Humanitarian Adviser at British High Commission

The post holder will: 

Continually monitor and assess the humanitarian situation in Nigeria; reflect this in evolving policy, strategy and programme priorities; and communicate effectively with HMG stakeholders. 

• Help strengthen the effectiveness of the humanitarian response in Nigeria by positioning the UK at the forefront of humanitarian advocacy with the UN and wider international community.
• Lead one or more of UK technical priorities, including preparedness, famine prevention, nutrition, protection and humanitarian access in the humanitarian response.  
• Ensure delivery of FCDO Nigeria’s humanitarian programme is robust, compliant with corporate standards and rules, delivers value for money and achieves its intended results, through working closely with programme management and advisory colleagues.

The post reports to the G7 Humanitarian Adviser. The postholder will be a member of the LCB Block and lead / co-lead work streams to deliver the X-HMG LCB strategy, working closely with colleagues from the political, development, stabilisation and CT teams within the block.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

In this role you will be responsible for:

Assessment and analysis:

• Maintain situational awareness through regular assessment and analysis of needs and corresponding response, including through regular field visits.
• Monitor and analyse the humanitarian situation, communicating effectively with HMG colleagues to inform humanitarian diplomacy and to effectively influence the necessary evolution or changes of policy, strategy and programme priorities.

Policy and advocacy:

• Assess and contribute to advocacy strategies, working closely with UN, Red Cross and NGO partners, including on food security, nutrition, protection and access. 
• Directly advocate for UK humanitarian policy objectives through various senior forums within HMG or externally at country, regional or global level, engaging with FCDO’s Humanitarian Department, Research and Evidence Directorate and other relevant policy leads elsewhere to ensure policy work is informing and learning from UK humanitarian policy as it develops.

Programme delivery:  

• Provide technical support and advice into the design, appraisal, delivery, monitoring, evaluation and learning of humanitarian projects and programmes.   
• Contribute to ensure delivery of humanitarian programmes is robust, compliant with corporate standards, delivers value for money and achieves its intended results to the appropriate quality standards, working closely with the programme team.

Partnerships and networks:  

• Establish constructive relationships and build networks with key individuals and organisations as a basis for information gathering and triangulation, as well as forward thinking for changing contexts and needs.  
• Represent FCDO with relevant partners and in relevant forums.   

People and building capability:  

• Maintain cutting edge understanding of and application of evidence and work to build the capability of others. 
• Provide up to 10% time to support FCDO’s wider humanitarian objectives.

Technical Competencies:

• Prioritise humanitarian assistance to people in greatest need and provide them with what they need the most to recover from crises.
• Protect the people most at risk, including from conflict-related sexual violence and barriers to humanitarian assistance.
• Reform: Humanitarian theory, architecture and system effectiveness.
• Prevent and anticipate future shocks and build resilience in long-running crises by tackling the underlying drivers of crises, instability, and extreme food insecurity.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• Relevant experience working on humanitarian programmes in Nigeria and strong understanding of Nigeria humanitarian policies and architecture.
• Specific technical background and/or experience in any of the following fields; food security, nutrition, protection, humanitarian access.
• Excellent inter-personal and team working and communication skills, with an ability to work flexibly and adapt to emerging issues.
• Desirable qualifications, skills and experience  
• FCDO assessment is competency-based rather than on years of experience, but previously most successful candidates have drawn on approximately 5 years of relevant humanitarian experience to show sufficient evidence of the required competencies.
• A Masters qualification is desirable, but relevant experience can be considered in lieu of this.