Senior Project Officer (ECPN) at Mercy Corps

Location: Biu, Gombe

Program / Department Summary
For years, the Northeast of Nigeria has been plagued by insurgency and a dire humanitarian crisis. The intense focus on humanitarian and counter-violence activities, coupled with increasingly complex conflict dynamics in the region, has exposed gaps in the international community’s response to new and emerging sources of violence.

Tensions between IDPs and host communities, resistance of communities to accept former fighters and their victims, fear of IDPs to return home and face tensions with those who stayed behind - these are just several evolving sources of conflict. If these issues are not addressed in a timely manner through locally- owned solutions, they have the potential to intensify and worsen the on-going crisis in the NE. Therefore, a pool of strong local partners capable of addressing existing and newly emerging tensions and conflicts is essential to prevent NE from falling further into a vicious cycle of conflict and poverty.

Mercy Corps has expanded its portfolio of conflict management in the Northeast of Nigeria with the program Engaging Communities for Peace in Nigeria (ECPN), funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). This two-year expansion of ECPN program aims to build the capacity of influential local CSOs with mandates in peacebuilding and conflict management/mitigation. The two-year extension will enable Mercy Corps to guide NE-based CSOs through the full cycle of capacity building and project management while utilizing an experiential approach that encourages learning-by-doing.

By the end of the project, we will have built a network of local partners with the capacity to apply for grants from international donors and implement high-quality peacebuilding programs. This increased local capacity will enable greater local ownership of peacebuilding initiatives, and ensure more impactful and cost-efficient investments that can be sustained over the longer-term.

General Position Summary

• The Senior Project Officer for Biu will support selected Northeast CSOs improve their technical and organizational capacity to deliver high-quality peacebuilding programming that meets USAID and other international development partners’ expectations.
• The Senior Project Officer will support the implementation of activities related to organizational, technical and leadership capacity of local peacebuilding organizations in Gombe, Bauchi, and South Borno, with high potential for working in post-insurgency conflict context.
• The Senior Project Officer will also provide support to all other activities related to the ECPN program in the above mentioned locations, and will ensure smooth, timely, and compliant implementation.
• The Senior Project Officer will liaise frequently with implementing partners and local peacebuilding organizations, and represent Mercy Corps at relevant meetings.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Ensure implementation of activities is on time, target and budget.
• Represent the organization in a professional manner at all times, acting with the highest levels of integrity and personal accountability.
• Support technical aspects of conflict management and economic development program by assisting with the development of activities/agendas/curriculum related to peacebuilding.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate community meetings, events, and trainings as required.
• Liaise with ECPN partner organizations and potential resource persons as needed.
• Provide regular reports on activities and challenges.
• In collaboration with M&E officer, implement relevant surveys, needs assessments, and other data collection activities for on-going monitoring and learning.
• Coordinate closely with other Mercy Corps conflict management staff to ensure all objectives of the proposal and activities are met.
• Contribute to ongoing strategic communication; solicits support and feedback from Senior Program Manager and Director of Conflict Management Programs as needed.
• Ensure implementation of activities is on time, target and budget.
• Liaise with ECPN partner organizations and potential resource persons as needed.

Requirements

• Knowledge of local and international conflict prevention and peacebuilding organizations.
• Flexibility and adaptability in managing and prioritizing high workloads, multiple tasks, and multiple teams in a fluid environment.
• Ability to work in emotionally stressful context while respecting security considerations and operational boundaries.
• Strong ability to communicate verbally and in writing.
• Able to adapt to different cultures and communication styles, as well as to establish and maintain effective and productive working relationship with colleagues from varying cultures, functions, organizations and positions.

Knowledge and Experience

• Fluency in Hausa and English, both written and spoken.
• BA/BSc or equivalent in conflict management, social sciences, international development or other relevant field (Masters preferred).
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working in the non-profit sector in conflict management/peacebuilding, community development, or organizational capacity building of CSOs.
• Experience working in rural areas in Nigeria, particularly in the Northeast.
• Experience working in a multi-organizational team (international and national partners) is a plus.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing.
• Willingness to travel to the field and between Mercy Corps offices.

Success Factors:

• The successful Senior Program Officer will combine exceptional implementation skills and technical skills with a focus on innovative interventions to bring conflicting communities together.
• An ideal candidate will be conversant with the challenges inherent in peacebuilding work and will be a self-starter who has led grassroots development efforts. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.
• The candidate must have excellent attention to detail.