Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action; helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within, now, and for the future.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Roving Safety and Security Liaison Officer
Location: Abuja (FCT) with an estimated 50% travel to Plateau, Benue and Kogi states (Northcentral) and Kaduna, Katsina and Kano states (North-West)
Position Status:Full-time, Regular
Reports directly to: Country Safety & Security Manager
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Program / Department Summary
- Mercy Corps works in fragile and conflict-affected environments. While we recognize that these are difficult places to operate, we believe that transitional environments – countries affected by civil wars, economic and political crisis, or natural disasters – offer tremendous opportunities for positive change. Since the late 1990s, Mercy Corps has managed over 100 peacebuilding projects in over 30 countries and regions, making Mercy Corps a true leader in the field. We currently implement 34 peacebuilding programs globally.
- In Nigeria, Mercy Corps implemented/ is implementing conflict managements programs, focused on reducing violent conflict between farmer and pastoralist communities, preventing/countering violent extremism, and increasing peace between religious groups.
- Mercy Corps since 2019 has added to its portfolio of conflict management in the North Central and Northwest of Nigeria with the program; Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP), funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
- This five-year CIPP program (2019-2024) aims to strengthen conflict prevention, mediation and early warning by facilitating community-led analysis and action to prevent, manage, and mitigate conflict and violent extremism.
- The program works in twenty-four (24) high-risk local government areas in Benue, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi and Plateau states, with the following outcomes:
- Improved local capacity and skills among conflicting communities to manage disputes;
- Strengthened, more efficient, more sustainable community-based early warning and early response (EWER) mechanism;
- Increased linkages and collaborations among conflicting/vulnerable communities with government agencies, CSOs, and local leaders to address and respond to root causes of conflicts;
- Deepened engagement of women in peacebuilding and preventing violent extremism; and
- Improved understanding of the dynamics and dangers of violent extremism among vulnerable communities to address extremist recruitment tactics.
Essential Job Responsibilities
- In conjunction with the relevant internal focal person(s), monitor the security environment within the designated geographical area with particular focus on program areas of operations.
- Work will include but not be limited to staying informed (through media, social media, community and other contacts, etc.) about the safety and security situation in the country in general, and north central and northwest in particular on a daily basis
Security Analysis & Operational Security:
- Work with the Country Safety & Security Manager, Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP)/Chief of party (COP), Field Managers, Team Leader and field teams to monitor the security environment in the designated areas of Nigeria, with particular focus on the program areas of operations.
- Stay informed (through media, social media, contacts, etc.) about the safety and security situation in North Central & North-Wester States of Nigeria on daily basis.
- Liaise with security counterparts in other parts of the state and the country in order to understand how security situations in other areas affect mercy corps program activities.
- Verify acquired information through, primary and secondary sources.
- Maintain regular contact with field teams about the safety and security situation in their area.
- Produce advisories (longer term), incident reports, security updates and other work products as directed for CSSM review and dissemination to staff.
- Produce immediate security advisories to be put out on various security channels in order to ensure staff safety.
- Review staff movement to the field and give advice in order to mitigate risks as necessary. Produce road assessments, etc. for dissemination to staff.
- In conjunction with the CSSM prepare and deliver relevant security training for relevant staff (i.e., guards, drivers, program staff, etc.)
- Vehicle & Staff Tracking: Track vehicle movements where and when required until the safe, arrival to destination. Give advice regarding road movement as needed prior to movement (i.e., identifying safe areas, sharing road assessment, etc.
- Provide initial analysis of relevant security development and communicate them to the leadership team.
- Update Local Area Security Plans, Contingency Plans, Security Bulletin Boards and other documents on at least a quarterly basis or as directed by the CIPP leadership and or SMT. Ensure plans are shared with and disseminated to relevant staff.
Reporting Requirements:
- Daily Risk Ratings per location.
- Monthly Go / No-Go for key roads, districts, LGAs and states especially in CIPP program locations.
- Incident Reports and Incident Log – always up to date (provide incident analysis for CIPP leadership and SMT review)
- Ensure the Security Bulletin Boards (SBB) for all CIPP locations are updated
- Risk Assessment – quarterly minimum.
- Flash Reports – immediate dissemination of critical incidents in our area of work
- Prepare weekly security brief and share with all staff in the meetings
- Be readily available at all times to the applicable field teams to give feedback on relevant security developments
- Alongside the relevant operational focal people, ensure that relevant staff members have and are able to use this equipment, including radios, satellite phones, fire extinguishers, etc through regular training and orientations for new staffs.
- Alongside with the relevant operational focal people, conduct comprehensive security/risk assessment in potential new program/field sites in Northcentral & Northwest and elsewhere as directed by the CIPP leadership and or SMT.
