The Population Council is an
international, nonprofit, nongovernmental institution that seeks to improve the
well-being and reproductive health of current and future generations around the
world and to help achieve a humane, equitable, and sustainable balance between
people and resources. The Council conducts biomedical, social science, and public
health research and helps build research capacities in developing countries.
Established in 1952, the Council is governed by an international board of
trustees. Its New York headquarters supports a global network of country
offices.
The Population Council provides
equal opportunity; it does not discriminate against any person with regard to
age, color, creed, national origin, disability, political belief, veteran
status, religion, marital status, gender, gender identity, or sexual
orientation. Decisions on employment are based on an individual’s
qualifications as related to the position for which s/he is being considered.
The Council especially encourages applications from qualified women and members
of minority groups. The Population Council is international in the composition
of its board of trustees and its staff, as well as in the nature and deployment
of its activities.
COUNTRY DIRECTOR, NIGERIA
JOB DESCRIPTION
REPORTING TO: Programmatic Vice President and International Support Director (co-supervisors)
LOCATION: Abuja, Nigeria
SALARY: Depends on qualifications and experience
ASSIGNMENT LENGTH: Two years, renewable by mutual consent and availability of funding
REPORTING TO: Programmatic Vice President and International Support Director (co-supervisors)
LOCATION: Abuja, Nigeria
SALARY: Depends on qualifications and experience
ASSIGNMENT LENGTH: Two years, renewable by mutual consent and availability of funding
JOB DESCRIPTION
The Population Council is seeking a professional to serve as country director for its office in Nigeria. Successful candidates will have experience in key management and leadership roles in international development and broad knowledge of global health, including family planning and reproductive health, HIV and AIDS, gender and youth studies.
The Population Council is seeking a professional to serve as country director for its office in Nigeria. Successful candidates will have experience in key management and leadership roles in international development and broad knowledge of global health, including family planning and reproductive health, HIV and AIDS, gender and youth studies.
The Country Director is responsible
for achieving the strategic direction of the Council’s work in Nigeria. S/he
leads external relations with government, donors, and national and
international NGOs to identify research needs, promote utilization of research
results and fundraise. The Country Director provides technical support to
research initiatives to gather and utilize high quality evidence for programme
and policy change. The Country Director supervises and ensures project goals
and milestones are met in accordance with project budgets and work plans. S/he
provides on-going budget oversight and management of all projects and grantees
in coordination with headquarters financial team. The Country Director has the
responsibility to monitor that the financial and administrative management of
the office complies with local laws, budgetary allocations, donor requirements,
and Council policies and procedures. S/he provides guidance, supervision, capacity
building, and leadership to Council staff and consultants in Nigeria, and
oversees recruitment and hiring, and performance management.
The Country Director also serves as
a Principal Investigator for select research studies. The Council has a diverse
portfolio of research in Nigeria, with activities that represent all three of
the Council’s program areas. The Council is contributing to the country’s
evidence base on HIV by testing the feasibility of community compacts as an HIV
prevention strategy; operational research on programming HIV prevention for
adolescents, HIV and family planning integration; and various community-based
strategy to HIV prevention and care and support; and behavioral research on
male circumcision,. The Council is also working with national and international
partners to estimate the size and distribution of most-at-risk populations,
measuring HIV prevalence and incidence among these populations, identifying and
describing their key characteristics, and strengthening the capacity to conduct
research on key populations.
The Council is recognized as a
leader in the country’s efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence
(SGBV) and has been pivotal in the development of national policy and
programmatic responses to this problem. The Nigerian office is focusing on
improving the social and economic assets of adolescent girls by conducting
research on girls’ protection strategies and providing support to local
partners to implement “safe spaces” programs. Having made significant
contributions to family planning and reproductive health policy during the past
two decades, the Council remains involved in Nigeria’s national debates on
family planning.
The successful candidate will
initially take over the portfolio of studies from the recent country director;
these are predominantly in the HIV and AIDS program area, while the future
portfolio will depend on the country strategy, the interest and expertise of
the country director, and funding.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Country Office Leadership and Management
Establish a country strategy to articulate needs and priorities of the country within the context of the Council’s three programmatic areas of HIV and AIDS, Reproductive Health, and Poverty, Gender and Youth.
