State Project / Training Coordinator 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 below:

Job Title: State Project / Training Coordinator – Contributing to the Mitigation of Conflict over Natural Resources between Farmer and Herder Communities in Adamawa and Taraba States, Nigeria (COMITAS II) Project

Location: Jalingo, Taraba

Position Summary

• The State Project/Training Coordinator will have proven experience and skills in training on conflict transformation, conflict resolution, conflict sensitivity, and do no harm (DNH) principles along with human rights.
• The candidate will have skills in training government actors at the local and state level that includes security personnel in the Common Ground approach to conflict resolution and human rights; the candidate will also have experience working with youth and on farmer-herder issues and leading interfaith dialogues.
• Based in Jalingo, Taraba State with frequent travel to field activity locations, the post holder will serves as the State Project Coordinator and will work with key stakeholders that include community leaders, the security sector, government officials, women and children, internally displaced peoples (IDPs), and understand cycle programming and the importance of building confidence and fostering good relationships.
• The position will report to the Project Manager and work closely with the Capacity Building and training Specialist and other country-level support staff.

About the Project

• Search for Common Ground (and partners), with the support of the EU is implementing the second phase of the project ‘Contributing to the mitigation of conflict over natural resources between farmer and herder communities in Adamawa and Taraba States, Nigeria (COMITAS 2). The project pursues four specific objectives:
  • Strengthen traditional conflict resolution in the targeted locations in Adamawa and Taraba States to support conflict prevention and mitigation efforts.
  • Improve trust in authorities’ commitment to providing security and adequate resource management to help prevent communities to turn towards violence.
  • Address the root causes of conflict between farmer and herder communities over natural resources
  • Improve intra and inter communal perceptions.
• The project will be implemented in selected communities across Adamawa and Taraba states and will work to contribute to the mitigation of conflict over natural resources, supporting community-based Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) to identify risks and partner with civil society, security or government actions to institutionalize strategies and approaches that will build community capacity and skills for sustainable peace.
• Additionally, the project seeks to ensure conflicts identified through the EWER feed into multi-stakeholder forums for dispute resolution and higher-level policy change and create open and neutral spaces for farmer and pastoralist community members and leaders to identify collective solutions.

Roles and Responsibilities
Coordinate trainings:

• Develop and implement an effective training coordination strategy for the project across in the Adamawa office
• Work with the project teams to ensure all training needs are planned and met and;
• Support implementation of all SFCG training activities in Adamawa State, either in –person, other SFCG staff or through hired training consultants;
• Work with Senior Training Coordinator to establish a pool of qualified training consultants;
• Support the Senior Training Coordinator in the hiring of training consultants for the projects in close collaboration with the HR department.
• Design workshops and develop training modules where needed:
• Design each training to be culturally identifiable to the context; Search’s programs, and for the participants attending the training;
• Design training material, methodology, training guides and reporting templates;
• Coordinator is expected to be delivering trainings that will focus on: Principles of Common Ground in conflict transformation; Conflict resolution and mitigating strategies; Conflict sensitivity and Do No Harm; Dispute resolution; Human rights; Non adversarial Advocacy; Transformative dialogue and interfaith dialogues processes and; Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR ) co-facilitating with trauma lead.
• The coordinator will be using Search’s Common Ground Approach manuals and other Search-developed manuals as a basis for adapting the training curriculum to the projects’ needs.

Reporting:

• Write a monthly summary report highlighting training, lessons learned, and challenges, and recommendations including success highlights, feedback from participants, and recommendations for the next stages of Search’s program (sent to line supervisor).

Design workshops and develop training modules where needed:

• Design each training to be culturally identifiable to the context; Search’s programs, and for the participants attending the training;
• Design training material, methodology, training guides and reporting templates;
• Coordinator is expected to be delivering trainings that will focus on: Principles of Common Ground in conflict transformation; Conflict resolution and mitigating strategies; Conflict sensitivity and Do No Harm; Dispute resolution; Human rights; Non adversarial Advocacy; Transformative dialogue and interfaith dialogues processes and; Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR ) co-facilitating with trauma lead.
• The coordinator will be using Search’s Common Ground Approach manuals and other Search-developed manuals as a basis for adapting the training curriculum to the projects’ needs.

Key Area 2: External representation of Search:
In coordination with the Head of Office and the project manager, the position is responsible for collaboration with institutional partners in the field and for representing Search as appropriate in project locations, including in donors’ meetings and with the government.

