PROJECT DIRECTOR

Job Title : Project Director
Project : NiWEMA Scale-Up Programme
Organisation : Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), Pan-Atlantic University
Grade / Level : Senior Leadership
Reporting To : EDC Director / Project Lead
Work Location : Enterprise Development Centre, Lagos (with travel to field locations as required)
Contract Type : Fixed-term contract (5 years), renewable annually subject to satisfactory performance and continued project funding

ROLE OVERVIEW
The Project Director provides overall strategic and operational leadership for the NiWEMA Scale-Up Programme, bearing full accountability for the successful delivery of its commitment to reach 750,000 female-led micro and small enterprise participants and create 975,000 jobs over five years. The programme operates across two delivery modalities, an LMS-based online cohort model (40% of participants) and physical training delivered by EDC and implementing partners (60% of participants) and engages participants both as individuals and through sector-based clusters in fashion, food, agriculture, and other industries. The Project Director provides strategic leadership across all workstreams, manages funder and stakeholder relationships, and ensures programme quality, financial integrity, and impact at scale.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
● Provide strategic direction and operational oversight for the full NiWEMA programme across both online and physical delivery modalities, ensuring workstreams are aligned and outcomes are being achieved.
● Serve as the primary liaison with the funder, managing the relationship with professionalism, accountability, and transparency including all required reporting, budget conversations, and programme updates.
● Lead and develop the NiWEMA project team including the Finance Director and all Lead roles, fostering a high-performing, gender-responsive, and values-driven team culture.
● Oversee the development and execution of annual workplans, budgets, and monitoring frameworks across both delivery streams and both participation models (individual and cluster-based).
● Manage the implementing partner network responsible for physical training delivery, ensuring partner performance, quality compliance, and contractual obligations are met.
● Lead the development of a cluster engagement strategy that enables sector-based clusters in fashion, food, agriculture, and other sectors to participate effectively in the programme.
● Oversee risk management across the programme, with particular attention to the risks inherent in large-scale field operations, implementing partner management, and community-based engagement.
● Ensure full compliance with funder requirements, EDC policies, safeguarding standards, and all applicable Nigerian regulatory frameworks.
● Champion gender equality, inclusion, and safeguarding principles throughout all aspects of programme design and delivery across both online and physical channels.
● Represent NiWEMA at high-level external engagements, conferences, government forums, and sector events.
● Lead programme learning and adaptation using data from both delivery streams to continuously improve the programme model over its five-year life.
● Any other related task on the engagement
 QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
● Master’s degree in development studies, Business Administration, Project Management, Social Sciences, or a related field.
● Minimum of 15 years' progressive experience in programme or project leadership, with at least 5 years at senior management level.
● Demonstrated experience managing large-scale, donor-funded programmes with both digital and field delivery components preferably with a women's economic empowerment or enterprise development focus.
● Proven experience managing implementing partner networks in a multi-state or national programme context.
● Strong track record of funder relationship management and results-based reporting at scale.
● Deep understanding of sector-based enterprise clusters and value chain dynamics in the Nigerian context.
● PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management certification is an advantage.
KEY COMPETENCIES
● Strategic leadership across complex, multi-modal programmes
● Implementing partner and stakeholder management
● Dual delivery model (online and physical) oversight
● Results orientation and accountability at scale
● Team leadership and people development
● Gender-responsive leadership

To apply:
Please submit a cover letter and your CV to gn.ude.uap%40tcejorpamewin, using the subject line " Project Director ".
Application Deadline : August 28th, 2026