Head of Mission at Solidarites International

Location: Abuja, Maiduguri
Desired start date: 1/04/2017
Duration of the mission: 8 months

About the Mission
SI has been operating in Borno State since July 2016, and is strongly focusing on the massive life-saving needs of the conflict-affected populations, through a 3-legged strategy:

• Multisectorial early recovery interventions in secured areas, implemented at neighborhood level in order to take into consideration the environmental context, risk factors, availability of resources and resilience capacities at a community level. This holistic approach entails a vulnerability-tailored assistance combined with a capacity building component.
• Acting on water to fight against malnutrition. SI with its partner, a medical NGO, is doing its best to reduce malnutrition rates, especially of under-5-year children, alongside host communities and displaced people. To do so, SI equips nutrition and healthcare centers with water treatment and sanitation systems. In parallel, in host communities in both cities and in the camp in which 40,000 displaced people are living, within the walls of an old school in the city of Monguno, our teams are renovating water points, building toilets and working on water treatment solutions.
• Reducing food insecurity. In Maiduguri and especially Muna Garaje, SI is implementing cash distribution programmes with vouchers (particularly for families with acute-malnourished children) to permit food access to the most vulnerable populations. SI aims to reduce significant food insecurity in the area. The other important line is that our team is acting on the stabilization and safeguarding of livelihoods, to empower populations and decrease their dependence on food assistance, and furthermore, to reduce food insecurity.
• An emergency multisectoral assessment capacity in remote areas: RRM-inspired, and taking into consideration Borno State-related security and access situation, this axis would allow the provision of concrete, response-sizing oriented data to the humanitarian community, in strong coordination with mapping and coordination actors (OCHA, IOM database, Intersos interactive mapping database).
• Rapid response mechanism in IDPs camp-like settings outside Maiduguri: subsequently to the assessment axis, SI is aiming at covering the basic needs of displaced and non-displaced populations pockets in Borno most affected LGAs, in completion of ICRC’s current one-shot coverage.

Organization of the Mission

• The Nigeria mission is currently stabilizing its opening process. Due to projects’ expansion, a substantial increase in base staffing is ongoing in March and April 2017.
• Coordination is expected to spend a considerable amount of time in Maiduguri, in direct support of field based operations.
• Therefore, the mission has a coordination team based between Abuja and Maiduguri, which includes a Head of Mission, an Administrative coordinator, a Logistics and Supply Coordinators and a Deputy Country Director supervising a Monitoring Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Coordinator, a Wash Coordinator, a Shelter Coordinator, a Reporting Officer.
• Operations are based in Maiduguri, Monguno, Dikwa and N’gala.
• In Maiduguri the team is currently composed of one Field Coordinator, Project Manager(s), a Base Logistician and an Administrator. It is also supervising the 3 months emergency operations in Ngala.
• The Dikwa sub base is opening and is composed of one Administrative and Logistics Base Manager, and one Wash activity responsible.
• The Monguno sub-base is composed of an Administrative and Logistics Base Manager supported by a Log/Admin assistant recruited as national staff and a Project Manager.

About the Job

• The Head of Mission is the Solidarités International official representative in the country.
• S/He is in charge of the smooth running of the mission.
• S/He proposes mission strategy, according to the geopolitical and humanitarian context, and ensures its implementation once it has been validated.
• S/He monitors projects, ensuring that they are progressing in accordance with the Solidarités International charter and complying with internal and contractual procedures.
• S/He mobilizes the material and financial resources necessary for the programs to run effectively and supervises the administration of these resources.
• S/He coordinates the teams in place and ensures their security on the mission.
• S/He is the direct liaison for Solidarités International HQ.

Your Profile
Education:

• University Degree in humanitarian/development studies, social sciences, management or other related discipline.
• Strong experience may substitute for formal education.

Experience:

• More than 5 years of professional humanitarian experience, including as Country Director.
• Demonstrated experience in conflict contexts and insecure environments, with consequent experience in supporting emergency response programming, access negotiation and security analysis and management.
• Extensive program development and fund raising experience, including in working with major institutional donors, including: OFDA, ECHO, DFID, UN Agencies, etc
• Successful experience in managing multi-sector programmes especially WASH, Food Security&Livelihoods and cash-based interventions
• Demonstrated succesful experience in negotiation and external respresentation.
• Knowledge of Nigeria context and previous experience with SI are an asset

Technical Skills and Knowledge:

• Problem solving and analytical skills with the ability to assess challenges and recommend solutions
• Strong management and training/capacity-building skills
• Stress management skills: ability to work under pressure, able to prioritize and handle a diverse and heavy workload.
• Extensive knowledge and expertise of emergency response mechanisms (RRM)

Soft Skills and Spirit:

• Excellent diplomacy skills
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to delegate
• Flexible (will have to take on responsibilities that might not be directly on his/her JD)
• Adaptability to changing work environment and possible volatile security situation
• Stress management skills: ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines, with peaks of heavy workloads;

Languages:

• Fluent English: speaking, reading and writing skills
• Hausa is an asset

Others:

• Commitment to the fundamental principles of SI’s charter and ethos
• Unstable security conditions in Maiduguri, ability to adapt and work under pressure.

We Offer
A Salaried Post:

• According to experience from 2300 euros gross per month, plus 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly, and a monthly Per Diem.
• As a special benefit for the Nigeria mission from the 1st of January until the 30th of June 2017, each expatriate will receive 500 euros on his monthly gross salary.
• Accompanied with 600 usd monthly per diem.
• A food crisis and challenging security lead to an expanding mission, with special HR benefits.
  

Social and Medical Cover:

• Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which reimburses all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmology expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

Vacation:

• During the assignment, the expatriate is entitled to R&R every three months: two weeks at three months with a 500 euro allowance and two weeks at six months with a plane ticket back home covered by Solidarités.
• After 6 weeks one the field, expatriate will be encouraged to take 1 week in Abuja (3 days off and 2 days in office).