Latest Jobs at Mercy Corps

Employment Type: Full-time or Part-time, Exempt or Non-exempt, Regular or Temporary
Reports Directly To: Chief of Party
Works Directly With: DCOP, EWER Technical Advisors, Program Managers, and other PARTNER Consortium MERL/Program Officers

Program / Department Summary

• Waves of resource-based, ethnic, and sectarian conflict, rising criminality and banditry, and expanding violent extremism are rendering North Central and Northwest, Nigeria increasingly insecure. While multiple initiatives seek to address the complex causes of violence, community and security responses to drivers and triggers are often piecemeal at best, and ineffectual at worst.
• Existing Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems suffer from slow responses, poor coordination, top-down mandates that limit community ownership, weak dispute resolution skills among responders, little political and financial investment, leadership structures that exclude women and youth, and scant rigorous evidence. The result of ineffective EWER systems is that unchecked, violence proliferates.
• To examine and mitigate these barriers, Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigerian Early Response (PARTNER) will pursue a bold approach to collaboration across local, international, government, non-government, community, state, and security stakeholders. Our consortium of Government Agencies and CSOs will be led by Mercy Corps in a mentorship capacity in Years 1 and 2, after which local partners will assume leadership, working hand-in-hand with other consortium members.
• Local ownership, fueled by iterative organizational performance assessment and capacity strengthening, will inform each component of the proposed sustainable, flexible, and evidence-based national EWER system that builds on existing locally-led and gender-sensitive conflict management mechanisms for vertical integration; incentivizes quick responses through horizontal coordination; and fosters increased trust in security and government actors to promote inclusive and collective action. By embedding EWER innovations within formal structures from the beginning, PARTNER will increase Nigeria’s self-reliance in leading a holistic, coordinated, and effective effort to promote sustainable peace.

General Position Summary

• The MEL Advisor will be supporting an Early Warning, Early Response System strengthening program in Nigeria on a full-time basis. The general duties and responsibilities of the MEL Advisor are to provide oversight of project-level monitoring and evaluation activities within the program, ensuring the quality of the project’s MEL activities, information management via the programs reporting system (which may be tied with Mercy Corps’ proprietary Tola systems), and geographic information systems (GIS), where applicable.
• The MEL Advisor’s role is to also oversee and ensure coordination of the various technical areas across the MEL staff of the Project, and other relevant Project staff and components. The MEL Advisor is responsible for the capacity building and mentoring strategy for program staff on themes related to monitoring, evaluation, accountability, reporting and learning.
• The MEL Advisor provides strategic guidance, vision and management for successful monitoring and evaluation of the activity. This individual also supervises MEL staff and ensures the strategic and functional integration of all MEL activities as well as active collaboration with sub-awardees and USAID. The Advisor oversees all MEL activities, provides technical direction and support, and ensures the accurate reporting of results for program activities.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Program Management:

• Set up the MEL system, including all tools and data collection processes for program activities.
• Develop and review frequently the Project’s MEL Plan including Data Management Plan
• Oversee the implementation of the MEL System.
• Plan and lead all MEL activities including the baseline, midterm, and final evaluations, and develop standards for data collection.
• Supervise all sub-contractor involved in data collection activities including the baseline, midterm, and final evaluation teams, and review their standards for data collection.
• Train project team members and partners on their ME&L responsibilities
• Directly manage MEL staff in day-to-day MEL activities, as well as provide technical oversight of additional MEL staff located in field offices.
• Update MEL and project management systems to reflect program progress and needs; enforce proper usage of these systems by program staff.
• Collect, analyze, and validate information and data on the performance indicators
• Present data analysis and periodic reporting in consultation with technical staff
• Ensure that lessons learned throughout the project are captured and communicated to internal and external stakeholders through appropriate channels
• Liaise with various stakeholders and project-related donors on relevant program MEL concerns.
• Take on overall responsibility for project reporting including Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, Final, and ad-hoc reports.
• Address any other task assigned by the COP/Director of Programs.
• Given the nature of the work, staff are expected to be flexible and may be asked to carry out duties that are not specifically listed above. The job description may be revised after discussion between the staff member and the organization.

