Search for Common Ground (Search) is an international non-profit organisation that promotes the peaceful transformation of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC, and Brussels, Belgium, Search’s mission is to transform how individuals, organisations, 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 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and North America. Search for Common Ground has fully integrated the Lake Chad Basin Programme, representing a strategic, multi-dimensional, and coordinated conflict transformation initiative across Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad.
The Nigeria Office is part of Search’s Lake Chad Basin Country Programme which leverages a mature, nationwide operational platform in Nigeria established in 2004, a strategically expanding mission in Cameroon officially registered in August 2023, and a purposefully re-established presence in Chad returned in 2023 following an initial operational phase from 2011 to 2017. Fundamentally grounded in rigorous, locally validated conflict analysis and deploying our signature Common Ground methodology, the programme systematically empowers women and youth as central agents of peace, strengthens indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms, and mainstreams peacebuilding objectives into humanitarian and development frameworks through the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus approach
Background of the Project
- The project aims to improve peace and security in Nigerian communities within Benue and Nasarawa. This will be achieved through community capacity building, institutional strengthening, and cross-border collaboration.
- The project start-up phase includes a baseline study, community entry and advocacy, security assessments, and conflict scans to inform targeted interventions.
- Activities focus on empowering community members through training in conflict sensitivity and early warning systems, establishing and revitalizing local government level and state-level Peace Architecture Dialogues, and fostering collaboration amongst project stakeholders.
- The project also seeks to promote trust-building and social cohesion, through approaches such as sport activities between communities and security officials, media engagement for conflict-sensitive journalism, and community outreach.
- By fostering inclusive dialogue and enhancing security coordination, the project aims to improve perceptions of peace and security while building sustainable mechanisms for conflict resolution and prevention in the States.
Position Summary
- The Procurement, Administration and Logistics (PAL) Assistant will provide the logistical support to the Lafia and Makurdi office, working closely with the PAL Officer under the Coordination of the Senior PAL Officer and the finance team to ensure good recordkeeping, as well as liaising with the housekeeping staff to support the smooth running of the office.
- S/he will work under the direct supervision of the PAL Senior Officer and closely with the finance and programs team. The position will support the supervision of the office cleaning staff and project driver in their office. The position will be based in Makurdi, Benue State and Lafia, Nassarawa State with field travels to the relevant communities
Major duties and responsibilities
- Liaise with the landlord of the office premises and other operational contacts such as vendors, suppliers and courier services to keep the office fully functional
- Coordinate package delivery and pick up
- Ensure that Search’s inventory list is updated on regular intervals
- Develop and oversee safety protocols, including the management of the security company
- Ensure that the door security system and key management is functioning properly
- Manage the telephone/intercom/internet system
- Provide logistical support for meetings and conferences on-site and off-site
- Respond to general emails and forward to the appropriate members of staff
- Provide orientation for new staff, visitors or consultants on the use of the general office equipment and other office systems
- Maintain office equipment and oversee repairs
- Manage the office fleet and approve any private vehicle hire
- Oversee vehicle repairs
- Maintain office logs on travel, inventory and fuel usage for generators, vehicles etc.
- Prepare travel arrangements, relevant documentation (tickets, visas etc.) and any necessary travel materials (Meeting confirmations, background or reference confirmations)
- Prepare and submit a monthly logistics report about the above to the Procurement, Admin and Logistics Senior Officer.
- Coordinate procurement process of goods and services, ensure necessary documentation using the Global Procurement System (GPS)
- Support to maintain and update vendor’s database for necessary goods and services
- Monitor quality and control cost on various office supplies, stationery, hotel accommodation, transportation and other equipment
- Provide support to other teams where needed
- Any other function required to undertake broadly in line with above functions.
- As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key duties.
Qualifications
Education:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Management, procurement, Accounting or other social sciences.
Required Experience:
- 1 - 3 years professional experience providing finance, administrative, logistical and/or operational support
- Experience working in an NGO or civil society is a plus
- Experience working with little or minimal supervision
Other Relevant Requirements:
- Resident in Lafia or Makurdi
- Proven interest & commitment to humanitarian and development principles and a demonstrable understanding of conflict/post conflict development contexts
- Excellent in English (oral and written)
- Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines; team player and effective communicator,
- Strong IT skills (Email, Microsoft Office applications, Google Drive, Google Docs, Sheets, Presentation).
Good reporting capacity and experience
- Ability to function effectively under stressful conditions such as heavy workloads, and deadlines.