Governance Officer

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, supporting victims of natural disaster, oppression, and violent conflict in over 40 countries to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. IRC entered Nigeria in October 2012 in response to a widespread flood disaster. Since then, the IRC has expanded its scope and size of the programs in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe States. The IRC’s response includes integrated health and nutrition services, reproductive health care and women protection services, Environmental Health, Child Protection, Economic Recovery and Development, Education, General Protection, and Governance. IRC’s programming in Northeast Nigeria is supported by a team of more than 700 staff. Together, we aim to provide the best possible impact for some of the most vulnerable children, women, and men. In all that we do, IRC strives to deliver through IRC’s core values of Integrity, Accountability, Service and Equality.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The IRC is implementing a BHA (Integrated Emergency Assistance for Displaced Persons in MMC/Jere) program featuring the strengthening of community and government structures, capacity building, information dissemination, referral services and organizational development. The IRC will strengthen the capacities of government authorities, local organizations, partners, and local communities via a BHA Project funded by USAID. This project is to be implemented in the environs of MMC/Jere, Borno State.

Under the supervision of the Governance advocacy manager, the Governance Officer is responsible for the implementation, and monitoring of the BHA project in MMC and Jere. The officer will support the Governance Advocacy manager in implementing Governance projects. The officer will support Governance Advocacy manager in ensuring that projects run smoothly by providing technical support, training, and mentoring stakeholders both at government and community levels, and coordinating the implementation of project activities. The Governance Officer will contribute to the IRC Governance program and proposal development. The officer will play an active role in establishing and managing relationships with local partners, humanitarian actors, state authorities, beneficiaries and local/traditional leaders and contribute to the achievement of IRC Governance program and IRC SAP.

Responsibilities:

Project planning and implementation

- Conduct community entry with other sectors and partner withing MMC/Jere - Contribute to the strategic direction of the Governance program in MMC/Jere, Borno state through active and ongoing participation in and contribution to strategic planning meetings and development of strategic documents. - Continuously work closely with the Governance M&E Officer to ensure project quality; for example, strengthening data collection, reporting, accountability initiatives, and documenting the impact of IRC presence in the field. - Support the Governance Advocacy Manger to conduct context and conflict sensitivity analysis assessments in the intervention locations in collaboration with the M&E Officer. - Ensure synergy and coordination of Governance programming with other IRC sectoral activities in Borno State, in close coordination and consultation with other Governance staff and other sectors. - Contribute and support effective monitoring, evaluation and learning processes and initiatives, and ensure effective data and information management for the BHA project. - Developing monthly work plans focused on key outputs and outcomes in consultation with other Governance staff. - Carryout major Capacity strengthening activities for and with community, Local government and state government state stakeholders cross cutting all outcome areas. - Integrate community approaches, gender sensitivity, capacity strengthening and mainstream governance approaches into all activities as appropriate. - In close coordination with sectors, conduct Governance activity visits in target communities in MMC/Jere. - Lead in establishing, overseeing, and ensuring the smooth running of Community Structures and their activities such as community dialogues and forums through community volunteers.

Reporting and documentation

- Ensure timely and quality delivery of weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual project reports. - Ensure high-quality IRC and donor reports on activities, indicators, and achievements. - Ensure that all reporting is disaggregated by age and gender. - Keep proper records of all project activities.

Team Management

- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence. - Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback to the team members. - Contribute to IRC Governance sector team-building efforts, support in solving arising problems and support the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

Finance & Compliance Management

- Ensure full compliance with IRC and donor financial guidelines and policies while managing the Governance Sector project. - Support Governance advocacy manager in developing monthly spending plans.

Logistics, Procurement, Safety and Security:

- Develop procurement plans and item forecasts in consultation with the Governance Advocacy Manager and coordinate with the Maiduguri based Supply Chain Manager for the delivery of items to the field as per project planning. - Ensure compliance with security management rules and procedures. - And all other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications

- University degree in law, Political science, Anthropology, social sciences, social work, or other social science related courses (bachelors as a minimum). - Minimum of 2 years working experience in Governance or Advocacy programming with focus on stakeholder engagement, Advocacy, Coordination and Capacity Strengthening. - Experience of coordination and engagement with stakeholders at both community and government levels. Skills in advocacy essential - Ability to function in a team especially field teams in a challenging environment. - Ability and willingness to live and work in a challenging environment. - Good communication skills (written and verbal), cultural sensitivity, flexibility, ability to improvise, team player, fluency in English and Hausa languages. - Strong computer skills required (word and excel and PowerPoint). - Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Working Environment: The IRC is a team-work environment and requires a person who will work with colleagues from many cultural backgrounds, understand and contribute to the organization’s goals, work well as a member of a group/team, and respect the thoughts and opinions of others in the team. The security situation in Northeast Nigeria continues to be volatile with security level currently at 3 (orange), though subject to change.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation