Job Openings at Mercy Corps Nigeria

Employment Type: Full-time, Regular

Program / Department Summary

• Waves of resource-based, ethnic, and sectarian conflict, rising criminality and banditry, and expanding violent extremism are rendering North Central and Northwest Nigeria increasingly insecure.
• While multiple initiatives seek to address the complex causes of violence, community and security responses to drivers and triggers are often piecemeal at best, and ineffectual at worst.
• Existing Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems suffer from slow responses, poor coordination, top-down mandates that limit community ownership, weak dispute resolution skills among responders, little political and financial investment, leadership structures that exclude women and youth, and scant rigorous evidence.
• The result of ineffective EWER systems is that unchecked, violence proliferates.
• To examine and mitigate these barriers, Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigerian Early Response (PARTNER) will pursue a bold approach to collaboration across local, international, government, non-government, community, state, and security stakeholders.
• Our consortium of Government Agencies and CSOs will be led by Mercy Corps in a mentorship capacity in Years 1 and 2, after which local partners will assume leadership, working hand-in-hand with other consortium members.
• Local ownership, fueled by iterative organizational performance assessment and capacity strengthening, will inform each component of the proposed sustainable, flexible, and evidence-based national EWER system that builds on existing locally-led and gender-sensitive conflict management mechanisms for vertical integration; incentivizes quick responses through horizontal coordination; and fosters increased trust in security and government actors to promote inclusive and collective action.
• By embedding EWER innovations within formal structures from the beginning, PARTNER will increase Nigeria’s self-reliance in leading a holistic, coordinated, and effective effort to promote sustainable peace.

General Position Summary

• The PARTNER Program Officer is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the program.
• S/he will support the implementation of activities related to capacity building for farmers, herders, religious leaders, religious institutions, and other appropriate actors.
• The Program Officer will support the facilitation and implementation of EWER-related activities.
• S/he will also provide support to all other activities related to the PARTNER Early Warning and Early Response system strengthening in Nigeria.
• S/he will ensure smooth, timely, and compliant implementation across the PARTNER program implementation states.
• The PARTNER Program Officer will liaise frequently with implementing partners, community members, conflict actors, religious leaders, and represent Mercy Corps at relevant meetings.
• The S/he will work closely with the EWER Technical Manager, MEL Advisor, MEL Officer, CARM Officer and Operations staff (including finance and operations) to ensure that activities are implemented according to schedule, budget and required quality.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Support technical aspects of the peacebuilding and conflict management program by assisting with the development of activities/agendas/curricula as appropriate
• Facilitate and co-facilitate community meetings, events, and training as required
• Ensure implementation of activities is on time, target and budget
• Liaise with CIPP partner organizations and potential resource persons as needed
• Support the Program Manager in overseeing the performance of project implementation by partners and conduct frequent field visits to program sites
• In collaboration with M&E staff, coordinate the implementation of relevant surveys, needs assessments, data and information collection for ongoing monitoring
• Develop activity work plans and manage day-to-day activity implementation
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to community needs, meets targets, and is carried out in line with best practices
• Establish and maintain effective program reporting and monitoring and evaluation systems (to track, analyze and report on results) for both internal and external use
• Integrate community approaches, protection mainstreaming, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate
• Ensure effective community engagement to create enabling environment and ownership
• Submit weekly program updates including success stories to the supervisor
• Update Program Issue Log, Risk Register & Incident Tracker as appropriate
• Ensure program filing system is in place, adheres to internal and donor regulation and filing is regularly maintained
• Adhere to all MC policies related to security, operations and transport/ logistics information

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.

Additional Tasks:

• Support with other tasks as needed.

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.
• Report on any problems encountered in the field such as project participant complaints, local authority interference, and security threats to MC staff and activities. Coordinate with MC Security Officer and State Manager on any threats to MC staff and activities; follow up on incidents/security threats in areas of operation.

Working Relationship
Supervisory Responsibility: None

Accountability:

• Reports Directly to: EWER Technical Manager
• Works Directly with: PARTNER Consortium members, Program Team.

