Advocacy and Government Liaison Consultant at Search For Common Ground’s International

Position Summary

• Search is seeking an experienced, expert Advocacy and Government Liaison Consultant with over 7 years at a Senior Managerial role that will work and support her Nigeria country team in ensuring smooth working relationship with state actors, professional groups, and key community stakeholders. He/She will support advocacy and Government liason for “The Hustle Reality TV show, an initiative which aims to reinforce peace and social cohesion in Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara States. The Consultant will also support Search’s advocacies and strategic government engagements broadly across the North West and North Central Regions. The Consultant will act as a bridge between Search and government entities, private and non-profit organizations. He/She will support the country team to ensure compliance to government regulations, policies, and procedures, as well as the development and signing of an MOU with relevant government MDAS and key professional groups whose mandate aligns to Search thematic areas of work. He/She will see to be responsible for the effective coordination and linkages of our programmatic intervention with government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), providing support for programmatic intervention in project states as directed. He/she will report directly to the Director of Programs and will work collaboratively and harmoniously with other offices as directed.

Roles And Responsibilities

• The consultant will support the broader goal of positioning Search as a credible, dependable, and expert’s peacebuilding organization to authorities.
• He/She will provide advisory support and lead advocacy to government MDAs at National and sub-national entities.
• Expand advocacy avenues with key government MDAs and other stakeholders for Search to strengthen her operations and also mitigate challenges and risks.
• Provide advisory and make recommendations for country leadership consideration on the contextual situation of North West, North Central, and other parts of Nigeria as may be requested.
• He/She will provide advisory and recommendations periodically to periodic analysis of key political, security, socio-economic, and other developments, trends, and decisions that may impact Search programs in the country.
• He/She will open up space for dialogue and engagement with relevant government MDA,s including security actors at the State levels on thematic areas of relevance to conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

Additional Key Responsibilities And Activities.

• Strengthen Government-SEARCH Relations: Develop strategies to enhance mutual understanding, trust, and cooperation between Search and authorities at state levels. This will involve facilitating dialogues, meetings, and events.
• Address Administrative Bottlenecks: Identify and address administrative challenges impacting the operations of SEARCH in Nigeria, with a focus on resolving issues related to delayed or denied MOUs ) signings with MDAs at state levels and foster better relationships with government authorities, traditional and religious leaders.
• Foster Relationships with MDAs of Government, traditional and religious leaders. Northern State Leaders: Cultivate strong relationships with state actors, traditional and religious leaders, ensuring open lines of communication and fostering collaboration in service of shared goals.
• Advocacy and Policy Influence: Advising on and advocating for the organization's interests, shaping policy, and influencing legislation.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring the organization complies with all applicable government regulations and reporting requirements.
• Contract Negotiation: Assisting with the negotiation of government contracts and agreements.
• Communication and Reporting: Communicating effectively with government officials, preparing reports, and providing updates on relevant policy developments.
• Crisis Management: Advising on and managing potential crises related to government relations.
• Monitoring and Analysis: Monitoring government activities and analyzing their potential impact on the organization.
• Additional Tasks: Carry out any additional tasks as directed by the Country Leadership potentially including but not limited to strategic planning, policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and capacity-building initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS (Education)

• Master’s degree in social science, arts, development studies or related field; Ph.D desirable.

Required Experience

• Has over 7 years of proven professional experience at a senior managerial role in a government entity, INGO or NGOs.
• Has strong advocacy skills and understanding of stakeholders power dynamics
• Experience in conflict prevention and peacebuilding programme within northern and southern Nigeria
• Has proven experience and background in working with critical state and non-state actors in Nigeria

Other Relevant Requirements

• He/She must be resident in Nigeria and has the right to work in Nigeria
• Willingness to work and support Search team in conflict and post conflict environment
• Ability to speak Hausa and pidgin languages is a plus
• A demonstrated and commitment to high professional ethical standards within a diverse workplace.
• Ability to prioritize, plan and organize workflow, handle multiple tasks, and be flexible with changing priorities.
• Familiar with the Common Ground Approach.