A Deputy Head of Mission Support in Maiduguri – Nigeria Full Time

Humanitarian situation and needs :

With the biggest population in Africa, (between 178.000.000 and 200.000.000 habitants), Nigeria is ranked as the first economy in Africa mainly thanks to oil and petroleum products as well as mineral resources (gold, iron, diamonds, copper etc…). Despite a strong economy (although the past few years witnessed a significant weakening of economic growth), Nigeria suffers from huge socio-economic inequalities, and from high incidence of corruption, at every level. Within this volatile environment, the conflict in the North-East of the country and the linked widespread violence triggered a large scale humanitarian crisis.

Indeed, millions of people have been forcibly displaced in the Lake Chad Basin region due to the so-called Boko Haram conflict, and new displacement continues. Resorting to widespread sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), forced recruitment and suicide bombings, Armed Opposition Groups’ (AOG) attacks on civilians persist. Ongoing conflict between AOG and Governmental Security Forces in all affected countries as well as the absence of basic services have created acute humanitarian and protection needs for those impacted by the crisis, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and local communities.

In 2018, while the conflict lingers, attacks on civilians continue across Borno State. An increased number of attacks on IDPs in camps across the region have been reported since October 2017. In the first half of 2017 the number of suicide bombings in Borno state doubled compared to the same period of 2016. Suicide attacks have shifted geographically, from south central and eastern Local Government Areas (LGAs) to more central LGAs, with significant increases in Jere and Konduga. In December 2017, suicide attacks were still regularly reported.

Assessments conducted in newly accessible areas revealed severe humanitarian and protection conditions. Still, many people remain inaccessible to humanitarian actors due to insecurity, particularly in Nigeria’s Borno State and border areas of Cameroon and Niger.

Humanitarian consequences :

The violence in the Lake Chad Region has uprooted millions of civilians within their own countries, including over 1.8 million IDPs in Nigeria alone. In addition, some hundreds of thousands of Nigerian refugees have fled to neighboring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

As of January 2018, close to 1,300,000 refugee returnees have been registered in Nigeria, sometimes under conditions that have not been voluntary, safe and dignified. Many of these return movements have resulted in secondary displacements as many areas of origin remain insecure and inaccessible. Projection for 2018 forecast new displacement and arrivals from the inaccessible areas (around 200,000). In total, at least 1.32 million of IDPs are located in Borno State. 50% of them are living in host communities.

The crisis has adversely affected the most vulnerable civilian populations, particularly women and children, older persons and those with disabilities or serious medical conditions. Around 60 per cent of those displaced are children and the number of female and child-headed households is on the rise because male heads of households have either disappeared, been killed or fear to return to join their families. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is widespread, and many people have suffered the trauma of violent experiences.

The Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) 2018 estimated some 7.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Nigeria across the three states of the north east (Borno, Yobe and Adamawa) with most needs concentrated in Borno State. In determining the scale of the response for 2018 (more than 1 billion USD consolidated appeal!), humanitarian partners agreed to focus on states assessed as the most affected by the violent conflict, infrastructure destruction, mass displacement, ongoing insecurity and ensuing factors. The most critical areas requiring humanitarian assistance are located in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states where millions of people are in need of urgent life-saving assistance.

Our action in the field :

PUI is present in Nigeria since April 2016. The Humanitarian NGO is targeting the needs of crisis affected populations in Borno State through a gradually implemented comprehensive integrated response.

PUI started its intervention with a focus on urgent needs pertaining to access to food commodities for IDPs and host communities (through a cash-based approach) and then up-scaled its response late 2016 with the inclusion of Primary Health Care and Nutrition activities. This was focused on populations living in Maiduguri (capital city of Borno state).

Also, as access and logistics were and remain a main constraint for the humanitarian community, PUI launched an inter-agency logistics platform in Maiduguri managing storage and cargo and servicing around 30 different humanitarian organizations.

Finally, and as resilience of affected communities remains a priority for the organization, a pilot livelihood recovery project was launch in order to decrease reliance on direct assistance and foster aid sustainability.