Team Management:

• Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by Nigeria leadership.
• Proactively ensure that 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:

• MEL Officers
• Accountability

Knowledge and Experience

• BA / B.Sc or equivalent in any of the following or related fields: Social Science, International Development, Evaluation Research, Statistics, or Economics.
• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in designing, managing, and implementing results-based MEL activities.
• Demonstrated relevant technical skills in analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, with excellent organizational as well as English oral and written communication skills.
• Extensive knowledge of reporting procedures, best practices, guidelines, and tools for monitoring, evaluation, and learning
• A minimum of 4 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation management for international development programs; USAID or another donor, or NGO preferred.
• Experience with ArcGIS or other geographic information systems is preferred but not required.
• A high degree of computer literacy; Excel and Word skills are essential.
• Ability to manage and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently on multi-task load.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Basic mathematical skills and ability to perform job-specific mathematics with experience in statistical analysis and statistical software.
• Should also have experience in the experimental design of evaluations.

Success Factors

• The ideal candidate will have a strong curiosity for understanding and working effectively within the complex cultural, political, security and social environment of Nigeria. He/She will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, and able to work in ambiguous situations.
• He/She will be a tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures.
• The successful candidate will be focused on team building and capacity-building of national staff; be a strategic thinker, have strong skills in design monitoring and evaluation of development programs and maintain a sense of humour.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values always and in all Nigeria venues.
• Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

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Location: Damaturu, Yobe
Employment Type: Full-time Regular Employee
Reports Directly To: Operations Officer
Works Directly With: All Staff

Program / Department Summary

• Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on humanitarian assistance, economic development, and conflict mitigation. With the ongoing insurgency in Northeast Nigeria causing the displacement of millions of individuals, Mercy Corps started its humanitarian response in 2014 to address the rising humanitarian needs.
• As the crisis has persisted, Mercy Corps’ strategy has also expanded to address the root causes of the conflict and seek to build the long term resilience of communities with integrated programs focusing on governance, the recovery of markets and livelihoods, social cohesion and social protection, youth empowerment, and local conflict management.

General Position Summary

• The driver will provide safe, transport services for MC program and support staff in the described AOR (Area of Responsibility). The driver will adhere to all traffic and MC safety rules and follow the transport guidelines required by the MC transport department.

Essential Job Functions

• Operate MC vehicles as assigned by supervisor;
• Maintain vehicle log-sheets in accordance with MC policies/regulations;
• Check the vehicle conditions after each trip/routinely – report needs and problems to transport management;
• Adhere to all safety and communication protocols as advised by Mercy Corps and supervisor;
• Responsible for the safekeeping of all vehicle equipment, tools, first aid kits, spares etc.;
• Keep the vehicle ready, clean and on standby – ready for use at all times;
• Assist, as required, with logistics in the office and guesthouse daily workloads;
• Cooperate and be of assistance to staff and visitors – assist in troubleshooting potential problems during daily business;
• Report all maintenance needs of the vehicle to transport management on a regular basis;
• Undertake field assignments as assigned;
• Work night shifts at MC guesthouses – as assigned by Supervisor with the understanding these are 12-hour shifts;
• Adherence to all MC policies and procedures as outlined in MC policies and procedure manuals;
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission in the country of operation;
• Other duties as assigned.

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.

Supervisory Responsibility:
None

Accountability

• Accountable for following Mercy Corps Manual, guidelines, policies and procedures; the Mercy Corps Code of conduct regarding procurement activities and MC Conflict of Interest policy.

Knowledge and Experience

• Candidates should possess a Bachelor's Degree, SSCE / GCE / NECO with 4 - 10 of experience.
• Valid driver’s license and experience driving 4x4 vehicles.
• Must respect and adhere to all safety and traffic rules.
• A basic understanding of English and fluency in all local languages is required.
• Knowledge of routes, duty stations, project areas, the NGO and diplomatic community is required.

