerships.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Signature Program Technical Lead - Nigeria

Job ID: 1284
Location: Abuja (FCT)

Function

• The Signature Program Technical Lead - Nigeria will provide strategic leadership for country office Signature Programs.
• The role will be responsible for signature program design, and development.
• The role will lead the programs impact data analysis and interpretation, market systems and value chain development, and will lead the facilitation of access to innovative finance for smallholder farmers, and proposal writing, as well as program co-designing with our strategic partners.
• The role will also be responsible for signature program implementation, donor reporting and field-level program management while ensuring the highest standards in compliance with obligations and results according to signed agreements.
• The role therefore enforces quality assurance with programs and is responsible for the quality and performance of work of all relevant Signature Program staff, sub-recipients, and sub-contract service providers.
• In addition, the role will build capacity/capability for signature programming in the country office.
• The major focus of the role is to carefully guide the implementation of country-led Signature Programs, in line with project strategy, to achieve the Country’s objectives.
• The role will maintain focus on management, communication and strategy and drive towards sustainability that achieves scale, and permanent impact through long-term partnership.
• The Signature Program Technical Lead - Nigeria will report to the Country Director but will work collaboratively with the Signature Program Technical team at the regional level.
• The role supervises Project and Program Managers and Coordinators.

Responsibilities & Deliverables
Signature Program Designing (15 %):

• Engage in designing/co-designing and implementation of market systems, and value chain development programs and project, facilitate access to Innovative Finance, access to relevant technology, and premium market for smallholder farmers. Facilitate capacity strengthening trainings for farmers and other value chain actors and build organizational relationships with relevant stakeholders. In consultation with the Country Director and the Regional Signature Program Technical team, creatively design initiatives that uphold and improve program quality, innovation and learning on signature programs.
• Provide technical leadership for the preparation, design, submission and approval of project concepts and full-fledged proposals. Act as in-country technical proposal developer, while integrating donor strategies, priorities, and technical requirements into Heifer’s approach.
• Enable strong relationships with donors, peer organizations, research, and other institutions, towards enhancing Program Quality.
• Develop and adopt standardized approaches, practices, tools and measurements in co-design and capacity strengthening.
• Guide in-country program team, in the development of comprehensive plans and materials, development and implementation of capacity strengthening strategies in the Program and project areas.

Program Management and Quality Initiatives (40%):

• Provide strategic leadership to the Country Signature Program team and excellent management of the approved program, schedules and budgets. Maintain excellent oversight of all program components and meet expectations for program success.
• Ensure application of best standards, best practices, partnership principles, processes, and tools, towards high quality implementation of signature programs.
• Develop and implement strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in Program Quality, that effectively engage partners, donors, and governments.
• Roll out capacity-strengthening initiatives in Program Quality for staff and partners, develop learning and training strategies and agenda, and conduct training and workshops.
• Analyze program data, capture, and share lessons learned and best practices for specific projects, to facilitate improvement in decisions.
• Monitor and provide feedback on Program Quality through regular team meetings, field visits, and regular communication.
• Ensure that Program Managers and Coordinators execute approved workplan activities and operations in response to technical direction and recommend adjustments as appropriate, to achieve program objectives.
• Effectively manage program risks in each phase of program implementation in a timely manner, to ensure fulfillment of objectives.
• Ensure accountability and compliance for donor requirements.
• Ensure the provision of program-related reports and make presentations, as may be required.
• Ensure adherence to set compliance standards within Heifer and donor program and project guidelines and standards, including transparency, policy compliance, accountability, and communication with HQ, donors, and external constituencies.
• Effectively maintain strong communication with all the relevant stakeholders throughout program implementation and successfully manage a matrix program management structure when necessary.

Sustainable Locally Led Development Initiative (15%):

• Promote local ownership of projects and project activities by local stakeholders.
• Engage local stakeholders in participatory project design and development.
• Ensure project stakeholders receive regular feedback from the project team and provide feedback to the team.
• Support the implementation of inverted organogram principles and practices among team members.

Budget Management and Monitoring (15%):

• Ensure all program teams develop annual budgets and workplans, consistent with program documents and donor contracts.
• Provide support to program teams in undertaking the necessary review and updating of the workplans and budgets to respond to any emerging field implementation challenges and program review processes.
• In liaison with the Finance department, undertake quarterly budget monitoring and variance analysis with all Program Managers, while reviewing and tracking spending to adhere to annual budgets.
• Ensure Program Managers and the entire Country office plan and undertake corrective management actions arising out of budget monitoring reports.
• Approve program-related requests for cash advance as applicable and reconciliation, in line with plans and financial management procedures.

Strengthen Core Global Operating System (10%):

• Ensure compliance with Heifer International policies and procedures and other accountability standards through training, event participation and field visits.
• Liaise with the Regional Signature Program Technical team and departments at HQ on behalf of the country program.
• Ensure Signature Program proposals and concept notes are entered into HQ tracking systems, to avoid delay in activation.
• Ensure adequate development, implementation, evaluation and systematization of signature programs by country office.
• Obtain and review signature program monitoring and evaluation reports from the field offices and make recommendations.
• Maintain Signature Program files and documents.

Any Other Assigned Function (5%):

• May perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree & a minimum of fifteen (15) years of Signature Program Management experience.
• He/she will possess at least five years of experience designing and managing large and complex inclusive market systems, value chain development projects with large teams.
• The person is required to have proven experience working with governments, the private sector, local and international institutions.

Preferred Requirements:

• Master’s degree preferred.
• At least seven (7) years in technical signature programming leadership.
• At least five (5) years in management.

Most Critical Proficiencies:

• Knowledge of strategic planning, program and project development and implementation processes (including planning, monitoring, and evaluation).
• Knowledge and work experience in agriculture and community development in a developing country context (market systems, value chains, access to market, access to finance, etc).
• Excellent knowledge of monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects.
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills including strong attention to detail.
• Knowledge of grant acquisition and management.
• Basic knowledge of finance controls and systems.
• Proficiency in basic statistics sufficient to analyze data.

Key Behavioural Competencies:

• Accountability
• Professional Excellence
• Humility
• Customer Orientation
• Empathy
• Innovation.

Application Closing Date
19th August, 2024.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with some form of disability.