Careers

Summary Description

The Representative directs the Foundation’s activities in West Africa, providing overall leadership to the Foundation’s grant-making programs, managing the office in Lagos, Nigeria, and representing the Foundation to government, business, nonprofit leaders and the donor community. The Representative reports to a supervising Program Vice President based in New York.

The Representative is the Foundation’s ambassador in the region to many important constituencies. Specifically, the Representative assesses local political, social, cultural and economic developments and helps shape the Foundation’s strategy in Nigeria and the region and guides its programming and grant-making priorities in alignment with the Foundation’s mission, values and set of program initiatives. The Representative seeks to promote innovative grant-making; enhance the quality and impact of programming; and promote a collaborative working environment in the office and across areas of expertise that maximizes the diverse backgrounds, perspectives and skills of staff to accomplish Foundation goals. In collaboration with New York-based Program Directors , the Representative supervises and works closely with program staff in developing, monitoring and evaluating grant programs and projects within the office’s major areas of concern.

Additionally, the Representative prepares and manages the office’s $12 million annual grant and management budgets and supervises local administrative staff with responsibilities for accounting, grants administration, and general services functions. The Representative facilitates development of communications strategies; and maintains effective ties and promotes strategic partnerships with local leaders, governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations, the press and other donors to leverage new resources, scale impact, and advance the goals of the office. The Representative also oversees all legal matters, ensures that the Foundation complies with all relevant Nigerian laws and statutory obligations in a timely manner, maintains constructive working relations with government and ensures compliance with the Foundation’s agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The Representative also manages a modest grants portfolio of his/her own; and works with senior management staff from around the world in helping shape various aspects of the Foundation’s work globally.

The Foundation’s programs in West Africa, currently strive to:

• Promote transparent, effective and accountable government
• Advance public service media, and
• Promote wholesome Youth Sexuality, Reproductive Health, and Rights.

CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS

• Proven record of leadership, planning, and management success
• Substantial previous experience in and deep knowledge of the history and culture of Nigeria specifically and West Africa more broadly
• A proven ability to think analytically, independently and critically with agility to translate ideas and insights into action through coherent and viable program work
• An action oriented, entrepreneurial person who is a self starter that can work independently, as well as in teams
• Ability to effectively lead a local office within a larger global organization with headquarters in New York
• Demonstrated people management skills, including the ability to manage complex relationships with private and public sector stakeholders in the region
• An understanding of the civil society landscape in Nigeria and West Africa
• Administrative skills, in particular an appreciation for the importance of strong fiscal management
• Strong facilitation skills – the ability to listen and learn from diverse perspectives
• Exemplary communication skills, both oral and written English; proficiency in French an advantage
• Demonstrated organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Strong time management proficiency
• Sound, mature judgment and integrity
• Personal qualities of humility and capacity for self-reflection
• Ability to motivate staff through effective leadership, mentoring, coaching, development, facilitation, evaluation and rewards
• Commitment to FF's mission and core values of equity and fairness, diversity, voice and participation, knowledge and creativity, humility and respect, and honesty and integrity

Qualifications

• An advanced graduate degree in public policy, law, business or related fields
• Ability to travel extensively on behalf of the Foundation
• Creativity, energy and non-traditional thinking capacity
• Integrity