Job Vacancies at International Rescue Committee

Sector: Operations

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: Yes

Location: Mubi, Nigeria

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, provides relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to survivors of natural disaster, oppression and violent conflict in some 40 countries. IRC is committed to bold leadership, innovation, creative partnerships and assists people from harm to home.

IRC began working in Nigeria in October 2012 in response to a widespread flood disaster. Since then, IRC has expanded its program scope and size with the aim of making the greatest possible contribution to meeting humanitarian needs in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in North East Nigeria. IRC’s response includes integrated health, reproductive health and nutrition services, protection/rule of law (PRoL), women’s protection and empowerment (WPE), and child protection, environmental health, economic recovery and development ERD, governance and education.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The Adamawa Field Coordinator leads IRC’s response in Adamawa State and its respective field sites, including some program areas in southern Borno State. As the most senior representative in this area of operations, the AFC is responsible for the implementation of all program and operations activities in the project locations.  The AFC should have a good top-level knowledge and understanding of all activities in their location, in particular the constraints faced by their team, and be actively working with their teams to manage and trouble shoot problems as they arise.

Oversight responsibilities include both operations and programs.  Operational oversight includes security, human resources and administration, supply chain, IT and finance.  Program oversight includes current programs in health, nutrition, environmental health (EH), ERD, protection (child protection, WPE, PRoL), and education. 

The Adamawa Field Coordinator reports to the Deputy Director of Field Management. The Field Coordinator also maintains a close and communicative working relationship with the Deputy Director of Programs for proposal development, grants and partnerships management, and monitoring and evaluation, and with the Deputy Director of Operations for supply chain, HR, IT, and safety and security (NB: security is managed in partnership with DDFM).  The Adamawa Field Coordinator is a member of the Country Leadership Group. The AFC must also maintain close working relationships with the Senior Program Coordinators, the Grants Team and the various technical and operational support coordinators.  Local heads operations (Finance, HR-Admin, IT, Security, and Supply Chain) in Adamawa State will report to the Adamawa Field Coordinator in MiP with their respective technical support leads. The AFC will also have an informal oversight on programs leads for Health, Nutrition, EH, ERD, PRoL, WPE, child protection, education and M&E and on dotted line reporting relationship.

The Adamawa Field Coordinator will be based in Mubi with frequent travel to communities served, IRC’s office in Yola, and to IRC’s operational hub in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The successful candidate will be confident, articulate, organized and able to represent IRC to partners including beneficiaries, community leaders, CSOs and donors as well as handle sensitive, complex issues in a diplomatic way that puts the needs of beneficiaries first. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Duties

• Ensure all IRC staff, programs, and operations in Adamawa are covered by effective security management;
• Coordinate implementation of programming, in collaboration with Technical Coordinators;
• Ensure efficient operations (supply chain, HR, IT, finance) to support programming;
• External coordination to ensure IRC’s position is understood, protected and advanced;
• Team management of diverse programs and operations staff; and
• Collaborate with members of IRC Nigeria’s Senior Management Team to ensure information sharing, reporting, and implementation of country program policies.

Safety and Security

• Ensure all IRC staff, programs, and operations in Adamawa are covered by effective security management, including collaboration with the Safety and Security Coordinator to ensure an up-to-date security management plan is in place, including implementation of all relevant Standard Operating Procedures and Contingency Plans;
• Ensure that all staff are familiar with and in compliance with security guidelines;
• Ensure that all visitors receive a security briefing upon arrival;
• Supervise Safety and Security Manager to ensure active monitoring of the safety and security environment, keeping the Security Coordinator briefed on new intel and concerns, and reporting incidents in a timely way; and
• Work closely with the Adamawa security community, including UNDSS, INSO, NGOs and local officials concerned with security.