- Work with the relevant program and operational focal people as well as the Team Leader, on community acceptance messaging and other operational strategies in the area of operations in Northcentral & Northwest and other locations as directed.
- Gain movement clearances through INSO as required.
Liaison Activities:
- Stay abreast of political developments and humanitarian trends in Nigeria, with an emphasis on the security context in both the North-Central/North-West-Nigeria, informing the CIPP leadership and SMT where relevant.
- Ensuring sufficient capacity and knowledge to support policy analysis and strategic planning around the humanitarian, Peace and Conflict management architecture and operational issues.
- Collaborate with the Operations Director, Operations Manager, CIPP DCOP/COP, Team Leader and SMT to act as official representative at meetings with external engagement targets.
- Identify and liaise with external partners.
- Develop a calendar of upcoming lobby opportunities to be tapped into.
- Liaise with leads from relevant national and international coordination structures
- Engage with peacebuilding, conflict mitigation and resilience working groups, through calling for meetings, drafting action-oriented meeting notes, support in sourcing for presenters and developing agenda for the meetings.
- Ensure collaboration with the NGO security clusters and other relevant peace and security Working
- Group.
Operational Security:
- Conduct security assessments of CIPP sites and identify safe havens, checkpoints and other key factors critical to our safe operations and contingency plans in the North Central and Northwest. Will lead a Risk Assessment process that is inclusive and includes risk mitigation measures and strategies.
- Help with preparations of field visits.
- Advise and prepare documented SOPs for travel in all areas including routes, roads, weather, stopovers, check-in and turn-around timings.
- Maintain regular contact with field staff about the security situations in their respective areas.
- Request and review the weekly/daily movement of staff in the field and provide immediate advice in cases of staff planning to go to a dangerous area. Maintain a whiteboard of all staff movements.
- Conduct safety and road checks daily and prior to any movements. Will recommend approval for travel.
- PROVIDE POST-INCIDENT ANALYSIS FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT
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.
Finance & Compliance Management:
- Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
- Ensure compliance with all Mercy Corps finance regulations in carrying out activities as a Safety & Security Officer
Influence and Representation:
- Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders. Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met
Organizational Reports:
- 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.
Work Directly with:
- CIPP Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP)/Chief of Party (COP)
Works with:
- Country Safety and Security Manager (Abuja), Liaison & Safety Officers, state officers, Operations Director, Chief of Party, Operations Manager, Program team
Knowledge and Experience
- University Degree in Criminology and Security Studies or related field.
- 5-7 years of security management experience is desired. At least 03 years of security management experience with an INGO or equivalent organization.
- Experience in Liaison with Government Security Forces and other relevant Government Security Agency is required
- Experience in First Aid Training, in other to respond to staff, partners and program beneficiaries in case of needs is required.
- Relevant work experience in policy analysis, influence, strategic planning, communications, research, media, data gathering and/or information management
- Demonstrated capacity to develop and implement strategies with clear theories of change.
- Excellent writing, editing and analytical skills and ability to formulate well-targeted strategicdocuments.
- Ability to work independently in a fast-paced and often demanding environment.
- Fluency in English language and at least two other Nigeria local languages is required, withdemonstrated writing skills
- Computer literacy in using Microsoft Office and email/internet.
- Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns, andappropriate responses to such emergencies. Good context analysis skills.
- Excellent negotiation and representation skills and the ability to work comfortably with anethnically diverse staff in a very sensitive environment.
- Effective skills in coordination, organization and prioritization as well as in Microsoft Officeapplications.
- Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and workcooperatively with team members.
- Experience living and working in Nigeria, and experience in North-Central, North-West ispreferred.
- Knowledge of Mercy Corps systems and procedures is highly desirable.
- Ability to speak Hausa / Tiv / Fulani / Idoma / Berom/Igala/Gbaji and any other Nigeria locallanguages (desired but not essential)
Success Factors
- Critical to this job is the ability to carry out liaison, intelligence information gathering & networking activities, think critically, keep abreast of security situations within volatile terrains, work out methods to deliver successful programs, be able to comply with Mercy Corps and donor regulations while maintaining strong cooperative relationships with other departments.
- The successful candidate will have the ability to interact effectively with national and international staff members and demonstrate the ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and provide relevant advice and support in a fluid security environment. The candidate will also have to be able to demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and must be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense environment.
- Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. 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.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:
- Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together.
- Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges.
- We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
- We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
- Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis.
- We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have a sustained global impact.
- We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all.
- We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, colour, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics:
- Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity.
- We are committed to the core principles regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary-General and IASC.
- We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members.
- As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times.
- Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
Application Closing Date
19th August, 2022.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
Note: Female candidates who are qualified are strongly encouraged to apply.
