Country Program Director for West Africa

Based in Abuja, Nigeria

The Solidarity Center, founded in 1997 by the AFL-CIO to tackle the enormous challenges workers face in the global economy, now works with union and community group partners in more than 60 countries through a network of 26 field offices.  This not-for-profit organization offers education, training, research, legal support, and organizing assistance to help build strong and effective trade unions and other workers’ organizations and more just and equitable societies.  Its programs promote democratic rights and respect for workers, raise public awareness about abuses of the world’s most vulnerable workers, and, above all, help the world’s workers secure a voice in their societies and the global economy.  

The Center seeks a country program director to lead the work of advancing the Center’s mission in West Africa.  The Country Program Director reports directly to the Center’s Regional Program director for Africa, and works in close partnership with AFL-CIO affiliates and labor federations, GUFs, unions and worker organizations in West Africa.  The Washington, D.C.-based Center has a staff of 225 and an annual budget of $30 million. The position requires residency in Abuja and frequent travel within the region.

Responsibilities:

• With the Africa regional staff, develop and implement program priorities for work in West Africa and trade union programs in the region, consistent with the strategic vision of the Solidarity Center’s global and regional work; revisit those priorities as needed to reflect changing national regional realities.
• Lead and oversee the department’s local staff in Nigeria, and manage local office operations.
• Serve as the representative of the US labor movement in West Africa.
• Represent the interests and issues of the labor movement in West Africa, their labor issues, and their global importance within the Center, the AFL-CIO, and the U.S. labor movement broadly as well as to U.S. government programs in the region, other NGOs, and the academic community.  Build bridges to and coalitions and collaborative efforts with allies in West Africa working to advance worker rights. 
• Assure the high quality and effectiveness of the Center’s work in West Africa through monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of program work.

Qualifications:

• Excellent writing and communications skills in the English language;
• Proven ability to manage a complex portfolio with programs in multiple countries;
• Knowledge of international relations and trade union developments in the U.S. and abroad;
• Trade union experience;
• Proven ability to work successfully in complex political environments and collaboratively as part of a dynamic team;
• Experience in contract negotiation, and ability to negotiate with local and foreign contractors, and companies;
• Experience as a trainer and facilitator, including developing materials and conducting workshops using effective education training methods;
• Experience in developing and implementing organizing and collective bargaining workshops;
• Experience in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the world of work;
• Experience in using intersectionality as a framework recognizing the many ways that workers’ identities are targeted to deny their rights;
• Experience in campaign research;
• Experience in collective bargaining training;
• Experience in strategic campaign planning and implementation;
• Fundraising experience.
• French language proficiency a plus.
• Experience in addressing gender issues in the world of work, and integrating gender equality and women’s empowerment into the overall strategic goal of supporting labor rights in the region of assignment.

Personal Qualities:
The successful candidate will bring a sense of passion about the region and its politics, a strong social justice orientation, and a clear understanding of gender equity as a critical component of workers’ rights.  He or she will have good judgment in U.S. and international political environments and the confidence, tenacity, energy, patience, and drive to work with others in this multilayered international organization to advance the cause of workers around the world.

The duration of this position, as with all positions at the Solidarity Center, is contingent upon continued grant funding.

The Solidarity Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

Only finalist applicants will be contacted for an interview.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Closing date of application: When filled.

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