Inter-Agency PSEAH Coordinator [Open to all applicants]

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.

• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments

• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers

• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

Nigeria faces one of the most complex humanitarian crises globally, driven by protracted conflict, climate-related disasters, and economic instability. Over 33 million people experience food insecurity, and 1.8 million children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition. Floods in 2024 devastated 34 out of 36 states, claimed 320 lives, ruined 120,000 houses, displacing 730,000 people, and destroying 260,000 hectares of farmland, worsening food insecurity and public health risks. These challenges, compounded by inflation and currency devaluation, have left millions vulnerable and reliant on humanitarian assistance.

The protection environment is fragile, and Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH) remain a critical concern in the country. Nigeria ranks 8th in Africa for SEA risk according to the most recent Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Risk Overview (SEARO). WHO’s annual comprehensive SEAH risk assessment consistently in the last three years rates the residual risk of SEAH in Nigeria as severe. Beyond the humanitarian response in the north-east, the complex security and development challenges, persistent public health emergencies among others continue to present predisposing factors and safeguarding challenges. The results of the 2025 Annual Survey on Facts and Perceptions of UN personnel related to Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) showed that, despite progress in awareness and training, significant gaps persist: misconceptions about PSEA standards, declining confidence in leadership commitment, and a critical trust deficit in reporting mechanisms—only 26% of those aware of SEA incidents report them due to fear of retaliation.

Initially established in 2017, the PSEA network comprising members from the UN, INGOs, and NNGOs/CSOs, and including donors and government representatives, implements collective approaches to prevent and respond to SEA. The PSEA network is chaired by the Inter-Agency PSEA Coordinator with two co-chairs rotated on an annual/bi-annual basis. The Network now connects over 155 organizations, with more than 300 trained focal points, 63 percent of whom are women. The PSEA Network works to protect communities from exploitation and abuse while ensuring dignity and respect in humanitarian settings. Equally important, the Network also works to ensure that aid workers operate in a safe and supportive environment with Zero Tolerance for Sexual Harassment (SH), emphasizing the dual responsibility of protecting communities and safeguarding the aid workforce. The In-Agency PSEA Network reports to both the UNCT and HCT, which serve as the steering committees and provide oversight, resources, and guidance to the Network to ensure the implementation of the collective PSEAH Strategy and Action Plan. The Inter-Agency PSEA Coordinator reports directly to the RC/HC who has the ultimate accountability in the system towards PSEA.

Investing in this position ensures that humanitarian and development assistance in Nigeria is delivered safely, ethically, and in compliance with “Do No Harm” principles. It mitigates reputational and operational risks while advancing donor priorities on safeguarding, accountability, and gender-based violence prevention.

Position Purpose

The Inter-Agency PSEAH Coordinator provides advice and strategic support to PSEAH leadership in-country and will report directly to the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (RC-HC) with matrix reporting to the UNDP Resident Representative. The PSEAH Coordinator aims to reinforce leadership, programmes, capacity, and localization and resource mobilization strategies that ensure the centrality of PSEAH in the humanitarian operations and Sustainable Development Country Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). The presence of the Inter-Agency PSEAH Coordinator does not lessen the responsibility of individual organizations to develop and/or strengthen their own PSEAH programs; final accountability for institutional and collective PSEAH lies in Heads of Offices and the RC-HC respectively.

Working closely with Heads of Offices and the PSEAH Co-chairs - UN Women and Malteser International - as well as Sector Lead Agencies, Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), UNSDCF and other thematic group leads, the Inter-Agency PSEAH Coordinator will undertake the following:

Duties and Responsibilities

Strengthen leadership, accountability, and coordination

• Provide overall strategic advice to senior leadership to support the fulfilment of their responsibilities as ultimately accountable for collective PSEAH efforts in Nigeria.

• Collaborate closely with senior leadership to lead the inter-agency PSEAH Network for technical coordination on systemwide PSEAH, consisting of membership from UN agencies; international, national, and local organizations; multi-lateral organisation, international financial institutions (IFIs); and key government bodies operating in Nigeria.

