Job Vacancies at Mercy Corps

Program / Department Summary

• The Nigeria International NGO Forum (INGO Forum) is a civil society mechanism comprising of approximately 40 members (confirmed and prospective) and 4 observers active in the humanitarian and development fields in Nigeria.
• The purpose of the Forum is to provide an inclusive and consistent space for INGOs to develop and employ collective strategies and approaches to enhance the overall effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian and development initiatives throughout Nigeria.
• The INGO Forum exists primarily to serve the needs of its members and to act in their interest for the betterment of serving beneficiaries.
• The main objectives include information sharing/ communication; coordination; policy development and advocacy; engagement with national civil society; and external representation of the INGO community.
• With 2 current staff (Coordinator and Support Manager) the INGO Forum plans to expand its reach with the goal of improving services to its members and increasing advocacy related to identified key priority issues.
• As of March 2017, the INGO Forum will be hosted by Mercy Corps in Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja.

General Position Summary

• The INGO Information Management Officer will support the Forum and its member organizations in information exchange, representation, engagement with stakeholders, expansion of the Forum’s digital footprint advocacy and communication functions.
• S/he will serve as an information focal point linking external structures/ partners with up-to-date realities in the NorthEast through proactive engagement with identified personnel and information collection and sharing.
• In collaboration with staff of the forum, s/he will facilitate the promotion of information products and media content, both within INGOs and on behalf of INGOs with other partners or stakeholders.
• As a main link between the INGO community and the Nigeria stakeholders/ international community, s/he will actively engage with media to identify opportunities for creating awareness and promoting activities of the Forum, using the full array of modern communications tools, including social media and on-line media channels.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Information Sharing / Communication:

• Facilitate structured and effective information exchange both between internal INGO partners, and with external partners (NNGOs, UN, Government, Media, International community, etc)
• Stay informed on political, humanitarian and security contexts, while providing structured updates to the INGO Forum
• Assist in drafting humanitarian updates, policy briefs, and other similar materials.
• Facilitate effective information flow between field-level realities in NE Nigeria and capital-level coordination in Abuja.
• Compile and update simple 4Ws (Who, What, Where, When) matrixes/databases for Forum Members and, using this information, update stakeholders on joint INGO delivery progress.
• Undertake regular visits to the field and provide relevant updates on the humanitarian situation.
• Consistently liaise with key stakeholders in NE to share relevant information and stay informed.
• Engage partners to efficiently compile necessary information to respond to external requests.
• Summarize key documents (reports, assessments, etc) and share with partners in easily-read format.
• Support the Forum in developing data collection tools, databases, statistical reports and maps.

Coordination:

• Participate in monthly humanitarian coordination working group to ensure consistent messaging about the humanitarian situation in NE.
• Help facilitate INGO coordination with Media in NE states (Maiduguri with potential for other NE state capitals)
• Facilitate regular engagement with the press including media briefings, information support to media teams visiting the North East, and coverage of high-profile Forum engagements where necessary.
• Engage with other coordination mechanisms in Borno to ensure INGO representation and assure complementarity, gap-filling and avoidance of overlap.

Representation:

• Develop relationships with NNGO consortia to explore partnerships and related capacity gaps.
• Identify opportunities for capacity building for NNGOs, as well as opportunities for INGOs to learn from NNGO practices.
• Assure NNGO interests are represented within INGO Forum key messages, and actively seek advocacy allies/partnerships.
• Provide linkages between INGO and NNGO community / identify opportunities for collaboration.
• Help organize and facilitate workshops and other capacity development, as necessary.
• Maintain welcome pack for arriving INGOs, and information pack on INGO Forum for other partners.
• Finance & Compliance
• Ensure compliance with donor and host agency (in this case, Mercy Corps) regulations
• Draft or review scope of work to hire and manage technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget, as required.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
• Accountability To Beneficiaries
• INGO Forum  team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work.

Knowledge and Experience

• Advanced university Degree in Law, Political Science, International Relations, Journalism, Social Sciences, International Development or related Technical field (minimum Master's Degree).
• Demonstrated experience of 5 years in coordination of complex emergencies at international level
• Five years cognate experience in a similar role within an NGO (local or international), in a newspaper or research institution.
• Excellent writing, editing, analytical skills and ability to formulate well-targeted strategic documents.
• Knowledge and understanding of the international humanitarian/development system and the mandates of the actors involved.
• Prior experience in managing INGO Consortia/fora
• Written and spoken fluency in English.
• Strong data analytical and interpretation skills.
• Willingness to learn and interest in humanitarian practice.
• Commitment to international humanitarian standards and principles.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced and often demanding environment.
• Proven experience in influencing for policy change and practice
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating meetings in high-pressure professional setting
• Demonstrated experience in lobby and engaging with high level actors with strong evidence from the field
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and experience in humanitarian setting.
• Experience in an NGO (local or international), in NE Nigeria Humanitarian context.
• Knowledge of and contacts in Nigerian Media.