Qualifications / Knowledge and Experience

• BA / BSc or equivalent in Conflict Management, Social Sciences, International Development or other relevant fields
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working in the non-profit sector preferably on conflict management/peacebuilding and community development
• Experience working in rural areas in Nigeria, particularly in target states of CIPP
• Experience working in a multi-organizational team (international and national partners) is a plus
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing. Knowledge of Hausa is strongly preferred
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines, and work independently and cooperatively with team members
• Experience engaging with State and Local Government authorities, religious leaders and local partners
• Experience managing community-based peacebuilding and conflict management interventions
• Strong training and capacity building experience
• Demonstrated understanding of the conflict dynamics in the Middle Belt & Northwest Nigeria
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Demonstrate strong emotional intelligence.
• Excellent oral and written skills and computer skills.
• Fluency in English; fluency in local languages required.

Success Factors:

• S/he will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive communication skills and proven experience with capacity building.
• S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level.
• Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

• The position is based in Abuja and requires travel to project states.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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Position Status: Full-time, Regular
Reports Directly To: M&E Advisor
Supervisory Responsibility: None

Program / Department Summary

• Waves of resource-based, ethnic, and sectarian conflict, rising criminality and banditry, and expanding violent extremism are rendering North Central and Northwest Nigeria increasingly insecure.
• While multiple initiatives seek to address the complex causes of violence, community and security responses to drivers and triggers are often piecemeal at best, and ineffectual at worst.
• Existing Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems suffer from slow responses, poor coordination, top-down mandates that limit community ownership, weak dispute resolution skills among responders, little political and financial investment, leadership structures that exclude women and youth, and scant rigorous evidence. The result of ineffective EWER systems is that unchecked, violence proliferates.
• To examine and mitigate these barriers, Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigerian Early Response (PARTNER) will pursue a bold approach to collaboration across local, international, government, non-government, community, state, and security stakeholders. Our consortium of Government Agencies and CSOs will be led by Mercy Corps in a mentorship capacity in Years 1 and 2, after which local partners will assume leadership, working hand-in-hand with other consortium members.
• Local ownership, fueled by iterative organizational performance assessment and capacity strengthening, will inform each component of the proposed sustainable, flexible, and evidence-based national EWER system that builds on existing locally-led and gender-sensitive conflict management mechanisms for vertical integration; incentivizes quick responses through horizontal coordination; and fosters increased trust in security and government actors to promote inclusive and collective action. By embedding EWER innovations within formal structures from the beginning, PARTNER will increase Nigeria’s self-reliance in leading a holistic, coordinated, and effective effort to promote sustainable peace.

General Position Summary

• A Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) is an essential part of Mercy Corps' commitment to excellence and integrity, by providing individuals, organizations, local groups, and other stakeholders a means of raising concerns about potential staff misconduct or sharing feedback or programmatic activities (positive and negative) with Mercy Corps, independently from program operations. In the context of Nigeria, rolling out and implementing CARM will ensure that the Nigeria team will continue to uphold Mercy Corps' high standards of accountability.
• The CARM Officer will support CARM implementation primarily within the PARTNER portfolio, dividing his/her time between the continued establishment, maintenance, management, and adaptation of CARM implementation within the PARTNER program implementing organization and the rollout of CARM into EWER related activities.
• While working with the program teams and MEL teams s/he would manage and support the adaptation of CARM work plans, focusing on CARM rollout and maintenance.
• The priorities will include supporting program-specific and country-level standard operating procedures (SOPs), defined processes and mechanisms, production of bi-monthly analysis reports and program-level reports on CARM, and the production and development of training plans and awareness materials for staff from both programs and departments on administering Mercy Corps accountability framework in communities.
• This includes Mercy Corps' own expectations of their staff and program activities. S/he will deal with day-to-day feedback that includes handling of complaints, questions, reports and requests for support as received from beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries in the communities PARTNER program works directly.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Implementation & Program Quality:

• Support the implementation and adaptation of the Nigeria CARM strategy/operational manual.
• Provide strong support to CARM channels covering project locations including phone line, WhatsApp business and email which document and receive community feedback.
• Support the creation and circulation of a bi-monthly CARM report for relevant stakeholders, that presents CARM findings, successes, trends and tweaks to implementation processes, and adaptation as a result of feedback received.
• Support in the preparation of a weekly and/or as necessary status update on CARM for the COP as requested.
• Support in the development of work plans at the programmatic and partner levels for the roll-out of CARM.
• Help to develop feedback and data-flow mapping.
• Together with MEL colleagues, support in the development of a system for analyzing trends in feedback received.
• Produce internal reports on CARM itself, in response to feedback received via training and awareness session evaluation forms.
• Support the communications team and/or local partners in designing and disseminating appropriate communication materials that promote the use of feedback mechanisms or transparency (hotline business cards, distribution signs, community signs and banners, etc.);
• Conduct field visits, engage CARM spot checks, trainings.
• Liaise with necessary units to support programs in encouraging community participation in needs assessments and project design
• Support in the maintenance and organization of CARM database, in coordination with the PaQ team.