Programming

• Support sector leads staff in Adamawa on effective planning and implementation of programming in area of operation, with technical supervision provided through close collaboration with Technical Coordinators and Managers;
• Ensure that programs are compliant with the design, operational and financial parameters of grant agreements;
• Facilitate information sharing and coordination between program departments and operations through weekly coordination meetings and other mechanisms;
• Maintain a robust schedule of regular site visits in order to remain abreast of program issues, challenges and success stories – and to support the morale of our field teams, partners and beneficiaries;
• Communicate and coordinate with the Technical Coordinators to ensure thorough technical support for field programs;
• Facilitate field visits by donors, consultants, etc. to ensure their success and that maximum value is gained by all parties.  Debrief visitors where appropriate to learn from their insights and recommendations;
• Support IRC’s partnerships efforts, including monitoring of local partner performance, partner assessments of IRC performance and scoping of partnership opportunities, ensuring that key issues are raised with Partnerships/Grants colleagues and DDP;
• Support program and grants staff in carrying out assessments and the development of program design and proposals;
• Periodically monitor payments made for training and distributions, including for incentive workers;
• Ensure that all staff understand and correctly promote client responsiveness mechanisms, and support M&E systems;
• Attend and participate in the project cycle meetings and ensure field perspective is shared with all relevant internal stakeholders;
• Work closely with the Emergency Preparedness and Response Coordinator to monitor key indicators and local developments, and to ensure that IRC responds in a timely and appropriate way; and
• Advise senior management about strategic programming directions and issues affecting project implementation, or key local issues affecting future grants/projects developments, including spotting and flagging key gaps in provision/unmet beneficiary needs and offer a proposed solution.

Supply Chain:

• Ensure all aspects of supply chain support – procurement, stock management, asset management, vehicle and equipment rental, maintenance, and repair - for program teams and coordinate with Technical Coordinators, Supply Chain Coordinator, and Managers for effective implementation of all project activities;
• Guarantee adequate communication and coordination between field locations, technical coordination staff and country office on daily activities as well as program and operational issues;
• Supervise the senior Supply Chain Manager and collaborate with Supply Chain Coordinator and DDO to ensure efficient overall management of Adamawa-based operational support team;
• Report challenges to the Supply Chain Coordinator and DDO on a timely basis;
• Monthly monitoring of the warehouse, assets, vehicle/fleet management;
• Support Supply Chain Manager and Technical Managers with monitoring construction contracts, report challenges and propose possible solutions;
• Support budget holders in review of budget vs. actual reports with programs and operations staff and ensure appropriate action is taken in a timely fashion;
• Ensure compliance with IRC and donor finance and supply chain policies, including all aspects of procurement and asset management.

Financial:

• Oversee the financial management of field office operations and finance staff, including approval of expenditures, cash management and transactions, management of the operational budget, payroll review, and travel expenses, with support of Assistant Finance Controller;
• Supervise the Finance Manager, in collaboration with the Assistant Finance Controller, to ensure the finance department provides required support to programs;
• Ensure field office compliance with contract and donor guidelines and requirements;
• Ensure the timeliness and completeness of field office financial reports to Abuja;
• Ensure complete and correct use of all finance forms and timely communication of financial issues to the Assistant Finance Controller; and
• Oversee the weekly cash count and month end cash count.

Strategic Planning

• Participate in the implementation and review of the strategic action plan (SAP) for IRC Nigeria Country Program;
• Develop an Adamawa-focused operations plan to support the program activities and the scale up programming; and
• Participate actively in the Country Leadership Group.

HR and Staff Development

• Ensure the ongoing capacity building of the Adamawa team (Programs, Supply Chain, HR, Admin, IT, Finance, Security) through performance monitoring and evaluation and individual development plans, with input from relevant Coordinators;
• Supervise the HR Officer-Admin officer, with support from the HR Coordinator/Sr. HR Manager, to provide required support to programs;
• Oversee effective implementation of personnel policies, including coaching, performance evaluation, staff development, recruitment, and disciplinary measures;
• Ensure appropriate support to the team through regular site visits and replacement of staff if needed;
• Oversee the implementation of the IRC Nigeria National Staff Employment Manual with support from the HR Coordinator; 
• Review monthly payroll before submission to Abuja office;
• Work with the HR team to ensure an environment that promotes positive physical and mental health through work-life balance, and communicate challenges to the HR Coordinator or SMT as appropriate;
• Monitor and review the annual leave calendar to ensure departments are well staffed;
• Act as an ambassador for the IRC Way (IRC’s Code of Conduct” and model the values of “service, integrity and accountability”; and
• Provide support for the effective functioning of the Women at Work group.

