Country Director (Nigeria)

About CIVIC

Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) Center is an international nonprofit and nongovernmental organization with offices around the world working to improve protection for civilians in conflict zones. Our mission is to support communities affected by conflict in their quest for protection and strengthen the resolve and capacity of armed actors and relevant institutions to prevent and respond to civilian harm. We are advocates who believe that no civilian caught in conflict should be ignored, and advisors who provide practical solutions to preventing and responding to civilian harm. Learn more at civiliansinconflict.org.

About the Position

Active in Nigeria since 2015, CIVIC works across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) States through Community-Based Protection, civil-military engagement, security sector support, research, and policy advocacy. CIVIC is increasingly expanding its role as a regional leader on civilian protection issues across the Lake Chad Basin, working with national governments, regional institutions, Civil Society Actors, and security stakeholders to strengthen protection outcomes and reduce civilian harm.

Background

The Lake Chad Basin remains one of the world's most complex and protracted protection crises. Spanning Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, the region continues to face interlinked challenges of armed conflict, displacement, climate vulnerability, governance deficits, and shrinking humanitarian space. Millions of civilians remain exposed to violence, repeated displacement, livelihood shocks, and protection risks. The continued presence of Boko Haram (JAS), Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other armed groups, alongside ongoing counterinsurgency operations by national security forces and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), creates persistent risks of civilian harm and trust deficits between communities and security actors.

At the same time, significant opportunities exist through the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) Regional Stabilisation Strategy, ECOWAS security and governance reforms, African Union PoC initiatives, and growing national commitment to Civilian Harm Mitigation (CHM) and accountability mechanisms.

CIVIC's Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin Strategic Vision (2026-2027) positions Nigeria as a regional anchor for civilian protection by:

• Strengthening community resilience and agency.

• Institutionalizing PoC and CHM frameworks.

• Advancing regional cooperation and policy influence.

• Integrating protection within humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding approaches.

• Building stronger partnerships with the LCBC, ECOWAS, AU, and MNJTF.

To lead this ambitious portfolio, CIVIC seeks an experienced, strategic, and dynamic Country Director, Nigeria & Lake Chad.

Purpose of the position

The Country Director, Nigeria & Lake Chad is CIVIC's senior-most representative in the region and provides strategic, programmatic, operational, and representational leadership for the Nigeria and Lake Chad portfolio. The position is responsible for advancing CIVIC's mission by strengthening community resilience, promoting PoC, CHM, supporting accountable security practices, and fostering partnerships that reduce civilian harm and improve protection outcomes. The Country Director leads strategic growth, resource mobilization, donor engagement, and policy influence, cultivating high-level relationships with bilateral and multilateral donors, government, civil society, and security actors. The role also serves as CIVIC's primary representative with key regional institutions, including the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), ECOWAS, and the African Union (AU), positioning CIVIC as a leading technical authority on civilian protection across Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad Basin while driving sustainable program expansion and organizational impact.

Location: Abuja, Nigeria

Reporting to: Director, Africa

Department: Programs

Contract Type: Full-time, 12-month renewable (subject to funding and performance)

Travel: Up to 25% (domestic, regional, and international)

Key Responsibilities

A. Strategic leadership and direction:

• Provide overall leadership for CIVIC's Nigeria and Lake Chad portfolio, ensuring alignment with CIVIC's Africa Strategy and Global Strategic Plan.

• Lead implementation and periodic revision of the Nigeria & Lake Chad Basin Strategic Vision (2026-2027).

• Position CIVIC as a leading regional authority on PoC, CHM, and Community-Based Protection.

• Provide executive leadership for portfolio growth, with accountability for securing and sustaining a diversified funding pipeline that supports CIVIC's strategic ambitions in Nigeria and across the Lake Chad Basin.

• Identify and pursue strategic growth opportunities across Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad Basin.

• Lead organizational strategic planning, partnership development, and resource mobilization efforts.

• Ensure CIVIC remains responsive to evolving protection, conflict, governance, climate, and stabilization dynamics across the region.

• Represent CIVIC in high-level strategic discussions with governments, donors, regional institutions, multilateral organizations, and international partners.

• Contribute to organizational learning and strategic positioning of CIVIC as a leader in civilian protection, civilian harm mitigation, humanitarian diplomacy, and security sector engagement in Africa.

B. ProgrammaticLeadership and Technical Direction:

• Provide strategic oversight of all programmatic interventions in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin.

• Strengthen engagement with security institutions, including the Nigerian Armed Forces (NAF), Defence Headquarters, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

• Oversee production of high-quality research, policy briefs, protection assessments, and civilian harm analysis.

