Programme Assistant at Mercy Corps

Location: Biu, Borno with at least 60% travel to project locations
Position Status Full Time, Regular

Program / Department Summary

• The MAIDA programme will directly support the recovery of at least 70,000 women, men, girls and boys who are returnees, IDPs and members of host communities affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in southern and central Borno State. The objective of MAIDA is to increase the social cohesion and resilience to economic, social and climate related shocks in Borno State in an environmentally-conscious way
• Four interrelated and mutually reinforcing intermediate outcomes will contribute to achieving this objective. First, MAIDA will restore and improve rural livelihoods in an ecologically sustainable manner by enabling households to take advantage of existing and new agricultural market opportunities. In parallel, adolescents and youth will be empowered as economic actors in their communities through access to employment, diversified livelihood opportunities, vocational training and business development initiatives
• These outcomes will be reinforced by improved access to social protection and community-based services for women, youth, adolescent breadwinners and other at-risk groups. Finally, overall social cohesion will be strengthened within and between conflict-affected communities and environmental resource management will be improved in areas of displacement and return
• Sectors of intervention will include market-led and climate-smart livelihood and employment opportunities, vocational training for youth, social and economic protection and community reintegration and peacebuilding. Economic recovery activities will build resilience through Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) market systems-based models, reducing poverty by enhancing the ways that poor and vulnerable households interact with markets.

General Position Summary

• The Programme Assistant Agriculture is a program administrator that supports the planning and administration of Agricultural activities under output one of the MAIDA programme. The Program Assistant will be responsible for supporting activities in the intervention communities of MAIDA program
• S/He will be responsible for supporting the implementation of strategic, impactful, and high-quality programming. The program Assistant will report to the Agriculture Programme Officer MAIDA, and work collaboratively with fellow program staff.
• S/he will work extensively with other sectors of the project to ensure that all activities are implemented successfully and timely.

Strategy and Vision:

• Support opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Support organization activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and program support to Agricultural programme officer and senior programme officer to implement the program successfully.
• Facilitate community mobilization activities to support targeting beneficiaries and improve Agricultural Interventions knowledge, attitudes and practices.
• Support Identification, selection of beneficiaries among the vulnerable displaced people and host communities that have been affected by the insurgency interpreting in local dialect to the beneficiaries and community leaders the general program concept from.
• Support Coordination of Community Mobilization Team to identify potential beneficiaries and existing Agricultural and livestock cooperatives and informal Agricultural saving and loans associations
• Support community Agricultural needs assessments as and when due
• Support training session in the field
• Support selection of beneficiaries
• Adherence to all MC policies and procedures as outlined in MC policies and procedure manuals;
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission in country of operation;
• Lead on program administrative task such filling, photocopying, scanning and printing
• Other duties as assigned.

Organizational Learning:

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Finance & Compliance Management:

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
• Responsible for expenditure tracking of activities carried out in the field

Influence & Representation:

• Support Identifying, building and manage collaborative partnerships with the community, government and other stakeholder’s
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets are met.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure the team members operates in secure environment and are aware in of policies
• Work closely with Mercy corps Nigeria country team`s secure focal point to develop and maintained systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all aspect of its implementation process.

Organizational Learning:

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability To Beneficiaries:

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
• to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
• Supervisory Responsibility
• None

Accountability:

• Reports Directly To: Programme Officer Agriculture
• Works Directly With: Other program Officers and assistants in the program

Knowledge and Experience

• University Degree / HND in Arts, Natural, Social Sciences, or equivalent preferred and NYSC Certification
• 2-3 years of experience working in the development sector, or humanitarian program; general program management experience required.
• Knowledge of office administration and project management cycle
• Prior experience implementing distributions is required, preferably in a non-camp setting. Experience with cash/voucher distributions strongly preferred.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders to identify beneficiaries according to criteria required.
• Experience with conducting assessments, monitoring and evaluation and other learning efforts required.
• Experience representing the organization and its interests to a diverse range of local and international government officials, local civil society organizations, other international organizations, the media and the public.
• Commitment to renewing and maintaining knowledge of best practices.
• Demonstrated training and facilitation experience
• Ability to work under pressure
• Demonstrated strengths in analytical skills, monitoring and evaluation, and report writing
• Strong interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills
• Excellent oral and written skills and computer skills
• Fluency in English, Hausa and local language in BIU is required.

Success Factors

• Strong Work Ethic, having the ability to learn the most efficient way of learning the most efficient way to complete tasks and finding ways to save time while completing daily assignments
• Dependability and Responsibility, having the ability to come to work on time, are there when they are supposed to be, and are responsible for their actions and behavior. Adaptability, being adaptable and maintaining flexibility in completing tasks in an ever-changing workplace
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

• The position is based in BIU, Borno State.