Coordination and Representation

Relationships with open dialogue and mutual respect should be nurtured with all stakeholders;

• Support the DDP and program teams to ensure quality implementation of the IRC Nigeria program interventions, ensuring that opportunities for synergy and integration are identified and acted upon;
• Represent IRC to UN, international and national NGOs, and attend coordination meetings as needed at the state level; 
• Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders at the state level including donors, government actors, local traditional leadership, local CSO partners, beneficiary populations and their representatives, etc.;
• Establish and maintain networks with UN, INGOs, and local partners to promote strategic partnerships.

Key Working Relationships

Direct Management in Partnership (MiP) Relationships:  The Field Coordinator will be co-manager in the MiP relationships listed below.  As detailed in the MiP Playbook; the Field Coordinator will work with each MiP relationship on each of the following:

• Conduct a handshake meeting with the co-manager to establish decision rights summarized in an MoU;
• Work in a tripartite manner on annual planning and priorities;
• Work in a tripartite manner through the Performance Management and Evaluation process;
• Hold routine tripartite meetings as appropriate for each role, be they weekly, monthly or quarterly.

MiP Field Position:

Finance Manager

HR-Admin Officer

Senior Supply Chain Manager

Safety and Security Manager

IT Officer

Co-Manager Title:

• Assistant Finance Controller
• Sr. HR-Admin Manager
• Supply Chain Coordinator
• Safety and Security Coordinator
• IT coordinator

Co-Manager Locale:

• Mubi
• Abuja
• Maiduguri
• Maiduguri
• Maiduguri

Co-Manager Decision Rights:

• Finance Reports
• HR-Admin Reports
• SC Policy
• Trainings
• Infrastructure
• Finance Policy/regulation
• Labor Law
• Procurement (MSA/MPA)
• Context Analyses
• Policy
• Donor regulation
• Personnel Policy
• Staff training
• Security advisories
• Trainings
• Local tax laws
• Payroll preparations
• Warehouse/store management
• SoP/CP revisions
• Service continuity
• Payrolls
• Benefits
• Asset management
• Critical Incident management
• Maintenance
• Finance training
• Exit management

Field Coordinator Decision Rights:

• Operations and Administration including hiring, vehicle operations, etc.
• Overall Safety and Security - including Covid mitigation
• Scheduling and Coordination
• Contracts and Expenses > ₦?
• Time sheets, travel authorization and leave scheduling
• Local and State Govt relations
• Orientation of new staff; duty of care
• Emergency and Crisis Response
• Hiring Manager for MiPs
• Budget holder for these roles

Informal MiP Relationships/dotted line:  The Field Coordinator will maintain informal Management in Partnership relationships with the following staff. 

• Health Manager
• Nutrition Manager
• Senior WASH Manager
• WPR Manager
• CYPD Manager
• PRoL Manager
• Education Manager
• ERD Manager/officer.

The Field Coordinator calls regular meetings with these Managers independently or as a group for the purpose ensuring effective operational and administrative coordination, safety and security of staff and program, coordinated representation with local and state authorities and other matters to ensure efficient and security operations and programming.

External Relationships: IRC clients, INGOs, LNGOs, LGA and State government authorities, traditional, religious and community leaders, and donors, as required

Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred (management-related or general operations preferred);
• Minimum of five years’ experience managing operations and/or projects in INGOs in developing countries, preferably in Africa;
• Demonstrated management and leadership skills, including team management and staff development;
• Experience in field office management, including programs, supply chain, HR, administration and security management, preferably in conflict-impacted settings;
• Excellent management, organizational, interpersonal, and cross-cultural communication skills;
• Strong problem-solving, analytical and decision-making skills, preferably including negotiations and conflict resolution skills;
• Strong socio-political analysis skills, with demonstrated ability to assess the impact of dynamic contexts on an INGO, and vice versa;
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office, Excel, Word, and Outlook;
• Flexibility, ability to work independently and meet deadlines;

Fluency in English;

Commitment to IRC Way.

Specific Security Situation/Housing

The Adamawa Field Coordinator will be expected to respect the various security protocols in place in country.  Mubi is currently in a security context that requires clear contingency planning, with the possibility of hibernation or evacuation.  A government curfew exists and staff are required to be in the hotel or guesthouse by curfew; this is subject to change depending on changes in context.

