Recent Vacancies at Search for Common Ground (SFCG), 9th May, 2018
Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-profit organization that promotes peaceful resolution of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and a European office in Brussels, Belgium, SFCG’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict - away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. SFCG seeks to help conflicting parties understand their differences and act on their commonalities. With a total of approximately 600 staff worldwide, SFCG implements projects from 55 offices in 34 countries, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.
The organization is an exciting and rewarding place to work, with a dedicated and enthusiastic staff that is committed to its mission and values. You will be joining a highly motivated staff with a good team spirit and there will be opportunities to grow in the role.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Evaluative Documentary Consultant (Women, Peace and Security)
Location: Abuja
Our Program in Nigeria
- We launched our programs in Nigeria in 2004. Now in 2018, the country program has offices in Abuja, Jos, Maiduguri, and Yola. We work with partners in target states of the country to support peaceful resolution of conflict. Each program is adapted to specific local context and conflicts, and all apply common ground tools from our toolbox.
- Search has established a permanent presence in Abuja as an operational base and all our Nigeria offices are currently supporting a host of programs with activities that include capacity building, dialogues, peace architecture, media programming, participatory theatre and collaborative joint activities.
About the Project
- The “Promoting Women’s Engagement in Peace and Security in Northern Nigeria” project is a partnership between UN Women, Unicef, Federal Minstry of Women Affairs and Social Development and Search for Common Ground, funded by the EU
- The overall objective for the project is "to ensure the practical implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 in three northern states of Nigeria and to document its benefits to the management, mitigation and resolution of conflict on a demonstration basis"
- It does this by supporting the Federal Government, three Northern States of Nigeria, and selected constituted Local Government Areas (LGAs) to strengthen women’s leadership, advance gender equality and improve protection for women and children in conflict settings. The 48 month project is being implemented in Adamawa, Plateau and Gombe States in Northern Nigeria from September, 2014 to September, 2018. It is supported by three specific objectives:
- Objective 1: Promote women’s engagement in peacebuilding and conflict-management processes at all levels
- Objective 2: Increase access to reporting mechanisms and protective services for girls and women affected by human rights abuses, including gender-based violence (GBV), in three states of northern Nigeria
- Objective 3: Support a conducive environment for implementation of resolution 1325 at the national level and in selected states, LGAs and Wards, and to promote access of women and girls to justice and other services
- Interventions on the project are coordinated through a results-based strategy to raise the capacities of Nigerian institutions, women’s groups and gender equality advocates over a 4-year programme cycle. The activities related to each thematic area (e.g., women’s leadership in peace-making, improved rights-violation monitoring/reporting and protection services, and national implementation of women, peace and security, and gender equality frameworks) pursue common overall objectives while remaining flexible to fit the specificities of each of the target states.
- The programme design incorporates a strong communication and knowledge management element aimed at contributing to broader societal change towards gender equality and generation of valuable lessons learned for possible similar ventures.
Evaluation
Evaluation Focus:
- The evaluative documentary, aimed at facilitating public awareness, public engagement and social change around women participation in peacebuilding, will be a summative documentary covering the entire period of the project— 2014 – 2018. It will highlight outcomes and impacts on the project, showcasing the project and its successes, challenges, good practices, and lessons learned in promoting women’s engagement in peace and security in Northern Nigeria. In particular, the documentary will highlight the inception, processes, strategies, results, key milestones and most impactful components of the project.
- The consultant will, working with the program team, review the project objectives and expected outcomes, and jointly agree on key outcomes and milestones that will be monitored. The evaluative documentary will explore findings among stakeholders at National level and in all three states in which the project is being implemented – Adamawa, Gombe and Plateau States. It will be participatory, centering around four Development Assistance Committee (DAC) criteria — effectiveness, impact, relevance and sustainability of the project.
- Upon completion, the evaluative documentary will be distributed to all stakeholders and partners in the project and made available to UN Women for further distribution as needed. It will also be presented during SFCG Nigeria programs, published on SFCG’s website and shared with other learning networks in order to enhance the broader field of peace-building in Nigeria and the world.
Methodology:
- The evaluative documentary will comprise of an in-depth desk review of project documents and other supporting documents, key informant interviews, and coverage of various activities on the project and their impact on beneficiaries
- In addition to key informant interviews with stakeholders such as Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and State Ministries of Women Affairs in Plateau, Gombe and Adamawa, Traditional and Religious Leaders, Implementing Partners, International Institutions such as UN Women, UNICEF & EU, interviews will be held with local communities, women groups, gender equality advocates, media networks, CSO’s and Human Rights Groups at national level, and within Adamawa, Gombe and Plateau States, as applicable.
Deliverables
The final evaluation deliverables are:
- An evaluative documentary inception report detailing the proposed method, script and work plan. It is to be approved by SFCG before videography commences
- A final 20 - 25 minute evaluative documentary (with English captions/subtitles where needed) showcasing how the project’s strategies have contributed to tangible impact/change in women engagement in peace and security in Northern Nigeria, including all branding requirements as agreed with the program team
- Summarized version of the documentary, maximum of 10 minutes
- Short video montages of messages from beneficiaries about the impact of the program, or key success stories from evaluative documentary for social media (maximum of 4 montages i.e 1 government partner, 1 women leader, 1 traditional ruler and 1 CSO or partner NGO, not exceeding 1 minute each)
- Raw unedited audio-visual recording of activities and interviews from the field
- Transcripts of all interviews and the evaluative documentary
- Photographs taken and used during the development of this project and signed consent form for visual used.
- These deliverables are to be submitted in a hard drive containing all content gathered from desk review and field visits.
Requirements
The ideal candidate will have the following:
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in development documentary production with international organizations;
- Minimum of a First Degree in Media Communications and related fields;
- Prior work experience in North Central and North East Nigeria;
- Excellent written communication and report writing skills in English;
- Ability to communicate fluently in Hausa;
- Ability to be flexible with time and work schedule;
- Commitment to timely work delivery.
Logistical Support
SFCG will provide the following logistical support to the consultant:
- Transmission of background materials (project proposal, meeting notes, etc.);
- Availability of meeting rooms in Jos, Gombe and Yola;
- Meeting arrangements with stakeholders and beneficiaries as requested by the consultant;
- Support of a SFCG Field Officer for introductions to key stakeholders and equivalent.
Timeframe
- The evaluation will take place between May – August, 2018. The first cut will be expected by August 1, 2018 with the final deliverables due August 31, 2018.
The consultant is required to respect the following Ethical Principles:
- Comprehensive and systematic inquiry: Consultant should make the most of the existing information and full range of stakeholders available at the time of the review. Consultant should conduct systematic, data-based inquiries. He or she should communicate his or her methods and approaches accurately and in sufficient detail to allow others to understand, interpret and critique his or her work. He or she should make clear the limitations of the review and its results.
- Competence: Consultant should possess the abilities and skills and experience appropriate to undertake the tasks proposed and should practice within the limits of his or her professional training and competence.
- Honesty and integrity: Consultant should be transparent with the contractor/constituent about: any conflict of interest, any change made in the negotiated project plan and the reasons why those changes were made, any risk that certain procedures or activities produce misleading review information.
- Respect for people: Consultant respect the security, dignity and self-worth of respondents, program participants. Consultant has the responsibility to be sensitive to and respect differences amongst participants in culture, religion, gender, disability, age and ethnicity.
- In addition, the consultant will respect SFCG’s evaluations standards, to be found in SFCG’s evaluation guidelines: https://www.sfcg.org/wp-content/uplo
- ads/2014/07/SFCG-External-Evaluation-Guidelines-FINAL.pdf
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply
Application Deadline 14th May, 2018.
Job Title: Education Officer (Child Protection)
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Duration: 12 months
Our Program in Nigeria
- We launched our programs in Nigeria in 2004. Now in 2017, the country program has offices in Abuja, Jos, Maiduguri, and Yola. We work with partners in target states of the country to support peaceful resolution of conflict. Each program is adapted to specific local context and conflicts, and all apply common ground tools from our toolbox.
- Search has established a permanent presence in Abuja as an operational base and all our Nigeria offices are currently supporting a host of programs with activities that include capacity building, dialogues, peace architecture, media programming, participatory theatre and collaborative joint activities.
About the Project
- In the past decade, states in the North East region of Nigeria have faced frequent attacks by Boko Haram militants leading to widespread displacement, violations of national laws, international humanitarian and human rights laws, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Children, who are the most vulnerable members of society, have suffered the worst impacts as pre-existing problems of access to social protection, education and healthcare increase, new threats emerge, and the systems to protect children fails.
- This project aims to ensure that children verified and separated from CJTF receive a comprehensive child protection package including counseling, psychosocial support and socio-economic reintegration, and that their communities understand the importance of their separation and reintegration. Search will work closely with the children, their families and communities, and CJTF to address the psychosocial and economic needs of the children and to influence the attitudes of communities and CJTF so they understand the negative impact of associating with armed groups on children and prevent the CJTF from using children. By increasing resilience of children associated with CJTF and increasing their employability, this project will facilitate lasting reintegration of these children and amplify positive narratives around their role in communities as productive civilian actors and agents for peace.
Job Description
We are searching for…
- An Education Officer whose primary aim is to support implementation of the education support components of the project. More specifically, providing and coordinating support to the children separated from CJTF to resume school and continue their formal education.
- S/he will be responsible for identifying the targeted children, ensuring their school enrollment and support from their parents/ guardians and communities, coordinating the distribution of education materials and school fees to the selected children.
- S/he will work under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Project Manager and work closely with the other project team members. This position is based in Maiduguri with frequent visits to the different working local government areas (LGAs) in Borno.
Your Contribution
The roles and responsibilities include:
- Under the supervision of the Child Protection Project Manager, and in coordination with UNICEF identify and prepare the list of children separated from CJTF and from selected communities to resume school education;
- Work closely with the families, communities on the identification, selection and verification of severely marginalized children to bring them under the project as beneficiaries;
- Mobilize community support and the support from the respective parents and guardians to ensure school enrollment of the selected children;
- Coordinate with Search’s procurement and administration team to ensure the purchases of the necessary education support materials;
- Distribute the education support materials to the selected children with proper documentation;
- Follow up with the selected beneficiaries at their schools to ensure that they are being taught and are adjusting well to the environment and the community;
- Closely work with psychosocial and trauma support professionals to provide life skills and career guidance support for children transitioning from ‘education’ to ‘life’;
- Contribute to developing the project work plans, implementation plan and strategies;
- Contribute to the periodic project reports by providing necessary program documentation, success/ impact stories, and monitoring data;
- Any other duties as required and necessary.
Requirements
You meet the following qualifications:
- A Bachelor's degree in one of the fields of education, arts, child psychology or another relevant field.
- A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in working in the field of education and with children is required.
- Experience working with children from diverse background.
- Familiar with the principles of the best interest of child and other child protection related principles and approaches.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
- Highly organized and systematic with excellent attention to detail.
- Excellent cross-cultural communication and working skills, enjoys a multicultural work environment;
Competencies
You are expected to be:
- Accountability: Being accountable and passing on accountability for one's own actions and those of colleagues and the organization.
- Attention to detail: The ability to process detailed information effectively and consistently
- Collaboration: The ability to work effectively with others in order to achieve a shared goal - even when the object at stake is of no direct personal interest possibilities.
- Creativity: The ability to come up with original and innovative ideas and solutions, to adopt points of view outside the usual parameters.
- Focus on Quality: Setting high quality standards and striving for continuous improvement and quality assurance.
- Learning Ability: The ability to absorb new information readily and to put it into practice effectively
- Adaptability: The ability to remain fully functional by adapting to changing circumstances (environment, procedures and people).
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply
Job Title: Economic Reintegration Specialist (Child Protection)
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Duration: 12 months
About the Project
- In the past decade, states in the North East region of Nigeria have faced frequent attacks by Boko Haram militants leading to widespread displacement, violations of national laws, international humanitarian and human rights laws, and a deepening humanitarian crisis.
- Children, who are the most vulnerable members of society, have suffered the worst impacts as pre-existing problems of access to social protection, education and healthcare increase, new threats emerge, and the systems to protect children fails.
- This project, in cooperation with UNICEF, aims to ensure that children verified and separated from the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) receive a comprehensive child protection package including counseling, psychosocial support and socio-economic reintegration, and that their communities understand the importance of their separation and reintegration.
- Search will work closely with the children, their families and communities, local governments and UNICEF to address the psychosocial and economic needs of the children and to influence the attitudes of communities and CJTF so they understand the negative impact of associating with armed groups on children and prevent the CJTF from using children.
- By increasing resilience of children associated with CJTF and increasing their employability, this project will facilitate lasting reintegration of these children and amplify positive narratives around their role in communities as productive civilian actors and agents for peace.
We are searching for…
- An Economic Reintegration Specialist whose primary objective is to plan and implement the economic reintegration program to children of legal age separated from the CJTF, including capacity building on financial literacy and enterprise development and accessing self-employment or wage-employment in the local markets.
- This position requires an experienced professional with relevant experience in the child protection field especially in the areas of economic reintegration of children of legal age.
- S/he will work under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Project Manager and work closely with the Head of Office, North East, DMEL Manager and other senior managers. The position holder will supervise Enterprise Coordinators and Officers. This position is based in Maiduguri with frequent visits to the different working local government areas (LGAs) in Borno.
Your Contribution
The roles and responsibilities include:
- Coordinate and carry out a local market analysis to better understand the local livelihood systems, household economies, and market opportunities so that appropriate and economically relevant training and economic reintegration opportunities can be sought for the children.
- Develop relevant and appropriate customized training curriculum on apprenticeships and micro-enterprise training.
- Facilitate trainings on apprenticeships and micro-enterprise training.
- Identify and coordinate with local businesses and enterprise and vocational training institutes to find and customize appropriate training and apprenticeships opportunities for participating children.
- Develop and carry out business opportunities and administrative support sessions to help trained children of legal age in identifying and accessing small business seed grants, employment opportunities, and information on available economic resources.
- Lead the facilitating and coordinating process for the identified children of legal age to earn their own livelihood either through self-employment or wage-employment in the local markets.
- Ensure that the economic reintegration efforts are conflict-sensitive, promotes an inclusive and community-based approach to reintegration, as guided by the Paris Principles and Guidelines on Children formerly associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups, and are in the “best interest of the child”.
- Build the capacity of project team to understand economic reintegration of children.
- Provide monitoring data to the DMEL team and contribute to the preparation of the periodic report led by the Project Manager.
- Supports resource mobilization efforts and ensures coordination with donors, including the private sector.
- Participate and/or represent Search with donors and in appropriate inter-agency discussions and planning on child protection related issues.
Requirements
You meet the following qualifications:
- An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.
- A minimum of five years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection related areas is required.
- Experience in emergency response is essential
- Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
- Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
- Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is considered as an added advantage
- Highly organized and systematic with excellent attention to detail.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral.
- Excellent cross-cultural communication and working skills, enjoys a multicultural work environment;
Competencies? You are expected to be:
- Leading and supervising: Has the ability to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of SFCG. Is able to build trust within team and acts with integrity.
- Accountability: Being accountable and passing on accountability for one's own actions and those of colleagues and the organization.
- Attention to detail: The ability to process detailed information effectively and consistently
- Collaboration: The ability to work effectively with others in order to achieve a shared goal - even when the object at stake is of no direct personal interest possibilities.
- Creativity: The ability to come up with original and innovative ideas and solutions, to adopt points of view outside the usual parameters.
- Focus on Quality: Setting high quality standards and striving for continuous improvement and quality assurance.
- Learning Ability: The ability to absorb new information readily and to put it into practice effectively
- Adaptability: The ability to remain fully functional by adapting to changing circumstances (environment, procedures and people).
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply
Job Title: Child Protection Project Manager
Location: Maiduguri
Employment Type: Full-Time
Duration: 12 months
Our Program in Nigeria
- We launched our programs in Nigeria in 2004. Now in 2017, the country program has offices in Abuja, Jos, Maiduguri, and Yola. We work with partners in target states of the country to support peaceful resolution of conflict. Each program is adapted to specific local context and conflicts, and all apply common ground tools from our toolbox.
- Search has established a permanent presence in Abuja as an operational base and all our Nigeria offices are currently supporting a host of programs with activities that include capacity building, dialogues, peace architecture, media programming, participatory theatre and collaborative joint activities.
About the Project
- In the past decade, states in the North East region of Nigeria have faced frequent attacks by Boko Haram militants leading to widespread displacement, violations of national laws, international humanitarian and human rights laws, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Children, who are the most vulnerable members of society, have suffered the worst impacts as pre-existing problems of access to social protection, education and healthcare increase, new threats emerge, and the systems to protect children fails.
- This project, in cooperation with UNICEF, aims to ensure that children verified and separated from the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) receive a comprehensive child protection package including counseling, psychosocial support and socio-economic reintegration, and that their communities understand the importance of their separation and reintegration.
- Search will work closely with the children, their families and communities, local governments and UNICEF to address the psychosocial and economic needs of the children and to influence the attitudes of communities and CJTF so they understand the negative impact of associating with armed groups on children and prevent the CJTF from using children.
- By increasing resilience of children associated with CJTF and increasing their employability, this project will facilitate lasting reintegration of these children and amplify positive narratives around their role in communities as productive civilian actors and agents for peace.
Job Description
We are searching for:
- Search Nigeria is seeking a Child Protection Project Manager who leads both the technical aspects of child protection and the overall management of the project.
- S/he is responsible for the planning, management, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the project within the country program.
- S/he provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes.
