Project Manager – United in Security Project at Search for Common Ground (SFCG)

Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-profit organization that promotes the peaceful resolution of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and Brussels, Belgium, Search’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict – away from destructive approaches towards cooperative solutions. With more than 600 staff worldwide, Search implements projects in more than 30 countries across the globe.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Project Manager – United in Security Project

Location: Benue
Employment Type: Full Time

Position Summary

Search for Common Ground seeks a professional, motivated, and creative Project Manager that will work with Search’s program teams to design and implement Search strategy for the project ensuring that the project addresses real needs and contributes to the organization’s national, regional and global strategies.
The position entails project logic and strategy development; team leadership; project development and management; financial, operations, and administrative oversight for the project; security management; liaise with key stakeholders and Search representation.
The position requires an experienced conflict transformation, peacebuilding and or development expert, conversant with project management cycles and managing a field office.
The position holder must be organized and experienced in culturally identifiable conflict and context analyst capable of steering various project activities in Adamawa and Benue, to respond to real-time conflict, peace efforts, security and the overall aim of conflict transformation.
The Project Manager must have good diplomacy skills and capable of negotiating with challenging stakeholders and also lead a diverse team.
The position holder advises the Country leadership on the project needs, strategies, staffing issues, local context, and dynamics.
This position holder will seat at our Benue office with frequent travels to Adamawa state. She/he will work under the direct supervision of the Head of Office – Middle Belt.
The position holder will directly supervise the project implementation and have a team of officers and assistants.

About the Project

National and international attention, garnered by the #EndSARS protests have shone a light on the history of impunity experienced by Nigerian security forces and amplified messages calling for greater accountability of security actors accused of human rights violence. This moment presents a window of opportunity to further entrench security sector reform through a collaborative and rights-based lens, empowering stakeholders at all levels, including communities, CSOs, media professionals, government authorities, and security actors.
The project will aim to enhance the role of CSOs and communities in constructively engaging security forces, while increasing the capacity of security actors to effectively assume their roles and responsibilities in a manner that upholds human rights standards. Through trainings, dialogue, advocacy, and peace and security initiatives, these actors will work together towards shared solutions to persistent security challenges.
Search’s proposed intervention is informed by strong evidence from over 10 years of lessons learned and networks built through our human rights and security sector accountability programming in Nigeria.
The overall goal is to strengthen engagement and advocacy processes to reduce human rights abuse by security forces in North East and North Central Nigeria.

Roles and Responsibilities
Representation and coordination:

Under the guidance of the Head of Office – Middle Belt, represents Search in the project implementation initiatives;
Provides orientation of Search at the local level and supervises all staff under the project;
Provides strong coordination support to NGOs, partners, and national authorities through the establishment of wider consultation and collaborative processes to achieve the 3 objectives of the project.
Responsible for the coordination of all project activities
Be Search’s media contact for the project when delegated by the Country Director / Head of Office – Middle Belt;
Represent Search with donors in the absence and instance of the Head of Office.

Program strategy, development, and planning:

Support in implementing Search’s strategic directions in the region;
Collaborate with relevant staff in other Search offices for quality program development and planning;
Support in coordinating new business development, including coordinating the development of concept notes and proposal; and
Advises Country Management on program needs

Program oversight, quality assurance, reporting:

Ensures proper implementation of the project based on continuous monitoring and analysis of the core objectives of the projects
Leads the project and facilitate attainment of project expected results in the implementation states, in close collaboration with the Head of Office;
Ensures effective application of results-based management methodologies.
Develop and monitor project work-plans, effectiveness, and achievement of results;
Monitors budgets versus actuals and cash-flow for the project;
Steer the project’s activities to meaningfully address needs in the ever-changing context;
Ensures all donor and internal reports are submitted within internal deadlines and to expected quality;
Build coalitions and networks with local partners for the project’s effectiveness.

Human Resources Management and Organizational Development:

Provide leadership support to the project staff and promote best practices in human resources management;
Ensure compliance with Nigerian law and SFCG procedures on the project;
Provide leadership support for the adequate implementation of the performance management system, including performance objectives and planning, review, appraisal, and staff development; and
Provide Coaching and Counseling advice to staff when necessary and lead initiatives to develop staff capacity

Leadership:

Attend the regular PQT meetings and contribute to the discussions around overall strategy and direction of the country program and the organization;
Ensure that the project is maintaining a coordinated and agreed information exchange both internally and in its dealing with external parties;
Ensure effective implementation and compliance with the overall finance and guidance manual and compliance with procedures required by grant or contract agreements;

Requirements
Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in a related area required while a Master’s Degree in Conflict Resolution, International Relations, Project Management or related field would be an added benefit;

Required Experience:

At least 5 years of experience in peacebuilding, advocacy, dialogue, Do No Harm, training and capacity building related work.
At least five (5) years of experience in managing teams and projects in the field of conflict resolution, conflict transformation, advocacy and training development or related fields.

Other Relevant Requirements:

Knowledge of and exposure to a wide range of peace, conflict transformation, governance, development and humanitarian issues;
Good knowledge of the country context and ability to network with both civil society and public sector
Ability to review and analyze and interpret financial reports, budget versus actuals, financial projections and procurement documentation;
Good interpersonal and networking skills, as well as the ability to conduct professional working relationships;
Analytical capacity, including the ability to analyze and articulate peace, human security and conflict issues;
Ability to work with people at all levels, ranging from high-level national officials to community leaders;
Experience in setting performance objectives of teams and leading a team.
Willingness to keep abreast of new developments on security sector reforms, policies, laws and peace-building fields;
Good knowledge of North East and North Central, including the political, economic, religious and social dimensions;
Basic computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite) and other software
Detail-oriented with ability to meet deadlines, both prescribed and self-imposed
Willingness and desire to learn while demonstrating self-initiative
Ability to adapt to new cultures and work in diverse environments.