goal of the project is to:

▪ Improve air quality in Benue State by significantly reducing emissions and particulate pollution from open field burning.

▪ Contribute towards Nigeria’s goals of Low Carbon Development and emissions reduction as set out in Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) document. More specifically, the project will contribute to achieving the goals of Nigeria’s 2019 National Action Plan to Reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) which aims to reduce black carbon emissions by 83% and methane emissions by 61% by 2030.

It is expected that the project will result in farmers uptaking farming practices that will lead to reduced open burning and increased utilisation of crop residues for other uses.

Purpose 

The Project Coordinator will be responsible for leading the implementation of the Abatement of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) in the Nigerian Agricultural Sector Project including timely implementation of project activities, stakeholders’ engagement and consultation, team management, monitoring and evaluation, financial planning and management, and communication with stakeholders at all levels.

The position requires familiarity with the context in which the project is being implemented, experience in community engagement, and capacity for critical thinking and adaptation based on learnings and findings during the implementation period. The position holder will report to the Head of Programmes and is expected to coordinate closely with the Global Advisor for Climate Change, Agroforestry and Natural Resource Management (NRM).

Key Responsibilities 

Natural Resource Management for the overall project strategy.

▪ Develop, implement, monitor and evaluate innovative strategies for reduced open burning and increased utilisation of crop residues for other purposes.

▪ Coordinate Extension Officers and project stakeholders at all levels in developing training guide to facilitate Farmers Field School activities on No-burn Alternatives and Climate Smart Agriculture.

▪ Prepare and implement activity plans keeping coherent link with the approved PAIP and budget.

▪ Develop participatory assessment tools to inform implementation and training strategies.

▪ Control the quality of the overall administrative and financial monitoring of the project and regularly reviewing the commitments, disbursements and budget forecasts.

▪ Lead on programme budget amendment/realignment by closely working with the finance and operations teams.

▪ Employ the highest standards of openness, transparency and accountability to ensure good financial management in line with SHA’s zero-tolerance approach to fraud, bribery and corruption.

▪ Ensure high level of accountability to participants, stakeholders and donor by ensuring effective feedback mechanism, regular communication, timely production and submission of plans, reports and assessment.

▪ Maintain progress tracking of field level activities and adopt contextual strategic approach to meet the set targets along with field teams.

▪ Ensure security of project team and resources in compliance with contract management procedures and systems. Communicate with relevant programme actors in the field and provide timely report/alert to the Senior Management on changing contexts in safety and security across programme locations.

▪Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership. Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and familiar with the organisation’s policies.

Effective Implementation and Programme Quality

▪ Ensure project quality assurance and oversight, which includes regular field visits.

▪ Provide strategic and technical support to field teams, community partners, and other stakeholders to ensure on-time implementation of project activities.

▪ Maintain progress tracking of field level activities and adopt contextual strategic approach to meet the set targets along with field teams.

▪ Review PAIP regularly and update in accordance with learnings, stakeholders input and consultation with project team.

▪ Oversee effective implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning framework for the project and ensure planned activities are implemented as per PAIP and approved budget.

▪ Ensure monitoring and evaluation, including the assessment of potential carbon emission, including carbon emission mitigated, feeding information into national platforms, and strengthening of monitoring processes. Particular focus will be on climate resilience and generation of data to inform routine programme decision-making while also capturing results at the impact level.

▪ Conduct regular visits to fields, documentation of field activities including project’s impacts and results, and submit reports to line manager timely.

▪ Ensure learning and knowledge sharing are central to the project management – facilitating capacities and resources well channelled and integrated to a circle of reflection, adaptation.

▪ Establish and manage robust project management systems that integrate  Value for Money (VFM) approach and enable adaptive management based on field level monitoring and feedback.

▪ Monitor risks that arise in the course of project implementation, and implement rapid risk mitigation measures including effective communication to all stakeholders.

Representation, Networking and advocacy

▪ Conduct in-person outreach with potential partners, project stakeholders, community leaders, and others representing the organisation, the project, its activities and goals.

▪ Coordinate with international partners including CCAC, UNEP and other Climate Change, Agroforestry and NRM actors.

▪ Establish and maintain strong relationships and regular communication with multiple stakeholders in Nigeria through co-planning and co-delivery of activities with the permanent actors of the system (government, civil society, private sector), to the full extent possible, maximising ownership.

▪ Represent the Project and where needed SHA more broadly, at national networks and events within the sector, maintaining strong relationships with national government’s Ministries of Environment, Agriculture and National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and other actors at both national and state levels and provide necessary information to support external representations.

▪ Coordinate the development/identification of training modules, SBCC (Social Behaviour Change Communication), IEC (Information, Education and Communication) and promotional materials. Tailor SBCC and IEC materials to local and project context in coordination with stakeholders at all levels.

▪ Ensure organisational and donor visibility during implementation of activities.

Team Management and Safeguarding

▪ Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

▪ Manage the performance of line-managed staff through objective setting, regular performance review, managing feedbacks and regularly monitor performance development plans.

▪ Support the continual growth and professional development of all line managed staff, ensuring that appropriate support and development mechanisms are in place.

▪ Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.

▪ Demonstrate experience in and commitment to safeguarding, protection, gender mainstreaming and inclusion of vulnerable population including people with disabilities.

▪ Establish feedback, complaints and response mechanism across communities of implementation to ensure programmatic and operational decisions are informed by local perspectives and priorities, and contribute to the protection of program participants.

Education and other qualifications:

▪ Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, social science, community development or related field. A master’s degree will be an added advantage.

▪ ICT operation, and proficiency in MS Office.

Experience:

▪ At least 7 years of project coordination experience in an international development organisation/INGO/NGO.

▪ Experience in the field of Climate Change, Agroforestry, Natural Resource Management, nutrition and community mobilisation.

▪ Experience in in capacity building and development of farmer groups and extension workers.

▪ Experience in development of high standard IEC materials, training modules, advocacy briefs, learning products, and quality donor reporting.

▪ Knowledge of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, and using monitoring and learning information to adapt programmes for maximising efficiency and effectiveness.

▪ Experience in Government engagement and policy coordination especially empowerment and capacity building of systems.

▪ Experience working with culturally diverse teams.

Skills:

▪ Project management and implementation

▪ Excellent leadership and coordination skills (and ability to coordinate several tasks at once and managing priorities)

▪ Effective communication, problem solving and decision-making skills and diplomacy in communication

▪ Respect for cultural diversity and gender sensitivity

▪ Team leadership and mentoring

▪ Monitoring, evaluation and learning

▪ Communication, networking, facilitation and mobilisation.

▪ Organisational development

▪ Reporting and documentation

Language Requirements:

▪ Excellent written and oral proficiency in English language is required and relevant local language competency is an added advantage.