Career Opportunities at International Alert

Organisational Background

International Alert is one of the world's leading peacebuilding organisations, with 30 years of experience supporting communities, advising governments, organisations and companies on how to build peace. Alert works with people in conflict-affected and threatened areas to make a positive difference for peace; to improve the substance and implementation of international policies relevant to peacebuilding; and to strengthen the peacebuilding sector. Alert currently has field offices in over 20 countries and was active in over 40 countries and territories across the world in 2014 in Sub-Saharan Africa, South and South-East Asia, Central Asia and the South Caucasus, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.

International Alert began operations in Nigeria in 2011 as a partner on security governance within the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation programme (NSRP). Since then we have launched social cohesion programmes in the Northeast, while expanding our technical advisory in conflict and gender sensitivity to various governance and reform programmes.

Purpose of the PSS Officer position

Alert has been implementing multiple projects that incorporate comprehensive psychosocial support (PSS) services to support conflict-affected women, men, youth, and children.

Through the overall coordination of the Project Manager and direct technical supervision from the PSS/GBV Coordinator, the PSS officer will be expected to provide psychosocial and/or psychological interventions in an individual or group format, support the overall objective of mainstreaming consistent PSS services into our peacebuilding portfolio; design/adapt tools to map, analyse and address causal factors of psychosocial distress to the survivors we work with in Borno State through conflict sensitive and community-friendly PSS activities, community-based support sessions with the survivors, their families, children in the peace clubs, as well as the survivors who take part in the economic empowerment activities.

The position holder will work with the Project Manager and the PSS/GBV Coordinator to plan activities and collaborate with the accredited Implementing Partners to deliver effective PSS services across all the Project locations. S/he will also be involved in monitoring activities, impacts and the support networks; analyse data from applied tools; and qualitatively contribute to all the reporting cycles (month, quarterly, etc).

The PSS Officer will also be expected to frequently participate at relevant coordination meetings, support the PSS/GBV Coordinator to mentor and/or build the capacity of the Project Team (IA’s Staff and the Implementing Partners).

Key Responsibilities:

• Project implementation: As directed by the Project Manager and the PSS/GBV Coordinator, the post holder will actively contribute in mainstreaming PSS activities into the weekly, monthly and quarterly workplans; and initiate/establish PSS activities -
• That supports community-based psychosocial wellbeing of Project’s conflict-affected survivors (women, men, youth, children) and their families, especially those who experience rejection, stigmatization and, reintegration challenges.
• Build partners’ capacity to provide safe and appropriate PSS services to conflict-affected survivors.
• Collaboratively explore and identify potential risk factors influencing psychosocial distress of the survivors.
• Prevention, response and monitor the conflict context in activity sites and provide timely feedback to the Project Manager and the PSS Coordinator.

2.     Activities/impacts monitoring and reporting,

• As directed by the Project Manager and in collaboration with the PSS/GBV Coordinator, monitor implementation processes, ensure timely delivery of PSS activities across project locations.
• Prepare, review, and submit timely reports from analyzed tools and field feedback.
• Work with the M&E to ensure adequate reporting requirements where possible.
• Ensure relevant PSS tools and modules are in place and applied accordingly.
• Any other reasonable activities as determined by the Project’s leadership.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• University degree in Psychology, Counselling or Social Sciences.
• At least 2 years of work experience in community-focused PSS + SGBV and/or Protection programming/activities. 
• Experience with an international NGO would be an asset
• Excellent coordination and communication skills
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Good knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to work under pressure and in a high-risk security environment

Language Requirement

Excellent ability to communicate in English language (speak, read and write) is mandatory. Strong knowledge of Hausa, Kanuri, Shuwa and other native languages in Borno State will be of high advantage.

Availability

Resumption on this position is contingent upon final approval of expected Project.

go to method of application »

Organisational context

BACKGROUND

International Alert is one of the world's leading peacebuilding organisations, with 30 years of experience supporting communities, advising governments, organisations and companies on how to build peace. Alert works with people in conflict-affected and threatened areas to make a positive difference for peace; to improve the substance and implementation of international policies relevant to peacebuilding; and to strengthen the peacebuilding sector. Alert currently has field offices in over 20 countries and was active in over 40 countries and territories across the world in 2014 in Sub-Saharan Africa, South and South-East Asia, Central Asia and the South Caucasus, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.

International Alert began operations in Nigeria in 2011 as a partner on security governance within the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation programme (NSRP). Since then, we have launched a social cohesion programme in the Northeast, while expanding our technical advisory in conflict and gender sensitivity to various governance and reform programmes.

