Humanitarian Affairs Officer at Medecins Sans Frontieres

Main Objectives and Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development of humanitarian affairs activities in the Mission by supporting the Management Coordination Team in the analysis of context, humanitarian situation, security and in the definition of advocacy strategies, according to MSF policies and values, in order to improve the humanitarian and human rights situation among population.

General Accountabilities

• Perform data collection and research concerning local and international context, with regards to security, medical, nutritional and humanitarian issues, in order to provide reliable information for further decision-making.
• Support the Head of Mission and field coordinators in the analysis of the data collected, in order to better orientate the programmes and projects, to provide an optimal response to population needs.
• Compile regular updates of the ongoing international activities and plans of NGO’s, UN, ICRC, donors, authorities and other actors on lobby, policy and operational plans and initiatives in order to adequate MSF’s activities and objectives.
• Collaborate with the HoM, the Operational/Humanitarian Affairs Department at HQ and other relevant parties to develop a coherent global strategy, in order to address the humanitarian situation.
• Define and review messages, tools, lobbying activities and other advocacy action plans and strategies, in order to raise all humanitarian issues in the mission and seek assistance and protection to affected population.
• Ensure smooth working relationship with local authorities, other NGO’s, local communities and other factors, in order to facilitate MSF teams a better access to the population and improve MSF activities’ coordination with third parties.
• Organize discussions, trainings, briefings, etc. about human rights and humanitarian law issues and current and future advocacy activities, in order to raise awareness of MSF staff regarding these matters.
• Participates in the elaboration and updating of the Country Risk Analysis
• Promotes and assists in the implementation of advocacy activities locally, nationally and internationally.
• Supervises humanitarian affairs related staff in the Mission.

MSF Section / Context-Specific Accountabilities

• Maintain strong understanding of the humanitarian context and actors in Sokoto, Zamfara and neighbouring states of Northwestern (NW) region as well as monitoring of service availability and delivery; provide verbal and written analyses of developments. To support in this, conduct in-depth research projects (for instance on displacement).
• Support the team in gaining a better understanding of food insecurity and malnutrition in the North West and the challenges that people face, including in accessing health/nutrition services and the impact of insecurity and displacement; to be achieved through targeted data collection and immersion in the context.
• Targeted data collection in line with MSF core standards, collecting information on patients’ background and stories, main protection challenges, access to basic needs and healthcare services, and summarising and analysing the findings to support operational decision-making and for advocacy use.
• Collaborate closely with the medical team in humanitarian needs exploration and reporting when necessary. In the event of surveys or humanitarian assessments, s/he carries out and/or supports carrying out qualitative data collection.
• When relevant, support on establishing and identifying protection referral pathways and following up on the humanitarian referral outcomes of patients.
• Monitor, report and ensure analysis and follow up of ‘red flag’ incidents.
• Initiate and/or participate in project advocacy written material (strategies, talking points, briefing notes and so on) and, when needed, may support on communication pieces and be involved in identifying potential staff for interviews and patients for case stories.
• In collaboration with the PC, S/he carries out mapping of humanitarian and governmental actors, supports the development and updating of the Sokoto project humanitarian database; build and maintain a strong network and participate in representation of MSF. This includes specific work on Noma.
• Availability for emergencies (for example contributing through qualitative data collection to assessments, partnership-building and actor-mapping, designing interventions, and so on); this would demand flexibility and ability to work intensely and outside normal working hours.
• The job will require frequent travel to support MSF projects in Zamfara (including longer stays in Talata Mafara and Gummi).
• Women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Flexibility in undertaking assigned tasks, due to the changing nature of MSF operations

Requirements (Qualifications / Experience / Knowledge)

To apply for this role applicants MUST meet the following criteria:

Education:

• Essential Degree in Law, Humanitarian affairs, Political Sciences or related university degree.

Experience:

• Essential previous working experience of at least two years in research, analysis and advocacy.
• Essential experience with MSF or other NGOs.
• Essential previous experience engaging with different types of stakeholders (e.g. UN, governments, NGOs).
• Desirable working experience in developing countries.
• Desirable experience in qualitative data collection and working with people exposed to vulnerabilities.

Languages:

• Mission language and local language essential. Spoken Hausa is essential, and spoken Fulani would be an asset.

Knowledge:

• Essential computer literacy (word, excel, internet).
• Good knowledge of food security and nutrition issues, especially in the Northwest Nigeria region, is desirable.

Competencies:

• Results and quality orientation, team work and cooperation, behavioural flexibility, commitment to MSF principles and stress management.