VSO Nigeria is recruiting Programme Development & Funding Manager

VSO is the world’s leading independent international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in 34 developing countries. VSO’s high-impact approach involves bringing people together to share skills, build capabilities, promote international understanding and action, and change lives to make the world a fairer place.

VSO has been operating across Nigeria since 1958 and has accompanied the country through complex social change and growth. As part of its current country strategy 2012-15, VSO Nigeria works with poor and marginalized young men and women in an integrated way and to shape our responses based on the needs and priorities they identify.

We relate to youth as both ultimate beneficiaries, as well as our key facilitators of social change. We focus on children (boys and girls), adolescent girls and boys (10-19 years range) and young men and women (20- 35 years).

Summary of the Role

VSO Nigeria is currently looking for a dynamic, influential and results oriented person to join the Nigeria Country Office team to help us reach our ambitious funding targets.The Programme Development and Funding Manager will lead the country office efforts in developing country funding plan and realising its goals leading to scaling up of the program in Nigeria in line with the country strategy. S/he will contribute to the development of an overall, strategic and coherent programme and actively seeks to engage the marginalized young men and women. The role will support the Country Director (CD) and Head of programs in ensuring highest standards of programme quality in new as well as on-going programmes. This includes articulating strong projects designs, M&E frameworks and rationales for project and VSO’s unique contribution. It also facilitates the country office’s ability to respond to funding and/or larger partnership opportunities with bi-lateral, multilateral/institutional donors, corporates and foundations working in close collaboration with Regional Funding Manager, the Corporate Partnerships Manager (CPM) and the rest of the proposal bid teams.This is a fixed term contract initially for 2 years which can be renewed for further period based on mutual agreement.  The positionwill be based in Abuja or Lagos and reports directly to the CD and has a matrix relationship to Regional Funding Manager (RFM).

 Key responsibilities include:

·           Programme Development, Quality and Implementation:  Lead and/or contribute to the development of new partnerships prioritised by the VSO country strategy. Identify potential project ideas in line with the country strategy and donor opportunities and be part of the proposal bid teams to develop relevant and high quality concept notes and/or proposals to increase revenue. Coordinate the design and delivery of appropriate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and coordinate on the compliance of VSO’s requirements.

·      Fund Raising Planning and Monitoring:  Support the development and implementation of country funding plan (CFP) and modalities for tracking of emerging funding opportunities. Coordinate the quarterly monitoring and review of progress against Country Funding Plans (CFPS) with support of senior management team and suggest appropriate changes to the plans based on on-going efforts. Keep track of emerging funding opportunities.

·     Ongoing engagement with key institutional donors: Engage and take forward various entry points identified with DFID, USAID, CIDA, EC ECHO and other institutional donors and embassies in line with established CFP. This includes researching donor interests and funding patterns, attending forums and meetings for further networking and information sharing.

·  Corporate Partnerships: Engage with and develop relationships with private sector companies mapped and identified within CFPs with the view to building strategic partnerships and increasing revenue. Further research and map additional corporates that could partner with VSO and support engagement accordingly, in close coordination with the Corporate Partnerships Manager. Ensure follow up, in close collaboration with CD and RFM.

·      Grants management and Compliance:Work closely with programme and finance teams to ensure timely submission of quality narrative and financial reports as per the standards of the specific donors and in line with the contract.

·       Visibility & Branding:Lead on the efforts to raise the organization’s profile by coordinating the collection of human interest stories and visuals, production and dissemination of materials highlighting VSO’s unique contribution towards a range of development issues in country.

·        Finance and Resource Management:Support and participate in annual budget preparation and Quarterly Business Review process.

 Knowledge, skills and experience required

Essential:

·            Experience and knowledge of major development issues in Africa.

·             Analytical thinking, experience with programme/proposal development.

·        Practical experience of working on development issues at a project or community level in a developing country context.

·     Track record successfully raising substantive funds from institutional donors/ corporate and writing proposals and concept notes.

·            Excellent communication, networking, facilitation and interpersonal skills.

·            Experience in the financial management of budgets, including building a budget.

·            Donor/corporates engagement/management experience.

·            Able to travel frequently.

·           Ability to work in fast-paced and diverse work environments with a multi-cultural team.

Desired:

·           Experience and knowledge of Nigeria and region.

·   Excellent understanding of project cycle management tools to ensure effective planning, resourcing, implementation and review of Programmes.

·           Practical experience gained within a volunteering/NGO context.

How to Apply
Interested applicants are requested to apply on or before July 26, 2013. Applications should include CV and cover letter stating how they fit the responsibilities and specifications listed above with three names of your nominated referees to: VSO EMAIL Here  

We respect all candidates but we can only respond to shortlisted candidates.

VSO is an equal opportunity employer that values inclusion and seeks to have a diverse workforce and therefore welcomes applicants from all sections of the community.   Qualified candidates from Nigerian diaspora who are interested to come back to work in Nigeria are encouraged to apply.

 Location: Abuja/ Lagos, Nigeria

Closing date: July 26, 2013