Senior Program Officer  at Helen Keller International

Background

The USAID Advancing Nutrition implements and provides technical support to nutrition interventions across sectors and disciplines for USAID and its partners. The project’s multi-sectoral approach draws together global nutrition experience to design, implement and evaluate programs that address the root causes of malnutrition. Committed to using a systems approach, USAID Advancing Nutrition strives to sustain positive outcomes by building local capacity, supporting behavior change and strengthening the enabling environment to save lives, improve health, build resilience, increase economic productivity and advance development.

The overall purpose of the project in Nigeria is to provide technical support to the Government of Nigeria, and other nutrition stakeholders and generate evidence to enhance nutrition programming toward achieving the overall goal of improving nutrition for a healthy, productive, and resilient Nigeria.

Helen Keller Nigeria seeks to employ suitable persons for the following positions:  

Scope of the Position

The Senior Program Officer, will be responsible for providing technical assistance and managerial support for the development, implementation and monitoring of activities, for the USAID Advancing Nutrition Project.  S/He will have overall responsibility for ensuring achievement of project objectives and completion of activities while adhering to scope, budget, and schedule requirements. Responsibilities include project start-up, managing the development and monitoring of implementation plans and budgets, program reporting and documentation, donor and partner relations, compliance, programmatic monitoring, and close-out.

Specific responsibilities:

• Provide program management, technical and administrative support to project teams
• Support the development of work plans and track performance against project timelines, budget, objectives, and deliverables
• Troubleshoot, prioritize, and address programmatic, financial, administrative, and logistics needs and other project requirements
• Support the development of project budgets and budget modifications, and monitor project expenditures to ensure activities are implemented within budgetary guidelines
• Support implementation teams to achieve timely, high-quality project deliverables and ensure they meet project objectives and donor requirements
• Monitor implementation progress and address issues in a timely manner, keeping senior staff apprised of activity progress and challenges
• Coordinate the provision of technical and management support to country programs
• Support and coordinate program activities in project states.
• Prepare and submit progress reports, presentations, project briefs and other project materials
• Support the development of subawards and subcontracts by drafting, reviewing and approving scopes of work and budgets
• Develop and maintain internal and external relationships serving as the liaison for internal units (contracts, HR, finance, travel) as well as partners and project stakeholders
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements and Hellen Keller policies and procedures.
• Support the documentation and dissemination of project accomplishments, results, challenges, and lessons learned among internal and external partners.
• Ensure that the project’s Gender Equality Strategy is understood and incorporated into activities as appropriate.

Education-

Master’s degree in nutrition, public health, social sciences, international development, or a related field.

Experience

8+ years of professional experience working in complex programs, preferably with direct experience in Nigeria; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge and Skills

• Experienced and demonstrated success in coordinating activities with multiple stakeholders to optimize use of limited resources, including development of joint work plans.
• Prior experience in project management cycle.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft software packages: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience working effectively in teams and cross-cultural settings
• Must possess excellent management, documentation, presentation, and written communication skills.
• Experience in cross-cultural work environment
• Ability to work under pressure in fast-paced environment

Competencies:

• Adaptable, creative, collaborative and able to think strategically.
• Purpose driven and outcome focused - moving roadblocks, tackling difficult problems and is action oriented.
• Operate as a nimble learner - knowing personal strengths, weaknesses and limits, has a growth mindset.
• Impeccable negotiation and problem-solving skills
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and rapport building.

Physical Demands:

Ability to travel regularly to the project   states (Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto) as needed