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Sector: Operations

Employment Category: Regular

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: Yes

Location: Maiduguri, Nigeria

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, provides relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to survivors of natural disaster, oppression and violent conflict in some 40 countries. IRC is committed to bold leadership, innovation, creative partnerships and assists people from harm to home.

IRC began working in Nigeria in October 2012 in response to a widespread flood disaster. Since then, IRC has expanded its program scope and size with the aim of making the greatest possible contribution to meeting humanitarian needs in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in Northeast Nigeria. IRC’s response includes integrated health, reproductive health and nutrition services, protection/rule of law (PRoL), women’s protection and empowerment (WPE), child protection, environmental health, economic recovery and development, governance and education.

Scope of Work:

Based in Maiduguri, the Borno Field Coordinator ensures coordination between IRC’s program and operational functions in Borno State, including programs currently in Magumeri, Bama, Konduga and Mafa.  Additional communities may be added as the program expands.  The Field Coordinator must collaborate closely with the Senior Area Managers in Gwoza, Monguno and Askira/Uba.  It is imperative that the Field Coordinator retains a thorough knowledge of IRC’s programs, policies and operations as well as a broad understanding of the security, social and political contexts and the cast of characters that we engage with in the government and humanitarian community. 

The Borno Field Coordinator reports to the Deputy Director of Field Management and retains also a close working relationship with the Deputy Director of Programs and Deputy Director for Operations as well as the coordinators who head up each program and operational sector.  The Borno Field Coordinator is a member of the Country Leadership Team.

The successful candidate will be confident, articulate, organized and able to represent IRC to partners including beneficiaries, community leaders, CSOs and donors as well as handle sensitive, complex issues in a diplomatic way that puts the needs of beneficiaries first. 

Key Responsibilities

Safety and Security:  Working through the safety and security unit, the Field Coordinator will ensure that appropriate management plans are in place, that staff and visitors are well briefed on the current safety and security context and protocols and that IRC is well coordinated with the security community including UNDSS, INSO, the NGO community and local authorities.  The Field Coordinator will also ensure that IRC offices, programs, housing and transportation are compliant with current COVID-19 mitigation plans.

Programming:  The Field Coordinator will work in collaboration with the sector coordinators and managers to ensure that IRC programs are appropriately integrated and effectively supported by IRC operations.  The Field Coordinator will promote communication between program and operations staff by, among other things, chairing a weekly coordination meetings and ensuring proper communication between sectors.   The Field Coordinator will facilitate visits by donors, consultants and other visitors.

Supply Chain:  The Field Coordinator will coordinate with program managers and the supply chain team to monitor procurement, stock management, asset management, vehicle and equipment rental and maintenance to ensure efficient and policy-compliant processes and timely spending against grants.  The Field Coordinator will collaborate with the Supply chain coordinator/Deputy Director of Operations to address issues that may arise.

Financial Oversight:  The Field Coordinator will oversee financial management of field office operations and finance staff, including approval of expenditures, cash management and transactions, management of operational budgets, payroll review, and travel expenses, with support of Assistant Finance Controller.  The Field Coordinator will facilitate the review of budget vs. actuals report by budget holder to ensure timely and appropriate expenditure of funds.

Strategic Planning:  The Field Coordinator will oversee the implementation of the strategic action plan (SAP) in Borno State, working with program and operations staff to ensure that an effective plan is in place to meet performance objectives a timely way.  Challenges to meeting SAP targets will be communicated in a timely way to the SMT and the Country Leadership Group.

HR and Staff Development:  The Field Coordinator will ensure that there is a healthy, respectful and productive working environment.  He/she will monitor the implementation of IRC human resource policies to ensure that they are effectively implemented through program and operations units including, inter alia, the timely implementation of the performance management process, the proper application of disciplinary actions, the timely scheduling of annual leave.  The Field Coordinator will promote IRC’s Code of Conduct and ensure that all staff are aware of their rights as employees and are able to confidentially express grievances through established channels.  He/she will provide support for the effective functioning of the Women at Work group.

Liaison and Representation:  In collaboration with the Deputy Director for Field Management, the Field Coordinator serves as the primary point of contact with local and state government, UN agencies and Nigeria INGO Forum (NIF), INSO and other humanitarian fora.  Representation may be delegated as it relates to specific sector interests.  He/she will ensure that IRC plays an active role in the humanitarian and development community and that IRC is well represented with donors during visits to the field.

