Country Program Director Niger Full Time

The African Initiatives for Relief and Development (AIRD) is a non-political, non-religious and non-profit making NGO with Country Program Offices in Niger, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. AIRD’s objective is to offer operational support, including but not limited to supply chain, logistics, construction, infrastructure, environment, livelihoods and WASH in partnership with relief and development organizations that focus on disaster-affected and development-oriented areas. AIRD delivers for and through partners including but not limited to UN Agencies, international and national donor organizations and governments.

Job Summary

The Country Program Director will define and manage a timely, pertinent, effective, and efficient response to the humanitarian and longer-term development needs of the Country and population within the framework of the AIRD SOPs while ensuring the security of the team.

AIRD has established its reputation and a successful track-record as an expert in Humanitarian Logistics. For nearly 15 years AIRD has been the main partner of the UNHCR in terms of humanitarian logistics, responsible for refugee transportation, warehouse management, fuel management, vehicle workshop and key assets management.

AIRD’s new vision, as defined by AIRD’s board, is to grow beyond humanitarian logistics, and play a key role in the long-term life conditions improvements not only of the refugees and host communities but also in the population at large, with a focus on the most vulnerable. As such, AIRD is looking for a leader to lead AIRD Niger through this transition process and retain its identity as a leader of humanitarian logistics but also establish itself as the partner of choice of donors, government and communities in stabilization and longer-term development initiatives such as WASH, Livelihoods, and the Environment. AIRD is looking for an exceptional leader with a solid knowledge of humanitarian logistics, together with experience of designing, securing resources for and managing longer term developmental initiatives at various levels.

Key Responsibilities

1. General Duties

Build and maintain a strong, innovative Senior Leadership Country Team and ensure AIRD Policies and Code of Conduct are followed.

• Lead the design, implementation, evolution and growth of Country Program (CP) activities and resources as defined in the CP strategic plan
• Promote AIRD’s Vision, Mission, Core Values and key Partnership Standards and Practices among the staff and partners and ensure these are the core foundation of AIRD strategies and work
• Direct the mobilization, management, and accounting of all resources in the Country Program
• Oversee the management and development of the Country Program Human Resources to ensure a diverse, skilled, and productive workforce
• Provide leadership, strategic direction and support in the development and implementation of an effective Resource Development Strategy.
• Ensure people-centered approaches are in place, promoting an office that embraces diversity, gender balance and engagement with all Partnership staff
• Implement AIRDs SOPs and partnership agreements signed with Donors

1. Specific duties

a). Manage, supervise, evaluate, improve, quality assure and grow AIRD traditional business of logistics services to UNHCR and other donors:

• Warehouse Management
• Fuel and fuel facilities Management
• Workshop/Garage Management, including spare parts for project fleet, asset repair and vehicle maintenance
• Transport Management of goods and people as per donor requests.
• Provision of logistical support to returnees and asylum seekers

b). Manage and expand the long-term development activities, expertise, resource-base and funding of AIRD in Niger:

• Leverage the current position of trusted UN, government, and community partners to position AIRD for subsequent funding.
• Diversify the CP portfolio of activities and funding sources by identifying key value-added interventions, reaching out to new potential funding partners, responding to funding opportunities and drafting of concept notes and high-quality proposals in livelihood, WASH, poverty reduction and any other identified area.

c). Strategy, Coordination and Representation

• Ensure proper registration and compliance with statuary regulations related to INGOs in the country
• Lead the development and execution of high-quality country strategy for AIRD in the Country Program considering political, economic and humanitarian context.
• Act as key representative lead and contact point with head office, local partners, NGOs, UN agencies, local authorities, government and donors.
• Act as a focal point, to issue policy recommendations in collaboration with field staff and headquarters.

d). Program Management:

• Define program strategic activities, field activities and CP Business Plan in conjunction with headquarters (HQ) and ensure achievement of the program’s objectives.
• Ensure CP’ intervention remains appropriate, according to the situation, the context and the program’s objectives.
• Ensure the CP has adequate resources, and responsible for the appropriate management of all resources in a transparent manner and according to AIRD’s procedures.
• Responsible for financial and program accountability: from fundraising to implementation and throughout the program cycle management, ensuring CP’s expenses remain on budget in all emergencies logistic and development programming.
• Ensure timely and accuracy of narrative and financial reporting to donors and to HQ
• Identify and evaluate the risks associated with program activities and take appropriate action to mitigate these risks.

e). People Management

• Ensure the management human resources in conformity with applicable laws and internal regulations.
• Security and crisis management.
• Oversee the recruitment, orientation, and management of performance of the Senior Leadership Country Team, the country staff and development of middle management staff, demonstrating healthy engagement, strong senior management teams, culture of innovation, and effective talent management and succession planning.
• Ensure people-centered approaches are always in place and the staff feel valued and appreciated

2. Personal Qualities:

• Strategic Thinking
• Results focus
• Change Leadership
• Team Leadership
• People Management

3. Key Result Areas

• Planning and implementation of country strategy
• Timeliness, regularity and accuracy in reporting
• Fundraising and management of organizational resources
• Team development
• Employee/Talent development

4. Key Relationships

• Director of Programs, HQ (Line Manager)
• Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnership, HQ
• Partners, Government authorities
• Country Team

5. Qualifications, experience and skills

• An Advanced University Degree in Project Planning and Management, International Relations, International development or in a related technical field.
• 10 or more years’ experience in senior management position in international development. Experience and a track record in program management and successful fundraising is a must.
• Proven track record of applying new technologies to programming or make use of existing technologies to innovatively influence program design and delivery.
• Significant senior leadership and management experience in the development and delivery of high-quality programming, influencing, and humanitarian and development strategy (partners or directly), in one or more challenging locations.
• A high degree of self-awareness and an understanding of how to drive and support excellent team performance and Individual development in line AIRD’s values and policies.
• Demonstrated high-level interpersonal and cross-cultural skills including the ability to build collaborative relationships internally and externally with sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, social and political issues
• Conversant in French and English (written and spoken).

Tagged as: African Initiatives for Relief and Development, Niger