Capacity Building:

• Support with orientation sessions for staff and field partners and other CARM stakeholders.
• Training of staff on receiving complaints and feedback and on community sensitization, particularly on informing communities and handling feedback on sensitive subjects of potential staff misconduct.

Coordination:

• Collaborate with other actors to develop referral maps and mechanisms for communities where MC implements programs.

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.

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.
• Report on any problems encountered in the field such as project participant complaints, local authority interference, and security threats to MC staff and activities. Coordinate with MC Security Officer and State Manager on any threats to MC staff and activities; follow up on incidents/security threats in areas of operation.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• No Supervisory Responsibility - (None)

Accountability:

• Reports Directly To: M&E Advisor
• Works Directly With:PARTNER Consortium members, Program Team, PaQ team members including MEL and Communications Teams, Ethics and Assurances Director, Safeguarding Focal Point, CARM programmatic focal points, and all project, including Mercy Corps beneficiaries.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in relevant field. Proven (at least intermediate) report writing skills are required.
• 2-4 years of related work experience, preferably with an international or local Non- Governmental Organization (NGO).
• Excellent writing skills in English, languages such as Hausa a plus. The ability to write reports at a native English level.
• Proven experience in data collection, data entry, data/information management and analysis.
• Proven experience in developing or contributing to accountability frameworks, standard operating procedures (SOPs) for feedback mechanisms.
• Experience and/or training in handling sensitive information - Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) training is an advantage, including Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Child Protection knowledge and capacities.
• The ability to work closely in a team, be patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and work in an environment that is often stressful and potentially volatile.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, taking into account cultural and language challenges. Tact and diplomacy are essential;
• Understanding of preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding and how other types of code of conduct issues may arise in CARM mechanisms and best practices for raising awareness of and responding to those concerns.

Success Factors:

• Critical problem-solving skills and the ability to work out methods of delivery in very different operating contexts.
• S/he will be highly motivated, and capable to work without direct supervision.
• S/he will demonstrate attention to detail, will be committed to working long hours, be able to work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment and be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions:

• The position is based in Abuja and requires travel to project states.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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Position Status:Full-time, Regular
Reports Directly To:Chief of Party

Program / Department Summary

• Waves of resource-based, ethnic, and sectarian conflict, rising criminality and banditry, and expanding violent extremism are rendering North Central and Northwest Nigeria increasingly insecure.
• While multiple initiatives seek to address the complex causes of violence, community and security responses to drivers and triggers are often piecemeal at best, and ineffectual at worst.
• Existing Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems suffer from slow responses, poor coordination, top-down mandates that limit community ownership, weak dispute resolution skills among responders, little political and financial investment, leadership structures that exclude women and youth, and scant rigorous evidence.
• The result of ineffective EWER systems is that unchecked, violence proliferates.
• To examine and mitigate these barriers, Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigerian Early Response (PARTNER) will pursue a bold approach to collaboration across local, international, government, non-government, community, state, and security stakeholders. Our consortium of Government Agencies and CSOs will be led by Mercy Corps in a mentorship capacity in Years 1 and 2, after which local partners will assume leadership, working hand-in-hand with other consortium members.
• Local ownership, fueled by iterative organizational performance assessment and capacity strengthening, will inform each component of the proposed sustainable, flexible, and evidence-based national EWER system that builds on existing locally-led and gender-sensitive conflict management mechanisms for vertical integration; incentivizes quick responses through horizontal coordination; and fosters increased trust in security and government actors to promote inclusive and collective action.
• By embedding EWER innovations within formal structures from the beginning, PARTNER will increase Nigeria’s self-reliance in leading a holistic, coordinated, and effective effort to promote sustainable peace.

