Country Director – Lake Chad Basin

Organisation Background

Founded in 2011, the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO) is an international non-governmental organisation that supports humanitarian aid workers by establishing safety coordination platforms in insecure contexts. INSO provides registered NGOs with a range of free services, including real-time incident tracking, analytical reports, safety-related data and mapping, crisis management support, staff orientations and training.

INSO provides daily support to more than 1,000 NGOs operating in 16 of the world’s most insecure countries.

INSO is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands- the international city of peace and justice.

INSO Nigeria, Lake Chad Basin

INSO Lake Chad Basin began in April 2016 with the establishment of an office in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The Maiduguri field office is supported by a country office in Abuja, and the platform currently supports 130+ partners (70+ in Nigeria alone). By providing analysis and advice on the dynamic security environment, we are assisting NGO partners to stay and deliver aid to people who are displaced and in need. Working with INSO in Nigeria and the Lake Chad basin region is a unique opportunity to directly enable NGOs to do their job safely.

Job Summary

You will provide direct leadership, coordination, representation, supervision, and management in relation to all staff and services of the Country Office and set the overall strategic framework. You will possess solid program and human resources managements skills and will be a natural and confident leader, communicator, consensus-builder and networker. You will combine keen intellect and analytical skills. The Lake Chad Basin platform is well established.

This position is based in Abuja and reports to the Regional Director- Central Africa.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Program strategy and management

• Manage the Country Office team, including direct supervision of senior management staff (Deputy Director, Finance Manager and Operations Manager), and general oversight of the program, operations, and finance teams.
• Develop overall strategy and deliver annual programme planning.
• Steward INSO resources effectively and transparently in full compliance with internal and donor policies.

Representation and synergies

• Maintain and build the reputation of the organisation, both internally and externally.
• Maintain donor engagement and actively track country-specific funding opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with donor regulations and requirements.

Program support and monitoring

• Oversee the overall delivery of INSO services.
• Deliver strategic analysis to senior humanitarian leadership, including through monthly directors’ briefings and quarterly analytical reports.
• Lead crisis management support to individual NGO partners or the NGO community at large during critical incidents.

Mandatory Requirements

Essential:

• Master’s Degree-level of education or equivalent work experience.
• Fluency in English. Knowledge of French is an added value.
• 3-5 years relevant work experience as an NGO Country Director or equivalent senior management experience in conflict/post-conflict contexts.
• Experience with management of multi-donor projects. Knowledge of donor policies and procedures (DG ECHO, SDC, USAID-BHA).
• Experience with budget management and monitoring, donor liaison and reporting.
• Proven analytical skills.
• Solid understanding of principles and practices in broad humanitarian action, NGO safety and risk management, humanitarian access, and civil-military coordination.
• Excellent networking, diplomatic, and representative communication skills.

Nice to Have:

• Recent experience in the Lake Chad Basin region.
• Direct experience and involvement in a crisis management role.
• Experience in an interagency role.
• Detailed understanding of INSO mandate and services.
• Previous INSO experience (as a team member, member of INSO’s country advisory board or as a beneficiary).

Personal Attributes

• Ability to identify issues and find a resolution.
• Excellent communication, organizational and managerial skills.
• Strong work ethic and capacity to take responsibility for your actions.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Confidentiality, integrity and an ability to sense conflicts-of-interest.

INSO’s Safeguarding Policy

INSO is fully committed to safe recruitment, selection and vetting of all potential new staff, trustees and volunteers and we will ensure rigorous compliance with our Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policy throughout the recruitment process.

Terms & Conditions:

Twelve-month contract, 4 calendar days annual leave per month and 3 days of R&R every 3 months with 1000 R&R allowance each cycle, global medical coverage (excluding USA), and USD $200,000 AD&D coverage.