Food Security Senior Officer at Mercy Corps Nigeria

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.

Mercy Corps has worked in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its programming on adolescent girls’ empowerment, economic development, conflict mitigation, and humanitarian response.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Food Security Senior Officer

Location: Maiduguri, Borno

Program/ Department Summary

• With the insurgency affecting North East Nigeria and displacing millions of people, Mercy Corps is expanding its humanitarian programming to support the conflict-affected population in Borno.
• In response to the ongoing crisis, Mercy Corps is scaling-up food security, non-food items, nutrition, protection, livelihoods, and water sanitation hygiene (WASH) activities in Dikwa, Ngala, and Jere Local Government Areas in Borno State to address emergency needs.

General Position Summary

• Mercy Corps is looking for a strong Food Security Senior Officer that will supervise a team of program staff under the food security component of the program in Dikwa and Ngala areas.

Essential Job Functions

• Implement all food security activities within the work plan, offering technical guidance to the team.
• Follow up on compliance with contractual commitments within all food security related programs, ensuring high technical quality and synergies in project implementation
• Provide technical direction on the execution of the implementation of food security activities in a timely manner.
• Maintain records of all Mercy Corps beneficiaries, and ensure all food distribution lists are well captured electronically and manually.
• Ensure that key learnings are extracted from program implementation, and incorporate them in subsequent food security interventions and staff development processes.
• Provide systematic training and build capacity of the food security teams
• Represent Mercy Corps in relevant forums/clusters, including with national authorities and donors when required.
• Develop and promote Mercy Corps’ food security strategy and its understanding among the teams.
• Ensure high quality implementation by working closely with the deputy team lead.
• Work with all program teams, M&E on food security monitoring including baselines, end-lines, midterm reviews, lesson learning exercises and evaluations and ensure learning informs programming.
• Monitor the day to day activities in the field and initiate relevant assessments, reports and proposals.
• Support recruitment of technical staff within the region.
• Capacity building of food security staff in the country program
• Contribute to the sector/technical information for relevant internal and external sharing.
• Work with project teams on Value for Money and cost efficiency in regards to running food security activities.
• Ensure beneficiary complaints mechanisms and Accountability to the Affected Population is addressed in appropriate ways that do not discredit the image of Mercy Corps.
• Remain updated on all relevant political and Government policy issues related to food security
• Build and maintain good external relationships and coordination with relevant food security actors in program intervention areas and in Maiduguri.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not to jeopardize its humanitarian mission
• Any other duties as assigned

Organizational Learning:

• 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.

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, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Success Factors:

• The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building.
• S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level.
• Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.
• In particular, the successful candidate will be willing to travel to locations such as Dikwa and Ngala according to the needs of the Mercy Corps program.
• This will mean sometimes staying and working in stressful environments with very basic living conditions, strictly following security protocols at all times and sometimes working long and irregular hours.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours.
• 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.

Knowledge and Experience

• A Degree in Agriculture or related Discipline.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience working on food security programs
• Excellent skills and experience in the assessment and supervision of agriculture projects at community level.
• Ability to train others on aspects of food security, agriculture or related fields.
• Experience in conducting needs assessments and surveys.
• Experience working in complex and volatile contexts living in basic conditions
• Experience working in emergency, resilience and livelihoods programming
• Knowledge of the program context in Eastern Borno an advantage
• Experience in advocacy work is an advantage
• Verbal and written fluency in English and Hausa, knowledge of Kanuri an advantage.

Applications Closing Date
6th January, 2017.

How To Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to submit CV and Cover Letter in one document, addressing the position requirements to: [email protected]
Or
Drop off application in a sealed envelope with the position boldly written to:
Mercy Corps Nigeria
Plot 119, NUJ Street,
New GRA Bama Road,
Maiduguri,
Borno State.

Note

• All applications must include the position title in the subject line and not more than 4 pages.
• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
• We are an equal opportunity organization and we strongly encourage women to apply for this position.