Project Manager – Partnerships at BBC Media Action

BBC Media Action’s communication projects are rooted in local people’s experiences and understanding. Our extensive research programme – called “world class” by the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID) – provides insight into audiences’ lives to ensure that our projects reflect their needs and circumstances.

We also use our data to monitor how effectively our programmes engage people and stimulate change; lessons learned are then built into future projects. To share our findings and learning as widely as possible, we publish policy and research reports and briefings to inform communication for development practitioners and policy-makers.

Since we are not funded by the licence fee, none of this work would be possible without the backing of our generous donors – governments, foundations, corporations and individuals.

In Nigeria, BBC Media Action run a number of multiplatform and capacity-strengthening projects including health radio shows tackling maternal and neonatal health, HIV and AIDS and pneumonia and diarrhoea. A long-running radio drama and magazine shows in both Hausa and Pidgin English address governance issues.Job purpose

The BBC Media Action office in Nigeria is seeking a Project Manager (Partnerships) for an ongoing multi-component Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) programme focused on reproductive health and family planning in Northern Nigeria.
This is a project management role focused on bringing together implementing partners, government stakeholders and community actors to ensure activities are well coordinated and delivered on time.
The ideal candidate will coordinate partners, track workplans and deliverables, facilitate stakeholder meetings and convenings, identify delivery risks, and ensure partners remain aligned with the overall project objectives and requirements.

Main duties and responsibilities
Partner & Stakeholder Coordination:

Manage day-to-day relationships with implementing partners, government stakeholders and other key actors.
Convene and facilitate regular partner meetings, workshops and coordination sessions.
Build effective working relationships across government, community and implementing partners to support project delivery.
Ensure partners understand their roles, responsibilities, timelines and deliverables.

Project Coordination & Delivery:

Maintain an overview of partner workplans, activities, dependencies and timelines, ensuring activities are properly sequenced and coordinated.
Regularly track progress against agreed plans and follow up on outstanding actions and deliverables.
Identify delivery risks, or gaps early and work with the Project Director and partners to resolve them.
Coordinate adjustments to workplans, activities and budgets where required.
Provide clear updates to the Project Director on partner progress, risks and areas requiring attention.

Partnership Performance & Compliance:

Monitor partner performance against agreed objectives, deliverables and timelines.
Ensure partnership agreements are in place, current and properly documented.
Support partners to comply with BBC Media Action and donor requirements, including safeguarding, data protection, branding and other contractual requirements.
Escalate significant partnership or performance issues to the Project Director.

Reporting, Learning & Information Management:

Coordinate partner inputs for project reporting, donor updates, learning reviews and other reporting requirements.
Work with M&E, Finance and Production teams to ensure relevant partner data, results and documentation are available when required.
Maintain an organised system for partnership documentation, workplans, deliverables and project materials.

Other:

Support the Project Director with stakeholder engagement and other activities required to achieve project objectives.
Undertake other duties reasonably required for successful project delivery.

Required Skills, Knowledge & Experience
The ideal candidate will have:

Strong project management skills, including workplanning, tracking deliverables, managing timelines, coordinating dependencies and identifying risks.
Significant experience managing partnerships and coordinating multi-stakeholder projects, preferably within development, media, SBCC, public health or a related sector.
Experience working with government agencies, community organisations and implementing partners in Nigeria.
Strong stakeholder management, communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to bring different organisations and interests together.
Experience facilitating workshops, partner convenings and stakeholder engagements.
Ability to work independently, follow through on actions and hold partners accountable for agreed deliverables.
Strong negotiation, problem-solving and relationship management skills. 
Fluency in English and Hausa, and Knowledge of the Northern Nigeria media,
development or community landscape would be an advantage.