Background

The NRC Central and West Africa region includes operations in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. Most countries are experiencing a deterioration of the security situation, increasing humanitarian needs and displacements due to conflict. Aid workers continue to be affected by security incidents across the region. Shrinking humanitarian space also places aid workers at a greater risk. The expansion of areas controlled by NSAG and challenged application of International Humanitarian Law by state security forces contributes to risks faced by communities as well as NRC’s staff. At the same time, there are areas where local integration and return are possible, and NRC is engaged in programmes to support self-reliance and displacement solutions.

Located in Dakar, Senegal, the Central and West Africa Regional Office (CWARO) oversees the country programmes in the region, and provides strategic guidance and oversight across core programme, advocacy, and support functions.

NRC’s programmes and advocacy supports families affected by conflict in Education, Livelihoods and Food Security, Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA), Protection from Violence, Shelter and Settlements, and WASH. The Regional Programme Department, based in Dakar and managed by the Regional Programme Director, is responsible for the strategic development of NRC programming in the region by maximizing the support to and the development of Country Offices (COs) as well as by exploring and creating synergies among COs. The Regional Programme Department is focused on guidance and procedures, evidence and learning, capacity building, programme quality, and donor relations.

NRC has developed partnership with a range of international and local actors in the CWA region with the objective to improve timely humanitarian response in areas affected by various crisis.

This position is supported by NRC’s global strategy for 2022-2025 which commits to significantly scale up NRC’s engagement with local actors and to improve how we work with them. NRC wants to:

  • Create space: We remove barriers for local actors to provide assistance or services to displacement-affected populations. We use our influence to promote the interests of all frontline responders, and our access to connect local actors with affected communities and other humanitarian actors. We promote inclusive coordination mechanisms.
  • Engage local knowledge and capacities. We work with local actors such as NGOs, academic institutions, and the private sector to improve the quality of our analysis, advocacy and programmes. We actively engage local expertise to ensure our response is informed by local knowledge and capacity.
  • Partner for implementation: We partner with local NGOs and institutions to extend and sustain the impact of our response. Our partnerships are based on shared objectives and complementary expertise. We gain from the skills and geographical reach of our local partners, and in turn contribute with different capacities and resources.
  • Engage with authorities: We recognize the responsibility of national and local authorities to provide assistance and protection to people within their jurisdiction. Within the framework of a principled response, we complement and/or support their ability to meet their obligations to displacement-affected people.

Role and Responsibilities

Some of the roles and responsibilities include:

  • Support the development of country level strategies for partnership in line with country objectives including providing support to the structuring of country level teams, staff profiles and functions.
  • Responsible for ensuring compliance and adherence to NRC policies, guidance and procedures in relation to the thematic area while contributing to the development of policies, strategies, tools and new approaches with a focus on innovation and piloting
  • Ensure clarity on engagement with ‘non civil society’ partnerships relationships that are less commonly understood e.g. academia, private sector, governmental and institutional systems.
  • Support the development and delivery of capacity building approaches relevant to local actors, across countries within the region ensuring effective monitoring and evaluation of approaches.
  • Explore and enable multi country partnerships with regional actors within CWA, provide support and guidance on the development of regional and multi-country partnership agreements
  • Regular liaison and coordination with other functions where there are interdependencies in CWARO and with the other NRC regional offices for experience sharing and learning
  • Act as focal point for information on CWA partnerships including enabling access to regional data mapping of local actors, how many, how much, what form etc.

Professional competencies

  • Minimum 3 years of relevant leadership/management/adviser experience within the humanitarian field (field experience from complex and volatile contexts is required)
  • Evidenced experience of working with a wide range of partners, from local authorities, local NGOs and private sector.
  • Good understanding of governance and systems within complex international organizations.
  • High level of understanding of organizational learning, and the role and contribution of M&E to evidencing impact.
  • Familiar with systems thinking and trends in the humanitarian community, and a network to draw on to gather further insights.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, in person and remotely.
  • Familiarity with advocacy and policy work to complement programmatic action.
  • Head of Programme experience or similar is an asset.
  • Fluency in both English and French in written and oral is mandatory.

Find the full job description*:* JD CWA Regional Partnerships Adviser_NOV 2022 Final.docx

What we offer:

  • Grade 9 in NRC scale
  • An opportunity to match your career to a compelling cause
  • A chance to meet and work with people who are the best in their fields
  • 24-month contract
  • Family duty station with accompanied benefits

DEADLINE TO APPLY: 15/12/2022

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to join our work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility. At NRC we think outside the box. We encourage ideas and give responsibility to all employees at all levels, to help solve the complex issues that we face. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.

To apply as an internal candidate, click on the suitcase icon “I am an employee” on the top right of the page to be redirected to NRC’s internal career site.

This vacancy is archived.

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