Quality Assurance Manager

Responsibilities: 

• Provide strategic leadership and management oversight of the DRC Nigeria Quality Assurance department, with a portfolio including: grants management, programme quality, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, and information management;
• Line manage and provide technical support to the Grants/Communications Specialist, M&E Specialist and the Grants Officer;
• In coordination with the DRC/DDG Head of Programmes, Technical Sector Coordinators and Area managers ensure high quality and evidence-based programme design and proposal development, monitoring and evaluation, and learning processes are streamlined throughout the country mission;
• Support the Country Director and Heads of Programmes to identify fundraising opportunities and take responsibility for timely submission of all concept notes and proposals;
• Systematize DRC Nigeria M&E and ensure project specific M&E is establish, for the ease of reporting, and programme accountability;
• Develop and maintain processes for grant and contract management; ensuring they remain applicable to current donor requirements;
• Ensure timely compliance with all internal and external grants management requirements, including contractual compliance and reporting;
• Ensure preparation and submission of monthly project updates for OFDA, FFP and ECHO. Using the previously developed templates that were agreed with donors
• Proactively manage grant and contract performance, working with Programme and Support colleagues to identifying risks and minimize them;
• Liaise with relevant DRC West Africa Regional Office and HQ counterparts responsible for programme design, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation;
• Coordinate and provide timely reporting and feedback to the Head of Programmes, Country Director and SMT on Quality Assurance unit activities.

• Five years of professional experience in humanitarian emergency contexts with PDQA responsibilities, preferable to have at least two years of experience at senior management level;
• Knowledge and experience working with relevant sectoral areas implemented by DRC-DDG Nigeria programmes – including protection, food security, WASH, shelter, NFIs, mine action, mine risk education, and armed violence reduction;
• Proven ability to lead a high performing and diverse team, manage performance, foster a positive working environment and manage issues sensitively and diplomatically;
• Extensive knowledge of US and European institutional donors and their compliance requirements with proven experience of developing successful funding proposals and overseeing large complex grants;
• Excellent understanding of the principles of budgeting, financial and contract management;
• Outcome focused and proven ability to think strategically and plan, prioritize and organize a department/team’s work to meet organization-wide strategic objectives;
• Excellent influencing, presentation and communication skills including verbal and written English, active listening and the ability to tailor communication to different audiences;
• Ability to manage a large and varied workload, work under pressure and meet deadlines;
• Illustrated commitment to, and a good understanding of, the DRC’s values and mandate and the ability to bring these alive in your work
• Ability to live and work in an insecure and high stress environment.

Education:

• Advanced university degree (or bachelor level qualification with equivalent years of professional experience) in a relevant field such as social sciences, development studies, international / humanitarian law, communications or similar;
•  Relevant professional humanitarian qualifications / recognized training certificates in Grants-related areas (M&E, IM, CHS, SPHERE, Protection, etc.) are desirable, although practical experience more essential to the role.