Program Officer (COMITAS II) at Mercy Corps

General Position Summary

This role will support and monitor the expansion of the EU funded project titled Contributing to the mitigation of conflict over natural resources between farmer and herder communities in Adamawa state, Nigeria. (COMITAS-Phase 2). The project will be implemented through a Consortium led by IOM in partnership with Mercy Corps and Search for Common Ground.

While clashes are often understood in ethno-religious terms due to the spread of unreliable information, competing claims to land, water and other natural resources are at the root of growing tensions between farmer and herder communities in Nigeria. The project aims to contribute to the mitigation of conflict over natural resources with Mercy Corps capitalizing on its trusted relationships with local stakeholders across Nigeria’s Middle Belt to continue to empower communities to prevent and respond to violence by strengthening collaboration on natural resources management.

Under the pilot phase, from December 2020 to December 2022, the consortium partners recorded several key achievements and valuable were lessons during implementation. The pilot was implemented in Bille, Borrong, Kpasham, Demsa wards of Demsa LGA; Gereng and Tambo wards of Girei LGA; Gyawana ward of Lamurde LGA; Kodompti ward of Numan LGA; Gengle and Ndikong ward of Mayo Belwa LGA.

To consolidate its goal COMITAS phase II will continue to focus on its four pillars which capitalizes on each of consortium partners’ expertise and strengths:

• Strengthen traditional conflict resolution in the targeted locations in Adamawa state;
• Improve trust in authorities’ commitment to provide security and adequate resource management;
• Enhanced collaboration in managing use of natural resources;
• Improve intra and inter communal perceptions

The Program Officer will be responsible for supporting the implementation of program at the community level. S/he will be in constant contact with stakeholders and targeted communities to ensure full participation and implementation. In coordination with the Senior Program Officer they will conduct regular field visits to ensure that all stakeholders fully understand and utilize COMITAS approaches and methodologies. Working and building the capacity of the local governance structures, supporting in developing institutional development plans for all the community structures. Participate in the peace actors’ coordination meetings, and prepare activity workplans and budgets for approval.

Essential Job Responsibilities

 Program Implementation

• Work with the community structures to plan and implement effectively the deliverables of the program in line with the targets.
• Work with community members, ward to LGA- level authorities, and other stakeholders, presenting information at meetings when required.
• Conduct regular field visits to ensure that all stakeholders fully understand and utilize the COMITAS approaches and methodologies. 
• Prepare activity plans and seek required approvals.
• Support, participate in and monitor activities and meetings of community structures.
• Support in the collection of program data.
• Develop field activity reports and contribute to periodic donor reporting.
• Contribute to the identification of lessons learnt and propose recommendation for programmatic adaptations.
• Contribute to research activities on specific subjects, as needed.
• Work with and support the capacity building of all the governance structures.

 Team Management

• Sustain a work environment of mutual respect you and other team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Provide other team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

Finance and Compliance

• Ensure compliance with Donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to field programming. Influence and Representation
• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with Consortium partners, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure project implementation targets are met.
• Participate in coordination meetings and workshops to the project at both Local and State level as delegated.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that you and other field team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies

Organizational Learning

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability To Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Accountability Reports Directly to: Program Manager. Works directly with COMITAS Program Team, CARM focal point, Security,  Finance, Consortium partners field staff

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in the social sciences, rural development, or related field.
• Minimum of two years’ professional experience in implementing peace and conflict related projects, preferably with an NGO within Adamawa State.
• Good knowledge of relevant cross-cultural issues.
• Ability and commitment to teamwork.
• Ability to interact effectively with the diverse project stakeholders.
• Experience representing the organization and its interests to a diverse range of local stakeholders, host government officials, and local and international partners
• Fluency in English; fluency in Hausa is a plus.