- S/he facilitates the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable contributions with the overall goal to support the long-term reintegration of children associated with CJTF in North East Nigeria using Search’s Common Ground Approach.
- The position requires a child protection specialist who is also experienced in conflict transformation and peace building, and conversant with project management cycles and relevant experience in program development in child protection related areas.
- S/he will work under the direct supervision of the Head of Office, North East and work closely with the Country Director, DMEL Manager and other senior managers.
- The position holder will supervise the project team consisting of Economic Reintegration Specialist, Media Coordinator, Education Officers and Community Mobilisers. This position is based in Maiduguri with frequent visits to the different working local government areas (LGAs) in Borno.
Your Contribution
The roles and responsibilities include:
Program strategy, capacity development, and planning:
- Support the planning, design and updating of the situation analysis for the child protection project to set program priorities, strategies, and design and implementation plans. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance program management, efficiency and delivery;
- Provide senior technical and management leadership to the delivery of a comprehensive child protection package including counseling, psychosocial support and socio-economic reintegration;
- Build the capacity of the team in child-protection and community-based approach;
- Takes primary responsibility for the development of the work plan and technical decisions as well as for program management, implementation and monitoring of assigned activity, in compliance with the defined project strategies and approaches; and
Program implementation, quality assurance, reporting:
- Ensures proper implementation of the project based on continuous monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews to determine required actions and interventions to achieve results;
- Leads the project and facilitate attainment of project expected results in close collaboration with the Head of Office, North East, DMEL Manager and the Country Director;
- Ensure that the socio-economic reintegration efforts are conflict-sensitive, promotes an inclusive and community-based approach to reintegration, as guided by the Paris Principles and Guidelines on Children formerly associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups, and are in the “best interest of the child”.
- Ensures effective application of results-based management methodologies;
- Actively monitor the project through field visits, surveys and exchange of information with partners to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems. Take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution;
- Collaborates with relevant staff in other Search offices for quality program development and planning. The position holder will also be a member of the Program Quality Team (PQT).
- Monitors budgets versus actuals and cash-flow for the project; confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations, procedures, donor commitments, as well as standards of accountability and integrity. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources;
- Steer the project’s activities to meaningfully address needs in the context;
- Ensures all donor and internal reports are submitted within internal deadlines and to expected quality;
- Build coalitions and networks with local partners for project’s effectiveness; and
- Prepare regular and mandated project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of project progress.
Representation and coordination:
- Provides strong coordination support to NGOs, partners, and national authorities through establishment of wider consultation and collaborative processes to strengthen and to achieve sustainable and broad results in child protection;
- Prepare communication and information materials to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and be Search’s media contact for the project;
- Responsible for the coordination of all project activities; and
- Participate and/or represent Search with donors and in appropriate inter-agency discussions and planning on child protection related issues, including participation in the Child Protection working groups at Abuja and Maiduguri levels.
Requirements
You meet the following qualifications:
- An advanced University degree in one of the following fields is required: International Development, Human Rights, Psychology, Sociology, International Law, or another relevant Social Science field;
- A minimum of five years of professional experience in planning and management in child protection related areas is required;
- Experience in emergency response and volatile environments is essential;
- Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset;
- Relevant experience of working and collaborating with UN agencies and INGOs in program development and implementation in child protection related areas is considered as an asset;
- Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is considered as an added advantage;
- Highly organized and systematic with excellent attention to detail;
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral;
- Excellent cross-cultural communication and working skills, enjoys a multicultural work environment.
Competencies
You are expected to be:
- Leading and supervising: Has the ability to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of Search. Is able to build trust within team and acts with integrity.
- Accountability: Being accountable and passing on accountability for one's own actions and those of colleagues and the organization.
- Attention to detail: The ability to process detailed information effectively and consistently
- Collaboration: The ability to work effectively with others in order to achieve a shared goal - even when the object at stake is of no direct personal interest possibilities.
- Creativity: The ability to come up with original and innovative ideas and solutions, to adopt points of view outside the usual parameters.
- Focus on Quality: Setting high quality standards and striving for continuous improvement and quality assurance.
- Learning Ability: The ability to absorb new information readily and to put it into practice effectively
- Adaptability: The ability to remain fully functional by adapting to changing circumstances (environment, procedures and people).
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply
Kindly include the following in your cover letter:
- Minimum salary requirements (or current salary)
- Projected start date,
- Where you found this posting.
Application Deadline 21st May, 2018.
Note: We are looking to fill this position with the right candidate. Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please.