Fresh Jobs at Mercy Corps

General Position Summary

The Food Assistance Program Officers, under the supervision of the Food Security Coordinator, will support the day-to-day implementation of Food Assistance activities in Dikwa under the BEGE Program. S/he will work closely with other sectors such as MEL, CASH, Nutrition and Livelihood ensuring smooth project implementation and delivery of program objectives. 

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Implement all Food assistance activities within the work plan and offer technical guidance to the team.
• Support the implementation of Food assistance activities and ensure smooth coordination across sectors under the BEGE program.
• Develop activity work plans and manage day-to-day activity implementation related to Food Assistance.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to vulnerability criteria.
• Conduct monthly food redemption across communities within the LGA.
• Provide technical inputs on the execution of the implementation of Food assistance activities in a timely manner.
• Coordinate with other sectors (Cash, Nutrition, Livelihoods, MEL, WASH) and support units to ensure activities are conducted within MC policy and with the maximum benefit to the program.
• Provide inputs to the design and implementation of training in any areas related to the program activities for staff, communities, and program beneficiaries.
• Regularly monitor and supervise redemption exercises as well as beneficiary targeting.
• Ensures beneficiary complaints mechanisms and Accountability to the Affected Population are addressed in the appropriate way that does not discredit the image of Mercy Corps.
• Ensure establishment and maintenance of relationships with communities, and local government in the target.
• Ensure that key learnings are extracted from Food assistance implementation and incorporate them in Food assistance implementation and staff development processes.
• Provide systematic training and build the capacity of the food assistance teams.
• Maintain filing of all Mercy Corps beneficiaries, and ensure all lists are well captured electronically and manually.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate community meetings, events and training as required.
• Represent Mercy Corps in relevant forums/clusters.
• Work with all program teams, and M&E on food assistance monitoring including baselines, end-lines, midterm reviews, lesson learning exercises and evaluations and ensure learning informs programming.
• Responsible for monitoring the day-to-day activities in the field and initiating relevant assessment reports with proposals.
• Build and maintain good external relationships and coordination with relevant food assistance actors within and out of Maiduguri.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Any Other duties as assigned

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves. 

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility: Transaction monitors.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Food Security Program Coordinator.

Works Directly with: All program Staff, M&E teams, MC beneficiaries, and MC Partners. 

Knowledge and Experience

• BA/Sc. in Agriculture or any related discipline.
• 2 years of experience working on the development, implementation, administration and compliance of a field-based international development or humanitarian program; general gender and protection mainstreaming experience & knowledge required.
• At least 2 years of experience implementing Food Assistance program in the Northeast, Nigeria.
• At least 2 years of experience implementing Supplementary Nutrition Assistance/fresh food and vegetables.
• Experience using voucher modality and knowledge of Nagis platform.
• Experience working with local partners, especially market vendors, is required.
• Experience with conducting gender analysis, protection assessments, monitoring and evaluation and other learning efforts required.
• Demonstrated strengths in analytical skills, monitoring and evaluation, and report writing.
• Strong interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills.
• Excellent oral and written skills and computer skills.
• Fluency in English and Hausa is required.

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General Position Summary

The Natural Resource Management (NRM) Advisor will provide strategic advice, analysis, and direction to the communities, and local governance structures on a range of NRM-related issues concerning policy, management and development, land & water use, environment and conservation, and research and development. The NRM Advisor will lead, monitor, and report on the climate approaches and NRM compliance. He/she will lead project formulation and implementation to ensure that climate and NRM requirements are met. The NRM Advisor will lead the identification and establishment of natural resource management committees and will work closely in synergy with the Senior Program Officer to identify and implement immediate conflict prevention or mitigation measures, such as the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure along transhumance corridors. Also, the NRM Advisor will be the custodian of community action plans which lays the foundation for the implementation of social cohesion and infrastructure projects by collaborating closely with the Infrastructure Advisor who leads the final execution of specific community projects. The NRM Advisor in collaboration with the communications team will disseminate key findings and lessons learned in research briefs, white papers, and reports.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Research, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning 

• Lead in the design, implementation, and interpretation of the community natural resource maps, and communicate the key findings and implications to internal and external audiences.
• Ensure timely provision of strategic technical advice including the appropriate documentation and dissemination of processes and results to the program team, community stakeholders, and external partners.
• Contribute to conducting community-level natural resource situational analysis and dissemination to stakeholders. Carry out documentation of best practices.
• Assist to develop and institute a simple yet robust NRM monitoring plan.

