Head of Mission AT COOPI Cooperazione Internazionale

Job description

COOPI - NGO

COOPI Cooperazione Internazionale, is a humanitarian, non-confessional and independent organization founded in 1965 in Milan, Italy. For more than 50 years** we have been dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty and to supporting populations affected by wars, socio-economic crises or natural disasters in their path to recovery and sustainable development, by making use of the professionalism of local and international operators, and through our partnerships with public and private bodies and civil society organizations.

COOPI – NIGERIA

Context and background

Since the declaration of state of emergency in the Nigerian federal States of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, the escalation of the Boko Haram insurgency has led to multiple displacement crises, with communities fleeing their area of origin to take refuge in camps or host communities. In 2014 there was a substantial increase in violence related to Boko Haram and the counter insurgency operations, consequently creating acute and largely unmet humanitarian needs, as IDPs are cut off from their homes and livelihoods, basic services, kinship and social ties. In September 2014, COOPI began operating in north eastern Nigeria in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the insurgency, established its operation in Bauchi State and later expanded to Yobe State considering the heightened presence of IDPs in the LGAs of Fika, Damaturu, Potiskum, Geidam and Yunusari. Recently, COOPI initiated an assessment mission in Borno State and establishes

a presence in Maiduguri to launch operations in the most affected area of the Lake Chad crisis. COOPI is currently operating in 5 LGAs in Yobe State, reaching about 25,000 individuals among IDPs and host communities with a multi-sectoral intervention covering nutrition, food security and child protection. COOPI has recently developed a cash & voucher based response system in Nigeria to address the food insecure communities while integrating this approach with a nutrition component – community outreach, referral system, IYCF campaign and appropriate therapeutic services addressed to malnourished children and pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Given the unfolding large scale emergency in the north eastern Nigeria, COOPI plans to scale up its

current operations in Yobe state and reach newly accessible areas, in addition to areas receiving Nigerian returnees from Niger, with its multi-sectoral services including food security, cash transfer programming, nutrition and protection. Furthermore, COOPI plans to set-up operations to extend its humanitarian services to affected populations in Borno state, including the capital Maiduguri and newly accessible areas in the state, where the most vulnerable populations are stuck with insufficient basic services to respond to their immediate needs in a dignified manner.

Description of the position

The Head of Mission provides leadership and strategic direction of COOPI’s operations in Nigeria and is responsible for the implementation and development of the country programme in line with COOPI’s organisational and country strategy, policies and procedures. The HoM is also responsible for the management and capacity building of the staff, securing donor funding and to represent the organisation to the government, donors, and other appropriate bodies – including clusters, UN agencies and the media. The HoM reports directly to the Area Manager at the HQ. The position is based in Abuja.

Responsibilities

• Institutional relations: He/she manages relations with the main institutional donors and with potential ones. He/she represents COOPI in the country/area by engaging in relations with institutions, NGOs, local and international organizations and partners. He/she also is responsible of the organization’s reputation in the country.
• Strategy and planning: He/she verifies and proposes to the Area Manager the intervention priorities to consolidate the organization’s opportunity to be more involved in the country. He/she contributes to the definition of the Country Strategy and proposes the country planning (projects and coordination).
• Projects’ management: He/she coordinates and directly monitors projects, guaranteeing the correct implementation in conformity with the contractual obligations and donors’ procedures, and in line with COOPI’s procedures and management standards. He/she coordinates the elaboration, writing and documents’ preparation for presenting new projects, referring to the Area Manager and the headquarters support offices. He/she is responsible for the preparation of projects reports and all the monitoring documents requested by the central headquarters. He/she ensures the transmission of all official and administrative project documents to the central headquarters.
• Country office management: He/she is responsible for all different aspects related to the country office management: economic and financial situation, local regulations, office organization charts, logistics, local and expatriate personnel management, in conformity with the organization’s guidelines. He/she guarantees the respect of the country’s legislation and administrative regulation.
• Staff management: He/she is responsible for the local staff management. He/she participates and supports the Area Manager and the Human Resources office in the selection of the expatriate staff. He/she coordinates and monitors the country’s expatriate staff management.
• Safety: He/she is responsible for the expatriate staff security, for the correct implementation and respect of the general security rules.
• Economic and financial management: He/she is responsible for the country’s economic result. He/she supervises the financial management and ensures – through the administrative function – that all financial reporting deadlines and donor/COOPI’s procedures are respected. He/she participates to the projects/coordination budget preparation. He/she has the signature for all COOPI’s bank accounts in the country.
• Visibility: He/she cooperates with the Communication and Fund-Raising office for all communication, awareness and fund raising activities implemented in and for the country.

Profile

• Advanced degree in International Education, International Development, Health and Nutrition or a related field or equivalent work.
• Minimum 5 years experience in the humanitarian field and in a similar position, with a track record of success and results achieved;
• Previous experience with an international humanitarian NGO is an advantage;
• Desirable experience of working on EU/ECHO, USAid/OFDA and UN projects;
• Experience of working within an insecure environment with responsibility for security planning, monitoring and management.
• Strong analytical and practical problem-solving skills;
• Strong supervisory abilities, and demonstrated capacity of teamwork and of coordination with the relevant actors;
• Very good inter-personal and writing communication skills;
• Ability to organize work efficiently and deliver assignments in a timely manner often under time constraints;
• Proficiency in written and spoken English;
• Computer literacy, with high proficiency in the use of standard office software applications (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint);
• Valid driving license.
APPLY HERE

Duty station: Abuja (this is a non family duty station)

Area of intervention: Northern states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa

How to apply: Please send CV and cover letter with 3 references.