Success Factor:

• Commitment to achieve results in a timely manner
• Trustworthiness and  integrity
• Committed to humanitarian values and principles
• People management skills
• Influencing and negotiation skills
• Communication
• Cultural sensitivity
• Gender equity and protection sensitive
• Creative solutions to problems

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Program/Department Summary

• The Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) Programme is an initiative to improve learning outcomes and the economic status of marginalized adolescent girls aged 16-19 in the Northern Nigerian states of Kano and Kaduna, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria.
• ENGINE through funding from the UK Department for International Development’s Girls Education Challenge, the Coca-Cola Company and other stakeholders supported over 18,000 marginalized girls to reduce education and financial barriers in its first implementation phase.
• In its second phase, ENGINE 2 will facilitate transition of these girls into functional literacy, numeracy and scale up their business opportunities and linkages.
• ENGINE 2 will further increase girls’ and young women’s access to:
  • Financial education and life skills;
  • Peer to peer networks and mentoring; and
  • Direct assets (materials and savings). Beneficiaries will be integrated into value chains as well as conduct other market-driven employment opportunities.
• ENGINE 2 will also work with girls in formal and informal education to increase their learning opportunities and outcomes to prepare them for future economic activities and work in the policy environment to provide an enabling environment for girls to flourish in their chosen pathways.

General Position Summary

• The Manager, Policy and Governance will be responsible for managing ENGINE 2’s overall policy and governance component of the project.
• S/he will be responsible for working with government to ensure policies are implemented to allow girls thrive by becoming educated and empowered.
• S/he will provide technical leadership on policy and governance issues.
• This position will ensure ENGINE 2 implementation is responsive to marginalized Nigerian girls, their communities and the country at large. This position will coordinate and plan with other donor-funded programs to facilitate favourable policies for girls to thrive.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Vision:

• Lead the development of the overall vision and strategic plan for the policy and governance unit.
• Recognize and adapt policies that are favourable and sustainable

Program Management:

• Provide technical leadership for the design, formalization, and management of innovative policy and governance initiatives
• Ensuring quality and integrity of implementation, including adherence to technical guidelines, administrative systems, and established deadlines
• Evaluating the relevance and appropriateness of current and future programming in relation to policies affecting or hindering girl child education and empowerment
• Undertaking staff capacity building

Team Management:

• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Implement performance planning and management systems, establish performance expectations with team members, and regularly provide constructive feedback on team members’ performance.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
• Finance & Compliance Management
• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
• Draft and /or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

Influence & Representation:

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
• Proactively form relationships community members to complement DfID funding.
• Represent ENGINE 2 on governance issues at technical and strategic planning meetings, or as requested by the Director of Gender Programs.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies
• Work closely with Mercy Corps Nigeria country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all aspects 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.

Knowledge and Experience

• Master's Degree or its equivalent in International Relations, Development Studies, Management, Social Sciences, International Development or other relevant field.
• A minimum of 7 years of progressive work experience including at least 2 years in a senior management or technical advisory role on large, education, gender- focused, skills building program.
• Strong understanding of DfID compliance issues.
• Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues in high security environment.  Experience managing a multi-organizational team (international and national partners) is a plus.
• Experience working in Northern Nigeria strongly preferred.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Demonstrated experience working with country-level ministries and government officials, Ministry of Education experience preferred.

Success Factors:

• The successful candidate will combine exceptional leadership, management and technical skills with a focus on innovative interventions to engage adolescent girls in informal education and skills building linked with private sector entrepreneurship and employment opportunities in a culturally and religiously conservative environment. 
• S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative and complex programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region.
• Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.

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Program / Department Summary

• The Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) Programme is an initiative to improve learning outcomes and the economic status of marginalized adolescent girls aged 16-19 in the Northern Nigerian states of Kano and Kaduna, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria.
• ENGINE through funding from the UK Department for International Development’s Girls Education Challenge, the Coca-Cola Company and other stakeholders supported over 18,000 marginalized girls to reduce education and financial barriers in its first implementation phase.
• In its second phase, ENGINE 2 will facilitate transition of these girls into functional literacy, numeracy and scale up their business opportunities and linkages.
• ENGINE 2 will further increase girls’ and young women’s access to:
  • Financial education and life skills;
  • Peer to peer networks and mentoring; and
  • Direct assets (materials and savings).
• Beneficiaries will be integrated into value chains as well as conduct other market-driven employment opportunities.
• ENGINE 2 will also work with girls in formal and informal education to increase their learning opportunities and outcomes to prepare them for future economic activities and work in the policy environment to provide an enabling environment for girls to flourish in their chosen pathways.

