Job Vacancy: Program Manager – Food Security and Livelihood needed 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 Vacancy: Program Manager – Food Security and Livelihood

Location: Damaturu, Yobe State, with regular visits to the field
Donor: Divers
Duration: 5 months (renewable)
Starting Date: ASAP

Job Details

  • 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. The organization started in 2021 new operations in North-West, in Sokoto and Kaduna regions, facused on DRR and resilience building of communities affected by natural disasters.
  • 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 but we are also present in Kaduna and Sokoto states in North West Nigeria with Disaster Risk Reduction programs.
  • The Food Security and Livelihoods program is a key element of COOPI’s triple nexus approach in Nigeria, and specifically in Yobe State, where the position will be based. The program is currently composed by two projects:
    • General food distributions and blanket supplementary feeding program, this includes both cash and in-kind distributions.
    • Localization (capacity building of local NGOs), Rehabilitation of market infrastructure and WASH infrastructure, Income generating activities for youth, Provision of Business management training and coaching, TVET, SME for youth.
    • Other opportunities are under evaluation and may join the portfolio.

Job Descriptions of a Program Manager:

  • The Program Manager is responsible for the strategic direction and operational oversight on COOPI’s Food Security and Livelihood projects in Yobe (currently 2 projects), for the development of synergies within the portfolio, and for the identification and pursuit of opportunities to expand the portfolio in the area of intervention, in collaboration with the Area Coordinator for NE and the Program Coordinator.
  • By working closely with Deputy PMs in the area of assignment, the program manager is responsible for the overall activities’ planning, execution and reporting of all projects, and for the implementation of effective project tracking, review and troubleshooting mechanisms.
  • He/she also is directly assigned to, and responsible of the supervision of all logistics, HR, financial and overall functioning aspects for his projects.

 Responsibilities:
Country Strategy, planning and program development in the North East:

  • Support to identify needs and opportunities for expanding COOPI’s interventions in the Northeast through field missions, needs assessments, and data analysis;
  • Together with the AC and PC, develops COOPI’s intervention strategy for the Northeast and ensures COOPI’s strategic objectives for Northeast are achieved;
  • Support COOPI’s positioning with key stakeholders in the Northeast by leading negotiations with local stakeholders, representing COOPI in local coordination platforms, and participating to donors meetings;
  • Support proposal development for opportunities in the Northeast.

Program Management:

  • Provide overall managerial oversight over the deputy PMs assigned to each of the projects in the portfolio;
  • Supervise the accurate design of project planning tools (workplan, purchase plan, financial forecast) in line with the project guidelines and description, guaranteeing the smooth implementation of all General Food Distribution, BSFP and Livelihood activities;
  • In collaboration with the MEAL department, supervise the implementation of the MEAL plans and regularly reviews data with the deputy PMs;
  • Plan and monitor the activities’ progress, in compliance with donor regulations and contracts, as well as COOPI’s procedures;
  • In collaboration with the Administrative and the Logistics team, plan and monitor the expenditures in line with the project’s implementation needs;
  • Manage the goods purchased for the project; for all goods purchased by the project, support updates of the inventory and guarantee the respect of the policies and guidelines, in cooperation with the Logistics Office;
  • Finalize the data provided by his/her team, support the preparation, CP Distribution Reports, narrative reports expected by the donors and by the partners;
  • In collaboration with the Head of Mission and the Country administrator, prepare all the formal communication and contract modification requests (ex. budget modification) of the project;
  • Execute any other task necessary to good and timely completion of the projects;
  • Ensure the transversal application of protection, environment, and disability considerations, do no harm principles, and conflict sensitivity.

Human Resources:

  • Support in hiring of new staff directly related to the project;
  • Ensure adequate induction for newly hired staff, including orientation about COOPI’s Code of Conduct and PSEA policy;
  • Follow and enforce all COOPI codes of conduct and policies (globally and in-country);
  • Coache and orient project staff by maintaining a two-way feedback channel and conducting staff appraisals at key milestones and advise senior management on actions to be taken;
  • Support the Coordination in maintaining a good understanding of the HR needs in the basis and across projects.

Others:

  • Execute any other task necessary to good and timely completion of the projects;
  • Zork closely with communication team.

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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 Food Security, Social Protection, Conflict Management & Peace Building and Livelihoods / FSL area, Cash Programming;
  • Experience in managing social protection and livelihood development activities as a+;
  • Experience in managing WFP 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 Code of Conduct, understands other international development guidelines.

Plus:

  • 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
19th September, 2022.

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