Latest Vacancies at Search for Common Ground (SFCG)

Location: Yola, Adamawa

About The Project

• Search for Common Ground with support from the EU is working on an 18 months project titled “Contributing to the mitigation of conflict over natural resources between farmer and herder communities in Adamawa State, Nigeria (COMITAS)”. The project pursues four specific objectives: First, it will aim to strengthen traditional conflict resolution in the targeted locations in Adamawa state to support conflict prevention and mitigation efforts. Secondly, this project will aim to improve trust in authorities’ commitment to providing security and adequate resource management to help prevent communities to turn towards violence. The third specific objective of the project is to address the root causes of conflict between farmer and herder communities over natural resources and lastly, the fourth specific objective of this project is to improve intra and inter-communal perceptions. The project will be implemented in Demsa, Girei, Numan, Lamurde, and Song local government areas in Adamawa State, Yola in Adamawa State.
• This project” will work to contribute to the mitigation of conflict over natural resources. Search and her partners will work with authorities first at the lowest level (local administration, authorities, the judiciary) and other higher levels (State, Federal) where necessary. This approach, as developed has successfully applied, in USAID-funded “Building Bridges Between Herders and Farmers in Plateau, Nasarawa, and the Kaduna States” program in the Middle Belt, consists of conflict prevention, dispute resolution, and sustainability beginning from the local level and conflict-affected people themselves. 
• The project will support community-based Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) to identify risks and partner with civil society, security or government actions to institutionalize strategies and approaches that will build community capacity and skills for sustainable peace. 
• Additionally, the project seeks to ensure conflicts identified through the EWER feed into multi-stakeholder forums for dispute resolution and higher-level policy change and create open and neutral spaces for the farmer and pastoralist community members and leaders to identify collective solutions.
• The position holder will be responsible for the conduct of community early warning prevention and mitigation activities in Adamawa State.
• S/he will ensure that the conflict scanning is executed as planned; coordinate early warning observers, confirm and analyze reports and prepare monthly reports. S/he will work closely with the State project coordinator in the implementation of early warning and conflict prevention activities.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Has the responsibility for managing the Early Warning System (EWS) and integrated hub in Adamawa state with guidance from the Conflict Analyst
• Organize monthly meetings with Community Observers (COs) and quarterly meetings with Community Response Networks (CRNs) in Adamawa and Borno States.
• Ensure that the EW system receives daily SMS/voice incident reports from COs, CRNs and other stakeholders and such reports are documented on the system and analyzed in real-time and disseminated to actors and communities for immediate response.
• Collate and develop weekly EWS reports/analyses and Monthly updates to be shared with donors and other stakeholders.
• Develop bimonthly EWS bulletin to share in printed and electronic copies to local actors, government and stakeholders including NGOs.
• Participate and share analysis of EWS reports with CSADs and PAD members.
• Document key success stories from the EWS reports, incidences and/or responses of actors and stakeholders linked to the reports received from the system.
• Support programmatic and logistical support and assistance to the State Project Coordinator
• Serve as a link and intermediary between Search for Common Ground and local communities and partners.
• Facilitate and organize field visits for Search staff, visitors and donors to local communities
• Contribute to the preparation of funder reports
• Participate in research in support of project implementation and development
• Work with program staff in the development and continuous improvement of systems
• Provide necessary support to implementing partners and government under the supervision of the program managers
• Provide weekly and monthly progress reports to supervisor and management team 

Financial Compliance:

• Prepares activity budgets and ensures that budgets are spent as per approved budget;
• Organises the payment to all local vendors, as well as transport reimbursements and per diems;
• Documents all expenses
• Provides activity spending reconciliation reports as per Search for Common Ground’s guidelines
• Ensure effective implementation and compliance with the overall finance and guidance manual and compliance with procedures
• As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key duties.
• Reports to: Line managed by the Head of Office, Middle Belt and technically managed by the National Conflict Analyst
• Supervisory function: Early Warning Officer
• Working relations: Work closely with the project team
• As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key duties.

