Deputy Project Manager at Save the Children

Save the Children is a leading international organization helping children in need around the world. First established in the UK in 1919, separate national organizations have been set up in more than twenty-eight countries, sharing the aim of improving the lives of children through education, health care and economic opportunities, as well as emergency aid in cases of natural disasters, war and conflict.

In Nigeria, Save the Children has been working since 2001. The early focus was on getting children actively involved in shaping the decisions that affect their lives. Today, Save the Children is working in seven federal states - Zamfara, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi and Kaduna - focusing on providing basic healthcare and protecting children.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Project Manager

Location: Borno, Nigeria 

Key Roles

• Working closely with the Project Director,  Borno Field Manager, Field , Head of Food Security and Livelihoods, and the Food Security and Livelihoods Coordinator:
• Administer the development and successful implementation of work plans and oversee the creation of reports and other deliverables to USAID in a timely and accurate manner.
• Oversee and support implementation through a local partner, including the supervision of proper targeting, identification, registration, and monitoring of beneficiary lists to prevent overlap with other humanitarian programs in the intervention zone.
• Quality technical leadership and advice to the local partner around the design, implementation and monitoring of project work at state and community levels.
• Coordinate closely with other humanitarian actors and UN agencies carrying food vouchers, and food distributions for geographic mapping and to ensure program activities are in line with national and humanitarian food security priorities.
• Ensure that efficient systems are in place to support all aspects of project activity, including financial and grant management, project monitoring and evaluation, and sub grant management, and that they support the effective use of project resources in compliance with USAID regulations.
• Work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) team to develop appropriate monitoring and evaluation plans and to capture learning opportunities around the effectiveness of voucher-based programming, and in particular, the use of e-vouchers.
• Ensure regular monitoring of the market prices and generation of monthly market assessment reports.
• Ensure compliance with all grant, USAID and government provisions, and timely fulfilment of all project programmatic reporting requirements.
• Oversee timely expenditure of approved budgets, avoiding both under spending and overspending on grant line item

Other Roles
Personnel and Administration:

• Supervise emergency food security field based project staff: conduct performance evaluations, identify staff skills development needs and assist the Field Manager to meet these needs, provide management support to  staff as needed, and maintain office policy of respect and communication between supervisors and subordinates.
• See that all food security staff are aware of and understand SC policies and procedures; take appropriate disciplinary measures as needed.
• Promote accountability, communicating expectations and providing constructive feedback through regular performance reviews.

Representation and Leadership:

• Represent Save the Children in food security and livelihoods coordination fora within the State as and when required.
• Maintain good working relationships with officials and other humanitarian actors, particularly those within the relevant government agencies (State Emergency Management Agency), ACF, IOM, and UN agencies.
• Represent SC and maintain good working relationships among the international and local NGO community, among community leadership structures and community-based organizations, and with visiting donor teams and other key contacts. Keep abreast of NGO, government, and donor initiatives relevant to SC’s work.
• Maintain focus on SC program principles.
• Encourage teamwork, openness, and honesty among State staff and between SC and its partners.

Monitoring and evaluation:

• Where security permits, the DPM will make regular visits to field sites, to monitor and oversee project implementation and offer advice.
• Support program assessments, evaluations and other reviews required in the program.
• Contribute to situation/response analysis and development of food security and livelihoods strategy documents and sector response plans ensuring integration with other sectors.

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• Previous experience of managing programme teams in large-scale first phase emergency response is essential
• Education: MA / MSc level (or equivalent field experience) in Agriculture, Rural Development, Development Studies  and other relevant qualifications
• Experience of M&E and beneficiary accountability systems in large complex programmes
• Experience of developing and negotiating successful partnerships with institutional donors
• Proven ability to influence change at an operational and strategic level
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• A high level of written and spoken English
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of SC. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support

Desirable:

• Fluent in English and
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