Field Coordinator (National) at Première Urgence Internationale

Première Urgence Internationale (PUI) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-political and non-religious international aid organization. Our teams are committed to supporting civilians’ victims of marginalization and exclusion, or hit by natural disasters, wars and economic collapses, by answering their fundamental needs. Our aim is to provide emergency relief to uprooted people in order to help them recover their dignity and regain self-sufficiency. The association leads on average 200 projects per year in the following sectors of intervention: food security, health, nutrition, construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures, water, sanitation, hygiene and economic recovery. PUI is assisting around 6 million people in 22 countries – in Africa, Asia, Middle East, and Europe. Following the intensification of the Chad Lake conflict in Nigeria (North East of the Country) and in order to respond to the health, food security, nutrition and livelihood needs, PUI opened its Nigerian mission in 2016.

Following the official opening of the Nigerian mission in April 2016, PUI focuses on meeting urgent needs, including improving access to food commodities, primary health care and nutrition for Internally Displaced People (IDP) and host communities (HC) living in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC). The progressive sectorial widening allowed PUI to start implementing an integrated approach from 2017 in food security, livelihoods, nutrition and health sectors, with the support of ECHO, FFP, OFDA and CIAA/CDC, in line with PUI’s global strategy. From the launch of the health care services in February 2017 to the end of April 2018, a total of 119 913 OPD consultations were reached in Bolori II, while more than  60.000 beneficiaries have been reached by our cash project.

In mid-2018, PUI has developed its comprehensive response by adding Protection and Community Outreach (PCO) activities to the existing programs in Bolori II. In the month of October 2018 only, more than 3.500 households have received door to door visit from the PCO team. In 2018, PUI has also scaled up its intervention with the opening of Monguno LGA base, with the main objectives of reducing morbidity and mortality of the most vulnerable population and promoting protection amongst the whole affected community. This opening in Monguno allowed PUI to reach the vulnerable population in Kukawa and Cross Kauwa LGA.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Field Coordinator (National)

Location: Monguno, Borno
Number of position: 01
Starting date: 1st September, 2021
Duration of contract: 10 Months (with possible extension)
Open for Nigeria Nationals only (Male / Female)

PUI’s Strategy / Position in Nigeria
The main programmatic objectives of the mission for 2021 can be synthetized as follows:

• Continue and further develop the response to urgent needs of IDPs and Host Communities living in Maiduguri, Monguno City and newly accessible LGAs through an integrated approach
• Develop knowledge, humanitarian and context analysis on areas outside North East, and develop integrated programs
• Develop a mid-term to long-term strategy for Maiduguri and Monguno areas, integrating livelihood approaches and exit strategies from emergency programming

History of the Mission and Current Programs

• PUI has been present in the region for more than a decade, implementing projects in Chad since 2004 and in Cameroun since 2008. In Cameroon, PUI is implementing a project in response to Boko Haram -related displacement in the Extreme North, and in Adamawa. In early 2016. PUI has conducted an assessment in Maiduguri, which confirmed the emergency of the humanitarian situation and the need for a rapid intervention in order to address primary needs of people affected by the conflict in this area, especially those who had not received any assistance.
• The PUI Nigerian Mission officially opened in April 2016, with a focus on meeting urgent needs, including improving access to food commodities for Internally Displaced People (IDP) and host communities (HC), later adding Primary Health Care and Nutrition activities. PUI extended its activities in Monguno in 2018 mainly in Health, Nutrition and Protection with the support of BHA (ex-OFDA). The severity of the needs and the reduction of the humanitarian space make PUI positioning in Health and Nutrition crucial, especially in Monguno where PUI has taken some core activities from ALIMA after they closed their program there. At the end of 2020, PUI launched an exploratory mission, along with INGO colleagues in Zamfara State (North West), and has developed a strategy for its upcoming intervention in the area.

Overal Mission & General Objective

• Under the supervision of the Head of Mission, and through delegation of his/her authority, the Field Coordinator has the overall responsibility for the proper implementation and operational direction of PUI’s projects/programs in his/her geographical area of intervention. The Field Coordinator also monitors the context to ensure programing is relevant and responsive to priority needs. In this capacity, the Field Coordinator is also responsible for representing PUI publically and externally at the field level, including in coordination fora, with other agencies, and for providing the direct link in communications between the Field Team and the Country team. Lastly, the Field Coordinator provides security management of his geographical area and ensures all safety and security measures, including contingency plans and standard operating procedures.

Responsibilities And Tasks

• The Field Coordinator has responsibility for the overall timely delivery of PUI’s programs portfolio in his/her geographical areas of operations (including the sub-offices).
• The Field Coordinator with the support of the operational/technical coordinators concerned has overall responsibility for proper delivery of programs and the smooth running of support services in his/her geographical area of intervention.
• He/She also has the delegation of the Head of Mission for the safety and security of good and people under the responsibility of PUI in his/her area of intervention.
• The Field Coordinator is at the source of program development and operational positioning in his/her geographical area of intervention, in line with PUI country strategy and in conjunction with programmatic and operational technical coordinators.
• The Field Coordinator, as member of the Country Management Team contributes to the fulfilment of the aims and objectives of PUI’s presence in the country through other tasks as required and/or directed by the Head of Mission.