Role Purpose

The Project Manager (PM) will be responsible for managing Alert’s project on Enhancing prevention and response services for child survivors of gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse in north-east Nigeria. The project will promote and provide quality support and conflict sensitive life-saving services for women and children.  It will strengthen provision of clinical services for GBV by mapping out the available services, identify and address gaps in coverage, supplies and staff capacity to provide professional survivor assistance services responsive to the needs of women and children. Specifically, the project will strengthen capacity of health workers in clinical management of GBV to facilitate identification of GBV survivors when they seek medical services, and provision of medico-legal evidence when survivors seek access to justice. The PM will report to Alert’s NE Programme Manager. S/he will manage the day-to-day implementation of the project from a programme and financial perspective, including ensuring adequate monitoring mechanisms. S/he will supervise a project officer and coordinate with the finance, operations and monitoring and evaluation teams, as well as liaise with relevant stakeholders, including government and other INGOs. S/he will ensure the project is executed in compliance with Alert, donor and government regulations. The PM will also lead on preparing high quality donor reports on monthly, quarterly and annually.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Staff management

• Line manages 2 Project Officers and 1 Psychosocial Support Officer, including supervision of work-planning, implementation, reporting and monitoring.
• Oversee the work of implementing partner staff and ensure quality implementation.
• Performance management the direct staff in line with Alert’s HR procedures
• Take lead in recruitment and supervision of technical consultants for project activities.
• Identify technical support needs and provide capacity-building for project staff and implementing partners.

2. Project management

• Take overall management responsibility for project implementation, including developing and updating workplans and implementation strategies together with implementing partner and Alert staff.
• Ensure activities implemented in line with project objectives, on time and with quality.
• Ensure clarity about roles and responsibilities among projects stakeholders.
• Monitor and continuously assess the operating context and the project activities and recommend changes in approach accordingly.
• Ensure compliance with donor and Alert Nigeria policies and regulations.
• Liaise and coordinate with relevant stakeholders.

3. Financial management

• Develop project implementation budgets in close collaboration with the finance team.
• Oversee and monitor project expenditure in close collaboration with the finance team, ensuring expenses are appropriate and eligible, including for implementing partner.
• Plan and forecast grant expenditure, project activities, procurement and staffing to ensure compliance with the project contract and budget and to prevent overspending or under spending.

4.   Reporting, monitoring and evaluation

• Oversee the production of project reports and case studies.
• Develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation plan in collaboration with M&E Officer
• Identify appropriate fora for the dissemination of project information and materials, and organize appropriate dissemination activities.

5.   Coordination with other protection stakeholders and with Alert staff

• Ensure smooth communication and collaborative planning with other NGOs providing support to the same target groups.
• Participate actively in the management processes of the team, including team meetings, sharing of information, context analysis, and strategy development.
• Participate actively in State level forums on issues related to the project, particularly the Peace and Security Network, to promote cross-learning and collaboration with other organizations.

6.    Any other reasonable activities as determined by the line manager

Qualifications and Experience:

• University degree in peace and conflict studies, social studies, psychology, project management or related field.
• At least 6 years of work experience in community engagement, with at least 3 years in a management role.
• At least 2 years of experience in a conflict or humanitarian setting.
• Experience in implementing women and girls focused, especially on reintegration.
• Experience in managing grants from (UNICEF, FCDO, EU)
• Excellent coordination and communication skills.
• Excellent writing skills and good knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work under pressure and in a high-risk security environment.
• Willingness to travel regularly to rural locations.

Language Requirements:

• English fluency (oral and written). Hausa fluency would be desirable.
• Knowledge of other languages prevalent in Borno State (Kanuri, Shuwa, etc.) would be an advantage

Travel:

Based in Maiduguri, with regular travel to Bama, Gwosa and Jere LGAs.

go to method of application »

International Alert is one of the world's leading peacebuilding organisations, with 30 years of experience supporting communities, advising governments, organisations and companies on how to build peace. Alert works with people in conflict-affected and threatened areas to make a positive difference for peace; to improve the substance and implementation of international policies relevant to peacebuilding; and to strengthen the peacebuilding sector. Alert currently has field offices in over 20 countries and was active in over 40 countries and territories across the world in 2014 in Sub-Saharan Africa, South and South-East Asia, Central Asia and the South Caucasus, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.

International Alert began operations in Nigeria in 2011 as a partner on security governance within the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation programme (NSRP). Since then we have launched social cohesion programmes in the Northeast, while expanding our technical advisory in conflict and gender sensitivity to various governance and reform programmes.
Alert has been implementing multiple projects in peacebuilding, reconciliation and reintegration, economic empowerment and GBV Case-management responses to support conflict-affected women, men, youth and children.

Through the supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Officer will be expected to collaborate with the accredited implementing partners to ensure consistent and effective service delivery of all the Project’s Output and outcomes, engage with internal and external government and non-government stakeholders, actively participate at relevant coordination meetings and report action points, support the financial processes of the implementing partners, liaise with other teams to ensure smooth delivery of expected hard-ware and/or soft-ware components.

