Job Openings at Catholic Relief Services

Job Summary

• The Security Officer assists in maintaining a safe and secure environment for CRS employees and visitors, premises, and assets and maintaining regular communication with staff during field movement.
• The Security Officer is responsible for ensuring that appropriate systems and procedures are in place to maximize safety and security and that they are adhered to at all times.
• The Security Officer is responsible for supporting the Northeast Nigeria Security Coordinator and Head of Office, Yobe State to ensure that safety and security is mainstreamed into all field operations across Northeast Nigeria and that high-quality information is available for decision making.

Specific Responsibilities:
Policies and Procedures:

• Be familiar with CRS’s Safety and Security procedures and policies and Safe and Sound Manual, and support the Security Manager and Head of Office, Yobe in ensuring they are always adhered to.
• Work with the Security Manager to develop, consolidate, implement, and regularly review operating procedures and security plans across Northeast Nigeria and Yobe in particular.
• Assist the Security Manager to provide training(s) that may include Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Contingency Plans (CPs), Security Management, Incident Reporting, Prevention and Response Mechanisms, Communications (including satellite phones), and risk/threat analysis.

Communication:

• Provide thorough security briefings to CRS staff and visitors upon arrival in Yobe State.
• Initiate, review, and collate security incident reports for each field site.
• Implement, maintain, and regularly update the CRS Yobe State staff and visitors list, Security Communications Tree and SOPs as needed
• Ensure the communication equipment functions at all times (HF radio, sat phone, internet, phone lines). Follow-up on any calls made by satellite phone and radio

Staff and Vehicle Movement:

• In collaboration with the Travel Team, monitor movement and provide security guidance to international and national staff on the current situation in operational areas.
• Daily track and record all CRS field movements within Yobe State. Maintain strong communication to report and record observations, information, and occurrences during staff movement
• Serve as the focal point with drivers during interstate movement by tracking the location of all vehicles and staff and communicating with CRS Security Officers in other states.
• Regularly conduct field visits to assess field site compliance with safety and security procedure during field activities.
• Ensure vehicle and personal tracking systems are appropriate, fully resourced, and operational

Monitoring and Analysis:

• Collect information regarding politics and security in Yobe State as well as on safety and security issues concerning CRS.
• Respond to security-relevant incidents with information gathering and inform the CRS NE Operations Security Manager and the Head of Office, Yobe.
• Undertake continual assessments of equipment (including vehicles) and organizational assets to ensure that minimal conditions for security are met. Prevent loss and damage by reporting irregularities, and informing violators of policy and procedures.=
• Ensure that perimeter security staff (guards) have the capacities to perform their duties as per the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Conduct monthly health and safety inspections such as, but not limited to fire extinguishers, smoke/fire detectors and inspection of CRS facilities in Yobe State
• Regularly inventory and stock as necessary hibernation kits, first aid kits, and vehicle safety kits; ensure that staff know what is in the kits and how and when to use them
• Submit regular contextual updates (weekly/monthly situational reports) to the Security Manager
• Work closely with CRS field teams to ensure all incidents and accidents are followed up with an official written Incident Report, which is then shared with relevant stakeholders and filed appropriately.
• Take appropriate measures to secure CRS premises, personnel, assets, and properties by regularly monitoring and control of CRS existing security set-up.
• Check that facilities and equipment conform to security norms (closures and doorways are in a good state, open spaces lit up, buildings identified, fire extinguishers present, electrical installations buried, etc.).
• Review lodging options for staff in Damaturu and in field locations, ensuring they meet CRS standard operating procedures.

Coordination:

• Maintain a comprehensive professional and personal network of influential actors and clearly communicate CRS’s status and mission in Yobe State and across NE Nigeria.
• Build acceptance to facilitate continuity of current CRS programs and any future humanitarian or development programming by liaising with local communities, local authorities and other humanitarian actors and stakeholders within the state.
• Coordinate regularly with the NE Security Officers and the CP Security Manager on safety and security issues and fulfill all reporting requirements to the Country Office in Abuja.
• Assist NE Security team in staff safety and security matters and act as a backup security focal point, as requested.
• Attend and represent CRS at UN, Sector, and other meetings relating to access and security as appropriate, following guidance from the Head of Office

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Head of Office, Admin Officer, Security Officer, Security Manager, Deputy Country Representatives, National staff, International Staff, etc.
• External: INGO’s, UN Agencies, Government Agencies, Partners etc.

