Project Officer

Farm Radio International (FRI) is an international not-for-profit organization founded in 1975, dedicated to making radio a powerful tool for positive change in rural Africa. Operating across 16 countries, FRI shares knowledge, amplifies voices, and empowers smallholder farmers to improve their livelihoods, achieve food security, and enhance the production and consumption of nutritious foods. Through innovative radio programming and strategic partnerships with an emphasis on interpersonal approaches and community engagement as mutually reinforcing elements, FRI strengthens agricultural development, rural livelihoods, and inclusive growth.

Farm Radio International is currently seeking a dynamic individual with over 5 years of experience in implementing Nutrition Projects in Northwest Nigeria. This role will ensure the quality implementation of the Awareness/Demand Generation pathway funded by Global Alliance for improved (GAIN) nutrition through the Enhancing Access to Safe and Nutritious Diets (ENSAND) in Kaduna and Kano States, reporting directly to the Program Coordinator.

Position Title: Project Officer

Position Location: Abuja, Nigeria

Reports to: Program Coordinator

Collaborate with: Radio Craft Officer, DI Officer, Finance Officer

Supervise and Support: Field Project Officer, Community Volunteers

Application deadline: April 12th, 2025

Key Areas of Responsibility:

The Project Officer will be responsible for the successful development and implementation of the Awareness/Demand Generation pathway projects in Kano and Kaduna, including

• Project implementation (PI) 80%
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning 10%
• Program development (PD) 10%

Project Implementation (PI)

Under the supervision of the Country Program Coordinator, the Project Officer will directly supervise two Field Project Officers in Kano and Kaduna, ensuring the effective implementation of the Awareness/Demand Generation Pathway Project to the highest standards and to the satisfaction of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). Specifically:

• Organize and lead the implementation of all project activities as outlined in the detailed project implementation plan, in line with Farm Radio International’s program procedures and standards, funders’ requirements, and best practices.
• Coordinate and oversee relationships with diverse partners across various FRI projects in Nigeria, while serving as the primary liaison with local stakeholders and promoting project impacts.
• Support the Country Program Coordinator in the development of training tools, manuals, post/pre-test questions, and facilitator guides for training sessions.
• Conduct proper tracking of resource use for project activities through periodic budget reviews and provide follow-up and assistance to field projects to ensure activities are implemented according to budget lines.
• Supervise, support, and coordinate community-level awareness activities, providing technical support to ensure that assigned project activities are implemented in accordance with FRI’s guidelines and standards.
• Oversee the implementation of community-based nutrition-specific activities, focusing on consumption in the right quantity and frequency, as well as how to prepare and preserve food, with a focus on farming and non-farming households, particularly women of reproductive age and children.
• Support nutritionists to ensure the functionality of outreach sessions with all target program participants.
• Ensure provision of any logistical and administrative support for all the project activities.
• Ensure that project documentation for assigned activities is complete, includes all required documents, and is filed in accordance with ENSAND requirements.
• Participate in weekly meetings with the GAIN-ENSAND Team for progress updates.
• Manage the ENSAND report writing process for funders (progress reports, quarterly, final) in order to synthesize activities, results, conclusions and lessons learned from projects, as well as other communication needs.
• Perform any other task assigned by relevant supervisors

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL)

The successful candidate will, in coordination with the Regional Program Officer for West Africa, contribute to the monitoring and evaluation component of the Awareness/Demand Generation Pathway Project in Nigeria.

• With support from the Regional Program Officer for West Africa, develop exit poll questions for each activity to gauge participants’ perceptions, opinions, and understanding of the topics in question.
• Conduct field monitoring visits to supervise activities for compliance with and implementation of FRI’s standards.
• Sole custodian of the database of participants reached in both states for farming and non-farming households, while also tracking the KPIs of the project activities and ensuring the numbers tally for each activity.
• Sole custodian of the project MoVs, responsible for updating the project PI drive to ensure that required deliverables are reviewed and updated on a weekly basis.

Program Development (PD)

With support from the Regional Program Officer WA, conduct networking and research to identify potential opportunities in Nigeria, specifically:

• Scan opportunities for new program (funding) opportunities in Nigeria.
• Conduct networking and attend webinars to increase FRI’s visibility in Nigeria while connecting with diverse organizations for potential project opportunities.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in rural development and program management in international NGOs in Northwest Nigeria.
• University degree or certificate in project management, nutrition, communication, development, or related field; Master’s degree an asset
• Fluent in English with strong written and oral communication skills
• Knowledge and experience in program development and implementation, including project cycle management and results-based management.
• Demonstrated experience in delivering projects that involve the development of project management tools, including project implementation plans, work plans and gantt charts.
• Experience in analyzing existing processes, identifying areas for improvement, and designing efficient strategies to enhance program effectiveness and achieve desired outcomes. – Significant knowledge of the principles of gender equality and women’s rights and experience in integrating these principles into the project cycle
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to gather and synthesize contributions from multiple sources and colleagues effectively.
• Knowledge of the funding landscape in Nigeria.
• Knowledge or experience in communication for development is an asset.
• Demonstrated skills in intercultural communication and collaborating/connecting with teams virtually.