Required Profile

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in Social Science, Arts, Development Studies or a related field;
• At least four (4) years of experience in Early warning and conflict management  or related fields
• Relevant experience working in the non-profit and NGO sector;
• Experience with conflict analysis tools;
• Substantial experience working with government officials, NGOs and communities;
• Experience writing reports and project proposals;
• Understanding of the social, political and economic context of the state and how it impacts on conflict drivers and conflict in the state and targeted communities;
• Knowledge and experience in computers and crowd mapping software;
• Other Relevant Requirements
• Ability to identify issues and to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of problems;
• Good knowledge of the political, economic and social dimensions of North - East region as well as farmer Herder conflict dynamics.
• Ability to work under extreme pressure in a highly stressful environment;
• Willingness to keep abreast of new developments in the EW/ER field;
• Basics financial management skills;
• Hausa language skills are essential; Knowledge of other languages spoken in the state will be an advantage;
• Strong command of English language, with excellent written and oral communication skills and interpersonal communication skills;
• A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards and a diverse workplace; and
• Ability to prioritize, plan and organize workflow to tight timeframes, handle multiple tasks, and be flexible with changing priorities.

Required Competencies:

• Leading and supervising: Has the ability to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of SFCG. Is able to build trust within the team and acts with integrity.
• Accountability: Being accountable and passing on accountability for one's own actions and those of colleagues and the organization.
• Attention to detail: The ability to process detailed information effectively and consistently
• Collaboration: The ability to work effectively with others in order to achieve a shared goal - even when the object at stake is of no direct personal interest possibilities.
• Creativity: The ability to come up with original and innovative ideas and solutions, to adopt points of view outside the usual parameters.
• Focus on Quality: Setting high-quality standards and striving for continuous improvement and quality assurance.
• Learning Ability: The ability to absorb new information readily and to put it into practice effectively
• Adaptability: The ability to remain fully functional by adapting to changing circumstances (environment, procedures and people).

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Reports to: Human Resource Manager
Duration: 1 year (Extension Based on Budget Availability)

Position Summary

• The HR assistant will support the Human Resource Department in managing daily HR functions and supporting a staff strength of about 100 persons across several locations: gain wide exposure to recruiting, consultancy procurement, employee relations, benefits, administration, training and meeting coordination, audits and other projects as they occur day to day in the department.
• The HR Assistant will also work with the Finance and Admin team on work tool procurement process for new hires and replacement for existing hires.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Provide recruitment support by scheduling and arranging interviews for shortlisted candidates
• Provide necessary Consultancy Procurement support to the Human Resource Manager.
• Conducting Terrorist and reference checks, and maintaining new hiring information.
• Own the orientation program, running regular sessions throughout the year, regularly evaluate and make improvements to orientation and on-boarding processes for new hire, rehires and transfers.
• Provide Roving HR duties to other field offices for onboarding, observation and documentation as needed.
• Ensure employment information is up to date and available for all new employees.
• Send out staff announcement to all staff at least one week before staff resumption.
• Send out welcome email to all new employees at least 3 days before start date. Welcome email should contain one to two weeks of onboarding plan.
• Follow up with all departing employees to ensure that all exit documents are submitted and all assets are retrieved.
• Manage all employment contracts and ensure personnel files are effectively maintained
• Manage all extensions to existing staff conditions of employment.
• Participate in team meetings to bring up issues, share knowledge, share achievements, and provide training and direction.
• Contribute to continuous improvement activities across the HR team.
• Undertakes additional tasks or projects as assigned by the HR Manager
• As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key duties.

Qualifications
Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Development Studies, Social Science, International Studies, Public Administration, or experience in related area.

Required Experience:

• 1-2 years of relevant practical HR experience working as a human resource personnel or managing recruitment.
• Experience in INGO is a plus.

