Senior Consortium Manager – Katsina needed at International Rescue Committee

Scope of Work: 

The Senior Consortium Manager will report directly to the Consortium Team Leader and work closely with the Senior MEAL Manager and the Deputy Consortium Team Leader to achieve these objectives. The Senior Consortium Manager is responsible for providing strategic leadership, management, and coordination of consortium activities. This role involves ensuring that projects are effectively implemented, monitored, and evaluated according to the highest standards. The Senior Consortium Manager will play a crucial role in maintaining relationships with consortium partners, stakeholders, and donors, ensuring compliance with donor regulations, and fostering a collaborative environment. Ensuring the consortium partners, alignment with the project’s objectives and theory of change. Coordinate and oversee the implementation of project activities across all sectors (Health, Nutrition, WASH, Protection, Multi-purpose Cash Assistance) in collaboration with consortium partners. Ensure the development and execution of comprehensive project plans and strategies, ensuring timely and quality delivery of services.

Major Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Coordination

• Provide strategic direction and leadership to consortium projects to achieve project goals and objectives.
• Coordinate with the Consortium Team Leader to align consortium activities with overall organizational strategies and objectives.
• Work closely with the Senior MEAL Manager to develop and implement monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) frameworks and systems.
• Collaborate with the Deputy Consortium Team Leader to ensure seamless implementation of consortium activities.

Project Management

• Oversee the planning, implementation, and monitoring of consortium projects, ensuring they are on track, within scope, and within budget.
• Develop detailed project plans, including timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Ensure effective resource allocation and management to meet project requirements and objectives.
• Coordinate with consortium partners to ensure alignment and integration of project activities.

Stakeholder Engagement and Liaison:

• Foster and maintain strong relationships with consortium partners, donors, government agencies, local authorities, and other stakeholders.
• Represent the consortium in meetings, workshops, and conferences to promote its work and build partnerships.
• Ensure effective communication and information sharing among consortium members and stakeholders.
• Address any conflicts or issues that arise within the consortium promptly and effectively.
• Act as the primary point of contact, at the state government level, and other stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and collaboration.
• Facilitate regular coordination meetings with consortium partners, local authorities, and other key stakeholders to ensure information sharing and alignment of activities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with government representatives, and other relevant actors to ensure support and cooperation for the project.

Technical Oversight and Quality Assurance:

• Providing technical guidance and support to sectors leads to ensure high-quality program implementation.
• Ensure that all project activities are evidence-based, tailored to the needs of the displaced populations, and aligned with international standards and best practices.
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor and evaluate the quality and impact of services, ensuring continuous improvement.
• Work with partners to document lessons learned that have implications for refinement of best programmatic practice and organize lesson sharing events to fertilize learning across different partners.

Financial Management and Compliance:

• Oversee the financial management of the project, ensuring that expenditures are in line with approved budgets and donor requirements.
• Work closely with finance teams to prepare accurate financial reports, budgets, and audits, ensuring compliance with USAID/BHA regulations and consortium policies.
• Monitor financial risks and implement measures to mitigate any potential financial issues.

Advocacy and Representation:

• Participate in all consortium coordination meetings (sector working groups), field implementation meetings with partners, and any other relevant IRC internal and external meetings as required.
• Advocate for policy changes and improvements that support the objectives of the project and enhance the protection and well-being of the affected communities.
• Represent the consortium in relevant forums, meetings, and conferences, advocating for the needs and rights of displaced populations.
• Facilitate field monitoring visits for internal and external stakeholders when needed.

Reporting and Documentation:

• Prepare and submit high-quality project reports to USAID/BHA and other stakeholders as required, ensuring that they are accurate, timely, and comprehensive.
• Maintain thorough documentation of all project activities, decisions, and communications to ensure transparency and accountability.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

• Develop and implement a robust MEAL framework to track project performance and impact.
• Ensure accurate and timely data collection, analysis, and reporting to inform project decision-making and accountability to stakeholders.
• Foster a culture of learning and adaptation within the consortium, using MEAL findings to improve program outcomes and effectiveness.
• Support Snr. MEAL Manager in project evaluations and surveys accordingly

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team, and providing guidance on career paths.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
• Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train, and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures; and communicate through words and examples a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.
• Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant field such as International Development, Public Health, Social Sciences, or a related discipline.
• Should possess minimum 3-5 years of international assignments experience in humanitarian and development work.
• Demonstrated experience and ability to build and maintain relationships with governments, technical line ministries, donors, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, private sectors, and partners.

Working Experience:

• Extensive experience in managing multi-sectoral humanitarian projects, preferably in conflict-affected areas.
• Significant experience working with international donors, particularly USAID/BHA, and understanding their regulations and requirements.
• Proven track record of leading and coordinating large-scale projects, particularly those involving multiple partners and sectors (Health, Nutrition, WASH, Protection, Multi-purpose Cash Assistance).
• Experience in financial management, including budgeting, financial reporting, and audits.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong leadership and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to provide direction and make strategic decisions in complex environments.
• Excellent coordination and collaboration skills to work effectively with consortium partners, local authorities, and other stakeholders.
• Proficiency in financial management and compliance, with a keen eye for detail and accuracy.
• Technical expertise in at least one of the project sectors (Health, Nutrition, WASH, Protection, Cash Assistance), with a broad understanding of all sectors.
• Strong problem-solving and risk management skills, capable of addressing challenges and mitigating risks promptly.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to represent the consortium effectively in various forums.
• Ability to promote capacity building and staff development, fostering a collaborative and supportive team environment.
• Strong advocacy skills to promote the needs and rights of displaced populations and influence policy changes.