Project Officer – Governance and DRR at CARE International

Job Summary

CARE International in Nigeria is seeking a Project Officer – Governance and DRR for an anticipated RESILAC 2 program expansion to Yobe State. The Project Officer, Governance and DRR will provide technical support and guide implementation of CARE’s interventions in local governance structures, support territorial resilience planning, and enhance community-based disaster risk reduction in alignment with the RESILAC territorial approach in close collaboration with the local partner organizations under RESILAC 2 program in Yobe State. The Officer will work closely with CSO partners, local authorities, community structures, and programme teams to deliver high-quality governance, social cohesion, institutional strengthening, and risk-mitigation interventions that promote resilient, inclusive, and sustainable community development. S/he will work closely with the Project Coordinator, Project Manager and coordinate with the Gender Officer to ensure gender sensitivity in all activities. S/he will work with partners to develop implementation plans, identify, and resolve challenges, and promote ongoing learning and quality improvements throughout the project in liaison with the Project Coordinator/Manager. The RESILAC Consortium, composed of Action Against Hunger (lead), CARE and Groupe URD, has been implementing a resilience project for the social and inclusive economic recovery of Lake Chad (RESILAC) in the four countries around Lake Chad (Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad). The program donors, French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Union (EU) have expressed their willingness to continue their actions in support of resilience, economic recovery, and social cohesion in the Lake Chad Basin through RESILAC 2 amounting to €40 million, which will aim to consolidate the achievements of the RESILAC 1 project and develop an approach in other areas while considering changes in the context and regional strategies as well as the strengths and the weaknesses of RESILAC 1.

Location: Damaturu, Yobe State.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

Job Responsibility #1: Project Planning and Implementation  

• Lead implementation of governance and DRR activities based on territorial diagnostics, community resilience needs, and updated project strategies.
• Ensure governance and DRR interventions integrate gender equality, inclusion, conflict sensitivity, and environmental sustainability.
• Contribute to annual and quarterly work plans, activity budgets, and implementation schedules.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of community governance bodies, peace committees, and DRR structures.
• Promote innovative DRR solutions and community-led adaptation planning.

Job Responsibility #2: Technical Support  

• Provide technical advisory support to CSOs, LGAs, traditional leaders, and community platforms on governance, DRR, and resilience-building.
• Facilitate community risk assessments, early warning dissemination, contingency planning, and risk-communication processes.
• Offer governance capacity-building on transparency, accountability, inclusive decision-making, and resource management.
• Ensure adherence to CARE, AFD, and EU implementation standards and policies.

Job Responsibility #3: Coordination and representation

• Attend LGA level coordination meetings to ensure effective coordination and linkages with other partners conducting similar work
• Represent RESILAC 2 in relevant fora related to key technical areas in consultation with the Project Manager.
• Support networking and coordination of efforts with government, private sector, and key stakeholders who share mutual objectives.

Job Responsibility #4: Monitoring and Reporting

• Supervise and Monitor interventions in strict adherence to CARE SOP and SPHERE standards.
• Supporting Project Quality Assurance (PQA) through organizing and supporting monitoring visits on RESILAC interventions in coordination with the relevant stakeholders.
• Make technical input and support the planning, design, and execution of project specific operational research, including baseline and end line evaluation, territorial and market assessments related to RESILAC 2.
• Contextualize and use reporting guidelines to track and develop quality weekly updates, situational reports, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual and end of projects reports, key lessons, and success stories in accordance with RESILAC 2 requirements.
• Facilitate regular RESILAC 2 review meetings with government, target communities and staff
• Ensures participatory monthly data collection are conducted (involving communities and partners) using the standardized tools.
• Supervise and ensure successful and quality completion of project activities as per the set guidelines and standards.
• Document and disseminate best practices/approaches/models on RESILAC 2 interventions and other meetings at field level as may be required to facilitate adoption during the project implementation.

Job Responsibility #5: Capacity Building

• Train CSO partners, local governance actors, DRR committees, and community facilitators on governance and DRR tools.
• Organize and facilitate workshops, training sessions, and learning exchanges to enhance the technical and operational skills of partners and communities.
• Build capacity of communities and partners on integration for effective delivery, synergy & community-based monitoring for sustainability.
• Build the capacity of local government officials, community leaders, and other stakeholders in Governance and DRR concepts, strategies, and tools.
• Take a lead in building partner field staff (CSO and CBOs) and community capacities in resilience interventions through training and other information sharing avenues to handle project activities effectively.

Resource Mobilization

• Contribute to CARE’s resource mobilization efforts.

Other Responsibilities:

• Perform any other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATION/EXPERIENCE/TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Required

• Bachelors degree in Development Studies, Public Administration, DRR, Social Sciences or related field. Master’s degree is an advantage
• 3-years plus of relevant work experience with an INGO.
• Minimum of 2 years of livelihoods experience.
• Experience in coordinating project activities with partner organizations
• Knowledge of local languages such as Hausa and Kanuri.

Desired

• Experience in multisectoral resilience building programs.
• Experience in territorial approaches to resilience.
• Knowledge of Yobe local governance systems.
• Experience working on EU/AFD or similar donor-funded resilience programs.

Competencies:

• Approachability                                 
• Building Effective Teams
• Customer Focus
• Integrity and Trust
• Drive for Results
• Comfort around Higher management
• Business Acumen
• Negotiating
• Organizational Agility