Capacity building

• Assess training needs of project staff, government staff, and beneficiaries; develop appropriate training curriculum, training material, and support training implementation.
• Provide technical backstopping to the project staff in NRM, particularly in the areas of planning and implementing community-based natural resource management initiatives, and development of operational action plans.
• Contribute to developing technical guidelines, manuals, handbooks, and information materials relevant to project implementation and building capacity of project staff, government staff, and community beneficiaries.

Program Implementation

• Support in the identification of the targeted intervention sites and program participants and help formulate indicative project activities. Coordination of the overall site selection process for all on-the-ground interventions (in consultation with stakeholders)
• Review costed community action plans for implementation.
• Support the development of ToRs of technical consultancies related to the subject matter.

 Program Quality Oversight

• Review of national, and local policy and legislative frameworks related to land use planning (including the possibility of conservation/restoration), commodity production, water management, and sustainable forest management, identification of trends and opportunities for change.
• Review of relevant past and ongoing initiatives for lessons learned and synergies.
• Profiling of the delineated project landscape, including working with the state governments e.g., Land & Survey, Forestry sectors on mapping current land use and natural resource management.

Technical Leadership

• Provide safeguard and gender implementation support to the project and wider program team to enhance project and initiative quality and ensure compliance with internal policies and procedures, including advice on improving implementation to meet project targets and compliance.

Team Management

• Sustain a work environment of mutual respect you and other team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Provide other team members with information, tools, and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

Finance & Compliance Management

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to the project implementation.

Influence and Representation

• Identify, build, and manage collaborative partnerships with Consortium partners, local governments, and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure project implementation targets and technical quality standards are met.
• Participate in coordination meetings and workshops for the project at both Local and State levels as delegated.

Knowledge and Experience

• Minimum BA/S in relevant field or another similar field; MA/MS/MBA or equivalent preferred in, Natural Resources Management, Environment Sciences, related Biological Management, or other related fields.
• Minimum of 4 years of working experience in a similar context and issues.
• Familiarity with global and localized climate change priorities, standards, and compliance requirements
• Familiarity with global NRM and climate frameworks that can be adopted for the management of local resource-related issues.
• Good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues in a highly insecure environment.
• Previous experience in implementation, monitoring, and evaluating sustainable NRM management.
• Demonstrated capability in policy formulation.
• Expertise in forestry, water, and land management and development.
• Understanding of national and regional/global issues related to NRM.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to motivate, inspire and promote teamwork in an interdisciplinary, multicultural, context.
• Experience in supporting institutional capacity building.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Excellent writing, editing, and analytical skills and ability to formulate well-targeted documents.
• Strong negotiation and coordination skills.
• Fluency in English; fluency in Hausa is a plus.

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General Position Summary

• This role will support the implementation of the EU-funded pilot program titled ‘Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation in Northwest Nigeria. The project will be implemented through a Consortium led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with Mercy Corps (MC), and the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD).
• Katsina has been experiencing multiple dimensions of conflict, including farmer-herder strife, and acts of Banditry. While the conflict has many factors, it is rooted in the increased competition over land tenure and mismanagement of natural resources. The lack of or unimplemented policy frameworks on land access, resource use, and weak dispute resolution mechanisms, as well as a broader absence of social protection, have created a vacuum contributing to lawlessness and conflict.
• The conflict had its epicentre in Zamfara, however, with a false narrative, the subsequent mobilization of vigilante groups along ethnic and community lines and impunity, and increased access to light weapons, the conflict escalated to Katsina. Coupled with repeated and lethal cycles of communal violence and wider human rights violations and abuses, especially against women and girls. This proposed pilot project will complement the Government's efforts in conflict mitigation and community reconciliation by promoting an inclusive peace-building process in Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, and Kankara LGAs in Katsina State.
• The project’s overall objective is to reduce community violence, promote locally-driven peace initiatives, and mitigate conflicts over natural resources in Katsina State of Northwest Nigeria.
• The project will contribute to strengthening the capacity of communities and local governments to manage their resources sustainably; reinforce their social cohesion; and build more resilient households and societies through the establishment of dialogue mechanisms inclusive of all social groups and authorities, provision of mental health and psychosocial support and the strengthening of the local governance system.
• The Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Officer is a key team member of Mercy Corps’ Program Performance and Quality (PaQ) unit. The unit exists to support program design, implementation, and utilization of information collected at different stages.
• The position holder will support the team with technical oversight planning and execution of monitoring and evaluation, ensuring quality by accepted standards, and providing essential feedback for learning, accountability, and decision-making.
• S/he will be responsible for providing internal capacity building for program staff on monitoring and evaluation activities as well as reviewing and developing timely and quality reports and the tools necessary to meet Mercy Corps and donor reporting requirements. S/he will coordinate, and support data collection and analysis activities facilitated by MEL Assistant and regularly provide technical oversight, problem-solving, and support.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy and Design