General Position Summary

• The EWER Technical Manager will have the overall responsibility of establishing standards in support of strategic interventions, development and planning of the Early Warning and Early Response systems for the PARTNER program.
• S/he will be required to establish and manage relationships with potential partners and stakeholders. The EWER Technical Manager will be a key member of the technical advisory team.
• S/he will liaise with the Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party and the MEL Advisor to promote the articulation of the technical processes of data acquisition, data sharing, threat modelling and forecasting in support of the PARTNER program EWER strengthening systems in Nigeria.
• S/he will be responsible for coming up with intervention plans and implementing them.
• S/he will identify and design key communications materials and disseminate them to identified audiences.
• S/he will be responsible for ensuring strong linkages between the PARTNER program interventions and the Results Management team of the program.
• The EWER Technical Manager will supervise PARTNER program staff and ensure accountability to Mercy Corps policies and donor rules and regulations.
• S/he will be the primary program representative to donors, relevant government entities, partners, other implementers and stakeholders.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Vision

• Promote strategies for the engagement of stakeholders in support of sub-regional and national EWER systems strengthening in Nigeria.
• Articulate strategies for public-private partnerships in support of early warning and early response systems
• Facilitate collaboration and cooperation among state and sub-regional institutions which support the national vision for Early Warning and Early Response systems in the North Central and Northwest regions.
• Promote the consolidation of national integrated multi-threat Early Warning and Early Response systems strengthening in Nigeria.
• Promote the standardization of alerts for different threats and harmonization of key messages. Promote the expansion of the community-based EWER system including consideration of gender and vulnerable groups.
• Lead in the development of a harmonized national action plan for advancing EWER systems
• Support resource mobilization efforts in support of EWER systems
• Support monitoring, evaluation and reporting on EWER systems
• Lead the development of a vision and strategy for the program and share with the program team and key stakeholders.
• Play an active role in identifying and developing new initiatives that foster and/or improve strategic objectives of the program and the country office.
• Support the development of a mentorship strategy and transitional plan for the PARTNER Project

Program Management:

• Oversee program start-up, management and administration. Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan.
• Confirm beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to transparent criteria.
• Develop partnership frameworks, partner agreements/Memorandum of Understandings, and oversee partner capacity building.
• Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate. Certify all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
• Ensure program strategies and activities represent global good practice in EWER
• Supervise and/or review the work of program consultants.
• Coordinate with procurement, logistics, security, administration, and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities.
• Fulfil Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.

Team Management:

• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Mentor the PARTNER Consortium team including clear delineation of responsibilities and authority
• Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

Finance & Compliance Management:

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps' regulations.
• Create and maintain systems to ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with program, donor and Mercy Corps’ needs.
• Ensure systems are in place for capacity development of PARTNER Sub grantees

Influence & Representation:

• Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events, in close coordination with the Chief of Party.
• Coordinate activities with consortium partners, subgrantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs.
• Strengthen the Convening powers of the PARTNER Project Consortium to bring together key actors in the EWER

Security:

• Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
• Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.

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.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• The EWER Technical Manager will supervise the Program Officer, EWER Technical Advisor for IPCR and WANEP

Accountability:

• Reports Directly To:Chief of Party
• Works Directly With:DCoP, MEL Advisor, PARTNER Consortium members, other program managers in-country, finance and operations teams, HQ Regional Program Team, HQ Technical Support Unit

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, Law, Development Studies, etc.
• At least ten (5) years of progressively responsible experience in the successful implementation of international development activities, with preference given to conflict mitigation and/or Early Warning and Early Response programs – at least three (3) years of which must be in program management, including direct supervision of professional and support staff.
• Experience working in the conflict mitigation/preventing violent extremism sector in Nigeria is essential.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to think strategically and communicate his/her vision to partners and colleagues.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and sustain interpersonal and professional relationships with different donors, civil society organizations and host country government counterparts
• Effective personnel management, coordination, and decision-making skills, with proven ability to be accountable for all components of the program.
• Competent in building networks, strong problem-solving skills, and ability to influence with effective listening, persuasion, negotiation and other techniques.
• Strong understanding of USAID compliance issues.
• Persuasive written and oral communication in English, including report writing.
• Experience in Nigeria is preferable.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

Success Factors:

• The successful EWER Technical Manager will combine exceptional management skills and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships.
• S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region.
• S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem-solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.
• The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions:

• The EWER Technical Manager is based in Abuja. This position requires 50% of travel by road and air to field offices in both secure and insecure environments. There may be instances where exceptional work schedules are necessary such as weekends.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
• Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

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Employment Type: Full-time, Regular
Supervisory Responsibility: NA
Reports Directly To: Sub-Awards & Compliance Manager based in Abuja.
Works Directly With: Program and operational teams, finance and sub-award teams in Abuja.
Travel Required: No

Program / Department Summary

• The Mercy Corps Subaward Unit is responsible for managing the programmatic, financial and operational aspects of sub-awards issued under all programs across Mercy Corps Nigeria. Working with an increasingly wide and diverse set of local and international partners at all levels of public, private and civil society, there is a need to strengthen programmatic and financial support to partners to enable more robust growth and development of sub-grantees.
• Compliance with the donor regulations and Mercy Corps internal policies and procedures is a critical part of the capacity building process and essential to enable sub-grantees to develop strong systems that will help in the delivery of programmatic interventions.