Success Factors

• The successful candidate will be capable of rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence.
• S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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Requisition Number: STATE001820
Locations: Benue, Kano, Katsina & Kogi
Job Category: Programming
Reports Directly to: Program Manager
Works Directly with: Program Manager, Senior Program Officers, Gender & Inclusion team, MEL Team, Communications Officer, Finance, Program and Operation teams

Program / Department Summary

• The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched one of its most comprehensive peacebuilding programs in Nigeria to date with Mercy Corps, a leading global humanitarian aid and development organization, which has been working with communities in Nigeria since 2012. The goal of the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) program, which commences in 2019, is to prevent violent conflict in the most at-risk communities across 6 states and 24 local government areas (LGA) in Nigeria’s North West and North Central regions. CIPP builds on the accomplishments and deep contextual knowledge gained by USAID and Mercy Corps through their previous peacebuilding programs in Nigeria.
• Mercy Corps’ strategy has also expanded to address the root causes of the conflict and seek to build the long-term resilience of communities with integrated programs focusing on governance, protection of the vulnerable populations, social cohesion, the inclusion of women, youth and persons living with disabilities, and local conflict management.
• The CIPP program was implemented in six North Central & North-Western Nigerian states Benue, Plateau, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano and Katsina. Since 2019 is strategically building on the past four years of the Mercy Corps former peacebuilding programs to:
  • Improve local capacity and skills to manage disputes
  • Strengthen and enable more sustainable Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) mechanisms
  • Increase collaboration among communities with government agencies, CSOs, and local leaders to address root causes of conflict
  • Strengthen women’s capacities to prevent and resolve conflict
  • Improve ability to address violent extremist recruitment tactics.

General Position Summary

• The CIPP State Program Officer is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the program in the respective states.
• S/he will support the implementation of activities related to peacebuilding and conflict management with key actors such as farmers, herders, religious leaders, religious institutions, government institutions and other appropriate actors.
• The Officer will support the facilitation and implementation of joint conflict prevention and PVE plans, and the facilitation of events related to advocacy and relationship building initiatives.
• S/he will also provide support to all other activities related to the USAID-funded CIPP Program and will ensure smooth, timely, and compliant implementation in the respective states.
• The Program Officer will liaise frequently with implementing partners, community members, conflict actors, religious leaders, and represent Mercy Corps at relevant meetings.
• The Program Officer in each state will work closely with the Program Manager, Senior Program Officers, Communications Officer, MEL team, and Operations staff (including finance and operations) to ensure that activities implementation are according to plan, schedule, budget and required quality.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Program Support:

• Support technical aspects of the peacebuilding and conflict management program by assisting with the development of activities/agendas/curricula as appropriate
• Facilitate and co-facilitate community meetings, events, and training as required
• Ensure implementation of activities is on time, target and budget
• Liaise with CIPP partner organizations and potential resource persons as needed
• Support the Program Manager in overseeing the performance of project implementation by partners and conduct frequent field visits to program sites
• Build strong relationships with key actors such as government, other CSOs, private sector and community at large
• In collaboration with M&E staff, coordinate the implementation of relevant surveys, needs assessments, data and information collection for ongoing monitoring
• Develop activity work plans and manage day-to-day activity implementation in the state
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to community needs, meets targets, and is carried out in line with best practices
• Establish and maintain effective program reporting, and monitoring and evaluation systems (to track, analyze and report on results) for both internal and external use
• Integrate community approaches, protection mainstreaming, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate
• Ensure effective community engagement to create enabling environment and ownership
• Submit weekly program updates including success stories to supervisor
• Update Program Issue Log, Risk Register & Incident Tracker as appropriate
• Ensure program filing system is in place, adheres to internal and donor regulation and filing is regularly maintained
• Adhere to all MC policies related to security, operations and transport/ logistics information related to programming

Representation and Coordination:

• Represent Mercy Corps in the state at government, donor, NGO, community meetings in close coordination with the Project Manager.
• Coordinate activities with implementing partners, local government representatives, religious leaders, other international and local organizations operating in the same state/geographic area, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs in Nigeria

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.

