Nigeria – A Protection Coordinator in Maiduguri 326 views6 applications

Première Urgence Internationale (PUI) is a Humanitarian, non-governmental, non-profit, non-political and non-religious international aid organization. Our teams are committed to supporting civilian victims of marginalization and exclusion, or hit by natural disasters, wars and economic collapses, by addressing 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 providing assistance to around 7 million people in more than 21 countries – in Africa, Asia, Middle East, and Europe.

Following the escalation of the Chad Lake conflict in Nigeria (North East of the Country), PUI has decided to also respond to this crisis from Nigeria. (since the organization already assists the Nigerian refugees in Cameroon)

Find out about our history and values

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 Protection Coordinator.

The Protection Coordinator enforces the mission’s technical strategy and the quality of current and future programmes during the design, implementation, and evaluation stages. He/She provides support to the programme directors (Field Coordinators and Project managers) and ensures protection mainstreaming through a working relationship with other technical coordinators and MEAL department.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

The Protection Coordinator position is a newly created position within PUI and aims at strengthening the capacity of the organization to deliver on high quality protection programs. The Protection Coordinator will work under the Deputy Head of Mission Programs and in close collaboration with the other technical coordinators (Medical, MHPSS, Food Security and Livelihood) and the MEAL department in order to ensure that protection is well established within the organization.

Programmes: He/She provides functional support, related to technical aspects, to program managers during programme implementation; he/she ensures technical guidance and capacity building of the protection team and Programs Department (technical unit and MEAL department)

Evaluation/Strategy: He/She takes part in developing the operating strategy and proposes new services to respond to needs identified in the target country.

Human Resources/Training: He/She provides support to programme department in hiring for technical positions, and supervises the technical training provided in response to identified needs;

Representation/Coordination: He/She coordinates PUI’s representation to partners, donors, and authorities within the sector, in the technical field of expertise, and ensures that information about the mission is properly distributed.

Training and experience:

Training:

Master in humanitarian project management/ business school/political sciences/social sciences/ law or other related field.

Experience:

At least 3 years in protection program management or a similar position in an international context.
Experience in working in environments with similar protection threats as in Nigeria required.
Strong understanding of global protection principles and standards and relevant bodies of international law.
Strong experience in protection mainstreaming and protection monitoring.

Knowledge and skills:

Knowledge of project management and quality monitoring
Knowledge of donors (UN agencies, ECHO, EuropAid, OFDA, AAP, etc.)
Team management
Good and proven capacity to deliver trainings on protection
Good and proven public representation skills
Strong and proven capacity in diplomatically working among an integrated multi-cultural project team
Strong communication skills, ability to build trust and confidently navigate both internally and externally at different levels

Software: Excellent English writing and speaking skills

Required Personal Characteristics (fitting into the team, suitability for the job and assignment):
Ability to provide/structure instructions clearly and concisely both orally and in writing
A high sense of discretion and integrity when dealing with sensitive protection information
High degree of responsibility, initiative, alertness, emotional stability, the ability to prioritize a heavy workload and to delegate accordingly
Professional attitude and the ability to build successful working relationships with contacts outside of the projects. Demonstrate an integrated approach and attitude through normal work activities and a thorough understanding of community-based protection issues in the country of operation
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
Team player: proven management ability and inter-personal skills
Excellent communication skills
Problem solving and leadership skills
Ability to work independently while taking initiatives and showing a sense of responsibility

Languages:

Excellent English writing and speaking skills

Proposed-terms:

Fixed-term contract: 6 months minimum

Starting Date: October 2018

Monthly Gross Income: from 2 200 up to 2 530 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

For more information about our offer, please look at the complete job description on our website!