Latest Jobs at Creative Associates International

Job ID: 2021-1833
Location: Yola, Adamawa.
Category: Security

Overview
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has contracted Creative Associates International to implement the Northeast ConNEction activity to strengthen the resilience of communities vulnerable to violent extremist infiltration and conflict. By targeting communities not yet under the control of violent extremist organizations (VEOs), this activity will seize the opportunity to mitigate the grievances that make communities vulnerable to violent extremism, while building social cohesion within and across communities in northeast Nigeria.

In addition to helping northeastern Nigerians create a stronger foundation against the violent extremist and conflict threats, the activity is designed to develop local capacity to respond to emerging threats. In order to enable flexible and adaptive management of the activity in a complex environment, the activity includes a focused effort on research and analysis of the threats and coordination around programmatic opportunities and responses.

Position Summary

• The Senior Security Officer’s (SSO) overall mission is to keep all project personnel and assets safe from harm.
• S / he has delegated responsibility for the day-to-day management and coordination of operational field security activities, provides continuous security and contextual information to the team, ensures compliance with corporate security policies and maintains liaison with the Regional Security and Operations Manager for West Africa (RSOM).
• This position will be based in the Yola office, with program activities expected to be carried out throughout the Northeast of Nigeria.

Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Work with the RSOM to develop, manage, and coordinate all Creative security and safety programs, plans and policies relevant to the project including detailed security procedures that comply with Creative security policies. This will include emergency response drills and communication procedures for the project.
• Provides security, safety and risk mitigation advice and recommendations to the management team and staff.
• Ensure that project staff comply with project security procedures.
• Carry out security assessment of offices, compounds, vehicles, and expatriate housing and make recommendations for required security upgrades, as required.
• Monitor and analyze the ongoing threat environment faced by the project and brief the Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party and other project staff accordingly. Distribute threat warnings to all staff as appropriate.
• Ensure that appropriate risk migration measures are taken by the project to respond to the threats or changes in threats faced by the project. This is to include physical protection measures, safe working routines, movement restrictions, protection equipment and security staff provision, as required.
• Oversee movement control and coordination for the project, including driver and vehicle deployment and staff whereabouts.
• Oversee the local security provider contracted by the project to ensure contractual compliance and performance of their duties, and act as the focal point of contact with the security provider.
• Provide training, mentoring, and monitoring of the local security provider’s guards.
• Conduct regular training and drills for project staff on lock down drills, office evacuation and fire drills.
• Report security incidents, violations and recommended corrective actions, as appropriate, to the Chief of Party and RSOM.
• Ensure all new employees, consultants, and partners working in Creative offices and traveling in Creative vehicles receive appropriate security orientation and briefings.
• Verify that all security devices such as locks, alarms, access systems and physical force protection measures are operational or reported for repair.
• Carry out regular check in calls and communications tests with drivers and field personnel traveling outside of the main cities and or during any critical security incident.
• Ensure visitor access and vehicle control systems are effective and appropriate for the threat environment.
• Review Travel requests to ensure staff safety.
• Maintain an “In Country Travel Register” to log and administer all in-country and international travel by HCN and expatriate staff.
• Work with the RSOM to develop and maintain the project Crisis Response Plan in coordination with the Operations Manager and ensure that the contact information contained therein is always up-to-date.
• Provide, if directed, a weekly security report to the Chief of Party and RSOM:
  • Be able to assist with out-of-hours emergency response for the project staff and partners, if needed.
  • Assist the project with business continuity planning, as required.
  • Ensure that the Creative Sensitive Information (CSI) Plan is distributed to and is being followed by project staff.
  • All of the above includes ensuring security protocols are understood and security drills are periodically conducted with staff in all locations.
  • Ensure field staff receive first aid and fire response training.
  • Additional assignments, as instructed by the Deputy Chief of Party and / or Chief of Party.

The SSO should understand, brief and regularly train all project staff on:

• The need for all staff to maintain a good level of situational awareness, and to report concerns.
• Project movement / field trip planning and control procedures.
• Project communications procedures including emergency phone trees, SMS blast service, and contact lists.
• Office emergency response procedures including fire evacuation, direct threat lockdown, etc.
• The need to avoid all demonstrations, possible demo sites and areas where crowd trouble could start.
• The location of the nearest medical facilities.
• Implement and execute actions relating to the Crisis Response Plan.