• Represent inter-agency PSEAH priorities in relevant high-level coordination bodies and leadership fora, such as the UNCT/HCT, DPPG, relevant thematic platforms.

• Coordinate closely with Protection, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), Gender-Based Violence, Gender thematic group, sector coordinators and senior specialists in Nigeria to ensure integration of PSEAH in programming, alignment of priorities and strategies, and PSEAH mainstreaming during planning, policy development and programming, developing strategies to strengthen the engagement and skills of all Sectors.

• Identify systemic risks, challenges, and trends related to SEAH in Nigeria, and advise the RC-HC, UNCT/HCT, and the PSEAH Network on strategic solutions to address issues within PSEAH implementation.

• Advise senior leadership on the development of a resource mobilization strategy, government engagement strategy, and – in coordination with Communications specialists – a crisis communication strategy and strategic messaging on (P)SEAH in Nigeria.

Lead development of PSEAH Nigeria-wide inter-agency strategic action

• Ensure that a joint inter-agency SEAH risk assessment is carried out on an annual basis, as well as mainstreaming SEAH risks into sector safety audits, participatory assessments, and agency risk assessments, and advise senior leadership and the PSEAH Network on the integration of findings in the PSEAH Program implementation, the HNRP, UNSDCF, other country-wide strategy and overall decision-making.

• Lead the development of a multi-year PSEAH strategy identifying priority areas for engagement, a joint vision, strategic objectives, and stakeholder contributions, engaging with governmental and civil society actors as well as donor representatives.

• Collaborate closely with UNCT/HCT and sector coordinators to ensure that PSEAH is a cross-cutting priority in country-level strategic result frameworks work plans.

• Develop an exit/sustainability strategy for continued oversight and coordination of the PSEAH Program.

• Create / ensure synergies with existing localization and strategic nexus initiatives for effective support to strong and sustainable institutional and national capacities on PSEAH.

Oversee implementation of the Nigeria PSEAH Programme.

• Coordinate with and advise the Co-Chairs of the PSEAH Network toward fulfilment of the Network’s commitments under its TORs and Action Plan, including advising the development/update of TORs and Action Plans as well as a dedicated monitoring and evaluation framework for the Action Plan implementation.

• Lead consultations with PSEAH Network members and senior leadership with the purpose of strengthening the PSEAH Network and the PSEAH Program, evaluating needs and gaps to be addressed and identifying strength points to be leveraged

• Support leadership in Nigeria to develop a sustainable resourcing plan for the in-country PSEAH Programme.

• Brief the PSEAH Network as per need on developments and updates that may affect PSEAH implementation in Nigeria and advise leadership on solutions to adapt programming towards the fulfilment of objectives.

• Identify strong PSEAH capacities within the PSEAH Network membership and support them to take the lead on capacity development initiatives, including trainings and ToTs, mentorships, and (upon request) providing guidance to stakeholders to strengthen their internal PSEAH programmes in line with good practice and standards.

• Facilitate connections between the PSEAH Network and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) and/or Communicating with Communities (CwC) groups/actors and others as relevant in Nigeria to learn community perspectives and preferences to inform the Network’s outreach and activities, collective communication strategy, and PSEAH Network Action Plan overall.

• Identify and assign responsibilities within Network members or other support staff to assist with technical support, information management, stakeholder engagement and capacity-building responsibilities in fulfilment of collective PSEAH objectives in Nigeria.

• Support senior leadership in developing systems to gather and analyse data from risk assessment results and other relevant information platforms to inform decision-making and program strengthening.

Ensuring accountability and effective integration of a victim/survivor centred approaches (V/SCA) in the PSEAH Programme, In coordination with the Protection Sector, GBV and Child Protection sub-Sectors; and the Inter Sector coordination Group (ISCG); the UNSDCF.

