SENIOR PROJECT OFFICER

Job Category : Programming

Requisition Number : SENIO006958

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Posting Details

  • Posted: August 3, 2026
  • Full-Time
  • On-site
  • ### Locations

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Katsina

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Katsina, 00000, NGA

Katsina

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Katsina, 00000, NGA

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Job Details

Description

SENIOR PROJECT OFFICER

Position Description

Job Type: Full Time

Location: Katsina State, Nigeria

Risk Level: ☐ Level 3 ☐ Level 2 ☐ Level 1

(Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability.

Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children.

Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data.

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disasters, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action - helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. Mercy Corps Nigeria implements a variety of programs with the goal of building productive, secure and just communities. Our work covers the following sectors: economic development, livelihoods/food security, adolescent girls & boys’ empowerment, financial resilience, conflict management, and humanitarian response. Common themes include community engagement, inclusive development, gender, and working in partnership with local government, the private sector, and civil society actors.

Department Summary

The Senior Project Officer will be part of Mercy Corps Nigeria's Resilience and Climate Adaptation portfolio and will support the implementation of the Protecting Food Security Against Flood & Drought Cycles project in Katsina State. The project aims to improve food security and community resilience through integrated flood and drought mitigation measures, climate-resilient infrastructure, sustainable land management, and capacity strengthening of farmers and pastoralists. Key interventions include watershed restoration, construction of solar-powered water systems, development of community food and fodder storage facilities, and promotion of climate-smart agriculture and rangeland management practices. The Senior Project Officer will provide day-to-day technical and operational leadership for field implementation, ensuring that project activities are delivered efficiently, on time, within budget, and in accordance with Mercy Corps standards, donor requirements, and government regulations.

The Position

The Senior Project Officer is responsible for coordinating field implementation of project activities across target communities, supervising technical teams and community facilitators, managing relationships with local stakeholders, monitoring implementation progress, and ensuring high-quality delivery of project outputs. Working under the supervision of the Technical Project Manager, the Senior Project Officer serves as the primary field focal point for implementation and ensures effective coordination between technical, operations, procurement, finance, MEAL, contractors, and community stakeholders.

Essential Responsibilities

Project Coordination and Implementation

  • Coordinate day-to-day implementation of all project activities across assigned Local Government Areas and communities.
  • Develop detailed implementation plans and monitor progress against approved work
  • Coordinate implementation of project interventions including Flood and drought mitigation measures, Climate-resilient water infrastructure, and community storage
  • Ensure activities are implemented according to technical standards, work plans, budgets, and donor requirements.
  • Monitor implementation timelines and proactively address implementation
  • Ensure project documentation is complete, accurate, and maintained according to Mercy Corps procedures.

Technical Support and Quality Assurance

  • Support technical assessments, baseline studies, and site selection
  • Assist in reviewing engineering designs, Bills of Quantities (BoQs), technical specifications, and implementation plans.
  • Conduct routine field supervision to ensure quality implementation of infrastructure
  • Monitor contractor performance and verify completed works before
  • Ensure compliance with Mercy Corps Infrastructure Minimum Standards and relevant national regulations.
  • Identify technical issues during implementation and recommend corrective
  • Support quality assurance and quality control processes for all project

Community Engagement and Capacity Strengthening

  • Coordinate community mobilization and stakeholder engagement
  • Facilitate participatory    planning    meetings   with    community   leaders, farmer organizations, pastoralist groups, women's associations, and local authorities.
  • Support establishment and strengthening of community management
  • Organize and facilitate technical trainings on Flood and drought preparedness, Water infrastructure management, and Operation and maintenance of community assets
  • Promote community ownership and sustainability of project

Contractor and Infrastructure Supervision

  • Coordinate daily supervision of contractors and construction
  • Monitor construction schedules and ensure adherence to approved technical
  • Verify quality of construction materials and
  • Ensure compliance with environmental, health, safety, and safeguarding
  • Support procurement processes by preparing technical inputs and monitoring delivery of construction materials.
  • Assist with infrastructure commissioning and handover to

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

  • Support implementation of the project's Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) framework.
  • Collect, verify, and submit high-quality implementation
  • Conduct routine field monitoring visits and beneficiary
  • Track progress against project indicators and
  • Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly implementation
  • Document success stories, lessons learned, innovations, and best
  • Support donor monitoring visits and technical

The Senior Project Officer will contribute to achieving key project targets, including:

  • Protection of productive land through flood and drought mitigation
  • Construction or rehabilitation of solar-powered water
  • Development of climate-resilient food, seed, and fodder storage

Coordination and Partnership Management

  • Maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders at state, local, and community level.
  • Represent Mercy Corps at community coordination meetings and technical forums as
  • Ensure regular communication between field teams and project

Financial and Administrative Management

  • Monitor field activity budgets and
  • Support preparation of procurement plans and activity
  • Verify invoices and contractor payment
  • Ensure efficient utilization of project
  • Maintain complete activity documentation and filing

Team Supervision

  • Provide day-to-day supervision and mentoring of partner Project Officers, Community Facilitators, and Technical Assistants.
  • Coordinate work schedules for field
  • Promote teamwork, accountability, and high
  • Support staff capacity development through coaching and on-the-job

Risk Management and Compliance

  • Identify implementation risks and recommend mitigation
  • Ensure compliance with donor regulations, Mercy Corps policies, safeguarding requirements, and security procedures.
  • Promote environmental and social safeguards throughout
  • Report incidents, challenges, and emerging risks in a timely

Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills

  • Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Environmental Management, Agriculture, Water Resources Engineering, Natural Resource Management, Project Management, or a related field.
  • Master's degree is an added
  • Minimum of 5–7 years of progressively responsible experience implementing donor-funded infrastructure, climate resilience, agriculture, or natural resource management
  • Demonstrated experience supervising construction or community infrastructure
  • Experience working with rural communities and local government
  • Experience supervising contractors and managing community-based
  • Strong planning, coordination, reporting, and organizational
  • Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and mobile data collection
  • Fluency in English is required; knowledge of Hausa and other local languages spoken in Katsina State is highly desirable.
  • Professional certification in Project Management (PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent) is an advantage.

Supervisory Responsibility

May supervise Project Officers, Community Facilitators, Field Assistants, Technical Assistants, Enumerators, and Casual labor teams during implementation activities. Also provides technical oversight to contractors during field implementation.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Technical Project Manager

Works Directly With: Program Team, MEAL Team, Operations & Procurement Team, Finance Team, Security Team, Government Counterparts, Contractors, Community institutions.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support accountability to program participants, community partners, government institutions, and donors by promoting participation, transparency, inclusion, and feedback mechanisms throughout project implementation.

Success Factors

The successful Senior Project Officer will possess strong project coordination skills, sound technical knowledge, and excellent field management capabilities. They will be highly organized, solutions-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in dynamic environments. Success in this role requires strong leadership, effective communication, technical problem-solving, and the ability to build trust with communities, contractors, government counterparts, and project teams while consistently delivering high-quality results.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Katsina State, with extensive travel to rural and remote project communities. Field assignments may require travel to areas with limited infrastructure and seasonal accessibility. The incumbent must comply with all Mercy Corps security and safety protocols.

Ongoing Learning

In support of Mercy Corps' commitment to continuous learning, team members are encouraged to dedicate 5% of their working time to professional development, technical learning, and knowledge sharing.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. We recognize that diversity and inclusion are a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive than we are today.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.