In collaboration with New York, develop and implement effective office systems and procedures within the context of Council policy. Directly manage the Finance and Administrative team that support program activities on the execution of local and international policies and procedures.
Develop the program plan and budget, and provide ongoing budget oversight and management.
Provide guidance, supervision and leadership to Council staff and consultants, including recruiting and hiring, and performance management.
Technical/Research
Country Office Leadership and Management
Establish a country strategy to articulate needs and priorities of the country within the context of the Council’s three programmatic areas of HIV and AIDS, Reproductive Health, and Poverty, Gender and Youth.
In collaboration with New York, develop and implement effective office systems and procedures within the context of Council policy. Directly manage the Finance and Administrative team that support program activities on the execution of local and international policies and procedures.
Develop the program plan and budget, and provide ongoing budget oversight and management.
Provide guidance, supervision and leadership to Council staff and consultants, including recruiting and hiring, and performance management.
Technical/Research
Carry out operational and behavioral
research by developing or contributing to the development to protocols and
study procedures and instruments, collaborating with partner organizations,
overseeing study implementation and monitoring progress, and analyzing data.
Prepare reports and manuscripts for peer reviewed journals on research projects.
Ensure quality, ethics, program relevance and country needs in the design and implementation of programmatic research and other activities in Nigeria.
Provide high-quality, local technical assistance services by building the capacity of Nigerian staff and consultants
Maintain and develop collaborative efforts with Council staff in Africa, other regions, and New York and Washington DC.
Business Development
Prepare reports and manuscripts for peer reviewed journals on research projects.
Ensure quality, ethics, program relevance and country needs in the design and implementation of programmatic research and other activities in Nigeria.
Provide high-quality, local technical assistance services by building the capacity of Nigerian staff and consultants
Maintain and develop collaborative efforts with Council staff in Africa, other regions, and New York and Washington DC.
Business Development
Raise funds for program activities
of the Population Council in Nigeria, including proposal development and donor
stewardship, with an emphasis on growing each of the Council’s core program
areas.
Representation
Represent the Population Council in all of its activities in Nigeria. This includes interacting and developing relationships with all the major organizations, including donors, development partners, policy makers, collaborating agencies, NGOs and government and private sector institutions.
Represent the Population Council in all of its activities in Nigeria. This includes interacting and developing relationships with all the major organizations, including donors, development partners, policy makers, collaborating agencies, NGOs and government and private sector institutions.
QUALIFICATIONS
Doctoral degree in social science, medicine, public health, or related field with training relevant to reproductive health, family planning, HIV and AIDS, poverty, gender, and youth.
Minimum of six years’ relevant postdoctoral professional experience.
Proven ability and interest to manage and administer a country-level program on HIV and AIDS; reproductive health; or poverty, gender, and youth. This qualification requires experience in recruiting, monitoring, evaluating, and supervising local staff; managing project resources; fundraising and donor reporting; as well as the ability to work well with all levels of national and international staff within a complex technical assistance organization.
Demonstrated ability to design, implement, analyze, publish, and disseminate research in developing countries.
In-depth, substantive knowledge of HIV and AIDS; reproductive health; and poverty, gender, and youth issues, as well as an international reputation for excellence in developing such programs.
Understanding of government systems and entities in Nigeria desirable and a demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment.
Excellent English written and oral communication skills.
Willingness to travel within the region and overseas on a regular basis.
Doctoral degree in social science, medicine, public health, or related field with training relevant to reproductive health, family planning, HIV and AIDS, poverty, gender, and youth.
Minimum of six years’ relevant postdoctoral professional experience.
Proven ability and interest to manage and administer a country-level program on HIV and AIDS; reproductive health; or poverty, gender, and youth. This qualification requires experience in recruiting, monitoring, evaluating, and supervising local staff; managing project resources; fundraising and donor reporting; as well as the ability to work well with all levels of national and international staff within a complex technical assistance organization.
Demonstrated ability to design, implement, analyze, publish, and disseminate research in developing countries.
In-depth, substantive knowledge of HIV and AIDS; reproductive health; and poverty, gender, and youth issues, as well as an international reputation for excellence in developing such programs.
Understanding of government systems and entities in Nigeria desirable and a demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment.
Excellent English written and oral communication skills.
Willingness to travel within the region and overseas on a regular basis.
DUE DATE: 29 May, 2015