General Position Summary

• Working directly under the direction of the Subaward and Compliance Manager, the Sub-awards & Compliance officer will support in adherence to the compliance procedures related to program, finance, and documentation with attention to PARTNER Project.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Sub Grants:

• Ensure compliance with Mercy Corps and donors regulations related to sub granting, including issuance, management and monitoring of sub-awards as well as supporting team members on processes and guidelines.
• Work closely with consortium-level sub-recipient organizations to ensure they are issuing, managing, and monitoring sub-awards in accordance with the sub-award policy.
• Provide Program & financial review for all local partner reports and follow up with any missing documents.
• Set up physical grant files and ensure all grant documents are properly filed, both financial and program reports
• Develop sub-recipient monitoring plans, conduct financial and programmatic monitoring of sub-recipients. Visit sub-recipients and produce regular financial and programmatic monitoring visit reports.
• Support in Preparation of sub-award JE and enter same on navigator for subgrantee liquidations
• Update Reporting tracker and follow up with Partner for submission of timely report
• Support in preparing for sub-grants kickoff meetings and sub-grants closeout meetings with close coordination with Sub-Awards Manager.
• Responsible for sub-award financial close-outs, including ensuring that all requirements of the sub-award agreement have been met and that sub-award funds have been properly settled
• Ensure sub-grant files are complete and up to date as per MC sub-grant file checklist and MC Programme Management minimum standards.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Assist the program team with assessing sub-recipient organizational needs, so that the sub-award process strengthens the ability of local NGOs/CSOs to meet world-class standards.
• Draft modifications to sub-awards, as needed.

Partnership & Capacity Building:

• Provide strategic program guidance and technical support for sub-grant award capacity building through provision of support to partner organizations as required and in coordination with the relevant program team.
• Conduct the capacity assessment of identified organizations using Mercy Corps’ Organizational Capacity Index (OCI) tool and using OCI findings, support partner organizations to create capacity development plans.
• Refine organizational development tools and recommend the best approaches for partner capacity development based on existing Mercy Corps knowledge and experience.
• Provide compliance guidance and consultations to sub-recipients on a demand-driven basis.

Strategy & Vision:

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• 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.
• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

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.
• Provide team members and sub-awardees with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

Influence & Representation:

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

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

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

• At least three (3) years of Subaward, compliance and finance experience is required.
• A University Degree in Finance, Accounting or equivalent is required.
• One-year experience in the finance or Subaward & compliance Department of an international NGO is preferred.
• Demonstrated competency with computerized general ledger software.
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
• Prior management experience and strong organizational skills.
• Excellent oral and written English skills.
• Filing and organizational skills required.

Success Factors:

• The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building. S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.
• In particular, the successful candidate will be willing to travel to locations within the implementation location and outside the state capitals according to the needs of the Mercy Corps program. This will mean sometimes staying and working in stressful environments with very basic living conditions, strictly always following security protocols and sometimes working long and irregular hours.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues

go to method of application »

Program / Department Summary

• Waves of resource-based, ethnic, and sectarian conflict, rising criminality and banditry, and expanding violent extremism are rendering North Central and Northwest Nigeria increasingly insecure.
• While multiple initiatives seek to address the complex causes of violence, community and security responses to drivers and triggers are often piecemeal at best, and ineffectual at worst. Existing Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems suffer from slow responses, poor coordination, top-down mandates that limit community ownership, weak dispute resolution skills among responders, little political and financial investment, leadership structures that exclude women and youth, and scant rigorous evidence.
• The result of ineffective EWER systems is that unchecked, violence proliferates.
• To examine and mitigate these barriers, Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigerian Early Response (PARTNER) will pursue a bold approach to collaboration across local, international, government, non-government, community, state, and security stakeholders.
• Our consortium of Government Agencies and CSOs will be led by Mercy Corps in a mentorship capacity in Years 1 and 2, after which local partners will assume leadership, working hand-in-hand with other consortium members. Local ownership, fueled by iterative organizational performance assessment and capacity strengthening, will inform each component of the proposed sustainable, flexible, and evidence-based national EWER system that builds on existing locally-led and gender-sensitive conflict management mechanisms for vertical integration; incentivizes quick responses through horizontal coordination; and fosters increased trust in security and government actors to promote inclusive and collective action.
• By embedding EWER innovations within formal structures from the beginning, PARTNER will increase Nigeria’s self-reliance in leading a holistic, coordinated, and effective effort to promote sustainable peace.

