Senior Government Liaison Advisor at Oxfam

Internal Job Grade: C1
Contract type: 1 Year Fixed Term
Job Family: Communications
Reporting to: Country Director

Job Purpose

• Oxfam is committed to increasing its compliance with various directives of the Government of Nigeria
• The position holder will liaison closely with the various departments of Government of Nigeria at Federal, State and LGA levels and advise Oxfam for an increased compliance with the rules
• The position holder will liaise Oxfam programme operations with the concerned departments of the Government at all levels.
• The position holder will advise Oxfam management on compliance with the government directives and policies. The position holder will be the custodian of Oxfam’s positive and cordial working relationship with the Government of Nigeria at all levels.

Analysis, Preparedness and Mitigation (50% time):

• Ongoing analysis of the context and developments in relation to the government rules and directives.
• Develop and maintain up-to-date context analysis and risk assessment about operational environment in Nigeria.
• Develop and maintain an integrated system for entire range of Oxfam’s relationships and interactions with wide variety/range of Government officials, departments and ministries.
• Regularly prepare analysis of the government polices (related with Oxfam’s work) and advise Programme and Support functions for compliance and how to further improve working relationship with the government departments at various levels.
• Maintain close contacts with relevant stakeholders to develop a network and build relationships with key actors/stakeholders to ensure gathering of reliable information about relevant policies and procedures of Government of Nigeria for Oxfam work in country.
• Undertake regular visits/meetings as necessary to various ministries and departments, to gather information and to analyse the overall operational situation in existing and potential areas of programme interventions of Oxfam.
• Maintain and update “Operational Environment Index” for Oxfam in Nigeria and help/advise Oxfam’s management to minimise cost of operations and increase ease of doing programming work in Nigeria.

Compliance and Relationship management with Government of Nigeria (50% time):

• Establish, nurture and manage working and cordial relationships between Oxfam (as an INGO) and various stakeholders of the Government of Nigeria at all levels.
• Facilitating CD in making representation of Oxfam with Government of Nigeria at all levels
• Keep track of changes in the government departments to ensure that our organisational relationships are kept intact in case of frequent transfers, postings, etc.
• Proposing actions well in time after review/monitoring the overall economic, regulatory, social and political conditions that may affect working of INGOs in Nigeria.
• Regularly review/monitor the legislative and regulatory frameworks of the Federal and State Governments in Nigeria regarding working of civil society organisations and advise Oxfam about the ways to influence and attain full compliance well in time.
• Advising and supporting Programme teams to put in place compliance framework in the light of Government’s directives/instructions. Helping to build capacity of the team to understand the rules and policies of the Government.
• Supporting and advising Oxfam management in arranging necessary formal permissions/NOCs from the concerned government departments.
• Closely working with the Programme Teams of Oxfam (especially at the Programme Development stage) to ensure that government compliance is mainstreamed and relationship management with the government of Nigeria is built in all phases of our Programme.
• Institute Business Score Card (BSC) for Government relationship at all levels and regularly report health of the relationship to Oxfam Management.
• Capacity building of Oxfam staff and partners in compliance to the government rules and establishing good working relationship.

Contacts
External:

• Federal Ministries, especially Ministry of Budget and National Planning (MBNP), Ministry of Interior and so on.
• State Governments, especially the line departments related with rural development
• Humanitarian Coordination forums/bodies of the Government of Nigeria at various levels
• INGO Forum and other INGOs working in Nigeria
• UN Agencies

Internal:

• With Country Director and senior management staff to inform and co-ordinate on government relationships.
• With Oxfam Country Relationship Desk in The Hague and other Oxfam affiliates as and when necessary
• With relevant Oxfam teams and our partners to ensure that the government relationships and compliance are mainstreamed in our programme activities and vice versa.
• With the relevant support staff to ensure that all logistical, financial, IT, HR and administrative elements of the compliance with the polices of Government of Nigeria are in place.

Skills, Experience & Knowledge

• At least graduate Degree from any recognised University/Institution
• Minimum 8 Years practical experience of government liaison work including assessment, planning and implementation of procedures
• Proven influencing and negotiating skills with internal and external audiences including in complex and stressful circumstances.
• Proven experience of close relationship with key stakeholders in the various government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as government units at all levels (Local, State and Federal).
• Ability to advice and support Oxfam staff and our partners in a consultative manner.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, together with the capacity to remain calm under pressure and not lose sight of strategic priorities. Must be organised and efficient.
• A sound understanding of the importance of gender.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts.
• Willingness to travel within Nigeria, and often in difficult circumstances.
• Committed to Oxfam principles
• Fluent English and any major language of local language.