Program Officer, Lagos State

Heifer International is an equal-opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with a disability.

Heifer International Nigeria is implementing a signature program - Naija Unlock – which seeks to collaborate with local value chain actors and smallholder farmers (SHFs) to unlock the country’s potential for food sufficiency and meet local demand while closing the living income gap for 1,000,000 households in selected value chains by 2025. This will lay the foundation for scaling up the impact to a cumulative figure of 2,000,000 households by 2030. the program will achieve this vision by facilitating collaboration with private sector firms in resolving constraints that smallholder farmers are currently experiencing in target value chains. Naija Unlock targets five value chains (rice, tomato and poultry as primary value chains, while cattle and small ruminants (i.e. goats and sheep) are the secondary value chains.

FUNCTION

Heifer is seeking a dynamic, focused field coordinator to join our Naija Unlock signature program team. With responsibility for the overall operation of the signature program within the jurisdiction of the field coordinator, you will have a proven track record in delivering projects, especially project set-up and partnership management, planning, coordinating and reporting on implementation and on-going monitoring, learning and improvements to project delivery. As a confident self-starter, you will have excellent communication skills, an eye for detail, and be a team player. Additionally, you will demonstrate your willingness to work extensively in peripheral regions, liaising effectively and working closely with partners in the field to ensure successful project delivery.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS

The ideal candidate should behave ethically; communicate effectively, demonstrate creativity/innovation; foster teamwork: compassion; generosity; humility, openness, eagerness to learn new skills and procedures, conscientiousness, and extraversion. Additional traits include self-confidence, loyalty and independence.

A. Program implementation (50%)

• Support implementation of Naija Unlock program activities in the respective states
• Coordinate project activities including analyzing project needs, developing and monitoring work plans and timelines; writing progress and evaluation reports.
• Contribute to identifying and nurturing private and public sector partnerships in the respective states
• Establish close and effective working relations with key organizations at the state level and ensure integration and coordination of agricultural development activities with other donor, government or private initiatives targeting agribusiness development.
• Monitor progress of Naija Unlock program implementation at the state level
• Provide input to Naija Unlock’ quarterly and annual reports, and work planning exercises.
• Develop monthly activity reports.
• Maintain excellent relationships with partners, government officials, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Contribute to tracking and reporting systemic changes from Naija Unlock activities
• Serve as Security Focal Points in their respective states.

B. Program monitoring, evaluation and reporting (30%)

• Contribute to data collection, verification, or analysis feeding into Naija Unlock efforts at the state level
• Support performance measurement surveys, including baseline, living income benchmarking and validation, tracking of project progress, annual surveys, and special studies.
• Support articulation and dissemination of learning insights s from project monitoring, evaluation, and research processes.
• Provide field level oversight during annual surveys and other data collection efforts
• Contribute to identifying and analyzing lessons learned and best practices at the state, cohort, and farmer levels; contribute this feedback as part of the Naija Unlock Learning Agenda
• Participation in weekly virtual management meetings (mostly by telephone)
• Representation of Naija Unlock at relevant meetings, workshops, donors’ events at the state level
• Promote better communication among agencies at the state-level, between state and local levels and among the different local jurisdictions.
• Develop new relationships with and collaborate with stakeholders at the state level.

C. Stakeholders’ engagement (15%)

• Coordinate stakeholder engagement activities, including focus groups, workshops, and other activities in their state
• Liaison with key government line ministries and other key stakeholders in the respective states with the implementation of Naija Unlock signature program
• Promote and represent the Naija Unlock at state level meetings and trainings.
• Maintain excellent working relationships with and serve as a liaison to state agencies.
• Effectively facilitate contacts and engagement with local partners that are collaborating with Heifer International in the respective states
• Assist in networking with other development organizations, governments and other line agencies in promoting Heifer’s development model/initiatives, and potential collaborations.

D. Any Other Assigned Functions (5%)

• Perform other job-related duties as requested.

Minimum Requirements

1. Minimum of bachelor’s degree in agriculture or related field with at least two years of post NYSC experience.
2. Demonstrated experience in coordinating and working with international donors.

Preferred Requirements

1. Three years or more of direct relevant experience in delivering agricultural development programs.
2. A good understanding of and sensitivity to issues associated with poverty, hunger, agriculture and the environment, and knowledge of the context in which non-profit organizations operate.
3. Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
4. Experience in cultivating partnerships with diverse stakeholders including government, private sector, non-governmental and civil society.

Most Critical Proficiencies

1. Using persuasion and negotiating skills to influence outcomes including in challenging or sensitive circumstances.
2. Excellent organizational skills, including strong attention to detail.
3. Strong relevant networks within the state and experience in coalition building.
4. Working in a collaborative and coordinated way with colleagues both inside and outside of your team to achieve shared goals and visions.
5. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and evidence of using these to convey complex issues to a wide range of audiences and stakeholders.
6. The ability to confidently manage competing priorities and conflicting demands on your time.
7. Demonstrated proficiency in English, both oral and written.
8. Experience with ICT and proficient use of Microsoft Office packages.
9. Ability to work in a team.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

1. Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
2. Good writer, communicator, team player and connector with the ability to make change happen.
3. Proven team leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to train and work cooperatively with a diverse staff, including field staff in various locations.
4. Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the public.
5. Working with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
6. Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting sometimes inflexible deadlines.
7. Willingness and ability to travel.

Illustrative Key Performance Indicators

1. Monthly updates of field operations and key achievements.
2. List of partners engaging with Heifer International in the state assigned.
3. State specific training master sheet.
4. Mini database with output level results at the state level.
5. Updated calendar of field activities in the state assigned.

Application closes on the 17th July 2023