CBO and SME Engagement Officer

Chemonics seeks a CBO (community-based organizations) and SME (small and medium enterprises) Engagement Officer for the USAID Lagos Urban Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Activity (LUWASH) in Nigeria. The project aims to increase availability and sustainable management of safe and climate-resilient water and sanitation services in Lagos, Nigeria. LUWASH will increase the availability, quality and use of safe water and sanitation services and improve the governance and sustainable management of associated sector institutions in Lagos. The activity’s objective is to expand and improve urban WASH service delivery and infrastructure through strengthened governance, increased accountability, and improved financial and technical capabilities of public water utilities and private sector providers. The project has four components as follows: governance and institutional arrangements strengthened to deliver improved WASH services, public and private service provider performance improved, access to safe and sustainable water services increased, access to safe and sustainable sanitation increased and the quality of source water improved.

This position will be based in Lagos, Nigeria. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintain a project database of WASH CBOs and SMEs in the project area by identifying a suitable number to be classified by key criteria (HR, finanancial, experience,etc) in order to create an inventory of potential partners. Rank order the identified CBOs/SMEs according to a list of agreed upon criteria (e.g., number of members, gender profile, technical focus, formalized organization structure, financial capacity, experience with USAID, etc.)
• Conduct, with other staff, a “felt needs assessment” of the top tier of the rank ordered CBOs/SMEs
• Communicate grant application requirements to prospective grantees and provide support to recipients as needed during the procurement stage
• Ensure that formal partnerships agreements are established with CBOs/SMEs and request their support to relay messages in their community
• Assist with the development of CBO/SME activity plans that conform with planed project technical activities
• Visit communities in the project areas and ensure accountability
• Coordinate the assessment process of local CBOs/SMEs, baseline and key project assessments; and ensure the production of quality reports of these processes
• Supervise the follow-up and report on the intervention plan activities (Monitoring and Evaluation, Reporting)
• Support the capacity building activities for CBOs/SMEs designed to strengthentheir operational and programmatic capacities, based on their felt needs
• Work with the gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) specialist to identify and work with grantees and to maximize CBO and private sector SME collaboration
• Work with the LUWASH WASH marketing specialist to enhance private sector models for decentralized WASH services
• Ensure that the activity involves all levels of the private sector — from large sources of investment capital to small SME water service providers. Aid in identifying and enabling diverse business opportunities for private sector operators

Qualifications:

• University degree required, advanced degree preferred
• At least five years of demonstrated experience in project design, development, and management of development-type projects
• Experience engaging with CBOs and SMEs in Nigeria, preferably Lagos State
• Experience designating, procuring, and monitoring large USAID grants
• Strong written and verbal communications skills
• Ability to creatively design grants and other technical activities that bring together the proven knowledge of local and international NGOs and community-based organizations implementing relevant activities and programs in Nigeria
• Experience working with local organizations on project design and assessing technical and programmatic capacities
• Ability to work in a professional and cordial manner with fellow staff members, visitors, partner institutions including international and local NGOs, governmental entities, and the general public
• Ability to effectively use Microsoft Office Suite
• Experience working on USAID-funded projects strongly preferred