Project Manager at Search for Common Ground (Search)

Search for Common Ground (Search) is an international non-profit organization that promotes the peaceful transformation of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC, and Brussels, Belgium, Search’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict—moving away from destructive approaches and towards cooperative solutions. With more than 700 staff worldwide, Search implements projects in more than 30 African countries, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and North America.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Project Manager - A Community-Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta

Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers
Employment type: Full-time
Start Date: September 16, 2023.

Position Summary

• We are seeking an experienced Project Manager for a consortium project in Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta States.
• The role will specifically support the Head of Programme Implementation in managing an anticipated 18-month project funded by the European Union.
• The project will be implemented in consortium with co-applicants with the overall goal of fostering inclusive community security approaches to address the systemic drivers of violence and criminality in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States.
• The position requires an experienced conflict transformation, peacebuilding, and or development expert, conversant with project management cycles.
• The position holder must be organized and experienced in responding to real-time conflict, peace efforts, security, and the overall aim of conflict transformation.
• The Project Manager must have good diplomacy skills and be capable of negotiating with challenging stakeholders and also lead a diverse team.
• The position holder advises the Head of Programme Implementation on the project needs, strategies, staffing issues, local context, and dynamics.
• This position will be based in our Rivers office with frequent travels to Bayelsa and Delta States.
• She/he will work under the direct supervision of the Head of Programme Implementation; Niger Delta. The position holder will directly oversee the project implementation and have a team of Coordinators, Officers, and Assistants.
• Bringing together four leading peacebuilding and development organizations in the Niger Delta, the consortium offers a holistic, community-centered approach to addressing core drivers of criminality, violence, and conflict in the region, with a specific focus on the empowerment and inclusion of youth in the security of their respective communities in the Niger Delta.
• The consortium partners will leverage existing relationships with the action’s diverse target groups, including at-risk youth, local communities impacted by oil production and oil bunkering, state security actors, the private sector, journalists and media actors, key civil society organizations, and policymakers at the state, regional, national, and international levels, to secure broad-based buy-in and participation in the action.
• Overall, the project will seek to initiate a shift in the way that relevant actors think about and approach issues of oil bunkering, criminality, and security in the Niger Delta in favor of more bottom-up, human-centered perspectives.
• This institutional and social shift is necessary in order to sustainably reduce the prevalence of oil bunkering and other forms of criminality and violence in the region in the long term.
• The design of the action centers around four activity streams, each addressing a systemic driver of division, violence, and criminality in Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta States:
  • Stream 1: will foster intra-community collaboration around issues of social exclusion, lack of economic opportunity, and environmental degradation.
  • Stream 2: will build trust and collaboration between communities, the government, and security actors for more participatory, community-centered security operations. 
  • Stream 3: will leverage arts- and culture-based approaches to foster social cohesion between divided communities, both online and offline.
  • Stream 4: will facilitate policy change to institutionalize community-centered security approaches at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels.
• The position will be based in Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa States.

Job Responsibilities
Representation and coordination:

• Under the guidance of the Head of Programme Implementation – Niger Delta, represents Search in the project implementation initiatives;
• Provides orientation of Search at the local level and supervises staff comprising Coordinators, Officers and Assistants under the project;
• Provides strong coordination support to NGOs, partners, and national authorities through the establishment of wider consultation and collaborative processes to achieve the project goal.
• Responsible for the coordination of all project activities.
• Be Search’s media contact for the project when delegated by the Country Director / Head of Programme Implementation – Niger Delta;
• Represent Search with donors in the absence and instance of the Head of Programme Implementation.

Program strategy, development, and planning:

• Support in implementing Search’s strategic directions in the region;
• Collaborate with relevant staff in other Search offices for quality program development and planning; 
• Support in coordinating new business development, including coordinating the development of concept notes and proposals; and
• Advises Country Management on program needs

Program oversight, quality assurance, reporting:

• Ensures proper implementation of the project based on continuous monitoring and analysis of the core objectives of the projects as outlined above;
• Leads the project and facilitates the attainment of the project expected results in the implementation states, in close collaboration with the Head of Programme Implementation;
• Ensures effective application of results-based management methodologies.
• Develop and monitor project work plans, effectiveness, and achievement of results;
• Monitors budgets versus actuals and cash flow for the project;
• Steer the project’s activities to meaningfully address needs in the ever-changing context;
• Ensures all donor and internal reports are submitted within internal deadlines and to expected quality;
• Build coalitions and networks with local partners for the project's effectiveness.

Human Resources Management and Organizational Development:

• Provide leadership support to the project staff and promote best practices in human resources management;
• Ensure compliance with Nigerian law and SFCG procedures on the project; 
• Provide leadership support for the adequate implementation of the performance management system including performance objectives and planning, review, appraisal, and staff development; and
• Provide Coaching and Counseling advice to staff when necessary and lead initiatives to develop staff capacity

Leadership:

• Contribute to the discussions around the overall strategy and direction of the country program and the organization;
• Ensure that the project is maintaining a coordinated and agreed information exchange both internally and in its dealing with external parties;
• Ensure effective implementation and compliance with the overall finance and guidance manual and compliance with procedures required by grant or contract agreements;

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a related area is required while a Master's in Conflict Resolution, International Relations, Project Management, or a related field would be an added benefit; 
• At least 7 years of experience in peacebuilding, advocacy, dialogue, Do No Harm, training, and capacity-building-related work.
• At least five (5) years of experience in managing teams and projects in the field of conflict resolution, conflict transformation, advocacy, and training development or related fields.

Other Relevant Requirements:

• Knowledge of and exposure to a wide range of peace, conflict transformation, governance, development and humanitarian issues;
• Good knowledge of the country context, context of the Niger Delta Region and ability to network with both civil society and public sector
• Ability to review and analyze and interpret financial reports, budget versus actuals, financial projections and procurement documentation;
• Good interpersonal and networking skills, as well as the ability to conduct professional working relationships;
• Analytical capacity, including the ability to analyze and articulate peace, human security and conflict issues;
• Ability to work with people at all levels, ranging from high-level national officials to community leaders;
• Experience in setting performance objectives of teams and leading a team.
• Willingness to keep abreast of new developments on security sector reforms,, policies,  laws  and peace-building fields;
• Good knowledge of Niger Delta Region, including the political, economic, development and social dimensions;
• Basic computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite) and other softwares
• Detail-oriented with ability to meet deadlines, both prescribed and self-imposed
• Willingness and desire to learn while demonstrating self-initiative
• Ability to adapt to new cultures and work in diverse environments
• Demonstrated ability to foster a culture of respect and inclusion.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English is a requirement

Application Closing Date
18th August, 2023