Program Officer, Conflict at Mercy Corps

Reference No: MDG/HUMOPS/2018/00007
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Reports directly to: Project Manager NE-CMS
Remotely reports to: Project Manager TARE
Works directly with: All field team members
Duration: Ends 31st October, 2019.

Project Description
Mercy Corps’ through funding from the Department for International Development (DFID) will implement the second phase of the Northeast Conflict Management and Stabilisation (NE-CMS) programme, aimed at increasing societal and individual resilience to violent extremism in Northeast Nigeria through strengthening government and civil-society led efforts to address key grievances, increase economic opportunities for youth, and set the stage for successful reintegration of former members of violent groups and their victims.

The NE-CMS programme will focus on three main areas considered to be critical for prevention of violent extremism in Northeast Nigeria that were identified through a rigorous research and stakeholder and partner analysis. The NE-CMS programme seeks to strengthen government and community cooperation to re-build trust in governments’ ability to provide basic services and security; reduce youth participation in violence through improving their well-being, supporting constructive social behaviours, productively engaging in community development, and providing opportunities to fulfil their economic ambitions and prepare the ground for reintegration processes of former fighters and their victims, as well as displaced population, through sensitization of the communities and an inclusive reconciliation process that would build and restore trust across all sectors of society.

To support the aims and objectives of the NE-CMS programme, Mercy Corps’ through funding from the Gerald A. and Henrietta Rauenhorst (GHR) Foundation will also implement TARE (which stands for “together” in Hausa) an inter-religious peacebuilding program. TARE aims to reduce participation in violence in Northern Nigeria through engagement of religious actors in interfaith and policy dialogues. In Borno State, Mercy Corps will engage male and female Christian and Islamic religious leaders to contribute towards a state-level Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) framework followed by community action plans to prevent violent extremism. This work will be done in cooperation with community leaders, civil society, and local and state government officials. NE-CMS/TARE will be implemented in several LGAs across Borno state.

General Position Summary

• The Programme Officer will support the implementation of activities related to capacity building for religious and community leaders and key government stakeholders in Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) and radicalization of youth, and the facilitation of events related to CVE/peacebuilding initiatives.
• The Programme Officer will also provide support to all other activities related to the NE-CMS/TARE programmes and will ensure smooth, timely, and compliant implementation.
• The Programme Officer will liaise frequently with community members and represent Mercy Corps at meetings and forums.

Essential Job Functions
Program Implementation:

• Ensure effective implementation of the NE-CMS/TARE programmes, including meeting deliverables on time, within budget, and according to MC and donor standards.
• Ensure that NE-CMS/TARE is responsive in strengthening local capacities to implement evidence-based, community- led projects that address the drivers of instability in the region.
• Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites in several Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Borno state in North-East Nigeria.
• Support technical aspects of the program by assisting with the development of activities/agendas/curriculum related to CVE.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate community meetings, events, and trainings as required.
• Liaise with partner organizations, government officials and potential resource persons as needed.

Personal Leadership:

• Demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
• Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.
• Demonstrate an awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs.

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Reporting:

• Facilitate the achievement of performance-based targets and outcomes and lead efforts to design effective, proactive, and iterative M&E systems following DFID’s logical framework.
• Produce draft reports and updates on all aspects of the NE-CMS/TARE program in a timely and efficient manner.
• Support M&E staff to implement relevant surveys, need assessments, data and information collection for on-going monitoring.
• Coordinate closely with other all personnel to ensure all objectives of the proposal and activities are met.

Representation:

• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events in the field, in close coordination as assigned.

Programme Support Operations:

• Work closely with the programme team based in Abuja, with program, finance, operations, and administration to ensure effective systems are in place to support field activities including logistics (transport, warehousing and asset management), procurement, security, administration and human resources.

Organizational Learning:

• As part of Mercy Corps’ agency-wide Organizational Learning Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.

Accountability:

• To be accountable for ensuring all allocated project plans, risk plans and project documentation and files are accurate and up to date.
• Also Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards 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.

Knowledge and Experience

• Strong educational background in conflict management, peacebuilding, international development or other relevant field;
• A minimum of 2 to 4 years of experience in a related position, with experience working in rural communities in North-East Nigeria strongly preferred;
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing. High proficiency level in Hausa and other local languages spoken in the Borno state is strongly preferred.
• Experience operating large, complex programs in an insecure environment is required.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues in high security environment.
• 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.
• Experience working with the relevant Borno state Ministries, Departments and Agencies is preferred.

Success Factors

• The successful Programme Officer will combine exceptional management skills and technical skills with a focus on innovative interventions to bring communities together. An ideal candidate will be conversant with the challenges inherent in CVE/peacebuilding work and will be a self-starter who has led grassroots development efforts. S/he will have an outstanding ability to support innovative and complex programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential
• The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions:

• The PO will be based in Maiduguri, Borno state. The PO will travel frequently to program locations, where security may be particularly difficult at times.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. 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.