Nigeria Government Relations and Security Coordinator at One Acre Fund

Location: Minna, Niger

About the Role

• We often work in remote places where local dynamics can affect our ability to serve farmers. Given this, we prioritize building relationships with local authorities and invest in the safety, security and well-being of our team - who are our greatest asset.
• The GRS-Co will report to the Government Relations Analyst based in Abuja. You will also work closely with the Nigeria Country Lead based in Minna, and remotely with the Global Health, Safety and Security (HSS) Lead based in Nairobi, Kenya. You will demonstrate an understanding of government structures, have a track-record of managing projects and relationships independently, and be prepared to travel frequently within Niger State.
• Our Nigeria team is looking for Government Relations & Security Coordinator (GRS-Co), who will be the primary contact for the local Ministry of Agriculture and other government officials, traditional leaders and external partners, further establishing our program in Nigeria. The GRS-Co will also play a key role in interfacing with security officials and professionals and strengthening our arrangements on-the-ground, to ensure that our operations can run smoothly with reduced risks to our staff and clients.

Responsibilities
External stakeholder management and partnerships:

• Engage partners and government officials with a view to deepening and broadening One Acre Fund's state and local government networks in Nigeria.
• Support the scoping, development and management of program partnerships, with support from manager.
• Produce communications materials to engage important contacts and keep them informed of our work, including quarterly reports, briefing notes, and official written correspondence.
• Manage One Acre Fund's database of important contacts and interactions in Nigeria.

Risk Monitoring and Analysis:

• Track and manage risks affecting field operations in the places where we operate.
• Support political and regulatory risk monitoring systems in Nigeria, and implement related projects to better respond to them.
• Work with Field Operations, Impact teams, and community contacts to scope out risks and assess their severity and implications.
• Train One Acre Fund staff on security-related matters and best practices for working with government officials.

Safety and Security Management:

• Provide HSS advice and support to 1AF Nigeria leadership decision-making, and act as the primary facilitator for the Country Crisis Management Team.
• Develop relationships with local security contacts and independently expand network of information sources.
• Be the primary responder to security incidents involving staff during office hours, and escalating incident response management to leadership when needed.

Government Compliance Support:

• Track and renew licenses and permits required for our operations, with support from the GR Analyst.
• Prepare for and manage government officials during inspection visits and compliance checks.
• Research policies, regulations, programs, and political developments relevant to field operations.

Community Outreach projects:

• Host important partner events (e.g. field visits) and oversee participation in agricultural shows and other external events. Ensure safety measures and government protocols are observed at all hosted events.
• Design and run scalable community engagement programs to build our brand presence and help us improve our success rate with farmers as we grow.

Career Growth and Development

• We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people.
• You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance.
• We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals.
• You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications
Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

• At least 2 years of work experience in government relations, communications, or security work.
• Experience working in political or regulatory environments in (Northern) Nigeria
• Demonstrated project management abilities, particularly in unstructured environments
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Collaborative approach and ability to work across many different departments effectively
• Proficiency in MS Suite, particularly spreadsheets for contact and risk management experience
• Language: English and Hausa fluency required

Preferred Start Date:

• Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, start dates can vary significantly by role. We are adapting rapidly to Covid-19 and most of our team is now working remotely.
• Given the changing environment, we will appreciate your flexibility in confirming a start date.

Benefits
Health insurance, paid time off.