Job Description

Location: Damaturu, with responsibilities for Gujiba, Gulani, and Tarmuwa, with possible travel to other locations as required.

Position Status: Full-time

Salary Level: 4

Current Team Member N/A

ABOUT MERCY CORPS

Mercy Corps Nigeria implements a variety of programs with the ultimate goal of building productive, secure, and just communities. The organization’s programs are implemented in twelve states, mainly in North West and North East Nigeria, and Lagos. Our work covers the following sectors: economic development, livelihoods/food security, adolescent girls & boys’ empowerment, financial resilience, conflict mitigation, and humanitarian response. Common themes include community engagement, inclusive development, gender, and working in partnership with local government, the private sector, and civil society actors

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Senior Safety & Security Officer, the Safety and Security Officer will be responsible for the security analysis and strategic planning support required by the team within the geographical locale in which operations are situated. The Liaison & Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring security protocols are in place at the responsible field sites, maintaining security information networks, and assisting all the responsible personnel in operational, programming, security, and liaison activities. The post-holder will likewise be responsible for outreach and coordination to local NGO networks, as required, to support coordinated engagement work within the relevant geographical locale.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS.

Security Analysis & Operational Security

• Work with the Senior Safety & Security Officer, Field Managers, Team Leader, and field teams to monitor the security environment in the designated areas of Nigeria, with particular focus on the program areas of operations.

• Stay informed (through media, social media, contacts, etc.) about the safety and security situation in Borno/Yobe daily.
• Liaise with security counterparts in other parts of the state and the country in order to understand how security situations in other areas affect
• Verify acquired information through secondary
• Maintain regular contact with field teams about the safety and security situation in their area
• Produce advisories (longer term), incident reports, security updates, and other work products as directed for Senior Safety & Security Officer review and dissemination to staff
• Produce immediate security advisories to be put out on various security channels to ensure staff safety
• Review staff movement to the field and advise to mitigate risks as necessary. Produce road assessments, etc., for dissemination to staff
• In conjunction with the Senior Safety & Security Officer, prepare and deliver relevant security training for relevant staff (i.e. guards, drivers, program staff, etc.)
• Vehicle & Staff Tracking: Track vehicle movements where and when required until the safe arrival at the destination. Give advice regarding road movement as needed prior to movement (i.e., identifying safe areas, sharing road assessment, etc.
• Provide initial analysis of relevant security development and communicate appropriately to the Senior Safety & Security Officer
• Update Local Area Security Plans, Contingency Plans, Security Bulletin Boards, and other documents on at least a quarterly basis or as directed by the Senior Safety & Security Officer. Ensure plans are shared with and disseminated to relevant staff.
• Supervise and monitor the activities of security guards to ensure compliance with MCN security policies and procedures.

Reporting:

• Daily Risk Ratings per location
• Monthly Go / No-Go for key roads and districts
• Incident Reports and Incident Log – always up to date (provide incident analysis for Senior Safety & Security Officer review)
• Risk Assessment – quarterly minimum
• Flash Reports – immediate dissemination of critical incidents in our area of work
• Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, and Annual safety and security reports
• Prepare a weekly security brief and share with all staff in the meetings
• Be readily available at all times to the applicable field teams to give feedback on relevant security developments
• Alongside the relevant operational focal people, ensure that relevant staff members have and can use this equipment, including radios, satellite phones, fire extinguishers, etc., through regular training and orientations for new staff.
• Alongside the relevant operational focal people, conduct comprehensive security/risk assessment in potential new program/field sites in Borno-Yobe and elsewhere as directed by the Senior Safety & Security Officer.
• Work with the relevant program and operational focal people, as well as the Team Leader, on community acceptance messaging and other operational strategies in the area of operations in Borno-Yobe and other locations as directed.
• Gain movement security clearances through INSO-NIF-UNOCHA-UNDSS as

Liaison Activities

• Stay abreast of political developments and humanitarian trends in Nigeria, with an emphasis on the humanitarian crisis in the NE, informing the Senior Safety & Security Officer.
• Ensuring sufficient capacity and knowledge to support policy analysis and strategic planning around the humanitarian architecture and operational issues.
• Collaborate with the Operations Manager, Team Leader, and Senior Safety & Security Officer to act as the official representative at meetings with external engagement targets.
• Identify and liaise with external partners
• Develop a calendar of upcoming lobby opportunities to be tapped
• Liaise with leads from relevant international coordination structures
• Engage with peace-building and resilience working groups, through calling for meetings, drafting action-oriented meeting notes, supporting in sourcing for presenters, and developing agendas for the
• Ensure collaboration with the OCHA-chaired Humanitarian Communications Working

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.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in in Security Operations and Management / Criminology / Disaster Management / Public administration / International relations / Business or relevant field
• 2 - 5 years of security management experience with at least 3 years of security management experience with an INGO in NE is a must.
• Relevant work experience in policy analysis, influence, strategic planning, communications, research, media, data gathering, and/or information management
• Demonstrated capacity to develop and implement strategies with clear theories of change
• Excellent writing, editing, and analytical skills, and ability to formulate well-targeted strategic documents
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced and often demanding environment
• Fluency in English required, with demonstrated writing skills
• Computer literacy in using Microsoft Office and email/internet.
• Demonstrated understanding of complex emergencies, related security concerns, and appropriate responses to such emergencies. Good context analysis skills.
• Excellent negotiation and representation skills and the ability to work comfortably with an ethnically diverse staff in a very sensitive environment.
• Effective skills in coordination, organization, and prioritization, as well as in Microsoft Office
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines, and work cooperatively with team members.
• Experience living and working in Nigeria, and experience in the Northeast
• Knowledge of Mercy Corps systems and procedures is highly
• English proficiency required; excellent written and oral
• Ability to speak Hausa or Kanuri and any other North East local languages (desired but not essential)

Reports directly to Senior Safety & Security Officer

Works directly with Senior Safety & Security Officer, Field Managers, Operations Manager, Team Leader, Program Managers, Field Teams

Supervisory Responsibility- none

SUCCESS FACTORS

Critical to this job is the ability to carry out liaison & networking activities, think critically, keep abreast of security situations within volatile terrains, work out methods to deliver successful programs, and be able to comply with Mercy Corps and donor regulations while maintaining strong cooperative relationships with other departments. The successful candidate will have the ability to interact effectively with national and international staff members and demonstrate the ability to multitask, meet deadlines, and provide relevant advice and support in a fluid security environment. The candidate will also have to be able to demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and must be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense environment. Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves professionally and respect local laws, customs, and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.