Country Analyst Western Africa

Vacancy: Country Analyst Western Africa (including Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal)
Period: Indefinite - starting from 1 May 2011
The Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) is looking for a new Country Analyst covering Western Africa. IDMC of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is the leading global monitor and an important advocate for the rights of internally displaced people (IDPs). For more information on the IDMC, visit its website at www.internal-displacement.org
IDMC’s online database provides comprehensive information and analysis on the situation of IDPs displaced by armed conflicts and violence in some 50 countries, with regard to their rights under international law, as restated in the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. The database was set up in 1998, following a request of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee.
Based on its monitoring and data collection activities, the Centre advocates for durable solutions to the plight of the internally displaced in line with international standards, and for an improved protection of IDPs’ rights among national authorities, donor states, international organizations and other stakeholders.
IDMC carries out training activities, based on the Guiding Principles and other relevant international standards and policies, to support local, national and regional capacities to provide protection and secure durable solutions to IDPs.
Purpose of the Position
Responsible for country specific monitoring and advocacy for: Western Africa (including Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal). Two countries will be added to the portfolio.
Position’s tasks and responsibilities
1. Country profiles and database
�� Responsible for creating and regularly updating country profiles on internal displacement. The publishing of updated profiles should be in line with IDMC’s updating schedule, quality standards and individual work plans.
�� Responsible for updating country pages to ensure that they are current and reflect events which have an impact on internal displacement as they unfold.
�� Responsible for monitoring IDP-related developments and the broader political context. Relevant information is collected in the database and used for analysis and advocacy work.
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2. Advocacy
�� Responsible for developing and implementing advocacy strategies for specific countries, in line with agreed priorities.
�� Advocacy using UN and Regional human rights mechanisms, including drafting submissions, preparing statements, and liaising with diplomatic missions.
�� Actively support fundraising initiatives to cover the costs of advocacy activities, as required.
�� Join and participate in relevant groups and coalitions to develop and implement joint advocacy activities with partner organisations.
3. Networking
�� Responsible for networking with organisations at the national, regional and international level to identify advocacy targets and allies, locate focal points for continuous information exchange and update and expand contact lists and country and regional distribution lists.
�� Identify opportunities for and implement activities aimed at involving civil society organisations in monitoring and advocacy.
�� Review and provide comments on relevant IDP-related external papers.
4. Publications and other external information
�� Responsible for providing information and drafting assigned sections in the yearly Global Overview.
�� Contribute regularly to IDMC’s News Alert.
�� Respond to IDP related country-specific queries and interview requests.
5. Field research / missions
�� Prepare and conduct field missions to identify information sources, conduct research, collect data and information, cross check information and analysis and inform database and advocacy work.
�� Produce special country reports when agreed.
B. Other tasks and responsibilities
�� Engage in internal IDMC planning processes and external positioning of IDMC
�� Provide support to and work closely with the Training and Protection Department:
a. Identify target groups for training on IDP protection for each country and thematic area covered, with a particular focus on selected priority countries
b. Participate in country specific training activities as an expert resource person, with a view to reinforce IDMC’s advocacy messages and strengthen IDMC’s network of contacts in the countries covered
�� Support efforts to increase the number of users of the webpages
�� Any other responsibility deemed necessary or as delegated by the Head of the Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Requirements
• Master’s degree in social science, human rights, law or other relevant field
• Three years of work experience relating to forced migration
• Proven research, analytical and documentation skills
• Experience and / or knowledge of humanitarian or human – rights issues in Western Africa, in particular Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal.
• Demonstrated experience in advocacy
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English 2
• Knowledge of French (written and oral) is a requirement
• Field experience in an IDP or refugee context is an asset
Application
The deadline for applications is Tuesday 25 January 2011. Please send a cover letter and your CV in English to the following address:
Norwegian Refugee Council – Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
E-mail: recruitment@nrc.ch
Fax: +41 22 799 07 01
The salary offered is in the range of 81,500 – 93,500 CHF annually, depending on education and experience, subject to taxation and social deductions.
Please note that only short-listed candidates will be informed of the status of their application and invited to participate in a written recruitment test.
Please note that this position is not an international one and that IDMC staff and consultants are subject to Swiss labour and migration laws. Regarding applicants who are not already authorized to work in Switzerland, while IDMC facilitates the process of applying for a work permit, the criteria for obtaining one from the Swiss authorities differ according to nationality. For more information on the Swiss work permit regime, please consult the website of the Geneva authorities at www.geneve.ch/permis