Finance & Compliance Management:

• Ensure compliance with all donor and Mercy Corps regulations

Security:

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

Other:

• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its peacebuilding mission
• Other duties as assigned

Required Knowledge and Experience

• BA/S or equivalent in conflict management, social sciences, international development or other relevant fields
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working in the non-profit sector preferably on conflict management/peacebuilding and community development
• Experience working in rural areas in Nigeria, particularly in target states of CIPP
• Experience working in a multi-organizational team (international and national partners) is a plus
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English required, including report development, writing and editing. Knowledge of Hausa/local language is strongly preferred
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines, and work independently and cooperatively with team members
• Experience engaging with State and Local Government authorities, religious leaders and local partners
• Experience managing community-based peacebuilding and conflict management interventions
• Strong training and capacity building experience
• Demonstrated understanding of the conflict dynamics in the Northcentral & Northwest Nigeria
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

Behaviors:

• Leader: Inspires teammates to follow them
• Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well
• Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Motivations:

• Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization
• Goal Completion: Inspired to perform well by the completion of tasks
• Self-Starter: Inspired to perform without outside help.

Success Factors:

• Must be able to work independently and show initiative. Strong leadership, communication, and management skills are essential. Understanding peacebuilding principles and their application to program implementation is required. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Must be able to solve problems and multi-task on a range of administrative and programmatic issues. The ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel is required. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions:

• The positions are based in Kano, Katsina, Kogi and Benue states. They require up to 50% travel to the program sites field in the state and around the North Central / North West regions.

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Location: Yola, Adamawa
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Reports directly to: MEL Officer
Works directly with: SPO and MEL Officer.

General Position Summary

• This role will support and monitor the new EU funded pilot project COMITAS - or Contributing to the Mitigation of Conflict over Natural Resources between Farmer and Herder Communities in Adamawa State. 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 ethnoreligious terms due to the spread of unreliable information, competing for 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. To achieve its goal COMITAS is structured around four pillars built 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 providing security and adequate resource management;
  • Enhanced collaboration in managing the use of natural resources;
  • Improve intra and inter-communal perceptions.
• Under the direction of the MEL Officer, the MEL Intern will provide support to the project team learning and reflection processes, leading discussion on beneficiary feedback.

Essential Job Functions

• Assist program team to ensure COMITAS progress according to the developed schedule and the implementation work plan.
• Assist to prepare and update community dispute tracker across 10 program wards.
• Assist to facilitate any community meetings as required.
• Support in the process of beneficiary registration, community mobilization, sensitization and stakeholder identification.
• Provide daily / weekly / monthly reports and participate in regular check-ins to update the COMITAS program on current developments happening in and around the conflict sites.
• Ensure equal representation of various community groups in the implementation of activities.
• Support the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning functions in the implementation of relevant surveys, assessments, data collection etc. for ongoing monitoring and reporting.
• Other duties as assigned.

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

Knowledge and Experience

• Educational qualifications in the relevant fields in international relations, development, management, economics or another relevant field.
• Experience working with a diverse range of local stakeholders, governments, and local and international partners.
• Ability to work independently in the field and show initiative. Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work cooperatively with team members.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to develop good relationships with a wide range of actors required.
• Good organizational skills, ability to make recommendations for improvement and contribute to overall program strategy.
• The ability to write reports in English, knowledge of Fulfulde is a plus.
• Willingness to travel to all the field locations.

Success Factors

• The successful MEL intern will skillfully assist the implementation of COMITAS activities within time, scope and budget. The successful candidate will be an effective communicator, with dedication towards community work, commitment to work long hours in the field conditions with limited access to resources.
• S/He should be familiar with the terrain in Mayo Belwa, Girei, Demsa, Numan, and Lamurde in Adamawa state.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

• The position will be based in Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria and requires frequent travel to other field locations. Considering the frequent travel from/to different field locations, this position will require flexibility in terms of accommodation and logistics. Housing in the field will be in hotels. Security in the field locations requires additional vigilance and accessibility will be reassessed continuously.