Programme Manager At Seefar

Seefar is seeking an experienced Programme Manager, with complete fluency in English, for a 3 year programme with activities in Nigeria, Germany and Ireland.

You will have demonstrated programme management experience in Nigeria and West Africa; have thematic experience on, and a strong interest in labour migration, recruitment, education and livelihoods; enjoy working in a high performing team from multiple countries; be someone donors trust; and focused on getting results. It is preferred that you are based in Nigeria, Germany or Ireland – you will travel to all three countries and potentially elsewhere.

This is a full-time position.

Salary: EUR 5000 to 7000 monthly, depending on experience.

Job Description

We are a social enterprise with a mission to work with vulnerable people to build a better future. We specialise in justice, migration and social inclusion. Our expertise is in strategic communications, counselling, consulting, monitoring and evaluation, and research. We work in East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, North Africa, the Sahel and Europe. For more information, please visit: About Us – Seefar.

To get a sense of the services we specialise in at Seefar, please visit: Projects – Seefar

For examples of projects relevant to this position, please visit:

• How ethical recruitment can impact workers and their families, whilst reducing the incidence of forced labor – Seefar
• A Roadmap to Replicability: How to create, sustain, and scale an ethical recruitment agency – Seefar
• Basic labour standards can improve E&C businesses and strengthen their migrant workforce, says study from The Ethical Recruitment Agency (TERA) – Seefar

The Ideal Candidate

An enthusiastic traveller: Someone who enjoys the challenges and opportunities that come with travelling while working. As a resident of either Nigeria, Germany or Ireland, the person will have a strong understanding of the local context in either origin or destination country.

A problem-solver with strong initiative: To be successful in this position, our future Programme Manager will be adept at navigating complex situations (like government bureaucracy) and finding solutions that might not be immediately apparent.

A results-oriented individual that is confident in their prioritisation and delegation skills: In this position tough challenges will need to be tackled directly. There are core tasks that are vital to the programme’s success, it’s important not to get bogged down in some of the less critical tasks, but still ensure they are completed.

This position requires someone who can cultivate and maintain strong working relationships with government agencies, bureaucracies and private sector actors across Nigeria, Germany and Ireland. This network-building is crucial for navigating the complexities of labour migration processes, securing policy support where possible and fostering collaboration among stakeholders involved in skilled labour recruitment.

In addition to this, our ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong thematic understanding of the project’s core areas. A demonstrated understanding of how labour market demands in Europe and relevant government policies in all three countries affect skilled migration opportunities. The programme manager should exhibit a keen understanding of the motivations and aspirations of potential Nigerian migrants. A candidate with this level of understanding will be able to tailor the program design and assist with the development of effective communication strategies helping to engage more effectively with project beneficiaries.

The role requires someone with seven years professional experience in managing teams and implementing programmes and who is smart, intrinsically motivated, worldly, interested in hard challenges and is highly flexible and efficient. The role will require English fluency.

Responsibilities

This position will be focussed on a programme that aims to build a mutually beneficial sustainable Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) talent development and mobility partnership between Nigeria and Ireland/Germany.

The specific programme objectives are:

1. To pilot a skilled migration model connecting private sector demand and supply.
2. To expand the pool of STEM graduates by developing sustainable training and tools for career planning, including for migration opportunities.
3. To use learning from the programme to increase institutional capacity for supporting the STEM labour market, including a model that would be replicable across EU Talent Partnership priority countries.

More specifically, the programme will connect skilled Nigerian workers with job opportunities in Europe. By providing career guidance and migration support, we are committed to secure 200 migrants with STEM contracts in Ireland or Germany. Training will also be offered to empower more Nigerians with future migration opportunities and equip facilitators with a tested model that can be implemented through similar programs in other countries.

Due to the complexity of the programme, there will be close collaborative working relationships with several programme partners, including but not limited to:

1. Talent management companies in Germany and Ireland.
2. Talent management in Nigeria.
3. Migration facilitators in Nigeria, Germany and Ireland.
4. Education providers and trainers in Nigeria.
5. The German and Irish governments.

The following are the primary responsibilities of the role, with estimated allocations of time and attention.

