Consultant – Do No Harm at 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. Now, and for the future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Human Resource Officer

Reference Number: ABV/OPS/2020/28
Location: Biu, Borno, Nigeria (with travel to field/ project locations)
Employment Type: Full-time

 Program / Department Summary

  • Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on humanitarian assistance, economic development, and conflict mitigation.
  • The Human Resource Department is responsible for providing effective HR policies, procedures, and people-friendly guidelines and support within Mercy Corps Nigeria. This includes but is not limited to: Talent Acquisition & Development; employee engagement coordination; country wide training & learning management; compensation & benefits administration; performance management oversight; disciplinary & grievance handling; staff data management; staff disengagement management and 3rd party service provision management (HMO, Group Life, etc).

General Position Summary

  • The HR Officer will work alongside members of the HR Department will be responsible for ensuring adherence of HR policies and procedures, recruitment is according to Recruiting Guidelines as well championing national hiring and national & expatriate onboarding process.
  • S/he will also work with the HR Manager and HR team to support the Human Resource function across MCN including employee engagement & management, performance management, employee welfare and HR project management in Biu, Yola, Gombe, and Damaturu Mercy Corps offices.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy:

  • Support the HR Manager in successful implementation, adherence, and common understanding of National Staff Handbook and other HR Policies in all MC-N Offices
  • Support the HR Manager to ensure that controls are put in place to allow for transparent and unbiased HR Processes and systems

HR Management:

  • Execute full lifecycle talent acquisition activities for multiple disciplines and levels positions activities in line with set recruitment process and applicable staffing plans for Mercy Corps Offices in Biu, Gombe, Yola, and Damaturu.
  • Provide required trainings to all HR team members, hiring managers and recruitment stakeholders to ensure smooth transition to Application Tracking System (ATS) for assigned MC offices.
  • Ensure right person is put in right place and work closely with hiring managers to identify personnel needs, job specifications, job duties, qualifications and skills for Maiduguri and all north east office positions
  • Support in finalizing negotiations and prepare documentations including remuneration package attached to offers for new hires in accordance with MCN guideline for assigned MC offices in close coordination with HR Manager or designee.
  • Perform all required reference, background, and documentation checks for new hires and discuss results with hiring managers for assigned MC offices.
  • Screen, refer, and maintain a talent pool of external and internal candidates for additional interviews as applicable for assigned MC offices.
  • Develop strategic relationships with strategic hiring sources (e.g. colleges, universities, networks, associations working for women and minorities) ensuring awareness of MCN as a destination employer in assigned MC offices.
  • Ensure effective implementation of onboarding mechanism and all team members receive complete orientation within 15 days of hire in assigned MC offices.
  • Ensure pre-hire new hire starter pack is ready and run orientation sessions for all new hires in assigned MC offices.
  • Monitor and ensure completion of all MC Mandatory onboarding and Safeguarding courses with one week of hire and full use of assigned MC offices.
  • Provide a broad range of in-person field HR support, including support in performance management, grievance management and team engagement in assigned MC office
  • Provide back-up/ interim support to North eastern region as necessary
  • Travel to one of the deep field offices every 15-20 days to ensure constant staff engagement
  • Proactively update HR Manager on staff issues & grievances and feedback from assigned MC offices.
  • Adherence to all MC policies and procedures as outlined in MC policies and procedure manuals.
  • Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

Security:

  • Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
  • Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

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:

  • Supervisory Responsibility: N/A
  • Reports Directly To: HR Manager
  • Works Directly With: Deputy HR Manager, Field HR Officers, All Hiring Managers, Senior Management Team, Mercy Corps operation staff, finance, program team and partner organizations.

Knowledge and Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in HR Management/ Administration or relevant field.
  • 2 – 5 years of professional experience in multiple human resource disciplines specifically Recruitment, Selection, Orientation, Onboarding and Talent Management.
  • Demonstrated understanding and proven experience of staffing and talent planning in international relief and development environments.
  • In-depth knowledge and experience of Nigerian Labor Act, compensation, benefits administration, recruitment, selection and onboarding
  • Proficiency in MS Office, internet searching, and applicant tracking systems and use of social media for sourcing talent.
  • Ability to communicate, influence and problem solve effectively across diverse cultures and geographical distances with sensitivity
  • Fluency in English is required. Fluency in any other Nigerian languages will be an added advantage.

