Country Representative at Cuso International

Cuso International is a not-for-profit development organization that works to eradicate poverty and inequality. Each year, we mobilize hundreds of volunteer professionals to work alongside local partners to maximize their impact through capacity building. We work in partnership with governments, civil society organizations, multilateral agencies and the private sector to develop and deliver programs aimed at advancing gender equality, promoting the empowerment of women and girls, and improving access to and quality of economic opportunities for young people.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Country Representative

Location: Calabar, Cross River
Status: Full-time
Department: International Programs
Classification: Management
Reports to: Head of Programs, Africa
Minimum Experience: Senior Manager / Supervisor

About the Role

As the Country Representative you will be responsible for the design, implementation and successful delivery of Cuso International’s programs in the Nigeria Country Program Office (CPO).
This includes program delivery and compliance, establishing new donor relationships and partnerships as well as managing existing partnerships and volunteers, developing innovative strategies, new programs and partnerships that are aligned with Cuso International’s Strategic Plan and mobilizing additional resources to scale-up and maximize Cuso International’s impact in the country.

Key Responsibilities and Deliverables

Lead the implementation of Cuso International’s program in the CPO, while maintaining an in-depth understanding of the development context in the country and the region;
Able to leverage a strong network within the donor community and ability to effectively mobilize resources to scale-up and maximize Cuso International’s impact in the CPO;
Lead the design and development of new programs in coordination with the Head of Programs for the region and the Program Development Team in Ottawa;
Lead the start-up of new programs, including the design of project implementation plans, managing negotiations with implementing partners, developing project budgets and building project teams;
Build and maintain relationships through regional or local networks, alliances, forums or events and promote Cuso International’s programs with donors, partners, government officials or other relevant agencies;
Maintain and develop a strong portfolio of local partners fostering collaboration on development interventions in line with Cuso International’s strategic and operational plans;
Manage the integration process of international volunteers placed in the country and ensure that volunteer support and monitoring systems are in place;
Promote a culture of impact and knowledge sharing within the country program office (CPO), with other country teams and working in close collaboration with the Impact and Knowledge Management Team (HQ) to ensure that the CPO complies with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) reporting requirements, including the drafting of annual reports;
Foster a positive, fair and participatory work environment for staff and volunteers, motivating them to actively participate towards achieving Cuso International’s goals;
Ensure that Cuso International’s performance management culture is understood and respected within the team and that each staff receives adequate feedback and support to promote successful performance and high levels of employee engagement;
Ensure the CPO follows all Cuso International policies, procedures and processes;
Fulfill other responsibilities, as required by the Head of Programme.

Position Requirements
Essential:
Education:

University Degree in a relevant field, preferably at graduate level.

Experience:

At least 5 years of experience in a leadership role with experience managing medium sized teams from a diverse backgrounds;
At least 8 years of experience in designing, planning, launching, managing, monitoring and implementing development programs and projects, of which at least 3 years of experience working at a community level;
A proven track record of donor relationship creation and resource mobilization for international programming;
Well-developed experience with annual work planning, budget management and narrative and financial reporting both internally and to external donors;
Experience working with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and/or other development agencies.

Knowledge:

Strong knowledge of program and project management cycles;
A deep understanding of gender and health programming;
Significant knowledge of MEAL systems and frameworks;
Strong knowledge of the development context in the West African region.

Capacities, Skills and Competencies:

Excellent understanding of the results-based management, including tools and applications;
Proven commitment to advancement of gender equality and women’s rights and empowerment;
Ability to take initiative, network and build connections in order to grow the program;
Strong ability to coach, mentor and motivate team members;
Ability to network with donors, partners and other stakeholders to establish partnerships and opportunities;
Ability to make decisions and take initiative, as part of managing a complex and varied workload;
Excellent strategic thinking and analytical abilities;
Excellent cross-cultural interpersonal skills, including the ability to negotiate and develop internal and external relationships;
Excellent computer skills and proficiency with Word, Excel, Outlook, and web-based research;
Willingness and ability to travel within the CPO and periodically internationally;
Ability to work irregular hours and overtime occasionally to meet critical deadlines.

Desirable:

Knowledge and experience working in the geographical region where the CPO is located;
Experience working in a CPO contect, specifically in the context of gender equality, and social inclusion and youth employability;
Experience working as a volunteer, with volunteers and/or with a volunteer-sending organization.

Language Requirement: