Employment Opportunities at Sexual Offences Awareness and Response Initiative

Sexual Offences Awareness & Response (SOAR) Initiative is a child focused non-profit organisation working to provide prevention and response solutions to child sexual abuse. Our specific emphasis is on adolescent girls as we work with men and boys, communities and educational institutions to address this menace. Our strategy follows from the recognition that negative gender and socio-cultural norms and unequal power relations are key root causes of sexual violence and gender inequality and so seek to address these in our interventions to mitigate sexual violence.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Finance Officer

Location: Abuja (FCT)
Employment Type: Full Time

Expected Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with all relevant Nigerian and standard accounting practices by strengthening the structure of the accounts system of the organisation: setting up the chart of accounts with the different general ledger accounts and assigning specific codes to them.
• Ensure that ALL financial transactions and processes in the organisation are in full compliance with set internal control policies and continually advise on updates to these policies to strengthen on-going processes and practices
• Preparation of the annual operations budget of the organization for presentation to the Board by the penultimate month of each year
• Preparation of monthly income & expenditure reports for all projects / programs
• Management of the organization’s assets via maintenance of an asset register
• Manage SOAR’s banking operations, including setting up accounts, updating mandates/signatories, making payments, and reconciling accounts
• Match invoices /receipts with payment vouchers, Goods Received Notes and other required documents
• Ensure that complete and accurate accounting records for all SOAR’s transactions are maintained, and accounting journals, books and software are updated and reviewed in a timely manner
• Oversee the payment process at SOAR and ensure that all necessary approvals are sought and received in line with ALL internal control policies and procedures before payments to staff, volunteers. vendors or partners are made.
• Manage SOAR’s payroll process, including liaising with field office supervisors to ensure that field offices process payroll in a timely and accurate manner
• Prepare and submit monthly management accounts with accurate financial analysis, including updating cashflow forecasts, and other reports in a timely manner to the Board, Executive Director, funders and other stakeholders as required.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports with monthly variances for all projects and consolidated organizational accounts, perform monthly bank reconciliations and liaise with bankers as needed
• Act as a point of contact for SOAR staff for finance queries and providing financial support to team members,
• Monitor, update and manage the finances of every project / program via monthly variance analysis
• Prepare, process and remit all staff income tax, withholding tax, value added tax and other relevant statutory documentation such as Annual Reports to FIRS and CAC and other regulatory bodies as at when due
• Ensure proper documentation and filing of all financial documents, records etc in a clear and accessible manner
• Develop year-end financial reports and assist the annual external audit process as required.
• Support fundraising activities through development of financial budget for each grant proposal developed
• Provide support in logistics, planning and implementation of organization’s events and project activities as required. Note, however that this must not jeopardize your ability to deliver on the primary role for this position as stated in numbers 1 to 18 above
• Other tasks as required by the Executive Director.

Required Knowledge, Experience and Skills to be Evidenced in Profile

• Minimum of HND or B.Sc Degree in Accounting with a minimum of 3 to 5years relevant work experience in an NGO or audit firm
• Personal integrity, honesty, trustworthiness and transparency is essential. Provide in your CV, three referees to attest to character, integrity and technical ability including from supervisor/management personnel from last place of employment.
• Strong intellectual ability and professional financial experience evidenced by additional certifications or formal qualification in accountancy. Professional accounting certification (ICAN /ACCA) or part qualification is an added advantage
• Knowledge/understanding of reporting requirements for NGOs in Nigeria (FIRS, CAC etc)
• Excellent IT skills, with specific competency in MS Word and Microsoft Excel. Previous experience using QuickBooks accounting software is highly desirable
• Ability to manage multiple donor accounts and produce on required deliverables in a timely manner
• Self-motivated and dynamic, with excellent organizational skills and a keen attention to detail.
• Ability to work in a team environment with technical and non-technical staff. Strong verbal and written communication skills is required.
• High sense of confidentiality and understanding that revelation of financial information is on a need-to-know basis.
• Highly organized, with ability to deliver error free work output, exhibit self-motivation and be self-directed.
• Demonstrated ability to follow procedures, multitask, work under pressure/ tight schedules yet meet deadlines.