Success Factors

  • The successful candidate must have excellent interpersonal skills, strong oral and written communications skills and should be an excellent listener. S/ he must have excellent analytical skills, good reasoning abilities, and sound judgment.
  • S/he will also be able to thrive in a fast-paced environment and will demonstrate strong understanding of cultural and social environment that exist both in and out of Nigeria and will have the willingness and ability to work effectively with a wide verity of people.
  • S/he will develop and maintain productive professional relationships with a broad spectrum of stakeholders within the organization and throughout the relief and development community.
  • S/he will be flexible, resilient and possess the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. 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.

Job Title: Consultant – Do No Harm

Location:Abuja (FCT)
Employment Type: Contract
Reporting Line: The Consultant will report primarily to Chief of Party, CIPP

Purpose / Project Description

  • Mercy Corps plans to Improve linkages between conflict mitigation and development initiatives in Nigeria, with a specific focus in areas with USAID Nigeria mission programs.
  • Building on a range of conflict sensitivity and Do No Harmtrainings conducted for USAID Mission staff and Implementing Partners delivered by Mercy Corps in 2018/2019 – including programs in the Economic Growth and Environment, Health, Agriculture, WASH, Education, and HIV/AIDs portfolios etc. Mercy Corps plans a suite of activities designed to:
    • Expose Mission and sector program leadership to key conflict trends across the country and strategies for both conflict sensitivity and addressing root causes of conflict; and
    • Build the capacity of key sector programs to analyze their conflict context, ensure that sector programs do not exacerbate tensions, and identify and act on opportunities to harness sector programs to build positive relationships between conflicting groups and address root causes of conflict.

Consultancy Summary

  • We seek a highly motivated individual/team who believe deeply in Mercy Corps’ organizational mission and can display a record of results and achievements, providing programs with technical guidance and support to Integrate Do No Harm and other conflict mitigation principles into selected mission activities.
  • The sessions intend to build conflict sensitivity awareness and capacity among Mission staff and COPs of USAID Mission sectoral programs (Peace and Democratic Governance; Economic Growth and Environment; Health, Population, and Nutrition; and Education) through conflict sensitivity exposure, mainstreaming and application workshops.
  • The workshops will provide participants with extensive knowledge and practice of the conflict sensitivity core concepts, learn how to design and implement conflict-sensitive development programs, and learn how to apply and train others to mainstream conflict sensitivity into their programs.

Deliverables:

  • He/she will be responsible for the production and adaptation of all training materials that will be used for the Do No Harm workshop in close consultation with Mercy Corps program staff.
  • The Consultant(s) will serve as the lead trainer at the workshop.
  • He/she will provide technical support in the form of step-by-step guidance for subsequent follow-up coaching and mentoring sessions with US Mission staff and COPs of USAID sectoral programs from the workshop.
  • A clear plan of action (work plan) and a brief concept note on how the assignment will be carried out within three days of signing the consultancy agreement.

Conflict Assessment Survey:

  • Design and conduct survey for all stakeholders in USAID Mission sectoral activities, including implementing partners and local communities to determine:
    • Existing knowledge level of conflict sensitivity among staff,
    • Extent to which mission sectoral activities are conflict-sensitive,
    • Specific conflict sensitivity programming needs and
    • Level of knowledge of local communities on conflict sensitivity to support future programming.
  • The survey analysis and results will inform training design and will be shared with USAID and implementing partners to inform how they tailor activities to ensure conflict sensitivity and to target development interventions in ways that will address structural or proximate drivers of conflict.
  • The Consultant with support from Mercy Corps team members, is expected to share an assessment report and facilitate a presentation to share findings.
  • Develop training materials with close support from Mercy Corps team that can be easily adapted to suit specific community needs. ALL training materials developed will subsequently become the property of Mercy Corps.
  • Conflict sensitivity capacity building: Build conflict sensitivity awareness and capacity among USAID Mission sectoral programs through conflict sensitivity exposure, mainstreaming and application workshops.
  • Conflict sensitivity exposure workshop: The consultant will conduct up to 3 conflict sensitivity exposure workshop for Mission staff and COPs of USAID sectoral programs (Peace and Democratic Governance; Economic Growth and Environment; Health, Population, and Nutrition; and Education). The workshop will cover key conflict trends and drivers, conflict sensitivity principles, and guidance about how to tailor development programs to address root causes of conflict.
  • Workshop objectives: Expose participants to conflict sensitivity core concepts in context, explore conflict sensitivity implications for USAID sectoral areas, identify which staff members should attend the Training of Trainers (TOTs).
  • # and duration: 1-2 exposure workshops, 1 day in-person or 3, 3-hour sessions online over 3 days.
  • Participants: 25-30, Mission staff and COPs of USAID sectoral programs.
  • Conflict sensitivity training of trainers: The consultant will conduct 2 ToTs with Mercy Corps staff, USAID staff and IP staff from six geopolitical zones. Topics will include conflict trends and drivers in the target zone, guidance for conduct of context analysis, and a deep dive into the Do No Harm framework. The ToTs will enhance participant capacity to implement conflict-sensitive programs and train others on how to mainstream conflict sensitivity into development programs.
  • Workshop objectives: Participants will do a deep, practical dive into conflict sensitivity core concepts, learn how to design and implement conflict-sensitive development programs, and learn how to train others to mainstream conflict sensitivity into their programs.
  • # and duration: 2 ToTs, 5 days in person.
  • Participants: 15 per training, max 20, USAID Mission staff and Mercy Corps staff (representing 3 geopolitical zones per trainings starting with NW and North Central zones targeted by CIPP OR divided by sectoral areas)
  • Develop a final report with recommendations and the next plan of action

Consultancy Outcomes:

  • From the exposure and ToT workshops, the participants should:
  • Gain an understanding of key conflict trends and drivers.
  • Recognize conflict sensitivity principles, and guidance about how to tailor development programs to address the root causes of conflict.
  • Increase their capacity to effectively implement conflict-sensitive programs and train others on how to mainstream conflict sensitivity into development programs.
  • Receive a clear picture of the risks and threats both nationally and at a local level
  • Develop knowledge and confidence on how to tackle key issues.

Basic Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

  • Minimum of a Master’s Degree in Conflict / Peace Studies, International Development, Law or related field required with training certification in conflict sensitivity
  • Minimum of Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience working on conflict sensitivity and do no harm capacity building trainings and approaches within community and civil society development programs, preferably with USAID or other U.S. Government programs.
  • Technical expertise in conflict analysis, political economy analysis, trend analysis, or other relevant analytical tools
  • Sectoral knowledge in conflict management/peacebuilding and governance
  • Strong participatory facilitation skills and cultural sensitivity
  • Experience designing and delivering assessment design and planning workshop
  • Knowledge of Nigeria’s conflict context and constraints on the ground preferred
  • Excellent writing and analytical skills
  • Fluency in English with expert-level report writing capabilities.

The Mercy Corps Team will provide to the extent possible, assistance and support to the Consultant. They will also make available required and relevant documentation and reports. In addition, the Consultant will maintain follow up and regular meetings (where possible) with the Mercy Corps team, during the various stages of the step-down training.

Duration / Timeframe:

  • The anticipated length of this work is approximately 2 months based on how the COVID-19 Pandemic evolves.
  • A flexible timeline is anticipated, but consideration is for analysis/conflict assessment and development of training tools to kick off immediately.

The intended start date is 8th February, 2021 with end date 4th April, 2021 (2 Months). The Consultant will engage in the following activities and others as required:

  • 4-9 February, 2021: Draft and agree on a work plan, Concept note, KII, FGD questions and methodology.
  • 10-15 February, 2021:Mercy Corps/Consultant to agree on draft KII/FGD tools
  • 22-26 February, 2021: Submission of conflict sensitivity assessment survey & presentation to MC & USAID
  • 1-12 March, 2021: Conduct three one-day exposure workshops
  • 15 March – 02 April, 2021:Conduct two five-day ToTs for Mission Staff, MC focal persons, USAID IPs.

Work closely with Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) Program & M&E Team

Deadline: 5pm (Nigerian time), 8th February, 2021.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their Responses to this Request for Proposal in electronic format by email to: ng-procurement@mercycorps.org using the Job Title as the subject of the email.
Or
Submit Hard Copy of Proposal at Mercy Corps office at:
Plot 166 Umaru Dikko Street,
Jabi, Abuja
.

In order to be considered, Proposals must include the following:

  • Capability Statement – not to exceed three pages, indicating past experience in leading on similar strategy document development
  • Samples of consultancy reports from previous work
  • References – names, company or organization, contact information – of three recent (within the past 2 years) companies that you have consulted for in this capacity.
  • Detailed technical and Financial proposal

Note

  • Offers received after this date and time will not be accepted for consideration
  • Please note that due to the urgency of the request, applications will be assessed on an individual basis and shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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