VSO Nigeria Vacancy: Senior Programme Officer - North West

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

Role overview

We are currently looking for a dynamic, proactive and results-oriented person to join the Nigeria Country Office team to coordinate programme activities in the North West cluster. S/he is responsible for programme and project development in line with the country strategy. This includes the development and management of partnerships with civil society and government organisations, with the support of national and international volunteers. This position requires proactive engagement with volunteers, partners and relevant stakeholders to realise our strategic objectives in three thematic areas; education, secure livelihoods and youth participation in governance. S/he will ensure gender mainstreaming in all our work, and will be the primary contact for the selection and placement of volunteers with partners in the cluster. The position will be based in Kano and will report to the Head of Programs. Responsibilities  § Programme Delivery: Identification and mapping of civil society organizations (NGOs, CBOs, NGO/CBO Networks) that can contribute to delivering VSO Nigeria country strategy in the respective States and develop partnerships with organizations that are aligned to our vision, values and strategy; Analyse development challenges, with a focus on the youth factor, and explore opportunities for development. § Partnership Development and Management: Develop coordination mechanisms between partners (NGO and government), volunteers and staff to create shared understanding and vision of VSO Nigeria work in the Cluster; Initiating and building relationships with key stakeholders (government agencies – NYSC and other parastatals, INGOs, donors and corporate bodies operating in the Cluster. § Volunteer Engagement/Management: Identify volunteer requirements to deliver the programme/projects developed (International volunteers, corporate volunteers, diaspora volunteers, National volunteers and community level volunteers to be placed with partners); Develop placement documentation to facilitate recruitment of volunteers; Work with the operations team to induct, orient and provide on-going support to volunteers. § Monitoring and Evaluation: Develop and implement strong M & E systems to measure and capture the impact of VSO projects/partners/volunteers; To promote institutional learning and knowledge sharing across the organization through the documentation of success stories/challenges. § Safety, Security and Emergencies: To act as first point of contact for volunteers in the Cluster and take responsibility for their duty of care, safety and security, with support of SMT members. § Budgeting and Forecasting: Develop realistic project plans and budgets, ensuring compliance with donor requirements; Develop, maintain and monitor financial plans in order to deliver programme objectives and; Participate fully in the annual budget preparation process.

Skills, qualifications and experience required

Qualifications and Requirements  1. Passion and commitment to significantly impact on the lives of marginalised young men and women in Nigeria. 2. Excellent understanding of development challenges and in-depth knowledge of civil society organisations in the respective Cluster/ Nigeria. 3. Understanding of project cycle management tools and ability to effectively plan, implement and review programmes. 4. A university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications 5. Strong demonstrable skills in program/project development and proposal writing. 6. Working knowledge of budgeting and financial management in the context of project planning/management. 7. Significant experience, minimum of 4 years, in a similar role with other INGOs/National NGOs having a good track record of contributing to significant impact on the marginalised. 8. Experience working on projects and programs relating to education, secure livelihoods and youth participation in governance. 9. Excellent oral and written communication skills and analytical skills; Excellent planning and organizational skills. 10. Ability to adapt to new and demanding situations and work independently or with limited supervision. 11. Experience in networking, partnership development and multi-stakeholder engagement for a common purpose. 12. Willingness to travel extensively within the Cluster (Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara and Sokoto). 13. Must speak fluent Hausa and have experience living and working in northern Nigeria. 14. Possession of a valid Nigerian driver's license and ability to drive.

How to apply

To apply, complete the application form and write a cover letter specifying reasons you think you are the best candidate for this position. Both your form and cover letter should be emailed to info.nigeria(at)vsoint.org before the closing date indicated below. Please make sure the subject line of your email states the position you are applying for. A detailed job description and personal specification can be obtained from our website. Closing Date: Friday, 6 June 2014 by 17:00 GMT  Interviews and written tests will be conducted in the week of 23 June 2014 We are an equal opportunity employer that values inclusion and seeks to have a diverse workforce, and therefore welcomes applicants from all sections of the community. While we respect all candidates, we can only respond to short-listed candidates.

Interview/Assessment date(s)

23 June 2014

Start date

1 August 2014

For more information and to download the application form, please follow this link to go to the  VSO Recruitment Website on Salesforce