Deputy Programme / Economic Reintegration Manager at Search for Common Ground (SFCG)

Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-profit organization that promotes the peaceful resolution of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and Brussels, Belgium, Search’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict - away from destructive approaches towards cooperative solutions. With more than 600 staff worldwide, Search implements projects in more than 30 countries across the globe.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Programme / Economic Reintegration Manager

Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employment Type: Full Time
Reports to: Child Protection Manager
Direct Reports: The Deputy Project Manager will provide administrative and functional line management to the 13 project staff.    

Position Summary

• The Deputy Project Manager supports the direct implementation of the “Supporting the Socio-Economic Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed Groups, and other vulnerable children, in North East Nigeria” project. This will ensure timely and quality implementation of all project activities as defined in the proposal. 
• The Deputy Project Manager will motivate, inspire and support the project team through leadership and line management. The Deputy Project Manager will work closely with the Child Protection Manager to provide complementary management of the overall project. 

Relationship:

• Reports to: Child Protection Manager
• Direct Reports: The Deputy Project Manager will provide administrative and functional line management to the 13 project staff.   
• Working Relations: Child Protection Manager; Design, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager; Media Coordinator, North East; Psychosocial Support Coordinator; and other Senior Managers.

About the Project

• In the past decade, states in the North East region of Nigeria have faced frequent attacks by Boko Haram militants leading to widespread displacement, violations of national laws, international humanitarian and human rights laws, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Children, who are the most vulnerable members of society, have suffered the worst impacts as pre-existing problems of access to social protection, education and healthcare increase, new threats emerge, and the systems to protect children fails.
• This project aims to ensure that children verified and separated from CJTF receive a comprehensive child protection package including counselling, psychosocial support and socio-economic reintegration and that their communities understand the importance of their separation and reintegration. Search will work closely with the children, their families and communities, and CJTF to address the psychosocial and economic needs of the children and to influence the attitudes of communities and CJTF so they understand the negative impact of associating with armed groups on children and prevent the CJTF from using children.
• By increasing the resilience of children associated with CJTF and increasing their employability, this project will facilitate lasting reintegration of these children and amplify positive narratives around their role in communities as productive civilian actors and agents for peace

Roles and Responsibilities
Team Management:

• Motivate, inspire and support the project team through leadership and Administrative Line Management. This includes approving leave, timesheets, support with financial processes and pastoral care. 
• Provide informal supervision and check-ins with each team members to assess their performance, and support with any areas identified. 
• Carry out Development Evaluation Processes for each annual year, including identifying challenges and successes of team members.  
• Support in identifying capacity building needs for the team and collaborate with the Child Protection Manager to respond to these e.g. through developing trainings, coaching, reflection sessions, and lessons learned meetings. 
• Provide training to the project team, including community-based personnel such as Community Case Workers on Code of Conduct, with integrated PSEA (Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse). Violations will be investigated through HR in Abuja, however ensure the necessary information is shared with the Child Protection Manager. 

Programme Implementation, Oversight, and Quality Assurance:

• Actively follow up with the team on day-to-day implementation and status of activities pending or delivered, according to Project Work plan. 
• Actively monitor the project through field visits and ongoing communication with partners and team to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential challenges. Discuss any issues that arise with Child Protection Manager and identify solutions to resolve these/ refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Provide direction to project activities to meaningfully address needs as identified by the project. Ensure solution-focused approach applied consistently.  
• Ensure accurate implementation of the project work plan and support the Child Protection Manager in drafting the work plan if needed. 
• Advise Child Protection Manager of context-specific analysis and recommendations relating to the project. 
• Ensure socio-economic reintegration activities are conflict-sensitive, and promote an inclusive, community-based approach to reintegration, as guided by the Paris Principles and Guidelines on Children Formerly Associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups, while being in the best interest of the child. 
• Work closely with the DMEL Team to ensure to ensure ongoing relationship building, support to the project and informal feedback on project activities.   
• Ensure periodic meetings such as interviews and focus group discussions with beneficiaries to ascertain their wishes and feelings in relation to the project to ensure project quality and best interests upheld.

Reporting:

• Support with completing project documentation in accordance with project policies and funding source requirements.
• Support in drafting and completion of monthly, quarterly and end of year project reports
• Provide technical input to project implementation to achieve targets, contribute to progress reports as requested, technical reports, and other deliverables.

Budget Management:

• Support preparation/ review of necessary financial documentation e.g. relating to Purchase Requests, as lead by the budget available per activity as needed. Ensure these are submitted to Child Protection Manager for approval.
• Support Child Protection Manager as needed on budget-related tasks e.g. forecasting, costing work plans, tracking allocations, reviewing budget versus actuals, etc.
• Escalate any budget discrepancies/ issues/ needs identified to the Child Protection Manager.