Specific Objectives and Linked Activities
Ensure the Safety of Property and People of the Base:

• He/She ensures that the safety plan for the base is up-to-date, and that everyone knows and understands it (both international and national staff). He/she has to update contingency security plans for special circumstances like elections or disease outbreaks or changes in security context.
• He/She ensures data collection relative to the safety on his/her field of operations, provides analyses, and disseminates them to his/her immediate supervisor regularly or on an ad-hoc basis if urgent.
• He/She verifies that the material and human resource means at his/her disposal are adequate to ensure the optimal safety of teams, materials and beneficiaries.
• He/She alerts his/her immediate supervisor without delay in case of impending danger of teams or beneficiaries.
• In the event of a security incident, (regardless of whether it took place or was avoided), he/she ensures that the information is transmitted to his/her immediate supervisor without delay, and reported upon in accordance with PUI guidelines.
• He/She is in charge of supervising the work of the Security and Liaison Officer. He/She ensures that this staff has all the necessary tools to create and maintain good relationship with local administrative or security stakeholders.

Ensure the Implementation of Programs and Propose New Interventions:

• He/She ensures the smooth running of ongoing programs on the base (meeting of objectives, respecting time-lines, budgetary monitoring, contractual reporting…) and reports to his/her immediate supervisor.
• He/She sets up a formal coordination system, directs it in the field (meetings, written reports...), and reports to his/her immediate supervisor.
• He/She ensures proper filing of all documents produced in the context of the project(s), and ensures availability of the verification sources mentioned in the proposals.
• He/She proposes new interventions and discusses them with his/her immediate supervisor.
• He/She is involved in identifying needs and proposing / leading assessments on the basis of agreed TOR (Terms of Reference) and with endorsement from his/her immediate supervisor.
• When defining new operational activities, he/she coordinates the work of the relevant technical departments and of the administrative and logistical support teams, with a view to preparing project proposals that are complete, and in line with the donors’ formats and internal rules of PUI’.
• He/She participates in the Strategy development exercise of the mission and present the future plans of the base

Supervise Teams of National and International Staff at the Base:

• He/She supervises all national and international staff in the base.
• He/She guides the work of the internationals in the base, tracks the realization of their objectives, and leads the mid-term and final appraisal exercises.
• He/She participates in the hiring process, as well as in any decision related to the termination of employment contracts of national staff on the base.
• He/She ensures compliance with the Internal Rules and Procedures of PUI on the base.
• He/She makes sure that all national employees are subject to a written appraisal according to the mission’s internal regulations
• He/She delegates responsibility for the integration of any new employee on the base, and ensures, in particular, that the context of program implementation, safety rules, logistical, administrative, HR and financial procedures, as well as procedures for the use of communication and transportation are explained and understood.
• He/She completes training programs for expatriate and local staff (organizational support, methodology, technical support as the case may be organization of training sessions…)
• He/She drafts or delegates responsibility for the drafting of job profiles for expatriates about to be replaced or hired and sends them for endorsement to his/her immediate supervisor.
• He/She constructs the organizational chart of the base, and has it endorsed by his/her immediate supervisor and the HR Coordinator.
• He/She handles the management of interpersonal conflicts that arise on his/her base, and refers the matter to his/her immediate supervisor in the event that he/she is not able to resolve the dispute.
• He/She is responsible of PUI reputation in his/her area of operation, and in that capacity ensures that the entire staff under his/her authority displays behavior consistent with the values upheld by the organization, with full respect for the local culture.

Ensure Logistical, Administrative and Financial Support for the Base:

• With support from the logistics coordinator, he/she ensures that the needs of the base are met (support, programming) and address these needs to the Admin & Financial Coo each month, while making sure that all donor’s and internal procedures are respected, and that commitments are in line with available budgets.
• He/She ensures that the base is equipped with the minimum of infrastructure (offices and housing, stores, Pharmacy and hibernation spaces) necessary for the execution of the work and accommodation of teams, in optimal conditions of safety.
• He/She is responsible for cost optimization; and uses budget tracking to achieve this; he/she ensures adequate financial resources for the running of the base.
• Regarding budget monitoring, he/she participates in team-based analysis (along with technical, administrative and logistics management) and is responsible for detecting anomalies and proposing adjustments to his/her immediate supervisor and to the Admin & Financial Coordinator.
• He/She ensures that accounting processes are respected by the admin base department, and communicated to the Admin & Financial Coo according to the agreed calendar.
• Together with the Admin & Financial Coo, he/she ensures that a system of internal oversight is in place at the base. He/She ensures compliance with procedures for undertaking expenditure commitments, and participates in the process of endorsing purchase orders.

Ensure the Representation of PUI in the Jurisdiction Covered by His / Her Base:

• He/She represents the organization before local actors, whether they are official or not, and ensures that good relations are maintained with each of them in compliance with PUI’s principles of neutrality and independence.
• He/She attends main coordination meetings when they take place, and participates actively.
• In the event of visits from donors, he/she prepare suitable presentations for the organization and organize the visit.
• Ensure the participation of Managers in thematic working groups mainly health , Nutrition, protection and Food

Ensure Reporting and Dissemination of Information:

• He/She sends the internal and external reports to his/her immediate supervisor while meeting the internal deadlines for endorsement (Situation Report, incident report) and external contractual deadlines (project reports).
• He/She organizes the two-way dissemination of information: from the base to the field coordination and from the field coordination to the base (regular and ad-hoc Situation reporting).
• He/She participates actively in the consortium meetings and coordination in Monguno, LGA.
• He/She attends internal coordination meetings and participates actively in them and highlight the challenges in these meetings
• Ensure base PMTs and OFUs are submitted to coordination on regular based on agreed date and time.

The tasks and responsibilities defined in this job description are non-exhaustive and can evolve depending on the project’s needs.

Priorities of the Department:

• With the support of the Head of Mission, he/she will continue to update and review the security package, organize drills for evacuation or hibernation, ensure the respect of the security rules at the base level
• With the direct support from the coordination team, the field coordinator will be managing the effective running of Monguno base program activities including logistics (premises, equipment…), HR (recruitment, induction…), Security (passive security) and systems (internal coordination schemes, external coordination schemes…) elements. .
• Establish strong and regular links with communities and local authorities in Monguno and in the areas of intervention and strong links with PUI, implementation partners (consortium) representatives.
• Identify and design innovative practices to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness in project cycle management, area level strategies; including proposal development and program strategies.
• Put in place an action plan for each department including designing new activities to enhance the current strategy and program in place. With the support of the HR Coordinator, review the HR package for Monguno and plan for new process to improve the living conditions and the efficiency of the staff on the ground (more local positions, vacation turn over, staff movement etc.)

Qualifications
Mandatory Requirements:

• Language skills: Fluent in English, Good Knowledge of Hausa is an Asset
• Education Degree: Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or its equivalent in Project Management or any related field; Master's Degree in any related field is an added advantage
• Professional / Work Experience: Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in a managerial Role on similar Programs in INGOs/NNGOs, including Strong and substantial technical supervisory experience. Significant previous experience managing operations for similar programming in conflict or crisis-affected situations; experience in remote operations; experience in North East Nigeria preferred.
• Knowledge and skills: Good analytical and writing skills. Good management capacities and team leadership spirit, good security management and project management skills.
• Computer skills: Good knowledge of the MS office software including Word, Outlook. Excellent in Excel

Other:

• Good skills in reports and contracts redaction;
• Ability to work in volatile / secluded deep field locations
• Ability to manage teams remotely
• Good knowledge of institutional donor (ECHO, UN agencies, etc.) procedures and financial guidelines
• Knowledge of humanitarian actors;
• Good management and pedagogical skills
• Excellent communication and diplomacy skills to manage relationship in potentially tense situations
• Capacity to delegate and to supervise the work of a team
• Ability to guarantee effective and timely outputs;
• Good communication skills for public presentations;
• Ability to work on own initiative and collaboratively as part of a diverse team and manage a varied workload
• Self-motivated, flexible and adaptable to the needs of the team and organization
• Strong commitment to support/develop capacity of national staff and developing second layer of leadership; pedagogical skills
• Proven management ability and inter-personal skills;
• Great sense of confidentiality

Assets:

Interests:

• Strong motivation to help people in need
• Understanding of the political situation in the area

Transversals skills:

• Ability to work and manage affairs professionally and with maturity
• Ability to represent the activities and the mandate of PUI before local authorities
• Ability to integrate the local environment into operations, in its political, economic and historical dimensions
• Ability to work with various partners, in a spirit of openness,  and with adaptable communications strategies
• Strong listening and negotiation skills
• Good people and communication skills
• Ability to remain calm and level-headed
• General ability to resist stress and particularly in unstable circumstances.
• Well organized
• Conflict resolution and diplomacy experience
• Able to analyze and suggest improvement
• Able to take initiative to deal with difficulties encountered in daily work
• Able to adapt or change priorities according to the changing situation within a mission or the organization itself;
• Autonomous, neutral, hard worker
• Able to manage stress and pressure
• Ability to work independently while taking initiatives and showing a sense of responsibility
• Ability to withstand pressure
• Sense of diplomacy
• Analytical skills
• Capacity to adapt and showing organizational flexibility
• Organization, rigor and ability to meet deadlines

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline 8th August, 2021.

Note: Female applicants with strong skills, experience and competences are encouraged to apply.