Other Requirements:

• Ability to work independently and plan own work, manage conflicting priorities and deadlines;
• Demonstrate integrity, alignment with Search’s values and ethical standards;
• Promote the vision, mission, and strategic objectives of Search;
• Capacity to adapt to a multi-cultural context, and tolerance and respect to issues related to gender, religion, race and nationality;
• Excellent ability to multi-task and produce time-bound deliverables.
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism and solves problems in collaborative ways.
• Analytical capacity, including the ability to analyze and articulate peace, violence prevention, human security and conflict issues;
• Ability to identify problems, and to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve them;
• Ability to work under pressure in a highly rewarding, but stressful and demanding environment;
• Willingness to keep abreast of new developments in the field;
• Excellent communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to draft/edit a variety
• of written reports and communications and to articulate ideas in a clear, concise style;
• Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications; and
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and collaborative working relations.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

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Location: Yola, Adamawa
Job type: Full Time - Local
Department: Operations & Administration - Africa
Duration: 9 months with possibility of extension

Job Description

• We are looking for a Procurement and Supplies Coordinator to be based in Yola, who has the responsibility of ensuring that procurement processes at the field office level are being done in line with Search procurement policies and that the office has available fleet of vehicles to support program activities.
• S/he will ensure that the fixed assets at the field office are managed in line with the asset management guidelines and records are properly maintained.
• S/he will also ensure that the stores are well managed with records properly maintained.
• S/he will also support the field office in managing administrative functions including office management, security property management, stores and other related support functions.
• S/he will work under the direct supervision of the Admin and Procurement Manager and closely with the Programs team.
• The position holder may supervise Procurement, admin and logistics assistants and/or interns. This position is located in Yola.

The Roles and Responsibilities
Procurement Management:

• Promptly coordinate Search procurement activities in collaboration with the Admin and Procurement Manager in line with search and donor policies
• Ensure Search procurement guidelines are adhered to in all Search offices in Nigeria
• Enforce compliance with procurement threshold and procedures
• Ensure Search procurement processes are legal and ethical
• Regularly update the PR tracker to reflect stages of procurement for each request
• Conduct quote analysis and draft selection memos
• Interact with contractors in coordination with Admin and Procurement Manager
• Ensure prompt and correct filing of procurement related documents both hard and e-copy
• Support Invitation to bids process.

Administrative & Logistics Management:

• Supervise the maintenance of office equipment and oversee repairs
• Manage the office fleet and approve any private vehicle hire
• Oversee vehicle repairs
• Maintain and review office logs on travel, inventory and fuel usage for generator, vehicles etc.
• Support staff travel arrangements, relevant documentation (tickets, accommodation etc.) and any necessary travel support
• Prepare and submit a monthly logistics report about the above to the Procurement, Admin and Logistics Manager.
• Coordinate procurement process of goods and services, ensure necessary documentation
• Maintain and update vendor’s database for necessary goods and services
• Monitor quality and control cost on various office supplies, stationery, hotel accommodation, transportation and other equipment
• Provide support to HR where needed
• Any other function required to undertake broadly in line with above functions.

Collaborations:

• Work with Admin team to draft LPOs for contractors
•  Collaborate with the Admin team to ensure a regularly updated inventory tracker for all assets purchased
• Coordinate with the Admin and Procurement Manager to draft Contracts
• Coordinate with finance unit to ensure payments to vendors are timely

Asset Management:

• Ensure proper tracking of all Search assets throughout the country
• Accountable for proper tracking of assets using Equipment Issue / Receipt forms.
• Support asset verification process and submission of asset reports to the Admin and Procurement Manager for review.
• Ensure spot-checks are done systematically, documented and reported for all Search assets, inventory and equipment.

Qualities should include ability to:

• Actively engage and support the program teams in procurement planning to ensure timely delivery of project inputs and activities.
• Plan and engage with Project Managers to understand contract specifications
•  Plan and engage with suppliers to develop a profile of delivery capability which results in effective market engagement.
• Identify, negotiate and implement contract & framework agreements which result in efficiencies in line with financial and forecasting requirements.
• Maintain accurate auditable records of all procurement process which result in high process compliance.