• Develop and implement an effective training coordination strategy for the project across in the Adamawa office
• Work with the project teams to ensure all training needs are planned and met and;
• Support implementation of all SFCG training activities in Adamawa State, either in –person, other SFCG staff or through hired training consultants;
• Work with Senior Training Coordinator to establish a pool of qualified training consultants;
• Support the Senior Training Coordinator in the hiring of training consultants for the projects in close collaboration with the HR department.
• Design each training to be culturally identifiable to the context; Search’s programs, and for the participants attending the training;
• Design training material, methodology, training guides and reporting templates;
• Coordinator is expected to be delivering trainings that will focus on: Principles of Common Ground in conflict transformation; Conflict resolution and mitigating strategies; Conflict sensitivity and Do No Harm; Dispute resolution; Human rights; Non adversarial Advocacy; Transformative dialogue and interfaith dialogues processes and; Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR ) co-facilitating with trauma lead.
• The coordinator will be using Search’s Common Ground Approach manuals and other Search-developed manuals as a basis for adapting the training curriculum to the projects’ needs
• Write a monthly summary report highlighting training, lessons learned, and challenges, and recommendations including success highlights, feedback from participants, and recommendations for the next stages of Search’s program (sent to line supervisor).
• Participate in the various coordination mechanisms with other humanitarian organizations in the field at the request of the project leader
• Participate in relevant technical groups in Taraba state

Behavioral Competencies:

• Working with People: The ability to respect the views and contributions of other team members; shows empathy, listens, supports; consults others and shares information and expertise, builds team spirit and adapts to the team.
• Flexibility:  The ability to adapt to changing circumstances and priorities, to tolerate ambiguity, to adapt personal style to different people and situations.
• Drive for Results and Efficiency: The ability to set quality standards, monitor and maintain quality of work, and set goals to achieve continuous improvement.
• Critical Evaluation (for managers and up): The ability to interpret information to make business decisions and recommendations based on keen analysis, best practices and an understanding of preferred outcomes.
• Business Acumen: The ability to understand and apply information to contribute to the organization’s strategic plan.
• Developing others (for people manager): The ability to provide support to enhance performance and professional growth.
• Relationship Management: The ability to manage interactions, to provide service and to support the organization while building an effective internal and external network.
• Leadership and Navigation: The ability to manage and contribute to initiatives and processes within the organization while making progress toward change and continuous improvement.
• Communication: The ability to effectively exchange information with others, to effectively deliver critical information, to gather information and communicate with others.
• Global and Cultural Effectiveness: The ability to value and consider the perspectives and backgrounds of all parties and be able to work cross-culturally.
• Ethical Practice: The ability to integrate Search vision, mission and core values, integrity and accountability throughout all organizational and business practices.

Education

• A Degree in Conflict Resolution, Peace Studies, Peacebuilding, Conflict Management or relevant field;
• Additional education in conflict management, peacebuilding, conflicts

Required Experience:

• At least 3 years’ experience as a trainer. 2 of those years should be in the non-profit and NGO sector in relevant topics (as per above mentioned list) for a diverse range of audiences (from communities to authorities);
• Have facilitated/ co-facilitated at least 10 trainings to key stakeholders that include: security, local and state-level actors and community leaders with excellent command of trainees in relevant fields;
• In-depth knowledge of the North East and Middle Belt regions,

Other Relevant Requirements:

• Good knowledge of the local languages will be an asset.
• Knowledge of civil society organisations, government agencies, private sector companies and international development agencies, with experience of working in partnership within some of these sectors;
• Commitment to SFCG’s aims and a clear understanding of the links between policy, lobbying, campaigning and media work and of how policy change can be achieved through effective advocacy;
• Organisational skills and attention to detail;
• Ability to responding flexibly to opportunities and requests sometime with little notice;
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a rapidly changing environment;
• Demonstrate capacity to adapt to a multi-cultural context, and tolerance and respect to issues related to gender, religion, race and nationality;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism and solves problems in collaborative ways.
• Written and verbal communications skills including the ability to synthesise complicated policy issues into digestible products and to deal with both elite and popular media and specialist and non-specialist audiences;
• Experience of partnership building, with experience of influencing stakeholders and establishing and maintaining strong partnerships;
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and strong interpersonal skills;

Method of Application

Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline  22nd February 2023 (The recruitment will be conducted on rolling basis).