Director INGO Forum Nigeria

Context 

The Nigeria INGO Forum (NIF) was formed in late 2014 to develop a collaborative platform for effective and principled INGO interaction, engagement and coordination for humanitarian, recovery and development interventions in Nigeria. Since inception, the INGO Forum has become a critical platform for ensuring effective information sharing and analysis; leadership on advocacy and policy engagement; and liaison with government/donor/UN engagement and engagement ensuring the perspectives of INGOs and affected populations are ultimately included in decision-making processes. The INGO Forum is governed by a core membership of 56 members (and 9 observers) and an elected Steering Committee of six Country Directors including a Chair that works alongside a full-term Secretariat of around 20 people.

During the initial period of the Director’s performance, the Forum will be transitioning in hosting from iMMAP to NRC. The Director’s first and most pressing performance objective will be to manage this transition process successfully between their hire and the end of 2024.

For more details on the association’s organization, statutes, charter, and services offered to its members, see https://ingoforum.ng/.

What we are looking for:

The purpose of the Nigeria INGO Forum Director is overall responsible for facilitating, leading and quality managing the work of the INGO Forum ensuring it remains relevant to the needs of its members and is appropriate to the context.

The INGO Forum Director will have purview of INGO engagement across NIF and engage predominantly at the high-level elevating operational concerns in strategic decision-making mechanisms and processes and also engaging in regional and global platforms to raise the profile of the NIF context.

What you will do:

• Compliance with and adherence to NIF approved policies and procedures and to and donor policies, guidance, and procedures.
• Proactive agenda setting; facilitating a space for INGO-INGO collaboration; enabling sharing of information and analysis for effective decision-making.
• High level representation of INGO interests in external meetings and planning efforts nationally and globally; and strategically guide and encourage common advocacy and policy engagement. 
• Manages the Secretariat team, which includes NIF national and international staff
• Manages office operations in Abuja and provides strategic oversight of operations
• Provide strategic and day-to-day management of the permanent office (personnel, budget, security, etc.) 
• Provides leadership to the office by encouraging delegation, accountability and teamwork
• Ensures the development of and compliance with procedures for the operation of NIF office
• Be responsible for the budgeting, budget management and accountability with the support of the NIF operations team
• Be responsive to staff, ready to support them as needed, an advocate for staff well-being
• Able to appreciate political necessity and delicate policy issues in humanitarian access and the application of principles to programming.  

Focus on:

1. Strategic Coordination and Senior Level Representation
2. Advocacy and Policy Leadership
3. Information Sharing, Analysis and Best Practice  
4. Human Resources   

Please download the detailed job descriptionto learn more about the role.

What you will bring:

• 5+ years of experience in a conflict or post-conflict setting with an INGO in a coordination or senior management role (e.g. Country Director or similar levels). Experience of working in complex humanitarian situations is preferred.
• Undergraduate/postgraduate qualifications in international relations, political science, development or other relevant field
• Proven high profile management, coordination and advocacy experience in humanitarian context.
• Demonstrated communication, leadership skills, interpersonal and negotiation skills  
• Documented skills in developing proposals, budgets and reports 
• Strong advocacy experience in conflict-affected countries   
• Demonstrated knowledge of humanitarian architecture, the UN system (HCT, ISCG, Clusters), 
• Familiarity with HDP Nexus contexts, Durable Solutions, and Localization
• Knowledge of international humanitarian law and humanitarian reform a plus   
• Strong understanding of conflict sensitivity and protection 
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities. 
• Computer literacy  

Context/Specific skills, knowledge and experience: 

• Knowledge of the Nigeria context or previous experience working in Nigeria or West Africa
• Experience in administration and coordination of coalition or secretariat functions a plus. 
• Strong communication, inter-personal, facilitation and diplomatic skills.
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal, with strong writing and editing skills. 

Behavioural competencies  :

• Strategic thinking 
• Initiating action and change 
• Influencing 
• Handling insecure environments 

What we offer:

• Location: Abuja, Nigeria
• Contract: 12 months contract
• Salary/benefits: grade 11 on NRC’s scale
• NRC is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to diversity without distinction to age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability.
• We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.

We invite applications from all qualified and interested candidates. Send in your application by 7^th May 2024.

Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC

Important information about the application process:

• To apply as an internal candidate*, log in with your official email,* or click on Opportunity MarketPlace.
• When creating your profile, include your full name as given on your passport. Complete all the system-required fields for experience, employment history and education.
• Submit your application and CV in English, ensuring to attach your latest CV.
• Applications that do not meet the minimum standards in terms of experience or qualifications will generally not be considered. Unsolicited applications not related to this specific job advertisement will not be considered.
• We receive many applications for each vacant position, as a result only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Why NRC?

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. Our 15,000 staff work in crises across 40 countries, providing life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people every year.

Watch this short video to see NRC in action.

We are looking for people who are passionate about helping refugees and people forced to flee. Are you one of those people? If you are, NRC offers you the opportunity to:

• do demanding and professional work, often in challenging contexts.
• join a work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility.
• be part of a welcoming and supportive community committed to human dignity.