The Project Officer is also expected to carry frequent travels to all the Project locations, establish and maintain cordial relationships with all the community pillars and Project’s survivors, ensure prompt and satisfactory resolution of any complaint that arise during the Project’s delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

1.     Project implementation:

• As directed by the Project Manager, the post holder will actively contribute in preparing the weekly, monthly and quarterly workplans
• Liaise with the partners to ensure compliance with agreed plans and effective implementation processes.
• Liaise with other teams to ensure prompt delivery of logistic requirements e.g., deep field travel bookings, purchase requests, etc.
• Monitors and collects feedback from Project’s internal and external stakeholders, and shares with the Project Manager.

2.     Financial management

• Plan activity expenditure and request funds in a timely and accurate manner
• Ensure financial and logistical preparation of activities in line with workplan and project strategy.
• Oversee expenditure during activities (including implementing partner activities) and ensure this is in line with project outcomes, and Alert and donor policies.
• Ensure compliant financial documentation is collected during activities.

3.     Activities/impacts monitoring and reporting,

• As directed by the Project Manager, monitor implementation processes, ensure timely delivery of all activities across project locations.
• Receive and review weekly reports from the partners and submit same timely.
• Work with the M&E to ensure adequate reporting requirements where possible.
• Contribute to developing and implementing project monitoring and evaluation plan.
• Collect quantitative and qualitative information during activities in line with M&E plan
• Prepare activity reports and contribute to donor reports.
• Collect case study information and follow-up with project participants.

4.     Any other reasonable activities as determined by the Project Manager.

• University degree in Law, Human Rights, International Relations, Conflict and Peace Studies, or any field of Social Sciences.
• At least 2-3 years of work experience in comprehensive community-focused Peacebuilding, Social Cohesion, Economic Resilience, SGBV programming/activities.
• Experience with an international NGO would be an asset
• Excellent coordination and communication skills
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Good knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to work under pressure and in a high-risk security environment
• Excellent ability to communicate in English language (speak, read and write) is mandatory. Strong knowledge of Hausa, Kanuri, Shuwa and other native languages in Borno State will be of high advantage.

Resumption on this position is contingent upon donor funding.

go to method of application »

International Alert is one of the world's leading peacebuilding organisations, with 30 years of experience supporting communities, advising governments, organisations and companies on how to build peace. Alert works with people in conflict-affected and threatened areas to make a positive difference for peace; to improve the substance and implementation of international policies relevant to peacebuilding; and to strengthen the peacebuilding sector. Alert currently has field offices in over 20 countries and was active in over 40 countries and territories across the world in 2014 in Sub-Saharan Africa, South and South-East Asia, Central Asia and the South Caucasus, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.

International Alert began operations in Nigeria in 2011 as a partner on security governance within the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation programme (NSRP). Since then we have launched a social cohesion programme in the Northeast, while expanding our technical advisory in conflict and gender sensitivity to various governance and reform programmes.

For more on Alert’s work, please visit our website at www.international-alert.org.

Job Purpose

The Psychosocial Support Adviser (PSA) is responsible for technical design, monitoring and quality control of Alert’s programme to support reintegration of vulnerable groups, including children affected by conflict, survivors of SGBV, and people held in captivity by Boko Haram. The PSA ensures capacity-building for staff and partners, adherence of Alert activities to international protection standards, relevance of programming to the local culture, and that robust monitoring tools are developed to adapt and improve programming.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct needs assessments in programme implementation sites, identifying existing structures for psychosocial support (PSS) and gaps
• Design curriculum for PSS activities tailored to each project, ensuring conflict and gender-sensitivity
• Support development of referral pathways in projects for vulnerable project beneficiaries and maintain relationships with other protection actors in implementation sites
• Develop tools for monitoring and evaluating impact and relevance of PSS activities. Conduct monitoring visits and ensure learning, reflection and adaptation with staff and implementing partners
• Ensure lessons learned and impact from PSS activities captured in programme reports
• Design and deliver training modules on PSS to Alert staff, implementing partners and project beneficiaries
• Ensure that all PSS material and methodologies adhere to international protection standards
• Represent Alert in relevant forums (such as Protection Cluster meetings)

Travel requirements

This position is based in Maiduguri, with sporadic travel across the northeast States  

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential requirements

• University degree in psychology, social work, or other related field. Certificates or other training may be accepted in place of a relevant degree if compensated with exceptional work experience in the field.
• At least 5 years of work experience in field of community-based psychosocial support
• At least 2 years of experience working with an international organization (NGO, UN or other) in a development, humanitarian or conflict context
• Excellent communication skills and ability to understand and develop programmatic strategies on psychosocial support
• Fluency in Hausa
• Good computer literacy and knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• Experience in building capacity of staff and implementing partners in psychosocial support, GBV, mental health, etc.
• Willingness to travel to insecure locations

Desirable requirements

• Technical knowledge of peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity approaches
• Knowledge of languages of northeast Nigeria (such as Kanuri, Shuwa, etc.)