Job title: Safety and Security Officer – Youth in Work Project
Company: Self Help Africa
Location: Sokoto with field visits to Zamfara State
Contract type: Fixed term contract, full-time (local recruitment)
Period: 21 months (subject to donor contract)
Reports to: Country Security Focal Point.
About Self Help Africa
Established in 1984, Self Help Africa is an international development organisation that works through agriculture and agri-enterprise development to address hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impacts of climate change. We believe that equitable economic development is key to lifting communities out of long-term poverty, empowering them to take control of their futures and improving their quality of life.
In early 2023 we launched a new five-year organisation strategy, which defines shared mission as the alleviation of hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impact of climate change through community-led, market-based and enterprise- focused approaches, so that people can have access to nutritious food, clean water, decent employment and incomes, while sustaining natural resources.
Our wider organisation also includes social enterprise subsidiaries Partner Africa, which provides ethical auditing and consultancy services, and CUMO, Malawi’s largest micro-finance provider.
Our three core values are:
▪ Impact: We are accountable, ambitious and committed to systemic change.
▪ Innovation: We are agile, creative and enterprising in an ever-changing world.
▪ Community: We are inclusive, honest and have integrity in our relationships.
Project Description
SHA is partnering with the World Food Programme to implement the Strengthening Food Systems project to Promote Increased Value Chain Employment Opportunities for the Youth in Nigeria-Northwest (Sokoto and Zamfara). Strengthening Food Systems project aims to strengthen food systems that promote increased value chain employment opportunities for the youth; sustaining and improving on-farm and off-farm job opportunities for 25,000 young women and young men engaged in the different nodes of sorghum, millet, soya bean, groundnut, and horticulture value chains.
The project will focus on capacity building interventions for existing enterprises, using this as an avenue to create employment opportunities for youth and women in Sokoto and Zamfara States.
SHA is seeking for a dedicated and result-oriented candidate to serve as Officer – Security and Safety for Sokoto & Zamfara states. The Security and Safety Assistant will play a crucial role in ensuring a safe and secure working environment for all SHA staff, visitors and participants in the project areas
Job purpose
SHA is seeking for a dedicated and result-oriented candidate to serve as Officer – Security and Safety for Sokoto & Zamfara states. The Security and Safety Assistant will play a crucial role in ensuring a safe and secure working environment for all SHA staff, visitors and participants in the project areas
Key Responsibilities
Lead the Security & Safety Assessment and support in-country Security and Safety management.
• Lead the design, and processes to conduct a comprehensive assessment to identify the type(s) of security threats/vulnerabilities in Sokoto and Zamfara States.
• Coordinate the implementation of the security and safety management plans for Sokoto and Zamfara States.
• Lead the tracking of local movements of the teams within Sokoto and Zamfara States and coordinate with relevant staff members for interstate movements.
• Facilitate daily security checks and coordinate safety and security clearance for staff in Sokoto and Zamfara.
• Manage all SHA Security and Safety Standard Operating Procedures in Sokoto and Zamfara States.
• Coordinate all incident reporting in Sokoto and Zamfara States.
• Monitor/Supervise the activities of SHA offices security guards in Sokoto and Zamfara States.
• Facilitate the delivery of security briefings for new staff members, visitors, and consultants upon arrival in Sokoto and Zamfara States.
• Identify security training needs and facilitate their delivery in project areas.
• Provide weekly security briefings and monthly reports to project management.
Effective Collaboration, Representation and Project Quality Assurance
• Collaborate with the WFP Security team to ensure SHA is registered in the UN security platforms for regular updates.
• Organise and foster strong, collaborative relationships with government security agencies, communities’ leaders/security organisations and other partner organisations.
• Represent the organisation where needed at security/technical meetings as well as state clusters on safety and security.
• Submit weekly security and safety updates to the Country Security and Safety Focal point.
• Develop monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports according to set format on Security and safety in Sokoto and Zamfara States.
Transparency, Compliance and safeguarding
• Employ the highest standards of openness, transparency and accountability to ensure good financial management in line with SHA’s zero-tolerance approach to fraud, bribery and corruption.
• Demonstrate commitment to safeguarding, protection, gender mainstreaming and inclusion of vulnerable population including people with disabilities.
• Provide support to establish feedback, complaints and response mechanism across communities of implementation to ensure programmatic and operational decisions are informed by local perspectives and priorities and contribute to the protection of program participants at the LGA level.
Accountability
In line with Self Help Africa’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), the job holder will:
• actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E);
• work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CFRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed.
• work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CFRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.
Key relationships
Internal: Programme, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning, Finance & Admin, HR & Admin, Procurement, Security and Communications teams
External: Government Security Agencies, Partner Organisation Security and Safety department, Security Consultants and Subject Matter Experts, UN Security Agencies, and International Development Organisations.
Knowledge, Experience and Other Requirements
Education and other qualifications:
• University degree in Criminology, Safety/Security Studies, Sociology or any other related social sciences or cognate experience with any of the Nigerian Security Agencies.
• ICT operation, and proficiency in MS Office and Google suite.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience working in the Humanitarian/development sector/INGO/NGO, military, police service etc, specifically on Security and Safety.
• Familiarity with the local context and communities in Northern Nigeri
Experience and skills:
• Excellent coordination skills (and ability to coordinate several tasks at once and managing priorities)
• Effective communication, problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Respect for cultural diversity and gender sensitivity.
• Communication, networking, facilitation and mobilisation.
• Reporting and documentation.
Desirable:
- Gender and intercultural sensitivity
- Positive outlook and team spirit
- Adaptable and responsive disposition relative to the demands of the Task.
Language Requirements:
Excellent written and oral proficiency in English and Hausa language is required.
Application Procedure:
Full job description here.
To apply please complete and send the attached Self Help Africa application form and send your cover letter and CV in a single document (of not more than 6 pages) here.
Email title shall be same as the position you are applying for and the location of the position
The deadline for this application is 24th June 2025. You are advised to apply early, as applications will be treated on roll-in basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
All candidates offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected to sign our Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. Specific roles may require Police/DBS/ [relevant police authority] vetting.
Self Help Africa strives to be an equal opportunity employer.