Qualifications

• Four-year university degree in a Security-related field is required.
• Minimum of five (5) years general work history is required.
• Minimum of three (3) years professional experience in security management for an organization.
• Experience working for an international organization or company.
• Proven understanding of security management protocols essential.
• Demonstrated ability to solve challenging and complicated security issues.
• Ability to develop in-depth understanding of and willingness to comply with all Creative security policies and procedures.
• Should have a proven and established network of contacts within the local security establishment in Abuja and throughout Northeastern Nigeria.
• Proficient at using Microsoft office software: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc. Prior experience using MS Access and web-based database applications.
• Ability to draw information from a broad range of sources and provide concise and timely analysis and recommendations
• Demonstrated ability to engage all team members as resources to manage security and contextual awareness in a manner that is proactive
• Must have the physical capacity to travel extensively on short notice to remote regions within Northeastern Nigeria
• Written and spoken fluency in English.
• Fluency in one or more of the local languages used in Northeastern Nigeria.
• Must be willing and able to work in Yola, Nigeria.
• Must have existing work authorization for Nigeria.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Previous experience as an officer from the Nigerian military or police.
• Prior extended experience with private security company or Nigerian government security services.
• Proven experience directly and indirectly supervising and managing staff and teams.
• Experience with a USAID-funded or other international organization implementing a program operating in insecure areas and areas affected by Boko Haram and ISWA is desired.
• Strong ability to deploy and use various forms of tracking.
• Develop security management and movement tracking systems.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills are required.

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Job ID: 2021-1850
Location: Yola, Adamawa
Category: Program Management

Overview

• The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has contracted Creative Associates International to implement the Northeast Connection activity to strengthen the resilience of communities vulnerable to violent extremist infiltration and conflict.
• By targeting communities not yet under the control of violent extremist organizations (VEOs), this activity will seize the opportunity to mitigate the grievances that make communities vulnerable to violent extremism, while building social cohesion within and across communities in northeast Nigeria. In addition to helping northeastern Nigerians create a stronger foundation against the violent extremist and conflict threats, the activity is designed to develop local capacity to respond to emerging threats.
• In order to enable flexible and adaptive management of the activity in a complex environment, the activity includes a focused effort on research and analysis of the threats and coordination around programmatic opportunities and responses.
• The Program Manager (PM) will be responsible for the contracting, implementation, and close-out of a portfolio of activities.
• The PM will work with in close collaboration with the Senior Management Team and community stakeholders to identify, prioritize, and design activities that will respond to community development priorities in order to further the objectives of the Connection program.
• The PM, working with a small multidisciplinary team, will be charged with oversight of project activities to ensure that all tasks are completed within timeframe and budget parameters defined during project design.
• The PM will be tasked with the programmatic and administrative closeout of all activities, including final reporting, disbursement of funding (in concert with finance staff), and disposition of any project inventory.
• The PM will serve as the main point of contact for state-level actors and community stakeholders to ensure that all activities fit within a strategic and coherent portfolio.
• The PM will be expected to report daily to and receive guidance from the Senior Management Team.
• The PM will be expected to liaise with various levels of stakeholders, including government officials, civil society organizations, and community actors; the PM must be able to maintain good relations with all associated parties. In addition, the PM will be expected to collaborate horizontally with other PMs to share lessons learned and jointly design program strategy.

Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Responsible for general oversight of a portfolio of projects. The geography of targeted communities as well as type of programming is expected to change frequently over the course of the program.
• In concert with senior management, advise on programmatic design of new projects, including identification of potential local partners and beneficiaries, monitor implementation to ensure timely completion and adherence to budget and administrative and programmatic closeout throughout the portfolio of activities.
• Take a leadership role in the program’s learning process by feeding information to senior leadership in a timely manner on political and security developments in the PM’s target areas.
• Work closely with the grants team to oversee grants activities in target areas as part of the project portfolio.
• Develop activity-level Theory of Change (TOCs), thinking strategically about the contribution of each activity to the overall program objective.
• Work alongside Government of Nigeria (GoN) officials, community stakeholders and civil society actors to ensure coherent and strategic programming as part of a unified project endeavor.
• Manage civil society strengthening work with local civil society actors.
• With team members, establish community-level project oversight committees to ensure community buy-in of activities.
• Help set up transparent management and oversight mechanisms and work to incorporate as wide a range of project beneficiaries, GoN and other important stakeholders.
• Responsible for the proper use of the program database for project and program development and management, including updating information on projects and activities per week.
• Comply with all Creative and USAID procedures and policies with regards to ethics and compliance, grants management, HR, finance, operations and security.
• Perform other tasks, as assigned.

Qualifications

• University degree in a related field is required.
• At least five (5) years of general work experience is required.
• Experience in working with communities to implement grassroots development projects preferred.
• Prior experience (three years or more) in grants management with internationally-funded projects is highly desirable.
• Proficiency at using Microsoft office: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook etc. is required.
• Ability to work under short deadlines and efficiently handle multiple tasks.
• Attention to detail and the ability to function well in a team.
• Experience of working in a conflict environment is a plus.
• Fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Fluency in one or more of the languages spoken in Northeast Nigeria is preferable.