Governance Officer at Search For Common Ground’s International

Roles and Responsibilities

• Support the Project’s engagement with Government actors, Securities, Communities, and other platforms including the Peace Architecture platforms. 
• Support governance-focused initiatives of the project in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States.
• Support the Governance Coordinator in collaboration with the EWER Team in ensuring that the EW system receives daily SMS/voice incident reports from COs, CRNs, and other stakeholders and such reports are documented on the system and analyzed in real-time and disseminated to actors and communities for immediate response.
• Support the EWER Team to facilitate early responses from relevant stakeholders.
• Support the convening of the Project’s Peace Architecture Platforms comprising of the Community level, LGA level, and State level platforms for Early Warning and Early Response
• Support programmatic and logistical support and assistance to the Governance Coordinator and Head of Programme Implementation.
• Contribute to the preparation of contractual and noncontractual  reports
• Work with program staff in the development and continuous improvement of systems
• Provide necessary support to implementing partners and government under the supervision of the Governance Coordinator
• Provide weekly and monthly progress report to the supervisor and management team

Core Competencies

• Demonstrate integrity and promote Search values and ethical standards;
• Promote the vision, mission, and strategic objectives of Search;
• Demonstrate capacity to adapt to a multi-cultural context, tolerance, and respect for issues related to gender, religion, race, and nationality;
• Proficiency in the use of MS Office is required
• Proficiency in the use of advocacy tools

Education

• A degree in conflict resolution, peace studies, peacebuilding, conflict management, or a relevant field;

Required Experience

• At least three (3) years of experience in governance, advocacy, early warning and conflict management  , or related fields
• Have supported the implementation of similar Governance, Early Warning, and Early Response initiatives in Nigeria and the Niger Delta Region 
• Work experience in the Niger Delta region. 
• Relevant experience working in the non-profit and NGO sector or institutions providing Governance, conflict early warning, and early response services.
• Experience with engaging Government Agencies, security actors, communities, and other stakeholders;
• Understanding of the social, political, and economic context of the Niger Delta region and how it impacts conflict drivers and conflict in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers states and targeted communities;
• Knowledge and experience in computers and advocacy tools;

Other Relevant Requirements

• Good knowledge of the local languages will be an asset.
• Knowledge of civil society organizations, government agencies, private sector companies, and international development agencies, with experience working in partnership within some of these sectors;
• Experience in partnership building, with experience in influencing stakeholders and establishing and maintaining strong partnerships;
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and strong interpersonal skills;
• Commitment to Search’s aims and a clear understanding of the links between policy, lobbying, campaigning, and how policy change can be achieved through effective advocacy;
• Ability to identify issues and to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of problems;
• Good knowledge of the political, economic, and social dimensions of the Niger Delta region
• Ability to work under extreme pressure in a highly stressful environment;
• Willingness to keep abreast of new developments in the governance and EW/ER field;
• Basics financial management skills;
• Knowledge of other languages spoken in the states will be an advantage;
• Strong command of the English language, with excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal communication skills;
• A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards and a diverse workplace; and
• Ability to prioritize, plan and organize workflow to tight timeframes, handle multiple tasks, and be flexible with changing priorities.