General Position Summary

• The Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Officer will work closely with the M&E Advisor in supporting the program with technical oversight and direction on all monitoring and evaluation needs across implementing area.
• S/he will support the MEL team in collecting, collating, computing and analyzing data from program activities that measure outputs and outcomes against milestones and indicators with the objective of monitoring program progress, evaluating impact and learning from challenges faced, strategies resorted to surmount these challenges and to successes achieved in the PARTNER program.
• S/he will provide technical support in the design and conduct of qualitative and quantitative PARTNER survey for the collection of relevant data on EWER and other related activities in order to measure the conflict situation. He will provide technical support in the design of data collection tools, design of training guide, survey protocol, training of enumerators, supervisors, and support in all PARTNER activities.
• The M&E officer will support the M&E team in data verification for the purpose of data quality, document lessons learned, challenges, and ideas, check the effectiveness, relevance and efficiency of the skills acquired. The M&E officer will have a specific focus on Peace building data measurement and will be responsible for contributing to strategic discussions, providing technical assistance, and developing successful mechanisms across the program.
• The M&E Officer will use USAID’s principles to effectively integrate real-time monitoring, Evaluation and learning back into the project strategy and program implementation and ensure knowledge is shared.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Support the existing M&E systems to monitor and evaluate project activities and impact, in accordance with existing Mercy Corps guidelines.
• Support data capture across program interventions and analyze data collected during monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Support data indicator tracking and analysis, linking it with evidence on a regular basis and ensuring that data and metrics in field reports are accurate.
• Play supporting role in the development and leading in the review of result chains, sector intervention strategies and M&E frameworks and document changes to generate learnings and ideas for programs
• Write and develop quality and informative M &E monthly field reports for donors and internal teams.
• Assist in tracking and documenting key aspects of projects for iterative adaptive learning and scale of proven models
• Assist in coordinating assessments, evaluations and monitoring surveys in the area of operation.
• Provide support on the design and implementation of baseline studies, mid-term evaluations and final evaluations.
• Visit project sites and partners to collect supplementary data, verification and conduct qualitative research both independently and in teams to ensure regular and accurate information.
• Work closely with program teams for filing/archiving documentation of both softcopies and hard copies.

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.

Additional Task:

• Support with other tasks as needed.

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.
• Report on any problems encountered in the field such as project participant complaints, local authority interference, and security threats to MC staff and activities. Coordinate with MC Security Officer and State Manager on any threats to MC staff and activities; follow up on incidents/security threats in areas of operation.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• No Supervisory Responsibility - (None).

Accountability:

• Reports Directly To:M&E Advisor
• Works Directly With:PARTNER Consortium members, Program Team.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Science, Developmental Studies, Economics, Demography, Statistics, Business Administration or relevant field (Essential).
• At least 2 years of experience in Development, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation or other learning efforts is required.
• Should understand concepts and demonstrate skills in Monitoring and Evaluation, Project cycle, results chain and frameworks, participatory monitoring and or Market facilitation.
• Capacity to produce high-quality briefs and reports.
• Demonstrated ability to train and build the capacity of others, including partner organization on the essence of data for decision.
• Should be able to design and implement surveys, have knowledge of commonly used probability and purposive sampling techniques.
• Should have knowledge of quantitative and qualitative data collection, reporting techniques. S/he should understand and be able to apply basic measures of central tendency and spread.
• Experience developing and disseminating regular communication materials and updates.
• Experience representing the organization and its interests to a diverse range of local and international government officials, private sector, local civil society organizations, other international organizations, the media and the public.
• Proficiency with digital platforms for MEL (e.g.,Commcare,Ona/Kobo)– including familiarity with other technology platforms to support programs and MEL related activities.
• Ability to demonstrate innovative and adaptive management skills.
• Demonstrated strengths in analytical skills, monitoring and evaluation, and report writing.
• Demonstrate strong emotional intelligence.
• Excellent oral and written skills and computer skills.
• Fluency in English; fluency in local languages required.

Success Factors:

• S/he will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive communication skills and proven experience with capacity building. S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions:

• The position is based in Abuja and requires travel to project states.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.