Country Director Nigeria

We are currently recruiting for a Country Director Nigeria:

• Contract: National contract initial twoyear assignment with the possibility of extension
• Location: Abuja with frequent travel to Lagos

Position overview
The Country Director leads and enables the country programs through their teams and local implementation partners focusing on upscaling and strengthening our country position with an ambitious strategy ensuring highquality delivery of operations and securing adequate funding to sustain and grow opportunities to deliver this role you are the face of SNV in the country ensuring a positive image and strong visibility. You will report to the Deputy Director of Country Programmes.

Your core assignment is to expand our network and funding opportunities by building strong relationships with embassies donors institutions and the private sector while providing clear leadership to a small team of about ten staff. You remain well informed about national and international development priorities and steer sectors and themes in response to these priorities.

Success in this role means growing SNVs visibility forging new partnerships and alliances with key national and international actors stimulating collaboration for impact and enabling teams to perform confidently and effectively. We are looking for a strategic externally focused leader with strong negotiation skills proven business development experience and the ability to represent SNV at senior levels while frequently traveling between Abuja and Laos to build privatesector engagement.
In this role you will also be responsible for the following tasks:

• Strategic leadership of the country and future programmes. Providing innovative leadership and encouraging people to take an active role in programme design and proposal development and ensuring quality and implementation in line with the strategic directions within the annual Plan and SNVs global strategy;
• Strong and supportive people leadership enabling the country team: creating and nurturing an environment that supports high performance continuous learning and teamwork at all levels;
• Representation and profiling: building partnerships and maintaining excellent relationships with donors partners local governments businesses policy makers and other relevant stakeholders;
• Oversight and quality assurance of project implementation (including project director roles) ensuring the delivery of impact to the satisfaction of key stakeholders and compliance with SNVs and the donors financial standards and monitoring protocols;
• Business development to grow the country position and its programs ensure financial sustainability of SNV and ensure a high-quality project design;
• Collaboration with other SNV countries to effectively exploit opportunities for synergy deliver at scale (including multi-country projects) exchange knowledge and strengthen SNVs position;
• In addition the Country Director fosters innovation of SNV products and services: facilitates learning documentation and evidence-based knowledge development in collaboration with SNVs global team and partners; and ensures collaboration with renowned knowledge institutes and networks.

Qualifications :

Your background

The ideal candidate brings a minimum of five years of relevant leadership experience at a senior end- responsible level in Nigeria. We expect you to be a strong people leader with an understanding and curiosity for diversity and inclusion. You thrive in an environment where evidence building is required and you are not shy to share that passion to motivate others. You have experience in cooperation with governments and partners as well as donor relations and actors in SNVs three sectors and core thematic areas. You have proven track record in project management including familiarity with donor-funded project procedures and processes.

You have strong business acumen accompanied by demonstrated business development experience on large tenders and grants from multilateral development agencies banks and bilateral donors but also a track-record in mobilising resources including strong networking and positioning skills at multiple levels. You thrive in a complex multi-stakeholder environment you have experience in fragile and conflict affected work environments and you understand the sensitivity of the political economical context in Nigeria.

You have a people-centric focus and can mobilise teams against strategy and can coach lead stimulate and inspire professionals in a development context ability to manage remote leadership dynamics. Proficiency in both written and spoken English is required.

The ideal candidate brings a minimum of five years of relevant leadership experience at a senior endresponsible level in Nigeria and is a strong people leader with an understanding of and curiosity for diversity and inclusion. You thrive in an environment where evidence building is required and are not shy to share that passion to motivate others. You have experience working with governments partners and donor relations as well as actors in SNVs three sectors and core thematic areas and you bring a proven track record in project management including familiarity with donorfunded project procedures and processes.