Requirements
Basic Qualifications:

• Degree in Criminal Justice, Peace and Security Studies, Political Science, or a related field
• Minimum of two years working in a security-sensitive environment.
• Minimum of 1 year experience in the field of community engagement, risk management, safety and security management or other related fields
• Previous experience in security management with NGOs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Completed formal security management training
• Ability to plan and organize work and write clear and concise reports and communicate effectively (both written and verbal)
• Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
• Proven ability to read maps
• Knowledge of the geography and culture of Northeast Nigeria
• Stable, moral, reliable character and a good team player
• Excellent communication skills, calm, with a good sense of humour
• Proven commitment to accountability practices
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills (Excel, Word, email, Skype, internet searches)
• Fluency in oral and written English. Fluency in Hausa or Kanuri or any other local language is a distinct advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge through formal and informal training
• Must be familiar with and committed to gender equity in programming and management practices.

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Job Summary

• You will manage and provide technical oversight for MEAL in the development and implementation of the Emergency Food Assistance, WASH, Shelter, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Protection programming, particularly for large and complex projects, ensuring effective MEAL systems and processes are in place that support high-quality programming advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable.
• Your MEAL-related management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its Emergency projects.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight for MEAL in all new and existing projects within the Emergency Food Assistance, WASH, Shelter, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Protection throughout the project cycle to ensure project design, start-up, implementation and close-out are in line with CRS quality principles and standards and MEAL policies, procedures, and practices; donor MEAL guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Effectively manage talent for MEAL and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff wellbeing. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Champion the development of program learning – identify opportunities for learning, research and publications in Emergency Food Assistance, WASH, Shelter, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Protection and implementation of MEAL policy. Facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned to contribute to the agency knowledge management agenda. Promote the application of learning to improve program quality and to strengthen agency influence among external stakeholders. Ensure integration of MEAL-related innovations and best practices.
• Contribute to the proactive pursuit of opportunities for new funding to ensure growth of the Emergency sector portfolio in line with agency, regional, and Emergency strategic priorities. Serve as the MEAL technical lead and technical writer to ensure quality proposals in Food Assistance, WASH, Shelter, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Protection per agency and donor standards.
• Provide guidance and technical oversight for the design of project and sectoral theories of change, results frameworks, and Proframes for Emergency Food Assistance, WASH, Shelter, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Protection. Contribute to MEAL budgeting and staffing plans and activities for proposals.
• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight for the development and implementation of high-quality MEAL systems and processes, including ICT4MEAL and the application of responsible data principles as per agency and donor requirements in the Emergency program. Promoting MEAL policies and industry good practices, champion the analysis and use of project performance data in Emergency Food Assistance, WASH, Shelter, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Protection to inform decision-making and identify lessons learned. Facilitate connections between colleagues and peers to generate and share evidence-based learning.
• Provide management, guidance and technical oversight for project or program evaluation events and research in Emergency Food Assistance, WASH, Shelter, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Protection including the development of terms of reference or study protocols that include evaluation/learning questions, a balance of qualitative and quantitative methods, appropriate consideration of ethical and data protection standards, and the necessary technical rigor. Oversee the quality of evaluation data through good data management. Support the identification, recruitment, and management of external evaluators or research partners to ensure high quality evaluation, research, and learning.
• Oversee MEAL-related technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities in Emergency Food Assistance, WASH, Shelter, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Protection for staff and partner organizations to enhance program quality and impact.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of partnerships relevant to MEAL in Emergency Food Assistance, WASH, Shelter, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Protection and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Oversees timely and appropriate project MEAL expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Will supervise 5 MEAL Officers, 2 Accountability Officers.

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: CP MEAL Coordinator, Chief of Party, Emergency Coordinator, Sector PMs, Head of Office, Heads of Operations Departments
• External: Consortium MEAL teams

Basic Qualifications

• Master's Degree in International Development, International Relations or in the field of MEAL required.
• Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 5 years of managerial experience in relevant field-based project management experience required, with preferably at least 2-3 years working in the area of MEAL.
• Experience in managing moderately complex projects preferably with an international NGO.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Good experience in project grants management, including project design, preferably for grants from multiple public donors, including USAID.
• Demonstrated ability to write high quality technical proposals.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations
• MEAL skills and experience required.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to make sound judgment and decisions and offer innovative solutions
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally.Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Good presentation and facilitation skills
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.

Required Languages:

• English is required and knowledge of Hausa and Kanuri is a plus.

Travel:

• Must be willing and able to travel up to 20%

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

MEAL Competencies (for CRS MEAL Program Staff):
Each staff member in this position is expected to have advanced knowledge and ability and can apply the following competencies in new or complex situations. Guides other professionals:

• MEAL in Design
• Monitoring
• Evaluation
• Accountability
• Learning
• Analysis and Critical Thinking
• Management in MEAL
• Each staff member in this position is expected to have solid knowledge and ability and can apply the following competencies with minimal or no guidance, in the full range of typical situations, while requiring guidance to handle novel or more complex situations.