Representation and Coordination:

• Build coalitions and networks with local partners for project’s effectiveness. Continue to mobilize these networks to support smooth implementation of project objectives and sustainability.
• Provide substantive support to meetings such as conferences, workshops including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, planning of high-level visits.
• Maintain donor communication in absence of Child Protection Manager.
• Represent Search in external meetings, including Child Protection Working Group Meetings, Reintegration Technical Working Group or other meetings, as requested.

Economic Reintegration:

• Motivate, inspire and support the project team through leadership and Administrative Line Management. This includes approving leave, timesheets, support with financial processes and pastoral care. 
• Provide informal supervision and check-ins with each team members to assess their performance, and support with any areas identified. 
• Carry out Development Evaluation Processes for each annual year, including identifying challenges and successes of team members.  
• Support in identifying capacity-building needs for the team and collaborate with the Child Protection Manager to respond to these e.g. through developing trainings, coaching, reflection sessions, and lessons learned meetings. 
• Provide training to the project team, including community-based personnel such as Community Case Workers on Code of Conduct, with integrated PSEA (Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse). Violations will be investigated through HR in Abuja, however ensure the necessary information is shared with the Child Protection Manager. 
• Actively follow up with the team on day-to-day implementation and status of activities pending or delivered, according to Project Work plan. 
• Actively monitor the project through field visits and ongoing communication with partners and team to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential challenges. Discuss any issues that arise with Child Protection Manager and identify solutions to resolve these/ refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Provide direction to project activities to meaningfully address needs as identified by the project. Ensure solution-focused approach applied consistently.  
• Ensure accurate implementation of the project work plan and support the Child Protection Manager in drafting the work plan if needed. 
• Advise Child Protection Manager of context specific analysis and recommendations relating to the project. 
• Ensure socio-economic reintegration activities are conflict-sensitive, and promote an inclusive, community-based approach to reintegration, as guided by the Paris Principles and Guidelines on Children Formerly Associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups, while being in the best interest of the child. 
• Work closely with the DMEL Team to ensure to ensure ongoing relationship building, support to the project and informal feedback on project activities.   
• Ensure periodic meetings such as interviews and focus group discussions with beneficiaries to ascertain their wishes and feelings in relation to the project to ensure project quality and best interests upheld.
• Support with completing project documentation in accordance with project policies and funding source requirements. 
• Support in drafting and completion of monthly, quarterly and end of year project reports
• Provide technical input to project implementation to achieve targets, contribute to progress reports as requested, technical reports, and other deliverables.
• Support preparation/ review of necessary financial documentation e.g. relating to Purchase Requests, as lead by the budget available per activity as needed. Ensure these are submitted to Child Protection Manager for approval. 
• Support Child Protection Manager as needed on budget related tasks e.g. forecasting, costing work plans, tracking allocations, reviewing budget versus actuals, etc. 
• Escalate any budget discrepancies/ issues/ needs identified to the Child Protection Manager.  
• Build coalitions and networks with local partners for project’s effectiveness. Continue to mobilize these networks to support smooth implementation of project objectives and sustainability. 
• Provide substantive support to meetings such as conferences, workshops including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, planning of high level visits. 
• Maintain donor communication in absence of Child Protection Manager. 
• Represent Search in external meetings, including Child Protection Working Group Meetings, Reintegration Technical Working Group or other meetings, as requested. 
• Lead on the design and implementation of the Economic Reintegration component of project, leading the project team to undertake activities in a timely manner. 
• Ensure Code of Conduct and PSEA training are delivered to all mentors and ensure regular follow-up. Ensure they all sign the CoC and are aware of how to report. 
• Ensure Code of Conduct and PSEA training are delivered to children and ensure they are aware of how to report. 
• Ensure high-quality mentors are identified to train selected children. Undertake continual relationship-building and open communication with mentors.
• Assist partners to identify, cultivate and sustain relationships necessary to create a community support network necessary to sustain reintegration efforts. 
• Ensure vocations are selected based on findings from Market Analysis. 
• Undertake quality assurance checks by following up with children and mentors. Flag any concerns and share updates with Child Protection Manager and team. 
• Provide coaching in areas identified through quality checks. 

Qualifications / Experience
Education:

• An Advanced University Degree (Master's or higher) in Business Management, Economics, Social Work, Psychology, Social Science or related field; a first Degree with commensurate years of experience will also be considered.

Required Experience:

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in socio-economic development, planning and management in child protection-related areas is required.
• Experience in emergency response is essential
• Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is considered as an added advantage

Other Relevant Requirements:

• Highly organized and systematic with excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral.
• Excellent cross-cultural communication and working skills, enjoys a multicultural work environment;
• Excellent training and communication skills
• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions
• Excellent advocacy skills
• Fluency in English is required.

Application Closing Date
7th October, 2021.