Deputy Country Director

Requirements

• The ideal candidate will bring at least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in program management within international development or public health, including at least 3 years in a senior leadership role.
  
• Advanced degree in public health, health management, social sciences, development studies, or a related field.
  
• Proven track record of managing complex, multi-site programs in Nigeria and/or Sub-Saharan Africa.
  
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing, cross-functional teams.
  
• Strong analytical skills with experience using data to drive program decisions and improve performance.
  
• Experience managing donor-funded programs, including budgeting, financial oversight, and reporting (GiveWell, USAID, FCDO, Gates Foundation, or similar donors is an advantage).
  
• Excellent government relations and stakeholder engagement skills, including experience working with national and state-level ministries.
  
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous and fast-paced environments with the ability to manage competing priorities.
  

Strategy and Operations

• Support the Country Director in developing and executing Nigeria's country strategy, annual plans, and program priorities.
  
• Assume full country leadership responsibilities when deputizing for the Country Director during absences or transitions.
  
• Translate high-level strategic objectives into operational plans with clear timelines, milestones, and accountabilities.
  
• Identify and help resolve short-term and long-term programmatic and operational risks.
  

Program Performance

• Provide day-to-day oversight of program implementation across all active states, ensuring high-quality service delivery and adherence to evidence-based standards.
  
• Work with the program leads to review monitoring and evaluation data, identify performance gaps, and implement corrective actions.
  
• Coordinate closely with national, sub-national, and community-level government stakeholders to troubleshoot implementation challenges.
  

Team Leadership and Culture

• Foster a high-performance team culture characterized by empowerment, accountability, and celebration of results.
  
• Provide direct line management and mentorship to a subset of the country team.
  
• Champion Evidence Action's values and ensure they are embedded into day-to-day team practices and behaviors.
  

Resource and Financial Management

• Support the Country Director and Finance team in the annual budgeting process, ensuring alignment with strategic and programmatic priorities.
  
• Lead or contribute to monthly Budget-vs-Actual analyses for key program areas, flagging variances and recommending adjustments.
  
• Ensure appropriate business controls and financial accountability mechanisms are in place and adhered to by program teams.
  

Government and Stakeholder Engagement

• Represent Evidence Action in key government forums, technical working groups, and stakeholder engagements at national and state levels, including relevant ministries of health.
  
• Support the Country Director in cultivating and maintaining strategic partnerships with government counterparts, implementing partners, and civil society organizations.
  
• Contribute to the development and execution of Evidence Action's in-country partnership and advocacy strategy.
  

New Program Development

• Provide operational and technical support for the testing, piloting, and scaling of new program initiatives in Nigeria.
  
• Contribute to evidence synthesis and landscape analyses to identify high-potential new interventions within Evidence Action's Accelerator framework.
  
• Engage with prospective donors and support the development of new funding proposals in collaboration with the Country Director and global teams.