Vacancies at Heifer International

Heifer International is an international development organization dedicated to improving food security and income opportunities for rural families while promoting sound stewardship of natural resources. As a private, non-governmental organization based in Little Rock, Arkansas, Heifer has created lasting change for farming households in over 125 countries across Latin America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe for over 70 years.

Heifer International does so much more than put food in the mouths of hungry people. Heifer helps people feed themselves. The goal of every Heifer project is sustainability – project partners achieving self-reliance. And year after year, as partner families Pass on the Gift of knowledge and one or more of their animals’ offspring to others in need, they become links in a network of hope, dignity and self-reliance that helps hundreds of others care for themselves.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Signature Program Technical Lead – Nigeria

Job ID: 1284
Location: Nigeria
Category: Program / Project Management

Function 

• The Signature Program Technical Lead will provide oversight in the design and implementation of the Nigeria Country Office Signature Program and constituent projects in line with program strategy to achieve the country’s strategic objectives.
• S/he will ensure alignment of the Nigeria Country Office’s program management processes with Heifer International’s program/project management principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices.
• The successful candidate will also be accountable for setting up and ensuring quality standards on professional excellence in signature program design and project execution excellence, impact measurement, learning, and reporting on defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• S/he will maintain focus on management, communication, and strategy and drive towards sustainability that achieves scale and permanent impact through long-term partnerships.
• The Signature Program Technical Lead – Nigeria will report to the Country Director but will work collaboratively with the Signature Program Technical team at the regional level.
• The role supervises Project and Program Managers and Coordinators.

Responsibilities & Deliverables
Signature Program Design (15%):

• Engage in designing/co-designing and implementation of market systems and value chain development programs and projects, facilitate access to innovative finance, access to relevant technology, and premium markets for smallholder farmers. Facilitate capacity-strengthening trainings for farmers and other value chain actors and build organizational relationships with relevant stakeholders.
• Provide technical leadership for the preparation, design, submission, and approval of project concepts and full-fledged proposals. Act as an in-country technical proposal developer, while integrating donor strategies, priorities, and technical requirements into Heifer’s approach.
• Enable strong relationships with donors, peer organizations, research, and other institutions to enhance program quality.
• Develop and adopt standardized approaches, practices, tools, and measurements in co-design and capacity strengthening.
• Guide the in-country program team in developing comprehensive plans, materials, and capacity-strengthening strategies in program and project areas.

Program Management and Quality Initiatives (40%):

• Maintain excellent oversight of all program components and meet expectations for program success.
• Provide strategic leadership to the Country Signature Program team and ensure excellent management of the approved program, schedules, and budgets.
• Ensure the application of best standards, practices, partnership principles, processes, and tools toward high-quality implementation of signature programs.
• Develop and implement strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in program quality that effectively engage partners, donors, and governments.
• Roll out capacity-strengthening initiatives in program quality for staff and partners, develop learning and training strategies, and conduct workshops.
• Analyze program data, capture and share lessons learned, and identify best practices to facilitate improved decision-making.
• Monitor and provide feedback on program quality through regular meetings, field visits, and communication.
• Ensure Program Managers and Coordinators execute approved workplan activities and operations, recommending adjustments as needed to achieve program objectives.
• Effectively manage program risks in each phase of program implementation, ensuring objectives are fulfilled.
• Ensure accountability and compliance with donor requirements.
• Provide program-related reports and make presentations as required.
• Ensure adherence to compliance standards within Heifer and donor program guidelines, including transparency, accountability, and communication with stakeholders.
• Maintain strong communication with all relevant stakeholders throughout program implementation and manage a matrix program management structure when necessary.

Sustainable Locally Led Development Initiative (15%):

• Promote local ownership of projects and activities by local stakeholders and Country Office staff.
• Engage local stakeholders in participatory project design and development.
• Provide stakeholders with regular feedback and engage them in decision-making processes.

Budget Management and Monitoring (15%):

• Ensure all program teams develop annual budgets and workplans consistent with program documents and donor contracts.
• Support program teams in reviewing and updating workplans and budgets in response to challenges or reviews.
• Undertake quarterly budget monitoring and variance analysis with Program Managers, reviewing spending against annual budgets.
• Plan and undertake corrective actions arising from budget monitoring reports.
• Approve program-related cash advance requests and reconciliations in line with plans and financial procedures.

Strengthen Core Global Operating System (10%):

• Ensure compliance with Heifer International policies, procedures, and accountability standards through training, event participation, and field visits.
• Liaise with the Regional Signature Program Technical team and HQ departments on behalf of the Country Program.
• Ensure proposals and concept notes are entered into HQ tracking systems to avoid delays in activation.
• Ensure adequate development, implementation, evaluation, and systematization of signature programs.
• Obtain and review program monitoring and evaluation reports and make recommendations.
• Maintain program files and documents.

Any Other Assigned Function (5%):

• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Business Management, International Development, Social Sciences, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Minimum of 10–15 years of program management experience, including at least five years in designing and managing market systems, value chain development, and large, complex programs.
• Evidence-based experience working with governments, the private sector, and local and international institutions.