Interested and qualified candidates should submit a Cover Letter with their CV showing gender, age and relevant experience to the roles and responsibilities stated above to: [email protected] with e-mail subject as: "Finance Officer" - Your Name.

Job Title: Project Officer: Gender & Child Protection

Location: Abuja
Job type: Full time
Duration: 2year contract
Start Date: Pre-employment training and induction with immediate effect. Employment contract commences June 2021.

General Overview Of Project

• On this project for which a Gender and Child Protection Officer is being sought for engagement, SOAR Initiative will be working to address sexual based violence against adolescent girls (SBVAG) in three grassroots communities in Gwagwalada and Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja.

Objectives

• To strengthen collaboration with Community leaders, men and boys to address negative socio-cultural norms on SGBV against girls in three project communities in the FCT
• To strengthen community-based structures to prevent and respond to SGBV against girls in three project communities in the FCT
• To build the capacity of in and out of school adolescent girls in the three project communities in the FCT to address SGBV and assert their fundamental human rights

Expected Outcomes

• The project communities have in place and in use local protection groups and mechanisms with improved structures, attitudes and behaviours that promote gender equitable norms and protect girls from SGBV by May 2023
• In and out of school Adolescent girls in project communities have improved attitudes and behaviours in place to recognise socio-cultural norms that perpetuate SGBV, assert their rights, avoid victimisation and share this information with their peers and other community members by May 2023

Overall Objective of Job Position

• The Project Officer is expected to oversee the scope, quality, cost and maintain timelines/schedules of the project in the targeted communities in Abuja.
• The Project Officer will use community-mobilisation approaches in addressing socio-cultural norms that perpetuate sexual based violence against girls (SBVAG) within the communities, including: establishing/strengthening SBVAG response groups, working with men and boys and building the capacity of in and out of school adolescent girls through mentoring programs.
• The Project Officer must be able to work with limited supervision and still ensure that progress is made on the project to achieve all pre-determined outputs and outcomes as required by funders.

Expected Duties and Responsibilities of Project Officer

• Plan, implement and supervise all project activities, including by all sub-contracted partners to achieve set indicators, milestones, outputs and ultimately outcomes and goal of the project
• Provide direction, coordination, support and oversight functions over staff and volunteers, when available, to achieve set indicators, milestones, outputs and ultimately outcomes and the goal of the project
• Identify, contract and supervise the work of contracted partners, consultants and vendors, as required and directed, to achieve overall project objectives.
• Identify relevant local and State level stakeholders and ensure their buy-in, commitment and involvement on the project including: local and state level government authorities, school authorities, community and opinion leaders in development of sustainable child protection systems and structures to protect particularly girls from sexual violence and ensure that the voices of women and children are heard and incorporated in project implementation
• Organise, lead on and deliver advocacy visits, sensitisation outreaches and capacity building workshops on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)/ harmful practices (HP) and gender, project training curriculum and various advocacy issues related to achieving stated project objectives as the case may be.
• Identify gaps in delivery of functions of established SBVAG response groups and deliver periodic information/training sessions to members to address identified gaps.
• Prepare and submit annual, quarterly and monthly workplans to aid and show effective planning and implementation of the project.
• Prepare detailed Activity Concept Notes for all activities on workplan and prior to implementation to aid and show effective planning and implementation of activities
• Ensure implementation of approved annual and quarterly work plans and Activity Concept Notes as approved.
• Report programmatic achievements, gaps and challenges to the Project Director and recommend changes to achieve project results
• Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual reports in line with organizational and funders requirements.