Deliver: Programme and Mission Implementation

Approximately 80% of your time and attention:

1. Beneficiary Recruitment and Placement

• Ownership of the recruitment process to shortlist skilled Nigerian candidates with qualifications matching job requirements identified by European employers.
• Oversee the screening and interviewing process to select candidates for migration.
• Develop and manage effective partnerships with European employers to secure job placements for selected migrants.
• Develop and implement pre-departure processes to ensure a smooth transition for migrants, maximising placement success.

2. Support for Migrants and Returners:

• Develop and manage a support system for migrants once placed in Europe, addressing potential challenges and promoting long-term integration (if desired).
• Develop and manage a reintegration program for returning Nigerian migrants facilitating their successful re-entry into the Nigerian workforce.

3. Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing:

• Oversee the delivery of career guidance workshops for Nigerians in STEM fields, empowering and educating them for future migration opportunities.
• Manage the training program for a pilot cohort of facilitators, equipping them with foundational knowledge on skilled migration to Europe.
• Oversee the development of online training modules based on the programme’s learnings.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to adapt the programme model for potential future implementation in these countries.

4. Institutional Strengthening and Advocacy:

• Facilitate workshops and communication activities that benefit Nigerian, German, and Irish institutions who are currently managing skilled recruitment and labour migration.
• Work with our programme partners to develop and present evidence-based recommendations to these institutions, suggesting low-effort, high-impact policy changes regarding certifications and visa processes for skilled migrants.
• Enhance the capacity of European Talent Management Agencies (TMAs) for international recruitment, allowing them to effectively access the skilled migrant talent pool.

5. Programme Management and Reporting:

• Develop and manage a comprehensive programme plan, including up to date timelines, budgets, and donor engagement plan.
• Lead and motivate the programme team, ensuring clear communication and collaboration among all stakeholders.
• Implement robust programme monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track progress against objectives and deliverables.
• Regularly prepare and deliver progress reports internally and externally, keeping stakeholders informed of achievements, challenges, and necessary adjustments.

Develop: Capabilities and Program Portfolio

Approximately 10% of your time and attention:

• Develop programme teams. For example, this would include mentoring teams and leading recruitment.
• Learning, growing and developing professionally and personally.
• Strengthen the Enterprise’s reputation and profile in our areas of expertise.

Direct: Global Management

Approximately 10% of your time and attention:

• Represent and demonstrate the Enterprise’s values.
• Cooperate with other areas of Seefar, including to communicate substantive and administrative information that supports corporate management overall. For example, this would include ensuring effective internal reporting at the programme and program level.

Working with Seefar

Current and former personnel have noted the points below as positive features of Seefar’s work environment and culture:

• The Enterprise combines entrepreneurialism with a focus on social impact.
• You work with highly diverse people and across a diversity of contexts.
• There is a high level of trust that supports you to work autonomously.
• The people in the Enterprise encourage innovation and experimentation.
• Achieving results is prioritised over rigid structures and workflows.
• You are never bored and always challenged.

Current and former personnel have noted the points below as negative features of Seefar’s work environment and culture:

• Collaborating with geographically dispersed teams requires flexibility and patience.
• Working remotely can make you feel isolated and so requires you to invest time in communication.
• Travel schedules can sometimes be heavy.
• A high-growth phase means problem-solving as the Enterprise’s systems evolve quickly.
• It can be fast paced so you need to be productive and able to prioritise effectively.
• Despite being over 10 years old, Seefar retains the feel of a start-up and personnel can find themselves offering support to areas that they don’t consider to be their direct responsibility.

An Excellent Candidate

Candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be considered for this position.

Minimum requirements are as follows:

• An undergraduate degree;
• 7 years experience implementing recruitment or livelihood projects/programmes, or in the field of labour migration;
• Strong and demonstrable programme management skills;
• Ability to travel several times a year;
• Complete fluency in written and spoken English. Your writing skills are excellent and you are confident in engaging with donors and stakeholders to ensure the programme aligns with donor expectations.

Applicants must be:

• Highly organised;
• Have the ability to prioritise and are highly productive;
• Are naturally responsive and client focussed;
• Are able to work autonomously;
• Are motivated by an Enterprise performance framework focused on social impact.

Before you start confirm you meet these minimum requirements:

1. Complete fluency in oral and written English, including clear and succinct writing skills.
2. An undergraduate degree.
3. Excellent analytical skills.
4. 7 years experience implementing labour migration, recruitment and livelihoods projects/programmes, preferably in developing or conflict affected countries.