Fresh Vacancy at Mercy Corps

General Position Summary:

The Research Fellow will work closely with the Nigeria field team to assist in the implementation of a grant received from the GHR Foundation, entitled Inter-Religious Peacebuilding in Northern Nigeria (IPNN). The IPNN project will strategically build on a three-year DFID-funded program that aims to resolve pastoralist/farmer conflict in the Middle Belt and Northern Nigeria. The DFID project will: 1) strengthen the capacity of local leaders to resolve conflicts through negotiation training and mentoring in dispute resolution; 2) support the sustainability of dispute resolution through joint economic and natural resource initiatives; and 3) raise awareness of the economic costs of conflict and promote long-term policy solutions through research and advocacy. 

IPNN will be implemented together with this DFID grant as a single, coherent program.  However, it will explore the inter-faith dimensions more closely.  Specifically, IPNN will: 1) deepen the program’s interfaith activities by supporting 50 religious leaders to discuss religious tolerance and implement faith-based peacebuilding activities in their communities; 2) support rigorous evaluation of the role of religion in peacebuilding in Northern Nigeria and the impact of interfaith activities on peacebuilding outcomes; and 3) broadly disseminate the program’s findings to policy makers and practitioners.  The IPNN Research Fellow will be responsible for monitoring and evaluation activities under IPNN and all related outreach efforts to donors and policy audiences. The IPNN Fellow will also facilitate linkages with religious leaders in Plateau State and will assist with the implementation of IPNN-specific activities.  The Fellow will be based remotely from the project team and should be able to carry out activities independently and with limited supervision. Specifically, the Research Fellow will: 

1. Conduct an assessment of religious dynamics, leaders, and tensions in Plateau State.
2. Facilitate the creation of a board of advisors in Nigeria to refine research questions and develop appropriate research design and data collection tools 
3. Work with the Director of Youth and Conflict Management, the Nigeria field team, and a board of advisors
4. Create and manage contacts with interfaith and religious leaders to facilitate program implementation and research.
5. Participate in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis on the impact of IPNN.
6. Assist with quarterly reports to the donor.
7. Assist in the development of fact sheets and success stories
8. Write up final research results.
9. Help organize donor meetings and other public events related to disseminating research results programs.
10. Other tasks, as requested.

Organizational Learning:

As part of Mercy Corps’ agency-wide Organizational Learning Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.

Supervisory Responsibility:

This position currently holds no supervisory responsibility.

Works Directly With:

Reports to MEL Advisor. Works with Nigeria field team, including Program Manager and other CONCUR program staff, and IPNN Research Fellow counterpart based in the U.S.

Project Location:

The Fellow will be based in Jos, Plateau State and will travel occasionally to project field sites and to Abuja, FCT.

Knowledge and Experience:

·         Excellent communication skills and ability to facilitate cooperation among diverse actors.

·         Excellent quantitative and qualitative research and analysis skills, including strong knowledge of statistics (preferred)

·         Excellent writing and computer skills required

·         Excellent organizational abilities required.

Success Factors:

A successful candidate for this position will be highly motivated and interested in helping create a body of information about Mercy Corps conflict programs that will be used for years to come.  Candidates must be creative, self-motivated and capable of working in a situation where the supervisor may be in a different location.  This position will require frequent travel to field sites. A successful candidate will be good at maintaining networks and will be familiar with current interfaith initiatives in Northern Nigeria. Fluency in English and Hausa is required, and facility in other languages such as Fulfulde and Berom is a plus.