Following a comprehensive and inclusive programming exercise during the last quarter of 2017, the main programmatic objectives of the mission for 2018 were defined and can be synthetized as follows:

• Continue and further develop the response to urgent needs of IDPs and Host Communities living in Maiduguri City through Food Security, Health and Nutrition activities.
• Further develop the integrated multi-sector response in Maiduguri City with the widening of the sectoral scope of PUI intervention by adding Protection and a strong outreach component, to the response portfolio (either directly or through coordinated approach with external actors)
• Continue and further develop the logistics support to the humanitarian community from Maiduguri City Warehouse

Develop the opening of an additional operational base in Kukawa LGA with the provision of health and nutrition services for IDPs and host communities starting in June 2018.

Click here for more information about our response to the crisis

As part of our activities in Nigeria, we are looking for a Deputy Head of Mission Support in Maiduguri.

The Deputy Head of Mission Support ensures the daily functioning of the mission, is responsible for the successful operation of programs by overseeing and ensuring quality and efficient support services, and reports to the Head of Mission, in whose absence the Deputy may provide interim coverage.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Administrative / Legal Follow up: He/she is responsible for ensuring compliance of PUI with Nigerian laws and Regulations and is the focal point for all interactions with Nigerian Authorities at Federal Level. He/she is responsible for the registration of PUI with all relevant authorities at Federal level and for the follow up of registration at state level.

Support to “Out of Borno” and International Procurement: He/she in link with the logistics coordinator and the relevant technical coordinator follows and support the procurement, clearance and shipping of supplies to Borno state PUI bases.

Support departments oversight: He/She provides oversight of all PUI Nigeria support functions (Logistics, Administration, Finance, Human Resources) and ensures smooth, coordinated operations, finding synergies and improvements where possible.

Logistic monitoring: He/She ensures that current logistics procedures follow PUI standards and formats, and are in accordance with donor rules and regulations, overseeing and implementing an effective and efficient supply chain.

Administrative and financial monitoring: He/She ensures that current administrative and financial procedures follow PUI standards and formats, and are in accordance with donor rules and regulations.

Human Resources: He/She supervises the Logistics Coordinator, Administration/Finance Coordinator and HR Coordinator. He/She ensures that Human Resources department provides fitted human resources on a timely manner, and conduct HR followup in accordance with the local regulations and PUI guidelines

Security: He/She assists the Head of Mission in analysis and management of mission security.

Relationship with headquarters: He/She assists the Head of Mission in effectively circulating information between headquarters and the field, and ensures compliance with deadlines.

Representation: He/She assists the Head of Mission in representing the organization to partners, donors and various authorities.

Training and Experience:

Training: Bachelor in International relations, Political Sciences or related field

Experience:

Minimum of 2 years in a core support function; Logistics; Finance; Administration; HR
Successful experience in expatriate team management and multisectorial programs

Software: Use of Pack Office

Required Personal Characteristics (fitting into team, suitability for the job and assignment/mission):
Leadership and ability to make decisions
Ability to be assertive, if necessary
Ability to analyze (judgment, practicality) and to synthesize
Ability to adapt
Organization, discipline, and compliance with deadlines
Outstanding ability to listen and negotiate
Good interpersonal and communication skills
Calm and composed
Ability to work under stress in general, and in emergency situations in particular

English Mandatory

Proposed-terms:

Fixed-term Contract : 12 months

Starting Date: July 2018

Monthly Gross Income: from 2,420 up to 2,750 Euros depending on the experience in International Solidarity + 50 Euros per semester seniority with PUI

Cost Covered: Round-trip transportation to and from home / mission, visas, vaccines…

Insurance including medical coverage and complementary healthcare, 24/24 assistance and repatriation

Housing in collective accommodation

Daily Living Expenses « Per diem »

Break Policy : 5 working days at 3 and 9 months + break allowance

Paid Leaves Policy : 5 weeks of paid leaves per year + return ticket every 6 months