Expected deliverable - Regularly updated:

• Vendor database
• Inventory database
• Purchase request tracker
• Lease tracker
• Contract database

Requirements
You are required to meet the following qualifications:

• At least 3-5 years of professional experience in similar role.
• Candidate should have a minimum of Bachelor's Degree or its equivalent in Business Administration, Finance, Procurement, Logistics or Supply Chain Management. Master's degree and Professional qualification in the relevant field is an added advantage.
• Experience working with donors including USAID, BPRM, UNHC, UNICEF, DFID, ECHO, and EU, and knowledge of specific donor guidelines.
• Experience in working with international organizations at least for 2 years.
• Leadership, supervision, good interpersonal and decision making skills are required.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English
• Strong writing skills
• Very good analytical skills
• Ability to delegate duties or request assistance when required
• Strong computer competency with word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Demonstrate high level organizational and time management skills, including the ability to plan and manage workflows and balance competing priorities to ensure timely processing to meet deadlines in a complex environment.
• Demonstrate ability to respond effectively to challenges, work effectively in a cross functional, diverse and busy team environment with minimal supervision.

Competencies? You are expected to demonstrate:

• Leading and supervising: Has the ability to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of SFCG. Is able to build trust within team and acts with integrity.
• Accountability: Being accountable and passing on accountability for one's own actions and those of colleagues and the organization.
• Attention to detail: The ability to process detailed information effectively and consistently
• Collaboration: The ability to work effectively with others in order to achieve a shared goal - even when the object at stake is of no direct personal interest possibilities.
• Creativity: The ability to come up with original and innovative ideas and solutions, to adopt points of view outside the usual parameters.
• Focus on Quality: Setting high quality standards and striving for continuous improvement and quality assurance.
• Learning Ability: The ability to absorb new information readily and to put it into practice effectively
• Adaptability: The ability to remain fully functional by adapting to changing circumstances (environment, procedures and people).

Added Advantage:

• Hausa (an added advantage)
• As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

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Location: Yola, Adamawa
Reports to: Human Resource Manager
Duration: 1 year (Extension Based on Budget Availability)

Background

• To contribute to the mitigation of conflict over natural resources between Farmer and Herder communities in Adamawa state, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Search for Common Ground (Search) and Mercy Corps, with funding from the European Union, are implementing a project titled COMITAS (Contributing to the mitigation of conflict over natural resources between farmer and herder communities in Adamawa State).
• The consortium has designed a comprehensive and integrated approach that builds on the comparative strengths of each organization. IOM will build on its data collection experiences in north-east Nigeria and globally to implement a transhumance tracking tool to strengthen early warning systems. IOM will also build on its extensive policy engagements with the government of Nigeria, most notably with regards to the Disengagement, Disassociation, Reintegration, and Reconciliation program and action plan. Search will build on its extensive work on early warning and response, trust building through dialogue, and promoting positive perceptions through reliable information and peace messaging. Mercy Corps will capitalize on its trusted relationships with local stakeholders across Nigeria’s Middle Belt to continue to empower communities to prevent and respond to violence by strengthening collaboration on natural resource management.
• Search’s Peace Architecture model, a successful model across its programming in Nigeria, Niger, and Mali, establishes interconnected, multi-stakeholder, and community-inclusive dialogue-to-action platforms. In Nigeria, these platforms operate at three levels of engagement: the community, local government area, and state levels. Each platform comprises relevant stakeholders within each level of engagement, where they convene to discuss and jointly address peace and security challenges. Since the platforms are established at the community, local government, and state levels, they are able to both address and respond to needs within each level, as well as coordinate among and between each other to share information and develop holistic responses to peace and security challenges.
• These platforms are designed to support trust building, collective action, and mutual accountability among diverse stakeholders for lasting change. Search regularly trains members of these platforms on the Common Ground Approach, conflict mediation, transformative dialogue, and conflict prevention and other capacities. These platforms are effective in addressing transhumance-related conflicts, where solutions require the participation of diverse stakeholders.

Goals and Objectives

• Engage communities through participatory theatre:
  • To engage communities in Adamawa state on conflict resolution, Search will organise participatory theatre performances on farmer and herder relations and conflict through existing theatre groups. The performances will highlight similar conflict scenarios as those presented in the radio mini-series. After each performance, Search will facilitate discussion and reflection between the spectators to identify possible solutions to each conflict scenario. By reflecting on fictional rather than real life scenarios, community members are more likely to feel at ease to express their opinions and ideas openly and apply the identified solutions when they experience conflict in their own lives. All COVID-19 protocols will be adhered to during the implementation of this activity. 
  • During this project, Search will organise one participatory theatre performance in all selected ten communities in Adamawa State.

