Program Officers at Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps - Is an international development organization that helps people around the world survive and thrive during crisis and natural disaster. Mercy Corps works in more than 40 countries to alleviate suffering and poverty by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Since 1979, mercy Corps has been helping people in the world's toughest places to turn crises into opportunities to thrive.

Mercy Corps is recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Program Officer - Inter-Religious Peace building in Northern Nigeria

Report Directly to: Project Coordinator, CONCUR/IPNN
Locations: Abuja, Plateau,
Position Status: Field-based, full-time

Programme/Department Summary

• Mercy Corps works in fragile and conflict-affected environments to help communities build the processes and institutions required for sustainable peace. While we recognize that these are difficult places to operate, we believe that transitional environments - countries affected by civil wars, economic and political crisis, or natural disasters - offer tremendous opportunities for positive change.
• We currently implement over 30 integrated peace-building and economic development programs in some of the world's toughest places, including Ethiopia, Liberia, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda.
• Mercy Corps implements a peace-building program in Plateau State, funded by the GHR Foundation, called Inter-Religious Peace-building in Northern Nigeria (IPNN). This program, which began in January 2013 and which will run for three years, seeks to reduce violent conflict between farmers and pastoralists by increasing the capacity of religious and other leaders to resolve disputes in a sustainable way and by increasing economic interdependence between groups in conflict.
• This program builds on a UKAID-funded integrated peace-building and economic development program in the Middle Belt states of Nigeria, called Conciliation in Nigeria through Community-Based Conflict Management and Cooperative Use of Resources (CONCUR).
• Together these programs incorporate strong economic development and natural resource management elements in order to address underlying drivers of conflict and build cooperation between conflicting communities and build links between communities, private sector and governmental processes.
• Furthermore, through IPNN Mercy Corps is researching the impacts of strengthening interfaith coalitions and working with religious leaders to mitigate resource-based conflict on peace-building outcomes.
• The IPNN Program officer will provide technical assistance in all aspects of implementation of this program, including travel to the target communities in Plateau state.

General Position Summary

• The Program officer will support the implementation of activities related to capacity building for leaders in negotiation and dispute resolution, women religious leader-led peace-building activities, messaging around interfaith tolerance and peace-building, joint economic projects between conflicting communities, events related to advocacy initiatives, and research initiatives related to the effects of interfaith activities on peace-building.
• The Program officer will also provide support to all other activities related to the IPNN program and will ensure smooth, timely, and compliant implementation.
• The Program officer will liaise frequently with community members and represent Mercy Corps to local leaders.

Essential Job Functions
Program Support:

• Support technical aspects of conflict management and economic development program by assisting with the development of activities/agendas/curriculum related to peace-building.
• Advance progress of joint economic initiatives by coordinating and implementing the development, procurement, construction (where applicable), and follow-up of various projects.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate community meetings, events, and trainings as required.
• Ensure implementation of activities is on time, target and budget.
• Liaise with CONCUR/IPNN partner organizations and potential resource persons as needed.
• In collaboration with M&E staff, implement relevant surveys, need assessments, data and information collection for on-going monitoring.
• Coordinate closely with other Mercy Corps personnel to ensure all objectives of the proposal and activities are met.

Representation:

• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
• Participate in coordination meetings as requested by the Director of Conflict Management Programs.

Knowledge and Experience

 

• Fluency in Hausa and English.
• BA/S or equivalent in Conflict Management, Social Sciences, International Development or other relevant field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working in the non-profit sector in conflict management/peace-building, community development, or economic and market development.
• Experience working in rural areas in Nigeria, particularly in Plateau State.
• 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.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Experience working with country-level ministries and government officials, Ministry of Education experience preferred.

Success Factors:

• The successful Program officer will combine exceptional management skills and technical skills with a focus on innovative interventions to bring conflicting communities together.
• An ideal candidate will be conversant with the challenges inherent in peace-building work and will be a self-starter who has led grassroots development efforts.
• S/he will have an outstanding ability to support innovative and complex programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region.
• Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions:

• The position will be based in Abuja and/or Jos and will support activities in Plateau, with an estimated travel of up to 50% to specific program locations.
• Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of 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 Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Application Closing Date
2nd December, 2014.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to submit CV and Cover Letter, addressing the position requirements to: [email protected]

Application must include IPNN PROGRAM OFFICER in the subject line. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

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Note: We are an equal opportunity organization and we encourage women to apply to these positions.