Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid (Cordaid) Job for a Programme Manager in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Cordaid (Catholic Organisation for Relief & Development Aid) is one of the largest development organizations in the Netherlands and has a network of 890 partner organizations in 28 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.


Job Post:              Programme Manager
Organization:    Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid (Cordaid)
Duty station:      Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Organizational Background
Cordaid believes in a world without poverty and exclusion. We strive for a just and sustainable society where every person counts. We stand for knowledge and talent sharing between North and South, between farmers and businesses, between activists and policymakers. Where poverty, conflict and exclusion tear up societies, we connect people and communities. We also stand for professionalism, expertise and solidarity across borders, to make a difference where it is most needed. Together with more than 400 partner organizations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America we structurally improve the living conditions of the poorest and most excluded populations - the bottom billion. Our programmes focus on, among others, health, disaster response, entrepreneurship, investments, food security, women’s leadership, security & justice, and extractives.

Extractives programme
The objective of Cordaid’s Extractives programme is to ensure that the exploitation of extractives (oil, gas and minerals) contributes positively to local community development, to increase the number of companies operating as responsible corporate citizens and to increase good national and transnational governance of the benefits of extractives. To this end, Cordaid supports local communities and civil society to become informed, legitimate and capacitated partners in negotiations with international oil, gas and mining companies and governments. Our work is centered around four main product areas: contextualization, stakeholder engagement, community development agreements, and monitoring and evaluation. We provide grant management, project management, advocacy, training and education, as well as technical advice and consultancy.

Cordaid has been active in Nigeria since 2004 with a variety of programmes. Since January 2013, Cordaid’s activities in Nigeria focus exclusively on extractives with a strong focus on civil society capacity-building via technical advice, accompaniment, lobby & advocacy, linking & learning as well as strategic financing. We work with a broad range of local partner organisations primarily in the Niger Delta states, supported by a team of advisors, project officers and a programme manager based at Cordaid Headquarters (HQ) in The Hague, the Netherlands. To better support this programme, Cordaid is now opening an office in Port Harcourt and is currently seeking to recruit a programme manager.

Responsibilities and tasks

Office Strategy Development

Translates Cordaid’s multi-annual strategic plan into annual Cordaid office operational plans remaining within budget and strategic priorities;
Consolidate the operational establishment of Cordaid’s new office in Port Harcourt;
Take a lead role in the development of an innovative civil society resource centre in Port Harcourt and operationalize this in close consultation with selected local partners and the programme manager based at Cordaid HQ in the Netherlands.

Programme Design, Management and Support

Develop short-term projects as well as longer-term collaborative programmes on extractives and community development with local and international partner organizations;
Manage project implementation according to agreed deadlines and budget;
Provide regular written/oral program progress updates and collaborate in providing reports to project partners;
Track, monitor and report project activities/results, and provide quarterly updates to Programme Manager at Cordaid HQ in the Netherlands;
Carry out other project-related tasks as required and assigned;
Leads small team of approximately 4 people in new Cordaid office in Port Harcourt in accordance with the management style and social policy of Cordaid, focused on productivity, personal development and employee satisfaction. Ensures efficient use of resources and controls quality of work.
 
Networking, Representation and Business Development

Provide thought leadership and represent Cordaid in meetings as a spokesperson and advocate on community-oriented extractives management;
Build and maintain strategic alliances with Nigeria-based, regional and international NGO coalitions on extractives issues, such as the NACGOND and Publish What You Pay (PWYP) coalitions;
Explore potential areas for collaboration and mobilize opportunities and resources to co-create new programs with innovative solutions;
Translate ideas for advice and collaborative programmes in attractive technical and financial proposals and expressions of interest for bilateral, multilateral organizations and private foundations.


Qualifications
Academic degree or equivalent in development, governance, conflict studies, law or related fields;
At least 10 years’ relevant work experience, preferably in senior NGO management positions, including 3+ years’ experience working on extractives issues;
Practical experience with providing strategic and programmatic advice on civil society capacity development, CSR, community development, and with facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes;
Strong project management, analytical and problem-solving skills;
Excellent management skills including human resource and financial management, communication and intercultural cooperation skills.
Experience in working with communities, local civil society organizations, government and extractive industry actors in conflict-affected areas in Africa, preferably Nigeria;
Willingness to travel up to 30% of the time;
Be diplomatic, culturally sensitive, result-oriented, innovative and a strong team player;
Excellent English writing and communication skills.

Specifics of duty station
The Programme Manager will be based at Cordaid’s new office in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. You will be part of a professional and dedicated small team that works to make a difference. The Programme Manager will report to the programme manager at Cordaid HQ in The Netherlands. The position is preferably filled by a Nigerian national.

Please note this is a senior-level position, we kindly invite only those candidates to apply who meet the above-mentioned qualifications.

Contract information
Initial contract for 12 months, renewable, with a 3-month probation period. Starting date early/mid-September 2013. We offer a Cordaid contract with a competitive salary and a benefit package which includes comprehensive insurance cover, social security, pension contribution and a travel allowance.

How to apply
Click Here to Apply
For additional information, please contact Josée van der Beek, Recruiter. Phone: +31 70 3136 300.

Applications including a motivation letter and extensive CV in English, including the contact details of at least three professional references, should be submitted before 11 August 2013. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. An assessment might be part of the procedure.