Nigeria: Senior Program Officer

Senior Program Officer, CUBS Project, Akwa Ibom, based in Uyo. Appointment duration is until March 30, 2014

Africare is a US-based NGO established in 1970, with projects in Nigeria since 1978. Africare currently has programs in 21 African countries, focusing on design and delivery of technical, training, service delivery and systems strengthening in the areas of health and HIV/AIDS, food security, natural resource management, water resource development, microenterprise development, civil society strengthening and good governance.

The Promoting Initiative for Malaria Eradication (PRIME) project in Nigeria is a multi-year project in six states in the Niger Delta region. PRIME contributes to rapid and sustained scale-up of malaria control interventions for high impact. Project activities focus on increasing prompt and effective treatment of malaria using ACTs, scale-up of parasitological diagnosis of malaria; health systems (including community) strengthening for malaria prevention, treatment and control. The project works with private sector health services providers to ensure proper management and utilization of malaria drugs, test kits, and other commodities.

The Community Based Support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CUBS) project is a five year USAID funded project being implemented in partnership with the Management Sciences for Health targeting orphans and vulnerable children in eleven states (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kebbi Sokoto, Taraba) with a holistic package of services consistent with national guidelines and focusing on the multi-faceted needs of OVC. The project aims to provide long term support for coordination and scale-up of HIV activities in support of OVC strategies by improving policy and legislation and channeling resources to communities, particularly those with disproportionate numbers of services and needs; mobilize and support community-based responses which identify, locate and protect OVC and provide immediate and long-term therapeutic and socio-economic assistance to vulnerable households; address gender-related issues in OVC programming particularly the vulnerability of the girl child, female headed households, and the burden of care that rest on females; document and disseminate successful innovative approaches, sustainable models, evidence-based best practices and lessons learned, in addition to new tools and methodologies in HIV/AIDS OVC program.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Senior Program Officer works under the supervision of the Chief of Party (COP) with additional guidance and support provided by the Technical Advisors based in Abuja and the Africare Senior Program Manager – all based in Abuja. Additional administrative support and supervision will be provided by Africare staff. SPOs work closely with community-based organizations receiving support from CUBS to deliver services to OVC and their families. The SPO liaises with community leaders, public officials and organizations to help develop a supportive environment for OVC support. The SPO also coordinates training and mentoring of CBO partners

Specific Responsibilities:

The SPO is responsible for the following programmatic and administrative duties

Programmatic:

• Supports CBO partners to develop workplans, activities, and assist OVC and caregivers

• Liaises with LGA and state level child and family welfare services to improve care and support provided to OVC and families under federal guidelines.

• Develops CUBS workplans, budgets, training plans in coordination with the COP, and Technical Advisors and other project staff and consultants

• Monitors and reports on all activities in assigned state(s)

• Reports weekly, monthly, and other periodic reports.

• Coordinates with the Technical Advisors to ensure that guidelines for OVC enrollment and support are adhered to by CBOs, government agencies in the care and support of OVC and families.

• Coordinates development, piloting of new and innovative initiatives that contribute to meeting service delivery and other project objectives.

• Contributes to the strategic planning for all CUBS activities

Administrative and Operational:

• Provide guidance and direction to CUBS interns working in the assigned state.

• Prepare plans, budgets, and reports for workshops, trainings, travel and other activities related to CUBS work.

• May be asked to serve as acting Office Manager in the absence of the State Officer Manage

• Other such duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in public health, public administration or management, or a combination of equivalent relevant experience and education.

• Minimum of 3 years of experience managing RH/FP, or MCH, or integrated health projects, including HIV/AIDS, and preferably OVC.

• Demonstrated competence in assessing priorities and in managing a variety of activities in a time-sensitive environment, and in meeting deadlines with attention to detail and quality.

• Demonstrated ability to lead a technical team to meet project objectives in multiple country sites and across multiple technical areas.

• Understanding of US Government regulations and administrative procedures.

• Proven ability to communicate well with, motivate, guide, and direct all levels of staff. Direct senior staff supervision experience required.