Project Manager – Social Protection at Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI)

Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters. For 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Project Manager – Social Protection

Location: Gashua, Yobe
Reports to: Head of Mission / Program Manager
Donor: EC / EU
Duration: 12 months (renewable)
Starting Date: December 2020

Background

• COOPI started its operations in North-East Nigeria in July 2014 to carry out a rapid evaluation of the most relevant constraints suffered by the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) displaced by the food crisis and the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin.
• COOPI’s aim is to support the most basic and pressing needs of communities affected by the conflict. COOPI is providing a multi-sectoral emergency response to the IDPs, returnees and host population focused on food security, nutrition, protection and education. COOPI main area of intervention is Yobe State but we are also present in Borno state.

Description of the Project

• Title: Building Resilience in Complex Crisis (BRICC) Support for early recovery from conflict and resilience building in Yobe State
• Overall objective: restore and strengthen the economic and social resilience of conflict-affected communities in Borno State;
• Specific objective: enable the effective recovery from conflict of households in Borno state through the restoration of integrated, productive and resilient communities.

Role Purpose
The Project Manager is:

• Is responsible for the overall activities’ planning, execution and reporting of the Early Recovery and Resilience building project;
• Is directly assigned to, and responsible of the supervision of all logistics, HR, financial and overall functioning aspects for his projects.

Responsibilities
Project Management:

• Under the direct supervision of the Head of Base and in link with the Program Manager and Head of Mission, he/she provides overall managerial oversight to the EC / EU funded integrated project and support project implementation team;
• S / he ensures cross-departmental coordination including consortium partners’ components such as conflict management, peacebuilding and livelihoods;
• S / he works with consortium lead and partners to maintain and update project implementation plan;
• In cooperation and synergy with the project staff, s / he plans and monitors the social protection, conflict management & peacebuilding and livelihood activities’ progress, in compliance with the donor regulations, Consortium lead and COOPI’s procedures, and with the specific Project Structure and Reporting Lines definition, making use of the financial instruments provided by the organization;
• In collaboration with the Program Manager and Head of Base, prepares all the formal communication and contract modification requests (ex. budget modification) of the project;
• S / he ensures smooth management of COOPI base in Gashua, Yobe state;
• S / he puts in place and follow in accountability beneficiaries feedback’s mechanism;
• S / he represents COOPI with the local / State authorities, consortium lead and partners;
• S / he works closely with Social Protection expert to drive critical assessment during inception phase including baseline, market and value chain assessment and mapping exercises;

Admin / finance and Monitoring:

• In collaboration with the Administrative and the Logistics team, s / he plans and monitors the expenditures in line with the project’s implementation needs;
• In cooperation with the Program Manager, s / he finalizes the data provided by his/her team, supports the preparation, in compliance with the deadlines, of the narrative reports expected by the donors and by the partners;
• S / he works closely with Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Advisor hired by lead consortium partner that to ensure oversight for all monitoring and evaluation across all activities and implementation;
• S / he monitors the accuracy and efficiency of activities;
• S / he ensures compliance with the fund and timely fulfillment of project’s reporting requirements.

Logistics Management:

• Liaise with logistics / procurement team to ensure the goods purchased for the project;
• S / he supports to update the inventory and guarantees the respect of the policies and guidelines, in cooperation with the Logistics Office;
• S / he ensures safety of staff and beneficiaries and work closely with COOPI Security Manager and Logistic team.

HR Management:

• In coordination with the Administrative team, s/he supports in hiring of new staff directly related to the project and conducts staff appraisals Upholds COOPI’s mission and Charter of Values;
• S / he supervises the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the staff;
• S / he follows and enforces all COOPI codes of conduct and policies (globally and in-country).

Others:

• S / he works closely with Protection Program team to ensure protection mainstreaming;
• S / he executes any other task necessary to good and timely completion of the projects, identified in mutual agreement;
• S / he performs any other duties as requested by the supervisor.

Requirements
Essentials:

• Master’s degree in Humanitarian / Development Studies / Social Sciences or any related field;
• At least 5 years of working experience in / with INGO on Social Protection, Conflict Management & Peace Building and Livelihoods / FSL area;
• Experience in managing social protection and livelihood development activities as a+;
• Experience in managing EU funded projects;
• Proven interest & commitment to humanitarian and development principles and a demonstrable understanding of conflict/post conflict development contexts;
• Expertise in sustainable livelihoods, safety nets programs, in particular;
• Data collection, analysis, and report writing including post-distribution monitoring (PDM);
• Excellent in written and spoken English;
• Demonstrated success in community resilient programs and technically sound in Cash transfers, capacity building and other social protection components;
• Proven commitment to accountability practices;
• Excellent Microsoft Office applications skills;
• Knowledge of and adherence to COOPI Code of Conduct, understands other international development guidelines.

Soft Skills:

• Ability to function effectively under stressful conditions such as heavy workloads, and deadlines;
• Excellent communication skills, calm, with a good sense of working in inter-cultural environment;
• Ability to plan, organize work, communicate and reports effectively (both in writing and verbally);
• Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines;
• Team player, effective communicator, successful negotiator, creative and analytical thinker, active learner, able to work in a multicultural environment.

Application Closing Date
14th December, 2020.