General Position Summary

• The Communications Advisor will provide leadership in all aspects of information management.
• S/he will develop a communication strategy for the ENGINE 2 program including developing BCC/IEC materials, newsletters, footages, advocacy guides, and other messaging required for various phases of the project.
• The Communication Advisor will coordinate closely with the Senior Manager, Knowledge Management, Deputy Project Director, MEL Advisor and other MEL team members to plan and implement activities that ensure adherence to Mercy Corps’ and DFID standards, including the use dissemination of project materials to different stakeholders.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcome.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.
• Actively participate in meetings and processes to promote effective program management (through strong Communication practices) across the entire country portfolio.
• Strengthen staff capacity in theory and practical communication through comprehensive training and coaching.
• Participate in the preparation of high-quality quarterly and annual reports.
• Coordinate internal and external reviews of information collected
• Participate in communications-related working groups and maintain close working relationships with other communications counterparts in other relevant international NGOs, local NGOs, and associations in Nigeria.
• Proven experience in supporting teams link the project theory of change to develop a communication objective and plan and coordinate its implementation
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.

Knowledge and Experience

• Postgraduate Degree in Communication, International Development, Gender or any related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of Communication work experience in international development required; ideal candidate will have both theoretical and practical background in communications.
• Knowledge of program development, implementation and reporting
• Experience supervising Communication teams and building team capacity to deliver high-quality results.
• Vast experience in producing films, documentaries, drama skits and other appropriate communication materials.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent computer skills, including experience with: any communication software
• Familiarity and experience large-scale secondary education or school to work and especially targeting marginalized girls or young women programs preferred.
• Experience interfacing with media, corporations and key stakeholders highly desired

Success Factor

• The successful candidate will combine exceptional leadership, management and technical skills with a focus on innovative interventions to engage adolescent girls in informal education and skills building linked with private sector entrepreneurship and employment opportunities in a culturally and religiously conservative environment.
• S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative and complex programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.

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Location: Maiduguri, Borno

Program / Department Summary

• The Nigeria International NGO Forum (INGO Forum) is a civil society mechanism comprising of approximately 40 members (confirmed and prospective) and 4 observers active in the humanitarian and development fields in Nigeria.
• The purpose of the Forum is to provide an inclusive and consistent space for INGOs to develop and employ collective strategies and approaches to enhance the overall effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian and development initiatives throughout Nigeria.
• The INGO Forum exists primarily to serve the needs of its members and to act in their interest for the betterment of serving beneficiaries.
• The main objectives include information sharing/ communication; coordination; policy development and advocacy; engagement with national civil society; and external representation of the INGO community. With 2 current staff (Coordinator and Support Manager) the INGO Forum plans to expand its reach with the goal of improving services to its members and increasing advocacy related to identified key priority issues. As of March 2017, the INGO Forum will be hosted by Mercy Corps in Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja.

General Position Summary

• Reporting to the NIF Coordinator, the post-holder is responsible for the policy analysis and strategic planning support to NIF members, reflecting NIF-identified priority issues within the political, operational, and humanitarian spheres.
• The post holder will chair sub-Working Groups.
• The post-holder will facilitate the establishment of a strategic humanitarian policy and engagement presence on behalf of NIF members, in collaboration with members’ dedicated engagement and policy teams (where available), humanitarian managers, and directors.
• The post holder will support the NIF Coordinator and Executive Committee to engage effectively in the various avenues available to NIF to effect policy change. 
• The post holder is responsible for supporting the overall strategic planning with the Membership, together with the Coordinator, and will deliver regular reports, briefing papers, key messages or position papers as required. Where joint messaging on behalf of all NIF members is either unproductive or impossible, the post-holder will aim to facilitate and support joint works through “coalitions of the willing.”
• The post-holder will likewise be responsible for outreach and coordination to local NGO networks to support coordinated engagement work in Nigeria. 

Essential Job Responsibilities
Identifying and Developing Areas for Engagement by NIF Members:

• Stay abreast of political developments and humanitarian trends in Nigeria, with an emphasis on the humanitarian crisis in the NE, informing NIF members where relevant.
• Ensuring sufficient capacity and knowledge to support policy analysis and strategic planning around the humanitarian architecture and operational issues.
• Collaborate with the NIF Coordinator to represent NIF at meetings with external engagement targets.
• Identify and liaise with external partners, including ICVA, Crisis Action and InterAction, to identify lobby opportunities out of country.
• Develop a calendar of upcoming lobby opportunities to be tapped by NIF members and partners

Leading the Creation and Implementation of the NIF Influence and Negotiation Strategy:

• Stemming from priorities identified by NIF membership, the post holder is responsible for developing, updating and implementing NIF influence and negotiation strategy on behalf of/in collaboration with the NIF membership.
• Lead the process of drafting NIF positions and related negotiation strategies based on priorities identified by NIF members
• Advise and contribute to and coordinating the development of NIF positions, managing various communication activities, leading on the communication of NIF positions amongst key stakeholders including, where necessary, national and international media, and the wider humanitarian community
• Serves as chair and provides leadership to the NIF Engagement Working Group and the implementation of decisions taken at their meetings
• Coordinate and monitor Engagement messages and initiatives to ensure impact and that NIF external Engagement is in line with good humanitarian and development principles
• Update the NIF Engagement strategy in collaboration with the NIF membership and Executive Committee, developing a periodical review and feedback of the implementation of NIF Engagement activities
• Develop and implement an annual Engagement strategy for the Forum in collaboration with the membership with clear timelines and products
• Identify and lead (when appropriate) engagement initiatives for the membership through mobilising members and through the production of joint influencing products
• Support overall Forum engagement efforts through developing and facilitating relevant influencing products including policy briefs, briefing notes, position papers and background papers. Lead the process as appropriate and get member consensus for sign on
• Liaise with leads from international coordination structures such as InterAction and ICVA to strengthen linkages with Nigeria for better engagement to prioritize Nigeria agenda.
• Support state representatives in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe to identify opportunities for engagement with authorities on thematic issues
• Engage with peace building and resilience working groups, through calling for meetings, drafting action-oriented meeting notes, support in sourcing for presenters and developing agenda for the meetings.

Coordinating, Internally and also with External Actors:

• Foster relationships with political and diplomatic stakeholders, raise awareness about the NIF Influencing and negotiation strategy and messages among political stakeholders
• Ensure more effective and consistent communication and engagement with the UN, local authorities, civil society, donors, embassies and other stakeholders
• Organize and facilitate NIF lobby subcommittee meetings in both the Abuja and the field
• Develop strong policy links and clear ways of working between NIF and National NGOs
• Ensure collaboration with the OCHA-chaired Humanitarian Communications Working Group.

Engagement with National Civil Society Actors and Other Stakeholders:

• Develop relationships with NNGO consortia to explore partnerships and related capacity gaps
• Identify opportunities for capacity building for NNGOs, as well as opportunities for INGOs to learn from NNGO practices
• Assure NNGO interests are represented within INGO Forum key messages, and actively seek allies/partnerships
• Provide linkages between INGO and NNGO community / identify opportunities for collaboration
• Organize and facilitate workshops and other capacity development, as necessary.

Target Outcomes:

• INGO influencing WG is coordinated and contributing regularly to the dialogue using evidence from the field
• INGO Forum influencing and negotiation strategy is updated, is practical and actioned by Forum members
• Post holders work plan identifies key dates and opportunities, and plans activities accordingly
• Iinfluencing and negotiation Strategy is revised regularly depending on changing context
• INGO Forum Influencing WG produces, or facilitates the production of, a significant number of products on behalf of the Forum or coalitions of the willing, and targeted follow up is supported with policy briefs, key messages, talking points, etc.
• Partnerships are fostered with NNGOs, UN agencies, donors, and other key stakeholders
• Humanitarian capacities of INGOs and NNGOs are built to lobby through trainings/workshops
• Humanitarian capacity of INGO Forum Communication Officer is built in order to assume oversight of influencing and negotiation strategy.

Finance & Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with donor and host agency (in this case, Mercy Corps) regulations
• Draft or review scope of work to hire and manage technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget, as required.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Accountability To Beneficiaries:

• INGO Forum team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work.

Knowledge and Experience

• Advanced university degree in related field
• Relevant work experience in policy analysis, influence, strategic planning, communications, research, media, data gathering and/or information management
• Demonstrated capacity to develop and implement strategies with clear theories of change
• Excellent writing, editing and analytical skills and ability to formulate well-targeted strategic documents
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced and often demanding environment
• Fluency in English required, with demonstrated writing skills
• Computer literacy in using Microsoft Office and email/internet.
• Previous humanitarian Liaison and engagement experience within NGO forum/Forum highly preferred
• Previous experience working in humanitarian context with a national or international NGO
• Prior experience coordinating a large number of diverse actors
• Background including knowledge of developments and trends in NE Nigeria Humanitarian context
• Knowledge of and contacts in Nigerian NGOs
• Experience using Microsoft Publisher or other relevant software.

Success Factor:

• Commitment to achieve results in a timely manner
• Trustworthiness and integrity
• Committed to humanitarian values and principles
• People management skills
• Influencing and negotiation skills
• Communication
• Cultural sensitivity
• Gender equity and protection sensitive
• Creative solutions to problems