SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER: POLICY/ADVOCACY

Position Description

Location: Abuja, Nigeria (With an estimated 50% travel to other program locations)

Position Status: Full-time, Field-based, and Regular

About Mercy Corps

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. Mercy Corps has been working in Nigeria since 2012 in the most marginalized regions of the country to deliver urgent, life-saving assistance and promote development. We partner with communities to help them recover and rebuild while addressing the root causes of conflict, insecurity, and inequality. Every month we help ensure that more than 100,000 people have enough food to eat, and our work impacts the lives of over 600,000 people across the country.

Program / Department Summary:

This is a five-year United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Community Initiative to Promote Peace (CIPP). The CIPP program aims to strengthen conflict prevention, mediation and early warning by facilitating community-led analysis and action to prevent, manage, and mitigate conflict and violent extremism. The program will work in twenty-four (24) high-risk local government areas in Benue, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi and Plateau states.

General Position Summary

Based in Abuja office and reporting to the DCoP, the Senior Program Officer—Policy & Advocacy will play a supporting role to the program team in the development and implementation of strategies to support CIPP decision making and advocacy efforts. – S/he will enhance the effectiveness of the program’s advocacy efforts and help manage risk and reputation by developing an integrated approach to engaging key actors in government and other stakeholders (private sector, developmental agencies, communities), including CIPP implementing partners to advance CIPP’s support for the Government of Nigeria’s Peace agenda.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Develop and implement advocacy strategies and corresponding work plans to achieve CIPP-anticipated policy change at the state and federal levels in Nigeria.
• Develop supporting documentation (agenda, talking points, presentations, agreements, and meeting notes) for convening CIPP team led events.
• Engage policymakers directly to advance the case for peace, as well as specific issues important to Mercy Corps.
• Support, develop, and maintain relationships with local actors including the private sector, development partners and other institutions to achieve the desired impact of CIPP.
• Communicate and interact effectively with individuals across all political parties and stakeholders in Nigeria.
• Develop and maintain partnerships and networks with key Mercy Corps and policy development stakeholders in Nigeria, including key government ministries, LGAs, multi-lateral organizations, private-Sector institutions, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), professional associations, and educational and research institutions.
• Organize coalition-building meetings and events, maintaining regular communication with members, representing Mercy Corps and CIPP program externally as may be appropriate.
• Gather evidence to support the development of advocacy documents and presentations, including policy memos, briefs, and fact sheets for both internal and external purposes.
• Work in consultation with communication colleagues to document and translate CIPP’s program implementation experiences for policymakers and advocacy partners.
• Provide technical assistance to CSO partners, and other organizations on the development and implementation of effective advocacy strategies/initiatives or approaches on key CIPP areas of interest and programmatic issues.
• Contribute to the development, documentation, and dissemination of cross-program lessons learned, best practices, and experience.
• Represent CIPP in national meetings and events, and on relevant policy and advocacy forums, coalitions and working groups, as necessary.
• Develop and ensure timely submission of project reports and other deliverables, as may be directed by the chief of party and Deputy Chief of party from time to time.

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.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: The Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP)

Works With: MEL manager, Gender and Inclusion SPO, Operations, Finance, Compliance, and country-level Technical Support Units.

Knowledge and Experience

• Advanced degree in public policy, peace and conflict management or related field required.
• 5+ years of relevant experience with a preference for data policy and advocacy experience.
• Deep knowledge of issue advocacy and policy.
• Strong understanding of policy at the federal and state level.
• Deep understanding of how Development (in particular data) policies at the federal, as well as state-level are formulated, enacted and implemented.
• Familiarity with data privacy and security issues in peacebuilding and other sectors.
• Ability to leverage and build advocacy partners to meet policy goals.
• Ability to work across teams in a highly matrixed environment.
• Shown ability to lead and influence others in a constructive manner and to build and sustain collaborative relationships internally and externally.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to effectively synthesize information to reach diverse audiences and build consensus.
• Strong quantitative analytic skills.

Success Factors

The successful Sr. Program Officer will skillfully lead the implementation of CIPP activities within time, scope and budget and provide effective leadership to program officers and Assistants. S/he will have high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with peacebuilding conflict Transformation and will be committed to 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.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Abuja and it requires up to 50% travel to field offices.