Demonstrated Core Competences:

• Demonstrated capacity to manage all components of the 2year project with result-based project management skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Analytical and Strategic Thinking/Results Oriented/Commitment to Excellence
• Proactive problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Working in and with Teams
• Advocacy/Communicating information and ideas/Knowledge sharing
• Self-management/Emotional intelligence and conflict management/Negotiating and resolving disagreement
• In-depth knowledge about SGBV, HP, Child Protection and Adolescent Reproductive & Sexual Health (ARSH)
• Belief and practice of core values of SOAR Initiative

Required Knowledge, Skills and Experience to be Evidenced in Profile

• Minimum of HND or B.Sc. degree with at least 3 years practical relevant work experience
• Experience in non-profit project management
• Demonstrated expertise and programming in SGBV, gender inequality and its root causes and child protection issues
• Fluent in oral and written English and computer literacy is essential with ability to communicate clearly in Hausa language. Knowledge of Gbagyi language is an added advantage.
• Experience in community mobilisation approaches. Collaboration and negotiation skills are therefore required with ability to identify and liaise with relevant community-based stakeholders and other potential state and non-state project partners
• Demonstrated show of self-motivation and self-direction with proactive decision making and strategic thinking skills.
• Highly organized, with ability to deliver error free work output
• Ability to represent the organisation and its objectives in a highly professional and responsible manner
• Personal integrity, honesty and transparency is essential.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, multitask and employ proactive decision-making skills
• Ability to work under pressure with limited supervision yet allocate and review priorities and proactively take decisions to meet deadlines and achieve set objectives

Job Title: Project Officer - Gender & Child Protection

Location: Benue State with quarterly travel to Abuja
Job Type: Full time
Duration: 3year contract
Start Date: Pre-employment training and induction with immediate effect. Employment contract commences June 2021.

General Overview Of Project

• On this project for which a Gender and Child Protection Officer is being sought for engagement, SOAR Initiative will be pioneering its work to address sexual based violence against adolescent girls (SBVAG) in two internally displaced people’s (IDP) camps in Benue State.

The main project outputs include:

• To improve the knowledge of community leaders, men and boys, in the project IDP camps in Benue State to recognise SBVAG as a human rights violation, understand its risk factors made worse by the pandemic lockdown and the need to break the silence about it
• To establish and train child protection response committees/watch groups to have a better understanding of their roles in addressing SGBVAG and have action plans in place and in use to prevent and respond to SBVAG in the project IDP camps, particularly within the COVID-19 pandemic context
• That out-of-school displaced adolescent girls, in the project IDP camps and host communities, exposed to risk factors of SBVAG, as a result of the pandemic, have improved knowledge about SBVAG as a human rights violation, the need to break the silence about it and increased adolescent sexual reproductive health information and products
• To establish and train SBVAG referral mechanisms between the established local child protection response groups in the project IDP camps and service providers to have improved knowledge about their roles in responding to SBVAG particularly within the COVID-19 pandemic context
• To support school authorities, parents, counsellors and teachers of project schools serving displaced girls, with improved knowledge about SBVAG as a human rights violation, its risk factors made worse by the pandemic and the need to break the silence and create safer school environments against SBVAG
• That in-school displaced girls involved in the project will have increased knowledge about SBVAG and its risk factors, made worse by the pandemic, how to recognise it, refuse the abuser's approach, protect themselves and share this knowledge with their peers

Overall Objective of Job Position

• The Project Officer is expected to oversee the scope, quality, cost and maintain timelines/schedules of the project in targeted IDP camps in Benue State.
• The Project Officer will use community-mobilisation and multisectoral approaches in addressing socio-cultural norms that perpetuate sexual based violence against girls (SBVAG) within the IDP camps and host communities: including establishing/strengthening SBVAG response groups, working with men and boys and building the capacity of adolescent girls through mentoring programs.
• The Project Officer must be able to work with limited supervision and still ensure that progress is made on the project to achieve all pre-determined outputs and outcomes as required by funders.

