Program Assistant - Poultry Development for Resettlement (PDR) at Mercy Corps

Reference Number: MDG/HUMOPS/2019/00059
Locations: Maiduguri, Dikwa, Damboa and Gwoza - Borno

Program / Department Summary

• Poultry Development for Resettlement program aims to revitalize the poultry livelihoods and markets through the introduction of affordable, hybrid chickens in the context of Northeast Nigeria
• The program will facilitate support to individuals and/or households in order to engage in a safe income generating activity (Poultry rearing) and provides households with access to a nutritious source of protein in the form of chicken and eggs, and thereby improve their nutritional status.
• The position will be based in Maiduguri with travel to project sites on regular basis
• The project works with, private sector, Individual poultry farmers, returnees’ households and the host community.

General Position Summary

• The program assistant will assist the program teams in the day to day implementation of all program activities in the areas of intervention
• S/he will work extensively with other sectors of the project to ensure that all activities are implemented successfully and timely.

Essential Job Functions

• Assist program officers to ensure program progress according to the developed schedule and work plan.
• Assist in the coordination in target geographical areas.
• Support in the process of beneficiary registration, community mobilization and sensitization.
• Assist in promoting community participation and inclusion so as to encourage community ownership over activities implemented.
• Ensure equal representation of various community groups in the implementation of activities.
• Assist in the facilitation of community meetings, focus group discussion and other as required by the program.
• Keep program officers and management updated with regards to security situation in the project implementation area.
• Provide weekly field reports, capturing activities progress, lessons learned as well as general situation and community updates and needs.
• Document lessons learned and success stories on the project.
• Facilitate effective communication of information to various audiences using a variety of techniques, ensuring the information is tailored to the audience.
• Assist program officers in engaging mother unit and Small Holder Poultry Farmers to understand message they are trying to convey.
• Contribute to applying well researched and thought out interventions to revitalize the poultry livelihoods and facilitation of recovery of poultry markets.
• Constantly seeking to understand and share that understanding.
• Assist in providing information on the affected and targeted community and support to coordinates Small Holder Poultry Farmer lists as well as different stakeholders.
• Building and maintaining trust by showing integrity, demonstrating competence, being open, reliable, and showing interest in the poultry business.
• Support where necessary community meetings, sensitization to identify farmers and/or potential mother units for poultry development program.
• Assist in Integrating community approaches, gender sensitivity, protection and capacity building into all PDR activities as appropriate.
• Adherence to all MC policies and procedures as outlined in MC policies and procedure manuals;
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission in country of operation;
• Other duties as assigned.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
• Work closely with Mercy Corps Nigeria country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all aspects of its implementation process.

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.

Accountability

• Supervisory Responsibility: None
• Reports Directly To: Program Officer
• Works Directly With: Finance, Program, MEL, Operations, and support team

Knowledge and Experience

• 1-2 years of working experience. Previous experience in community work is highly preferred.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain good relation with the local communities and project beneficiaries.
• Demonstrated skills in planning, organizing and reporting
• Bachelor's Degree in relevant field or equivalent experience is highly recommended
• Ability to work under pressure
• Strong interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills
• Excellent oral and written skills and computer skills
• Fluency in English; fluency in Hausa is required; ability to speak location specific local languages is also desired.

Success Factors

• Strong Work Ethic, having the ability to learn the most efficient way of learning the most efficient way to complete tasks and finding ways to save time while completing daily assignments
• Dependability and Responsibility, having the ability to come to work on time, are there when they are supposed to be, and are responsible for their actions and behavior
• Adaptability, being adaptable and maintaining flexibility in completing tasks in an ever-changing workplace.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

• The position is based in Maiduguri, Borno State and it requires travels between field offices in Northeast Nigeria.