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Program Officer, West Africa

Summary Description:

The Ford Foundation’s West Africa Office seeks a dynamic, innovative Program Officer to be a part of a team that is driving and shaping the foundation’s social justice work in West Africa. The West Africa Office strategy focuses on: gender-based violence and natural resources governance. This role will primarily support the Foundation’s work on gender based violence under its Gender, Racial and Ethnic Justice International Program.

The Program Officer should be well-versed in gender and social norms responsive programming with a particular focus on gender-based violence prevention approaches and have a practical knowledge of gender frameworks such as the Gender, Equality, and Social Inclusion Framework (GESI). The ideal candidate would have a multidisciplinary and international background, strong social science research experience, and they should understand the West African context especially Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal in that order. In addition to bringing an intersectional lens and gender analysis to this work, candidates should have a commitment to reducing social inequality.

The Program Officer will help think through engagements with religious and cultural institutions, leaders of faith and culture, women’s and civil society organizations on preventing gender-based violence as well as working with governments of the focal countries on improving funding and programs for gender based violence intervention.

The Program Officer is responsible for the development of grant portfolios and all related activities, based on the strategies and approaches defined in the Foundation’s Thematic areas and regional context. They ensure grantmaking strategies are developed to support the Foundation’s strategic development framework: building strong and impactful institutions, supporting the leadership of people and supporting impactful projects.

The Program Officer will be based in the Ford Foundation’s Lagos office and will report to the Foundation’s Regional Director. They will build relationships with colleagues in West Africa and in the Foundation’s other regional offices and the New York office.

Background:

In West Africa, the focus of the Foundation is to ensure that natural resources and climate change issues are addressed in an equitable and just manner under its Natural Resources and Climate Change Program and gender based violence (GBV) is tackled under its Gender Racial and Ethnic Justice (GREJ) Program with particular reference to prevention as a response.

With respect to GBV in West Africa, national statistics paint a grim picture – even as we know these statistics represent significant underreporting. In 2018, a staggering 31% of females aged 15 to 49 in Nigeria reported experiencing sexual or physical violence in their lives. The situation is made worse by the tacit culture of acceptance reinforced by religious and social norms. These social norms reflect deep patriarchal beliefs about the roles and values of women in broader society, especially women and girls in rural areas and underserved urban communities. To date, efforts to reduce GBV have tended to be reactive, leading to increased criminalization rather than investments targeted at prevention, and in particular shifting social norms.

At the Ford Foundation Office West Africa, we believe that shifting the social norms that enable GBV will result in greater impact than merely focusing on response after the fact. We are working toward a society where social and cultural norms protect women and girls from violence in their everyday lives using a multi-pronged approach involving government, civil society (particularly women and feminist movements), traditional, religious and community (TRC) leaders, and the private sector in challenging negative social norms that exacerbate violence. To do this, we want to cultivate diverse champions to shift cultural norms and practices to prevent GBV; advocate for effective legal and political responses to prevent GBV and prioritize affected women’s voices in all aspects of GBV prevention. Our work is done through an intersectional lens that takes disability, youth and inclusion into consideration.

Responsibilities

The Program Officer is responsible for the development and implementation of a grant portfolio and ensuring all related activities (grant making, convenings, thought leadership, civil society strengthening, government relations) are designed to deliver on the Office’s goals and strategies. They will assess and analyze the landscape of organizations and identify which actors to work with to shape agendas that would promote specific strategic outcomes and make grants to this end. The Program Officer shares lessons with Foundation colleagues worldwide; collaborates broadly with the West Africa office team; collaborates with other members of the global GREJ team; and serves as a ‘connector’ of grantees. They work with leaders in a variety of sectors on issues of common concern to leverage resources towards common goals.

More specifically as part of a multi-disciplinary team, the Program Officer will:

• Manage, monitor and coordinate a grants portfolio, including: annual grant planning, identifying and working with the Foundation’s grantees to develop proposals for grant recommendations, undertaking periodic reviews of progress with grantees, performing grantee site visits, and reviewing financial and narrative reports from grantees.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and implementation of team strategies, working to fulfill the Foundation’s West Africa Office and the international program goals.
• Develop grant making activities in a team-oriented way, that are aligned with global and local strategy goals, and designed to achieve significant and scalable impact.
• Contribute to ensuring that intersectional programming is realized across all lines of work.
• Develop and implement grantee convenings and reflections to strategize and review opportunities, challenges and advances.
• Recommend and participate in learning and evaluation activities to guide the evolution of programmatic work, promote exchange and strategic partnership.
• Represent the Foundation and its work to the government, media, academia, business, philanthropic and civic leaders through meetings, updates, speeches, briefings and interviews, with guidance from the Regional Director.
• Play a leadership role within the team, working toward and influencing team collaboration, team building and team effectiveness, modeling these skills for the team.
• Serve as a mentor and coach to Program Associate and Program Assistant.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of 8 years of experience leading social justice strategies and a Master’s degree in a related field of study or relevant and equivalent experience.
• Subject-matter expertise in gender and demonstration of strong generalist cross-cutting work in the social justice arena.
• Exceptional leadership presence – internally and externally.
• Exceptional communications skills – strong active listening skills, constructive verbal and written skills, strong public presentation skills.
• Deep understanding of the regional context and cultures.
• Demonstrated ability to be a productive member of a community of people at work, respecting differences while working toward shared goals, comfort with periods of ambiguity, constructive participation in ongoing organizational development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Willingness to work to a flexible schedule, including occasional travel within the region and abroad.

Physical Requirements:

This position is primarily a sedentary role. The position requires behind-the-desk administrative work related to grant making. The person in this position may need to occasionally move about inside the office to liaise with internal staff, access files, office machinery and a copy machine/printer. Additionally, domestic/international travel will be expected (approximately 30%) to visit grantees and attend discussions, convenings, workshops, retreats and conferences.

The Ford Foundation is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its programs, and operations. As part of this commitment, the Foundation will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact talentacquisitionhr@fordfoundation.org.

Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Salary: Compensation is based on experience and on the Foundation’s commitment to internal equity. A generous benefits package is provided.

To Apply: Please submit both a resume and cover letter in order to be considered. The deadline to apply is May 2nd, 2024.

Alignment to Culture and Values

• Commitment to the Foundation’s mission and core values of equity, openness, collaboration, trust, accountability and urgency
• Personal qualities of humility, capacity for self-reflection, and a sense of humor
• Discretion and ability to handle confidential issues
• Action-orientated and entrepreneurial self-starter who can work well independently and in teams

Benefits

• Hybrid Workplace and Flexible Work Arrangement policies
• Medical and dental benefits for employee and immediate family on first day of work
• Retirement savings account with matching company contributions of up to 13%
• Three weeks’ paid vacation in first year of work; four weeks in subsequent years
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Office closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Professional development initiatives for growth
• Generous parental leave (maternal and paternal) during new child’s first year (born into family or adopted)

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at The Ford Foundation, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law. The Ford Foundation does not discriminate against formerly incarcerated individuals.