Head of Mission at Premiere Urgence Internationale (PUI)

Job ID: #1387396

Humanitarian situation and needs:
With the biggest population in Africa, (between 178.000.000 and 200.000.000 habitants), Nigeria is ranked as the first economy in Africa thanks to oil and petroleum products as well as mineral resources (gold, iron, diamonds, copper etc…). Despite a strong economy, Nigeria suffers from huge inequalities between rich and poors, and from a high rate of corruption, at every level.

In 2015, presidential elections were held and led to the election of Muhammad Buhari (former military) to replace Goodluck Jonathan. During the first months of his election, he has shown particular efforts to get progressively rid of corruption, and has officially announced that he would stop Boko Haram from harming people.

Boko Haram (meaning Western education is forbidden/ is a sin) and recently renamed Islamic State in Western Africa after it pledged allegiance to the group Islamic State, is a Sunni terrorist and jihadist group seeking to create a Kalifate in western Africa ruled by the sharia law.

Created in 2002 by Mohamed Yusuf in Maiduguri (State of Borno), the group has been carrying out armed attacks on civilian populations since 2011. However, the group was already at war with the national security forces in Nigeria, since 2004 with a high peak of the crisis in 2009.

From 2013, Boko Haram exported its action abroad, in Cameroon, Chad and Niger and was linked to a number of attacks kidnapping, particularly in Northern Cameroon. The intensification of conflict in north east states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe has inevitably resulted in the displacement of people across the troubled states.

A regional force made up of troops from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon launched a military offensive against Boko Haram in early 2015 and resulted in significant territorial losses for the insurgent group. By April 2015, Boko Haram had lost all its held territories except its stronghold in the Sambisa forest in Borno state (Reuters, 05/05/2015). The territorial gains by regional forces have prompted Boko Haram to revert to guerrilla tactics including village raids, abductions, bombings, and suicide attacks, increasingly targeting civilians – also in areas not previously targeted.

At the end of the year 2015, Boko Haram has been responsible for the deaths of 11,000 people, becoming the world’s deadliest terrorist group before the Group Islamic State.

OCHA estimates that about 14,8 million people are affected by the Boko Haram Crisis in the North Eastern States of Nigeria. Violence and armed conflict have worsen the situation of a civilians already living in precarious conditions and undermined the development efforts to reduce poverty, strained the States resources and exhausted the community coping capacities. This 6-years Crisis also put at risk inter-community, inter-ethnic and inter-religious coexistence.

As of today, 2,3 million IDPS have been registered in Nigeria, and with no access to most areas of Borno State it is estimated that IDPs should in fact be around 3 million. If some of the IDPs have sought refuge outside the North East, Adamawa, Borno, Gombe and Yobe States have been the most affected by the crisis. From the affected population, it estimated that 7 million people (with no consideration of status) are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

As of today, 70% of the registered IDPs (about 1.7 million) are settled in Maiduguri city which already counts 2.5 million people. 90% of the IDPs are located in host communities.

These alarming figures and the still ongoing displacements conducted Premiere Urgence Internationale to launch an exploratory mission in December 2015 to get a better overview of the situation, a better acquaintance with the context and to meet with the partners. After this visit, a multi-sectorial needs assessment was conducted in the city of Maiduguri.

Our action in the field

• The results of the assessment led PUI to position in host communities hosting IDPS of Maiduguri city.

In the beginning, the strategy will be focused on:

• Improving food security of the vulnerable population affected by the crisis via e-voucher / gardening / IGA
• Improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene via rehabilitation and construction of boreholes, wells and latrines and access to hygiene and shelter Non Food Items (via e voucher)
• During the course of February a health and mental health assessment will be realized in order to complete our analysis and to be able to set a referral system up for malnutrition cases and psychosocial in Maiduguri (Borno State).

Job Responsibilities
As part of our activities in Nigeria, we are looking for a Head Of Mission
The Head of Mission is responsible for the smooth opening, functioning and development of the mission.

• Safety & Security: S/he is responsible for the safety & security of the mission.
• Programmes: S/he coordinates the teams and ensures that the programmes implemented on the mission are properly carried out. S/he also monitors needs and suggests new operations and development tracks for the mission.
• Human Resources: S/he ensures that the mission is adequately staffed and supervises the teams (defining objectives, follow-up).
• Logistical, administrative and financial monitoring: S/he ensures that logistical and administrative practices in place respect PUI procedures and formats and are in compliance with donors’ rules and regulations
• Technical monitoring: S/he ensures that medical and technical practices respect PUI’s procedures and formats and are in compliance with PUI’s operational framework and policy.
• Representation: S/he represents the association in its relations with partners, donors,the media and different authorities.
• Relations with Headquarters: S/he ensures that information is properly circulated between Headquarters and the field and ensures that due dates are respected.

Training:

• Project management
• Education in Agriculture/Watsan /Public Health/Psychosocial
• Financial Management
• Human Resource Management
• Logistics and Security

Requirements
Experiences:

• 3 years of humanitarian experience in project co-ordination.
• Successful experience in expatriate team management and multi-sector programmes.
• Experience in security management
• Previous experience as Head of Mission in an NGO or OSI

Languages:

• English is mandatory, French is desirable

Required Personal Characteristics

• Leadership skills and the ability to make decisions
• Trustworthiness and a sense of responsibility
• Charisma and the ability to awake enthusiasm for the work the project involves
• Ability to use authority, when necessary
• Analysis and synthesis abilities (discenrment, pragmatism)
• Ability to adapt
• Organisational skills, ability to be thorough and respect due dates
• Strong listening and negotiation skills
• Good people and communication skills
• Ability to remain calm and level-headed
• General ability to resist stress and particularly in unstable circumstances

Proposed Terms

• Employed with a 6 months Fixed-Term Contract.

Remuneration

• Monthly gross income: from 2 420 up to 2 750 Euros depending on the experience in International Solidarity + 50 Euros per semester seniority with PUI
• Cost covered: Round-trip transportation to and from home / mission, visas, vaccines…
• Insurance including medical coverage and complementary healthcare, 24/24 assistance and repatriation
• Housing in collective accommodation
• Daily living Expenses (« Per diem »)
• Break Policy : 5 working days at 3 and 9 months + break allowance
• Paid Leaves Policy : 5 weeks of paid leaves per year + return ticket every 6 months.