You have strong business acumen supported by demonstrated business development experience on large tenders and grants from multilateral development agencies banks and bilateral donors together with a track record in mobilising resources and strong networking and positioning skills at multiple levels. You thrive in a complex multistakeholder environment have experience in fragile and conflictaffected work settings and understand the sensitivity of the political and economic context in Nigeria. You have a peoplecentric focus can mobilise teams around strategy and can coach lead stimulate and inspire professionals in a development context including managing remote leadership dynamics. Proficiency in both written and spoken English is required.

What you bring

To be considered for this role you bring:

• A Masters degree in Project Management Development Studies or a related field.
• A minimum of five years of relevant senior endresponsible leadership experience in Nigeria ideally within international development.
• A proven track record in securing competitive funding and managing project portfolios of approximately USD 10 million.
• Excellent communication networking and presentation skills with experience profiling and representing an organisation.
• Experience in strategy and policy development within an international organisation.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
• Strong strategic thinking planning and organisational skills with the ability to work effectively in partnership networks.
• A resultoriented mindset and the ability to perform under pressure.

Additionally we value:

• An entrepreneurial mindset with demonstrated privatesector experience.
• Strong business development capacity including experience with PublicPrivate Partnerships.
• Working experience in coastal countries beyond Nigeria.

Additional Information :

Contract Type:                                  National contract Fulltime (40 hours per week)
Contract Duration:                            Initial twoyear assignment with possibility of extension
Location:                                           Abuja Nigeria
Expected Start Date:                        1st May 2026

Working at SNV 
At SNV we challenge and inspire and offer continuous growth. We offer meaningful opportunities to shape the future expand your skills and collaborate with a vibrant global network of experts. At SNV your contribution matter and your development is our priority.

We are home to 57 cultures working in 22 countries with about 95% of our team members holding the nationality of the respective countries we work in. We promote international career development. Our workforce consists of a mix of both people with longstanding tenure willing to share their institutional knowledge as well as people with local expertise and knowledge. All with an inquisitive view and united in ONE SNV working towards our purpose.

Together we are committed to the effective and efficient stewardship of resources and maximising positive lasting impacts. Our ability to deliver results rests on our robust foundation of experience technical knowledge evidence and learning; our commitment to strengthening capacities and catalysing partnerships; and the relationships and trust of those we work alongside.

SNV is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment and make recruitment decisions based on merit competence and organisational needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race ethnicity religion gender gender identity or expression sexual orientation age disability nationality marital status or any other status protected by applicable law. Women persons with disabilities and candidates from under-represented backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

How to apply 

If you meet the key requirements and feel inspired by this opportunity we warmly welcome your application. Please submit your CV and motivation letter by 1st April 2026 via SmartRecruiters.

To ensure a focused and respectful recruitment process we kindly ask that you apply only if you meet the essential qualifications and are available to work in the specified location.

If this role isnt the right fit but youre interested in joining SNV in the future we invite you to follow us on LinkedIn and our career page Vacancies SNV to stay updated on new opportunities that match your profile.

Reference and vetting check

At SNV our belief in the CARE principles Commitment to impact Adaptive to Context Respecting Difference and Expertise in Practice shapes how we work with each other and every interaction we have with our colleagues partners and the communities we serve. These values guide how we welcome new team members ensuring our workplace remains a place of trust safety and dignity for all.

As part of our commitment to a safe inclusive and respectful workplace we carry out reference and background checks for all determined positions with particular attention to safeguarding. You will be invited to provide the contact details of two referees and we will only approach them once you have given your permission. We handle this process with care empathy and strict confidentiality using the information solely for purposes related to your application and the role you have applied for.

SNV is committed to safeguarding and to protecting children and adults from all forms of harm with zero tolerance for sexual exploitation abuse harassment or any other form of misconduct. As part of creating a safe respectful and inclusive working environment all staff consultants and partners are expected to uphold SNVs safeguarding child protection ethical standards and CARE line with these commitments and as a participant in the InterAgency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS) SNV will request a Statement of Conduct from your previous employer(s) covering any substantiated findings of misconduct to ensure a recruitment process that safeguards and protect the communities we serve.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time