Key Working Relationships

Formal Management in Partnership relationships:

The Borno Field Coordinator directly supervises 5 staff under a Management in Partnership agreement with the technical supervisors of each of those positions.  The agreement is negotiated between the Field Coordinator and each of the co-supervisors in order to identify the decision rights for each co-supervisor.  Generally speaking, the Field Coordinator will take the lead on coordination and operations whereas the co-supervisor will be lead on technical matters related to the function of the supervised manager.  The Management in Partnership positions supervised are as follows:

• HR Manager (MiP with Sr.HR Manager)
• Security Manager (MiP with Security Coordinator)
• Finance Manager (MiP with assistant Finance Controller)
• Supply Chain Manager (MiP with Supply Chain Coordinator)
• IT Manager (MiP with IT Coordinator)

Further detail on the Management in Partnership framework are appended.

The Field Coordinator will maintain very strong working relationship with the program coordinators with particular focus to driving interventions in emerging field sites including Magumeri, Bama, Konduga and Mafa.      

The Field Coordinator calls regular meetings with these Managers independently or as a group for the purpose ensuring effective operational and administrative coordination, safety and security of staff and program, coordinated representation with local and state authorities and other matters to ensure efficient and security operations and programming.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred (management-related or general operations preferred);
• Minimum of five years’ experience managing operations and/or projects in INGOs in developing countries, preferably in Africa;
• Demonstrated management and leadership skills, including team management and staff development;
• Experience in field office management, including programs, supply chain, HR, administration and security management, preferably in conflict-impacted settings;
• Excellent management, organizational, interpersonal, and cross-cultural communication skills;
• Strong problem-solving, analytical and decision-making skills, preferably including negotiations and conflict resolution skills;
• Strong socio-political analysis skills, with demonstrated ability to assess the impact of dynamic contexts on an INGO, and vice versa;
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office, Excel, Word, and Outlook;
• Flexibility, ability to work independently and meet deadlines;

Fluency in English;

 Commitment to IRC Way.

Specific Security Situation/Housing:

The Borno Field Coordinator will be expected to respect the various security protocols in place in country.  Borno State is currently in a security context that requires clear contingency planning, with the possibility of hibernation or evacuation.  A government curfew exists and staff are required to be in the hotel or guesthouse by curfew; this is subject to change depending on changes in context. 

Appendix A:  Borno Field Coordinator Management in Partnership relationships 

As detailed in the MiP Playbook; the Field Coordinator will work with each MiP relationship on each of the following:

Conduct a handshake meeting with the co-manager to establish decision rights summarized in an MoU;

Work in a tripartite manner on annual planning and priorities;

Work in a tripartite manner through the Performance Management and Evaluation process;

Hold routine tripartite meetings as appropriate for each role, be they weekly, monthly or quarterly.

Sample Division of Decision Rights:

MiP Field Position:

• Finance Manager
• HR Manager
• Supply Chain Manager
• Safety and Security Manager
• IT Manager

Co-Manager Title:

• Assistant Finance Controller
• Sr. HR-Admin Manager
• Supply Chain Coordinator
• Safety and Security Coordinator
• IT coordinator

Co-Manager Locale:

• Maiduguri
• Abuja
• Maiduguri
• Maiduguri
• Maiduguri

Co-Manager Decision Rights:

• Finance Reports
• HR-Admin Reports
• SC Policy
• Trainings
• Infrastructure
• Finance Policy/regulation
• Labor Law
• Procurement (MSA/MPA)
• Context Analyses
• Policy
• Donor regulation
• Personnel Policy
• Staff training
• Security advisories
• Trainings
• Local tax laws
• Payroll preparations
• Warehouse/store management
• SoP/CP revisions
• Service continuity
• Payrolls
• Benefits
• Asset management
• Critical Incident management
• Maintenance
• Finance training
• Exit management

Field Coordinator Decision Rights:

• Operations and Administration including hiring, vehicle operations, etc.
• Overall Safety and Security - including Covid mitigation
• Scheduling and Coordination
• Contracts and Expenses 
• Time sheets, travel authorization and leave scheduling
• Local and State Govt relations
• Orientation of new staff; duty of care
• Emergency and Crisis Response
• Hiring Manager for MiPs
• Budget holder for these roles