• Support cross-border protection approaches across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

• Ensure all programming reflects conflict-sensitive, gender-responsive, and community-centered approaches.

C. Representation,and Policy Influence:

• Serve as CIVIC's principal representative in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin.

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with relevant government ministries, security institutions, donors, UN agencies, diplomatic missions, and CSOs.

• Represent CIVIC in national, regional, and international forums related to protection, security, stabilization, governance, and peacebuilding.

• Lead engagement with ECOWAS, the African Union (AU), the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) on civilian protection priorities.

• Promote adoption and institutionalization of national and regional PoC and CHM frameworks.

• Support high-level advocacy efforts aimed at improving accountability, civilian protection, and community participation in security governance.

• Advance opportunities for CIVIC to influence regional stabilization, recovery, and governance frameworks within the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus.

D. Resource Mobilization, Donor Engagement and Strategic Partnerships:

• Lead the development and implementation of a resource mobilization strategy for the Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin portfolio.

• Serve as the principal relationship manager for institutional donors, foundations, diplomatic missions, multilateral organizations, and strategic funding partners.

• Develop and maintain high-level relationships with key current and prospective donors, including FCDO, SDC, EU, Germany, Norway, Canada, the Netherlands, U.S. Government agencies, UN entities, World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), ECOWAS financing mechanisms, and private foundations supporting protection, governance, and stabilization initiatives.

• Proactively identify emerging donor priorities, funding opportunities, and strategic partnerships that advance CIVIC's regional growth objectives.

• Lead engagement with donor representatives through strategic briefings, learning events, and evidence-based presentations demonstrating CIVIC's impact and comparative advantage.

• Oversee the design and development of high-quality Concept Notes, proposals, budgets, consortium bids, and strategic funding submissions in concert with the DEV and Regional Program teams.

• Support diversification of CIVIC's funding base by increasing unrestricted, flexible, and multi-year funding opportunities.

• Promote regional funding initiatives supporting cross-border civilian protection, stabilization, resilience initiatives through engagement with LCBC, AU, ECOWAS, and other regional actors.

• Represent CIVIC in donor coordination forums, strategic funding discussions, regional conferences, and partnership platforms.

E. Financial, Operational, and Team Management:

• Provide overall oversight of financial management, grants, budgets, operations, and compliance.

• Ensure adherence to CIVIC policies and donor requirements.

• Lead recruitment, supervision, mentoring, and performance management of staff.

• Foster an inclusive, accountable, and high-performing organizational culture.

• Ensure robust security management systems, duty of care practices, and operational continuity.

• Authorize expenditures and ensure timely programmatic and financial reporting.

• Promote staff development, succession planning, and organizational learning.

• Ensure effective coordination between programmatic, operational, finance, and security functions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian protection, peacebuilding, stabilization, governance, human rights, security sector engagement, or related fields.
• Master's degree in International Relations, Conflict Studies, Political Science, Development Studies, Human Rights, Security Studies, or related discipline.
• Significant experience working in Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin, West Africa, or comparable conflict-affected environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in PoC, CHM, Community-Based Protection, and policy influence.
• Proven senior leadership experience managing complex country or regional portfolios.
• Strong experience engaging governments, security institutions, regional organizations, and civil society actors.
• Demonstrated track record of securing and managing multi-million-dollar institutional grants and developing long-term donor partnerships in humanitarian protection, stabilization, or development sectors.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor engagement, Business Development, and grant management.
• Experience working with regional institutions such as ECOWAS, AU, LCBC, MNJTF, or similar bodies is highly desirable.
• Professional fluency in English required.
• Demonstrated ability to manage diverse teams, multiple grants, and complex stakeholder relationships.

Key Competencies :

• Strategic leadership and sound political judgment

• Strong diplomatic and negotiation skills

• Ability to translate complex conflict dynamics into actionable protection strategies

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Adaptability and resilience in volatile environments

• Commitment to CIVIC’s mission, values, and humanitarian principles

Contract and Duration :

• Full-time, 12-month renewable contract, subject to funding and performance.

• Based in Abuja, with frequent travel within the BAY States, Northwest, and across the Lake Chad Basin region, including Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, as required.

• Travel may also include representation at regional and international meetings, donor consultations, technical forums, and strategic partnership events.

Additional Details

Application Deadline: September 25, 2026

Due to the high volume of applications, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates will receive an email invitation from TestGorilla to submit their resume. Please complete this step promptly to ensure your candidacy is fully considered.

CIVIC is an Equal Opportunities Employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

Note to Recruiters and Placement Agencies: CIVIC does not accept unsolicited agency resumes and does not pay placement fees for candidates submitted by agencies other than its approved partners.