Nigeria - Project Manager Nutrition

Background

About 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. With more than 3,900 humanitarian workers employed, and an average of 180 projects per year across 25 countries throughout Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, COOPI is the biggest Italian NGO. During its 50 years of activity, COOPI has successfully completed over 1,600 projects in 63 countries, involving 55.000 local operators and ensuring direct benefits to approximately 100 Million people.

COOPI in Nigeria

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.

Scope of the Vacancy

The Project Manager is responsible for the overall activities’ planning, execution and reporting of UNICEF funded Nutrition projects. He/she is directly assigned to, and responsible of the supervision of all logistics, HR, financial and overall functioning aspects for his projects.

Main duties/Responsibilities

MANAGEMENT OF THE NUTRITION PROGRAM

• The Nutrition Project Manager is responsible for overall management and supervision of nutrition project activities;
• follow up and ongoing analysis of the context.
• Definition and monitoring of COOPI Nutrition project, in compliance with COOPI nutrition security policy and standard operating procedures
• Ensure the integration of nutrition components in the food security, WASH and protection programmes
• Provision of continuous guidance and technical support to the programmes
• Identify and troubleshoot challenges to remove any obstacle that might arise during project implementation.
• Design and ensure the use of monitoring tools. Ensure that the M&E systems are effective, of high quality, and provide regular impact and process data and that the baseline and evaluation assessments are conducted
• In collaboration with the Program Coordinator and head of base, prepares all the formal communication and contract modification requests (ex. budget modification) of the project;
• Manages 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;
• In collaboration with the Program Coordinator and in synergy with the specific reporting lines of the projects, promotes and manages relations with the local government institutions, NGOs, and other local partners available in the area; including WHO and other UN agencies;
• Ensure compliance of programs in terms of achieving objectives in current grants.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Management of nutrition program staff and elaboration their Job description.;
• Ensure that staff have clearly defined objectives and understand their responsibilities.
• Conduct evaluation and appraisal of staff
• Provision of technical and organizational support and trainings to the nutrition project staff
• Ensure all staff understand and implement programme guidelines and protocols

REPORTING

• Compilation, analysis and feedback on monthly reports for the nutrition programmes and assist with stock consumption/ distribution plans as required
• Ongoing communication with food security programme teams and nutrition focal point at HQ level.
• Donor reporting.

REPRESENTATION AND INTERNAL/ EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

• Coordination with other technical departments at coordination level (Food Security, Protection, WASH and Livelihood, Logistics, MOH and Administration).
• Provide technical guidance to support COOPI to promote consistent good practices
• Represent COOPI at national and state level in nutrition technical and sector working groups meetings.
• Participate in the external coordination with nutrition partners and governmental bodies and provide technical support and guidance in the nutrition sub-committee and cluster, where relevant.

Requirements

Essential

• Degree in Public Health, Nutrition, social sciences or Qualified doctor, nutritionist, nurse with relevant experience
• Demonstrable management experience, including budget holding responsibility
• Minimum of 3 years of previous experience working with NGOs specifically on CMAM and infant and young child feeding programmes in complex situations;
• Experience in conducting nutrition assessments (SMART, KAP surveys) and understanding of nutritional data and information systems
• Proven capacity to supervise, train, motivate and coach staff
• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions
• Prepared to work in an uncertain security environment
• Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay in the field
• Commitment to and understanding of COOP mission, values and principles
• Experience and ability to represent COOPI nutrition work in external meetings
• Demonstrable ability at report writing and excellent communication skills
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office software including Word and Excel as well as email/internet
• Fluency in written and spoken English

Desired

• Prior experience working for humanitarian agencies and prior work experience in Nigeria or Africa
• Knowledge of the operational area
• Management and leadership skills

https://www.coopi.org/it/posizione-lavorativa.html?id=3186&ln=