Preferred Requirements:

• Master’s degree preferred.
• At least seven years in technical signature programming leadership.
• At least five years in management.

Most Critical Proficiencies:

• Knowledge of strategic planning, program and project development and implementation processes (including planning, monitoring, and evaluation).
• Knowledge and work experience in agriculture and community development in a developing country context (market systems, value chains, access to market, access to finance, etc).
• Excellent knowledge of monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects.
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills including strong attention to detail.
• Knowledge of grant acquisition and management.
• Basic knowledge of finance controls and systems.
• Proficiency in basic statistics sufficient to analyze data.

Key Behavioural Competencies:

• Accountability
• Professional Excellence
• Humility
• Customer Orientation
• Empathy
• Innovation

Application Closing Date
25th February 2025.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Job Title: Talent Acquisition Manager, Africa

Job ID: 1403
Location: Nigeria

Summary

• The Talent Acquisition Manager, Africa role will be responsible for leading and implementing strategic Talent Acquisition initiatives for Heifer International across the region.

To achieve this, the role holder will be responsible for:

• Ensuring a robust Heifer Africa Employee Value Proposition and innovative Talent Acquisition campaigns to attract and retain the right calibre of talent into the organization.
• Ensuring the delivery of best-in-class employee experience through effective engagement of key stakeholders and embedding the defined Talent Acquisition Service Level Agreement (TA-SLA).
• Project managing and driving engagements at all decision gates within the Talent Acquisition process by ensuring the key decision-makers and all relevant considerations are taken into account and effectively documented.
• Designing and implementing proactive and innovative sourcing strategies, including job postings, sourcing, screening, interviewing, and offer negotiations to manage the full-cycle recruitment and enhance the size and quality of the candidate pool.
• Ensuring the operationalization of the Heifer Africa workforce plans and budgeted staffing plans.
• Ensuring compliance, continuous improvement, and periodic performance tracking and reporting on all Talent Acquisition systems and processes.

Responsibilities & Deliverables
Employee Value Proposition (20%):

• Ensure the design, implementation, and promotion of a robust Heifer Africa Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to attract and retain top talent.
• Develop innovative talent acquisition campaigns that communicate Heifer’s mission, culture, and values to potential candidates for alignment with the organization’s goals.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of EVP campaigns to identify opportunities for improvement, contributing to increased staff longevity and retention.

Talent Acquisition Service Level Agreement (TA-SLA) for Effective Employee Experience (25%):

• Engage stakeholders to operationalize and embed the established Talent Acquisition Service Level Agreement (TA-SLA), ensuring consistent and efficient processes.
• Monitor and report on adherence to TA-SLA timelines to enhance candidate and employee experiences during the recruitment lifecycle.
• Act as a key liaison between hiring managers and recruitment teams to ensure alignment and accountability in meeting service expectations.

Project Management & Decision Gate Engagements (15%):

• Lead the Talent Acquisition process as a project owner, managing workflows across all decision gates with defined timelines and deliverables.
• Facilitate cross-functional stakeholder engagements to ensure appropriate decision-making and documentation at each recruitment stage.
• Provide clear communication and updates on recruitment progress to ensure transparency and accountability.

Innovative Sourcing Strategies (15%):

• Design, develop, and implement innovative sourcing strategies that address current and future workforce needs.
• Build partnerships with local and international sourcing experts to expand Heifer’s access to high-quality talent pools.
• Collaborate with regional and global teams to align sourcing initiatives with broader organizational goals and ensure market-competitive practices.
• Establish processes to enhance the quality of candidates by leveraging data-driven recruitment practices, assessments, and feedback mechanisms.
• Build and maintain talent pipelines for critical roles, ensuring diverse and inclusive candidate pools that align with Heifer’s values.
• Conduct regular analyses to identify gaps and areas for improvement in the candidate pool and implement strategies to address them.

Operationalization of Workforce/People Plans and Budgeted Staffing Plans (15%):

• Drive the execution of Heifer Africa workforce and staffing plans, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and budgeted resources.
• Maintain up-to-date organizational charts and provide weekly/monthly status reports on staffing percentages and recruitment progress.
• Collaborate with country teams to ensure real-time visibility into workforce needs and recruitment forecasts.

Continuous Improvement of Recruitment Practices (10%):

• Regularly review and refine recruitment practices, systems, and tools to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Analyze recruitment data to identify trends and opportunities for process improvement, ensuring the timely hiring of high-quality candidates.
• Lead the adoption of best practices in recruitment across Heifer Africa to support operational excellence and strategic objectives.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in talent acquisition, with at least 5 years of experience in talent acquisition and managing end-to-end recruitment for senior roles.
• Proven experience in regional recruitment, preferably in the nonprofit or international development sector.

Preferred Requirements:

• Proven experience managing projects and leading process improvements within a talent acquisition function.
• Strong analytical skills, with experience developing and interpreting recruitment metrics.
• Strong understanding of Africa’s labor market dynamics and trends.
• HR certification (e.g., SHRM, CIPD, or equivalent).

Key Behavioural Competencies:

• Accountability
• Professional Excellence
• Humility
• Customer Orientation
• Empathy
• Innovation.

Application Closing Date
4th March, 2025.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online