Expected Duties and Responsibilities of Project Officer

• Advise the project director on various legal and policy developments related to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Benue State, with particular emphasis on child protection and its related issues
• Plan, implement and supervise all project activities, including by all sub-contracted partners to achieve set indicators, milestones, outputs and ultimately outcomes and goal of the project
• Provide direction, coordination, support and oversight functions over staff and volunteers, when available, to achieve set indicators, milestones, outputs and ultimately outcomes and the goal of the project
• Identify, contract and supervise the work of contracted partners, consultants and vendors, as required and directed, to achieve overall project objectives.
• Identify relevant local and State level stakeholders and ensure their buy-in, commitment and involvement on the project including: local and state level government authorities, school authorities, community and opinion leaders in development of sustainable child protection systems and structures to protect particularly girls from sexual violence and ensure that the voices of women and children are heard and incorporated in project implementation
• Organise, lead on and deliver advocacy visits, sensitisation outreaches and capacity building workshops on SGBV/HP and gender, project training curriculum and various advocacy issues related to achieving stated project objectives as the case may be.
• Supervise and provide on-the-job training to project staff/ volunteers as the case may be
• Identify gaps in delivery of functions of established SBVAG response groups and deliver periodic information/training sessions to members to address identified gaps.
• Plan and develop communication for development and behaviour change materials for use by IDP community members, volunteers and beneficiaries as the case may be.
• Prepare annual and quarterly workplans with corresponding budget and predetermined milestones and indicators, to be achieved on each activity, output and outcomes. Plans to be presented at quarterly project meetings at the Head Office in Abuja.
• Prepare Activity Concept Notes for all activities for approval and prior to implementation as stated on each approved workplan
• Ensure implementation of approved annual and quarterly work plans and Activity Concept Notes as approved.
• Report programmatic achievements, gaps and challenges to the Project Director and recommend changes to achieve project results
• Prepare high quality monthly, quarterly and annual reports in line with organizational and funders requirements.

Demonstrated Core Competences:

• Demonstrated capacity to manage all components of the 3year project with result-based project management skills
• Analytical and Strategic Thinking/Results Oriented/Commitment to Excellence
• Proactive problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Working in and with Teams
• Advocacy/Communicating information and ideas/Knowledge sharing
• Self-management/Emotional intelligence and conflict management/Negotiating and resolving disagreement
• Job knowledge/ technical expertise

Required Knowledge, Skills and Experience to be Evidenced in Profile

• Minimum of HND or B.Sc. degree with 3 to 5years practical relevant work experience
• Experience in non-profit project management
• Demonstrated expertise in SGBV, gender inequality and its root causes and child protection issues and programming
• Field experience in SGBV humanitarian emergency response is an asset
• Fluent in oral and written English and computer literacy is essential with ability to communicate clearly in Tiv language.
• Experience in community mobilisation approaches. Collaboration and negotiation skills are therefore required with ability to identify and liaise with relevant community-based stakeholders and other potential state and non-state project partners
• Demonstrated show of self-motivation and self-direction with proactive decision making and strategic thinking skills.
• Highly organized, with ability to deliver error free work output
• Ability to draft, edit and produce results-focused reports
• Ability to represent the organisation and its objectives in a highly professional and responsible manner
• Personal integrity, honesty and transparency is essential.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, multitask and employ proactive decision-making skills
• Ability to work under pressure with limited supervision, yet allocate and review priorities and proactively take decisions to meet deadlines and achieve set objectives

Interested and qualified candidates should submit a Cover Letter with their CV showing gender, age and relevant experience to the roles and responsibilities stated above to: [email protected] with e-mail subject as "Full Job Title (Location) – Your Name" For Example: "Project Officer - Gender & Child Protection (Abuja) – Your Name"

Application Deadline 14th May, 2021.

Note

• Shortlisting of applications will start as soon as applications are received, so deadlines might be changed without prior notice.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and will be required to scan in relevant documents and participate in both online and face-to-face meetings during the different interview phases
• Women are highly encouraged to apply.