Project Officer, Policy and Strategy Development, ESGBV (Abuja, Nigeria)

Context

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) is an intergovernmental organization with 35 member states hailing from different continents around the world. International IDEA aims to support sustainable democracy worldwide, doing so, inter alia, by working with both new and long-established democracies to strengthen the institutions and culture of democracy and enhance the rule of law. Located at the interface of research and practice, International IDEA serves as a forum for dialogue and uses comparative experience and analysis to identify good practices for democracy-building. It also produces knowledge tools and practical guides for democracy support. The Institute maintains a global network of experts, provides training materials, and offers strategic advice to democracy actors at the international, regional, and national levels. The Institute is headquartered in Stockholm with field offices in Africa and West Asia, Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

International IDEA will be managing the “EU Support to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (ESGBV) in Nigeria” programme. This programme aims to reduce Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Nigeria by strengthening laws and policies, expanding survivor-centered essential services and driving positive social-norm change. It will ensure that people in all their diversity with particular attention to women, girls and the most vulnerable have their rights promoted and protected from all forms of violence through legislation and effective enforcement, while improving the rule of law, tackling impunity, and enhancing access to justice through a more independent, effective, responsive, transparent and gender-sensitive justice sector. The programme also advances Sustainable Development Goals 5 (Gender Equality) and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). The programme will work towards three anticipated Outcomes:

• facilitate the strengthening, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of key legal and policy frameworks on the prevention of SGBV such as the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition (VAPP) Act, the response to SGBV and the protection of women, men, girls and boys in all their diversity;
• improve and expand access to essential services (health, justice, protection and other related services) to recover from experienced violence, especially for survivors from rural communities, conflict-affected communities, persons with disabilities and for victims of technology facilitated GBV; and
• build the capacity of and provide resources to women’s rights organisations, social movements and other civil society organisations to influence and advance progress on promoting favourable social norms to end SGBV.

Under the supervision of the GBV Policy and Strategy Development Specialist, the Project Officer, Outcome 1, will contribute to the planning and implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation and communication and visibility of the project.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Contributes to the design, management, and oversight of outcome 1 plans, strategies, and processes;

2. Coordinates and manages relationships with related partners and stakeholders, including efficient follow up with partners on tasks and expectations, and liaison with state focal persons on agreed actions;

3. Contributes to the development and monitoring of the activity implementation plan, and records and measures progress against programme performance indicators; carries out regular field visits to monitor progress and advise project staff and partners as per need;

4. Supports the GBV Policy and Strategy Development Specialist in the implementation, monitoring and improvement of efforts to improve legislation to address GBV in Nigeria;

5. Conducts research to strengthen the availability and quality of VAW data in Nigeria and enable utilization of GBV/ VAW data to shape national policy;

6. Provides technical support to partners and CSOs in the implementation of activities under Outcome 1, in close collaboration with the GBV Policy and Strategy Development Specialist;

7. Actively monitors timely delivery against activity schedules, targets, and milestones on all relevant interventions and assignments;

8. Manages the grants portfolio for Component one and ensures delivery of programmatic milestones. Coordinates grant priorities and workplans; and monitors progress against outputs in collaboration with the Component Specialist and the Finance Officer;

9. Leads grantee relationship management and capacity support. In coordination with the FinanceOfficer, conducts partners onboarding, facilitates technical and financial capacity-building sessions, and coordinates site visits;

10. Manages grant documentation and compliance coordination. Prepares/reviews and submits programmatic grant documentation, tracks deliverables and reporting deadlines, and liaises with the FinanceOfficer to ensure financial reports and supporting documents meet institutional requirements;

11. Supports grant close-out and learning. Coordinates final narrative reporting, compiles evidence of results, and works with the FinanceOfficer on financial close-out, audits and lessons-learned etc;

12. Contributes to knowledge management processes and activities, including the development of summary reports and stories of change that feed into the quarterly impact reports, newsletters, and other knowledge management products; Supports the contextualizing and updating of existing International IDEA publications as relevant;

13. Develops terms of reference for consultants and oversees consultants’ delivery and inputs, including the review of consultant deliverables against ToR’s to ensure agreed outputs and outcomes are delivered;

14. Develops and maintains cordial and professional relationships with Government and CSO partners to ensure that activities are implemented according to plan; Works with and supports consultants, focal government personnel and CSOs to deliver and manage high quality inputs;

15. Undertakes representational functions as delegated;

16. Provides substantive inputs to internal and external project reports, ensuring adherence to the relevant project results framework;

17. Actively builds professional networks and information channels that maintain an excellent understanding of relevant developments, stakeholders, and opinion formers in the development sector to support the creation of high-quality programmes and events;

18. Manages the planning, organization, and management events and activities at the federal level; collates and analyses participants and stakeholder feedback for all events to ensure quality and effectiveness can be assessed and recommend improvement.