Methodology:

• Search is now looking to work with a consultant, whose expertise is in the performances and arts, and specifically in implementing Community Participatory Theatre events to carry out a 3 day training of a local theatre group within Adamawa State. 
• During the training, the consultant will co-designing 10 participatory theater events tailored along with the pre-identified cultural group. 
• The consultant will train the group in the roles of the Protagonist, Antagonist and Joker and how to perform them. The performances will promote peace and unity, highlighting inspiring stories, messages, and content, and showcasing diverse voices; infusing conflict sensitivity and the Common Ground Approach to resolving issues in conflict situations as those presented in the radio mini-series. 
• The participatory theatre performances will be designed to suit each of the communities they will be performed in for relatability to the target audience.
• After the 3 day training, the participatory theatre performances will be staged in the local dialects of the selected communities so that the messages and themes are relatable and accessible to every demographic of the communities and ultimately, rural communities that lack access to the internet, radio, and television. 

Deliverables:

• The consultant will co-design, develop and choreograph a 5-7 minute long participatory theatre performance play, peculiar to each of the selected communities (local dialect, culture, tradition and values).  
• The consultant will train and work closely with the cultural group.  All costs associated with the community performances will be the sole responsibility of Search. Only training costs should be incorporated into the final contract proposal. 
• The consultant will develop training manuals in consultation with Search, to accomplish formative scripts and other preparatory work. The consultant is expected to hold early and intensive meetings with Search, to understand project objectives. The consultant will provide illustrative examples of how the performances will be structured including high-level storyboards and scripts during the rehearsal phase. Final content decisions will be discussed between the consultant, Search and the cultural group. 
• The performances will convey core messages of the project and tell an emotionally engaging story through creative and visually captivating performances.
• The performances will mirror the communities’ situations through different perspectives, the challenges faced, and also their conflict coping and managing strategies. The stage plays should target community members, reflect real life situations unique to them and appeal to human emotions through beautiful and vivid performances and a captivating storyline.

Qualifications
Educational Background:

• University Degree or equivalent in the Arts and Film Production, Communications, Journalism, Media Studies or related fields. Master’s Degree is an added advantage.

Required Experience:

• At least 3 years’ experience producing and directing Community Participatory performances
• Experience engaging and working with audiences from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds;
• Demonstrated experience working on conflict issues and fragile environments; 
• Excellent knowledge of the North East conflict dynamics
• Relevant experience supporting and engaging the media, NGO or INGO.

Personal Attributes:

• Familiarity with location (i.e. Adamawa/North East) and knowledge of the local languages in the target state will be an added advantage (in this case Hausa).
• Strong command of English language and the Hausa Language, with excellent written, oral communication and interpersonal communication skills;
• A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards;
• Ability to prioritize, plan and organize workflow to tight timeframes, multi-tasking, and flexibility.
• Strong leadership skills
• Attention to detail:  The ability to process detailed information effectively and consistently.
• Collaboration: The ability to work effectively with others in order to achieve a shared goal
• New-Learning: The ability to absorb new information readily and to put it into practice effectively
• Adaptability: The ability to remain fully functional by adapting to changing circumstances (environment, procedures and people).

Financial:

• The consultant will be mobilized 100% upon satisfactory completion of all milestones.

Requirements (Submission)

• Each bidder must submit the following:
  • A technical proposal, describing how the participatory theatre objectives will be met Also a narrative “pitch” describing the basic performance concepts and illustrative examples of how each performance would be structured. 
  • Relevant community theatre work developed by a consultant. 
  • Budget/financial proposal including a description of costs for personnel (if applicable)
  • Creative portfolios of past work.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Technical proposal - Technical proposal based on specific criteria such as Clarity, comprehensiveness and coherence in presentation of technical proposal,
• Expertise in the subject matter - Review of the consultant’s portfolio and technical capabilities including creative storytelling, applying emotion and content that informs, inspires, and motivates audiences to participate. 
• Past experiences and demonstrated ability to do the job.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.