About the Context

The humanitarian crisis in the Central Sahel remains severe, complex and fast evolving, driven by conflict, displacement, climate shocks, food insecurity and shrinking operational space. NRC operates in Niger and Burkina Faso through humanitarian programmes including Education, Shelter/WASH, Livelihoods and Food Security, Protection, ICLA and related programme responses. NRC maintains a strong field presence in operational areas across both countries and delivers assistance in complex and access-constrained environments.

NRC is operating under a Central Sahel Multi-Country Office (MCO) model covering Niger and Burkina Faso, aimed at strengthening efficiency, coherence, and programme quality across the response. The MCO is led by the Country Director / Multi-Country Director based in Niamey, with shared strategic and technical functions and decentralized field implementation through Area Offices. 

Within this structure, Niger and Burkina Faso maintain distinct country-level support platforms in line with national legal, administrative, HR, finance, and logistics requirements. In Burkina Faso, NRC has a Country Representative role responsible for legal representation, official country-level liaison, and operational stewardship of the Burkina Faso program.

The Head of Support – Niger / Central Sahel MCO is therefore primarily responsible for ensuring high-quality, compliant, and efficient support to NRC’s operations in Niger, while contributing to MCO-level support coherence, harmonization of ways of working, and peer coordination with the Burkina Faso Country Representative and relevant support functions.

Find out more about NRC https://www.nrc.no/  and Watch this short video to see NRC in action https://vimeo.com/736782633 

What we are looking for 

The preferred candidate is a committed and experienced humanitarian support leader with a strong understanding of Niger’s operational and administrative context. They demonstrate sound judgment, a strong focus on internal controls and compliance, and the ability to work effectively within a multi-country management structure while respecting country-level accountability.

What you will do 

• Line management for Niger support managers / coordinators, including Finance, HR/Admin, Logistics and ICT.

• Member of the Country Management Group / Multi-Country Management Group, ensuring that Niger support priorities, risks and operational constraints are effectively represented in management decision-making.

• Ensure compliance with and adherence to NRC policies, guidance, handbooks, donor requirements and auditor requirements across the Niger support platform.

• Facilitate support functions’ strategic input to the development and implementation of the Central Sahel strategy, Niger operating plans and relevant MCO priorities.

• Provide input on operational support in proposal development and coordinate and align operational support with programme plans and operational feasibility in Niger.

• Responsible for ensuring quality and timely support to project implementation in Niger.

• Facilitate the Master Support Budget, Niger country-level budgets and BPO development, including assessment and monitoring of costs and resource allocation needs for Niger support functions.

• Responsible for the strategic development of Niger support structures, technical systems, human resource capacity and allocation.

• Responsible for development and contextualization of Niger-specific technical SOPs, guidelines and tools, in line with NRC standards and the Central Sahel MCO set-up.

• Responsible for organisational learning related to programme support, including lessons from Niger operations and relevant MCO support harmonization, as well as for technical capacity building of Niger / MCO support staff.

Please download the detailed job description to learn more about the position JD Head of Support Niger - Sahel Central .pdf

What you will bring 

Professional Competencies

• Minimum 4 years’ experience from a senior management position in a humanitarian/recovery context.

• Experience working in complex and volatile contexts.

• Strong knowledge of Finance, HR/Admin, Logistics and ICT support systems in humanitarian operations.

• Allocation of resources and costs expertise, including support budget oversight and internal controls.

• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities.

• Knowledge of own leadership skills/profile and ability to build trust across functions.

• Fluency in French and English, both written and verbal.

• Valid driver’s license.

Context related skills, knowledge and experience

• Strong knowledge of the Niger context, including administrative, operational and legal requirements relevant to NGO operations.

• Knowledge of the Central Sahel humanitarian context and ability to work effectively in a multi-country management structure.

• Experience managing support functions in insecure, access-constrained and fast-changing environments.

• Experience strengthening internal controls, compliance systems, cost-efficiency and support service quality.

• Experience with change management, restructuring, scale-up/down, or multi-country coordination is an asset.

• Strong communication, coordination and influencing skills, with ability to work constructively with peers and senior management while respecting role boundaries. 

Behavioural competencies

These personal qualities influence how the role is performed, in line with NRC values:

• Strategic thinking

• Managing performance and development

• Empowering and building trust

• Managing resources to optimise results

• Analysing

• Communication with impact and respect

• Handling insecure environments

• Coping with change

NRC Leadership profile, the type of behaviour we expect from our leaders:

• Build meaningful relationships across teams and functions

• Act with integrity and accountability

• Empower teams and support capacity development

• Deliver results in a complex and evolving operational context 

What we offer 

• Duty station: Niamey, Niger
• Contract: 12months 
• Salary & Benefits: Grade 11 on NRC’s Niger National Salary Scale 
• NRC is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to diversity without distinction to age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability. 
• We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative. 
• Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC https://www.nrc.no/career/what-we-offer/    
• Kindly send any questions about the application process to: cwa.recruitment@nrc.no. Applications sent via email will not be accepted. Please check your application status on your NRC application profile. 

Female Applicants are highly encouraged.

This is a national post targeting Niger Nationals