19. Supports the overall project risk management and actively manages risk as outlined in the project document’s risk analysis and mitigation measures in line with organisational policies and procedures;

20. Carries out other duties and responsibilities as related to the post that may be assigned from time to time.

Finance administration

21. Manages all administrative aspects to ensure timely procurement in line with established organizational policies and guidelines: Quality assures and provides feedback to the Procurement Officer on the quality of services and items procured; Ensures appropriate branding of all capital equipment procured for the project, in accordance with organizational and EU branding and visibility guidelines;

22. Provides financial support to the Project Manager and Finance team, including detailed budgeting for planned events, raising advances, issuing payments to workshop participants, processing of workshop claims, and retirement of advances in a timely manner;

23. Monitors expenditure against workplan and projects to ensure expenditure targets are met.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

24. Contributes to the implementation of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework in accordance with the Monitoring and Evaluation plan outlined in the Programme Design document, responding to both EU needs, and aligned with International IDEA’s M&E results framework.

25. Liaises with the Monitoring and Evaluation team, and the Communications team in disseminating evidence to consolidate monthly, quarterly, annual and such other strategic programme reports;

26. Supports the M&E team with the planning and implementation of M&E reflection sessions including documentation of lessons learned to improve quality of activities being planned for implementation.

Safeguarding

27. Shares responsibility and obligation to safeguard and protect populations with whom they work, including adults who may be particularly vulnerable and children;

28. Has a shared duty to safeguard from the following conduct by staff or partners: sexual exploitation and abuse; exploitation, neglect, or abuse of children, or adults at risk; and any form of trafficking of persons.

General Profile

• Combines in-depth knowledge, acquired through post-graduate academic achievements, excellent skills and significant experience in gender and human rights, in particular, SGBV and project management;
• Contributes to assigned projects with authority, and provides policy analysis and design as appropriate;
• Driven and motivated, can work independently and within a small team, to produce high-quality deliverables in a timely manner;
• Contributes to publications; is recognized as an expert in their broad professional community;
• Has the intellectual leadership to integrate innovation into his/her field of expertise;
• Fosters team-based activities in their unit; collaborates with other entities of the Institute;
• Acts as a model and mentor for less experienced colleagues;
• Adds value to team-based activities in their unit; collaborates with other stakeholders and partners in the projects as required; shows initiative;
• Follows internal procedures to ensure high standards of performance and compliance with Institutional guidelines;
• Has the intellectual ability to switch context and keep tight deadlines if necessary;
• Can be expected to travel to any geographical area involved in their project;
• Acts in accordance with International IDEAs core values; Respect, Integrity, and Professionalism;
• Integrates a rights-based approach, gender, and diversity perspective in all activities.

Reporting line

•  GBV Policy and Strategy Development Specialist

Education and Experience

• University degree in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Political Science, Law, Human Rights, Sustainable Development, or related fields;
• A minimum of six (6) years’ experience in the area of gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response, including experience working directly with Government bodies and partners;
• Knowledge of international and Nigerian frameworks for responding to gender-based violence is essential;
• Experience working on policy and legal frameworks, coordination of stakeholders, research and resource mobilization for supporting the fight against SGBV;
• Experience of project management, and monitoring and evaluation approaches is essential;
• Experience managing and overseeing delivery of grants by CSOs;
• Experience of working on EU projects, as well as familiarity with EU processes and systems considered an advantage;
• Experience of working in an international context, e.g., an intergovernmental organization, considered an advantage;
• Field experience is desirable;
• Experience of working with government agencies and civil society organizations in Nigeria is an asset;
• Excellent knowledge in written and oral English is required; 

Terms of Contract:

• This post is advertised subject to the confirmation of funding.
• Local Post.
• Fixed-term appointment for two (2) years.

Please note as this is a local post, International IDEA will bear no costs relating to the relocation of the selected candidate to the duty station. This position is open to those legally authorized to live and work in Nigeria for the duration of the contract. International IDEA is not able to support work permit applications. 

Applying for this position:

• Applications should be submitted online no later than 23:59 (CET) 03 December 2025. 
• Please note that all applications must be made in English.

Selection Process:

• Evaluation of qualified candidates will include a written test assessment and up to two (2) interviews.
• Candidates selected to proceed to the next stage of the process will be contacted once all applications have been carefully reviewed.
• All candidates will be notified of the status of their application via email once the process has been finalized.

International IDEA is an equal-opportunity employer which seeks to further diversify its staff in terms of gender, culture and nationality.