• Contribute to adapting existing M&E systems to monitor and evaluate project activities and impact, by existing Mercy Corps DM&E guidelines.
• Ensure regular reporting to the Consortium MEL coordinator and assist in the coordination of Consortium MEL activities.
• Assist in program strategy design, planning, and implementation to ensure adherence to Mercy Corps’ Minimum Standards, including the use of standardized tools and indicators and documentation methodologies.
• Lead and support the design and implementation of assessments and other pre, ex-ante, and post-data collection and analysis.
• Support learning-to-action events and reflection sessions to analyze data for programmatic use and to document and incorporate lessons learned into program design, planning, and implementation.

Data Management and Quality Control

• Assist program teams to develop and maintain knowledge and information management systems to support data collection, reflection, analysis, and reporting needs.
• Ensure quality control procedures and accuracy of entered data and compare it with the existing filing system to make sure all records are consistent and aligned.
• Provide support in the development of MEL Plans, tools, survey design, methodology, data analysis, and other services as may be required for program monitoring and evaluation.
• Oversee data indicator tracking and analysis, linking it with evidence regularly and ensuring that data and metrics in field reports are accurate.
• Remain updated with developments among the Mercy Corps Nigeria MEL community and agency-wide MEL trends and resources and ensure that the MEL team is applying MC guidance and policies appropriately and promptly.

Technical Support

• Maintain an up-to-date database that reflects progress through TolaData (including disaggregated beneficiary counts) and donor indicators.
• Play a key role in the development and leading in the review of program logical framework, intervention strategies, and M&E frameworks and document changes to generate learnings and ideas for programs.
• Work with the program team to identify opportunities to innovate M&E systems (particularly digital enhancement, data visualization, and GIS).
• Coordinate assessments, evaluations, and monitoring surveys in the area of operation.

Documentation, Reporting, and Learning

• Regularly document program data analysis summaries, and evaluations and provide evidence-based information, and other high-quality, results-based documentation.
• Produce quality program reports and support program teams to review and improve the quality of reporting.
• Visit sites and partners to collect supplementary data, and stories and conduct qualitative research both independently and in teams and support partner organizations with proper documentation and report generation.
• Work closely with the Learning and Communication officer to identify and document different case stories and communications points and processes across programs.

 Additional Tasks

• Ensure regular communication, coordination, and reporting with the Consortium MEL Coordinator (IOM)
• Maintain professional relationships with local government officials, private sector partners, NGOs, other development organizations, and civil society organizations.
• Maintain an active advisory role with the program and MEL team to help guide them toward robust and relevant data collection.
• Work with MEL and IT staff to maximize the value and utility of technology initiatives for effective MEL.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by his/her supervisor or representatives.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves. 

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Program Manager works closely with the Country MEL Manager, project field teams, Communications team, and Consortium Coordinator.

Knowledge and Experience

• BA / BSc in Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, Economics, Development Studies, or another similar field; MA/MS/MBA in similar fields or equivalent is also preferred.
• At least 4 years of experience in development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation or other learning efforts is required.
• Past or current experience with conducting MEL for peacebuilding is preferable.
• Should understand concepts and demonstrate skills in monitoring and evaluation, results frameworks/program logic, and participatory monitoring.
• Experience with both quantitative and qualitative data collection and reporting techniques.
• Ability to design and implement surveys and knowledge of commonly used sampling techniques.
• Experience with facilitation, capacity building, formal and informal knowledge transfer, partnership strengthening, and empowering staff through opportunities for growth and development.
• Experience leading learning extraction, development, and sharing as part of the monitoring and evaluation feedback process.
• Familiarity with data visualization and data analytics
• Knowledge of statistical analysis software such as Tableau, SPSS, EPI Info, and mobile data collection platforms is preferable.
• Experience with digital or technology platforms for the program and MEL-related activities
• Strong ability to work across teams.
• Communicates well with remote collaborators.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Fluency in English; fluency in Hausa is a plus.