Information, Counselling & Legal Assistance (ICLA) Specialist

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a non-governmental, humanitarian organization with 60 years of experience in helping to create a safer and more dignified life for refugees and internally displaced people. NRC advocates for the rights of displaced populations and offers assistance within the shelter, emergency food security, and water, sanitation and hygiene sectors.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Information, Counselling & Legal Assistance (ICLA) Specialist
Job Identification: 7305
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Job Schedule: Full time
Job Category: Analysis and Assessment
Reports to: Head of Programme (HoP)
Supervision of: Housing, Land and Property (HLP) AoR Coordinator
Travel: Up to 50%
Project number: NFPX0000
Duration and type of contract: 12 months
Background

Since 2015, NRC Nigeria has been working to help displacement affected communities meet their basic needs, improve their livelihoods, access essential services, and enhance their resilience to future shocks through our six core competencies: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Shelter, Education, Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA), Livelihoods and Food Security (LFS), Camp Management, and Protection. NRC provides immediate assistance during the onset of emergencies through the rapid response mechanism (RRM). In 2021, NRC reached over 269,000 people with assistance.
The crisis in Nigeria is marked by violence against civilians causing acute humanitarian needs and displacement. In the North-East, the 13-year conflict has shattered lives, infrastructure, basic services, and social fabric, with some two million people internally displaced across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. In the north-west and north-central regions, violence and displacement are rooted in disputes over land and resources, which has been worsened by climate change. Many families have either lost identity papers while fleeing or never obtained them, hindering their ability to access essential services.
A single document, such as a birth certificate for an ID, can determine the future of an entire family. Sadly, millions of displaced people in Nigeria do not have legal documents, blocking them from accessing essential services and their rights. Access to housing and land tenure remains a major challenge, and displacement sites often face the risk of eviction. NRC collaborates with the authorities to improve access to legal and civil documentation and provides counselling on legal issues including housing, land and property (HLP) rights for people affected by conflict.

Role and Responsibilities

Identify country programme priorities, problems and challenges from an ICLA perspective and adopt a problem solving approach, solving them in collaboration with other core competencies, support department, and senior management
Lead on assessment design and analysis for ICLA
Support and contribute to multi sector assessments and response designs
Assess and analyse context, identify constraints, opportunities, and priorities of the ICLA core competency
Identify, monitor and evaluate risks, constraints, technical issues related to ICLA implementation for timely action by relevant management authority
Enable and guide the mainstreaming of gender, protection and environment into the ICLA strategies and operational practices
Lead on ICLA concept note and proposal developments
Support and contribute to multi sector donor reports, both narrative and financial
Liaise with relevant donors and representatives
Support in the recruitment of ICLA staff and development of their work roles and responsibilities
Promote culture of shared learning within the ICLA core competency and across core competencies
Contribute to the strengthening of the position of NRC in Nigeria; liaising with relevant authorities, UN agencies, donors, other NGOs and partners, and social cohesion and protection sector actors
Support the area teams with advice on ICLA project implementation challenges
Ensure the coordination of Housing, Land and Property (HLP) working group under the national protection sector

Critical Interfaces:
By interfaces, NRC means processes and projects that are interlinked with other departments/units or persons. Relevant interfaces for this position are:

Programme development: ICLA Regional and Global Advisers  {Region Central & West Africa(CWA)/Head Office(HO) Oslo}
Proposal development: Area Managers,  CC Project Managers and Coordinators, Grants Coordinator
Quality control/ support: Area Managers, M&E, Head of Support
Capacity development: Project staff

Competencies:

Minimum of 4 years of experience within human rights / legal assistance / displacement area of expertise in a humanitarian/recovery context
Strong understanding of relevant human rights frameworks, including refugee rights, IDP rights and humanitarian law
Solid knowledge of and experience applying protection principles within humanitarian responses
Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts
Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities
Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile
Professional Fluency in English, both written and verbal

Context / Specific Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

Knowledge of the context in Nigeria and/or the region
Experience engaging in/related to legal reform processes
Experience in gender issues and programming
Experience from protection and advocacy work within ICLA/legal assistance sector
Solid experience from managing and implementing ICLA-type of responses
High level of experience in programming associated to legal assistance, HLP rights, and civil documentation
Strong capacity in leading proposal development
Documented experience working with donors and conversant with their technical frameworks, strategic priorities and reporting requirements (e.g. EU, AFD, NMFA, SIDA)
Experience from leading multi sector assessments and analysis
Ability to work closely together with other field staff and across sectors
High level of communication, representation, analysis, drafting and negotiation skills

Behavioural Competencies:

Working with people
Handling insecure environments
Strategic thinking
Empowering and building trust
Initiate action and change
Analyzing.

What We Offer

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
Grade 9 of NRC Salary Scale
12 months contract with possibility of extension

Application Closing Date
5th September, 2022 at 08:59 PM.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
Note

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
Internal candidates are encouraged to apply but we are also open to external applicants who can show a commitment to NRC and being part of a challenging, but important mission to make a difference.