• Facilitate engagement of the PSEAH Network with the Protection Sector, GBV sub-Sector Coordinator, and Child Protection sub- Sector Coordinator to ensure a harmonized approach to prevention activities and support of victims/survivors in line with the Centrality of Protection policy, and that PSEAH Network activities take a victims/survivor-centred approach supporting the rights of victims/survivors - including in PSEAH Network members investigations.

• As a Senior Victim Rights Officer (SVRO)/Focal Point on Victims’ Rights with a system-wide mandate to support UN entities; Coordinate with the GBV Coordinator to ensure consistency of the UN-wide approach to SEAH prevention and victims/survivor support.

• Facilitate the collaboration of the PSEAH Network, the AAP/CwC Network, and other relevant actors on learning community preferences in reporting sensitive allegations and mapping existing reporting channels.

• Advise the PSEAH Network members on how to strengthen/connect existing and/or establish new complaints and feedback mechanisms (CFMs) to address reporting barriers, including coordinating training efforts for complaints personnel on sensitive reception of reports, how to report SEAH, and how to refer complainants/survivors for assistance services.

• Advise the PSEAH Network in the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on inter-agency complaint referral following the Inter-Agency SEAH Referral Pathways, that incorporate existing Protection, GBV, and Child Protection referral pathways for assistance services and principles of a Victim/Survivor-Centred Approach.

• Coordinate with Heads of Office, PSEAH Network members, and Sector / Working Group leads to ensure that SOPs are endorsed, rolled out, and understood by all actors in Nigeria.

• Advise the PSEAH Network in the development and rollout of a capacity-building strategy for inter-agency stakeholders on SEAH complaint and assistance referrals for PSEAH Focal Points, Protection, GBV and Child Protection actors.

Lead engagement with key stakeholders and coordination bodies and facilitate knowledge dissemination

• Engage with key stakeholders to facilitate information communication and access to capacity-building opportunities for PSEAH Network members to enhance investigation capacities at the country level, as applicable.

• Represent inter-agency PSEAH priorities in relevant high-level coordination bodies and strategic leadership fora in Nigeria and the Africa Regional response.

• Brief UNCT/HCT on developments and challenges in PSEAH in Nigeria to ensure continued engagement and address gaps in PSEAH implementation.

• Liaise with PSEAH responses in relevant States and Zones to share and embed strong PSEAH practices into the Nigeria PSEAH Program

• Regularly engage relevant regional and global bodies to ensure an up-to-date understanding of PSEAH activities in Nigeria, mobilize resources for PSEAH programming, and ensure all relevant PSEAH resources are available within the response

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: May supervise support personnel.

Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results - LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively - LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously - LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility - LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination - LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner - LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion - LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction & Strategy - System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Management - Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity. Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management

2030 Agenda: People - Gender: Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Business Management - Results-based Management: Ability to manage the implementation of strategies,programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts,

methodologies, instruments, and tools.

Business Development - Knowledge Generation: Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and

new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.

2030 Agenda: Peace - Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions: Joint Programme on building national capacities on conflict prevention

Business Direction & Strategy - Negotiation and Influence: Reach a common understanding/agreement, persuade others, resolve points of difference through a dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and create ‘win-win’ situations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Social Work, Public Health, Gender Studies, Law, Human Rights, Humanitarian Studies, International Relations, and/or other related Social Science discipline is required. Or

• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (With bachelor’s degree) of professional experience in Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH), Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), Protection, Human Rights, and/or Gender-Based Violence.

• Field experience in humanitarian and/or development settings in PSEAH is required.

• Demonstrated experience in international development and humanitarian architecture is desired.

• Familiarity with the UN system and global coordination structures (e.g., IASC, UNSDCF) and coordination structures at response level (clusters, sectors) is desired.

• Proven ability to develop an Action Plan/Strategy is desired.

• Familiarity with data protection and confidentiality measures is desired.

• Experience working in Nigeria, Sahel and West Africa is an advantage.

• Demonstrated experience in leading strategic processes is desired.

• Experience in an inter-agency coordination role is an advantage.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required

• Working knowledge of another UN language is desired.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

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