Background
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security. In Nigeria, UN Women’s work is guided by its three-pronged mandate: 1) Normative support to the Nigerian government, including Federal and State Ministries of Women Affairs, in championing initiatives and implementing policies, systems, and practices that advance women’s rights; 2) Programmatic interventions across four priority areas: Women, Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action (WPSHA), Economic Empowerment and Resilience, Leadership and Political Participation, and Ending Violence Against Women; 3) Coordination of gender-focused networks and platforms within the UN system and development community to promote and advance gender equality in line with the development and humanitarian objectives. Over the years, Nigeria has been contending with incessant violent conflicts across the six geopolitical zones. These include attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East, farmer-herder conflict, resource-based conflict in the Niger Delta region, as well as a general increase in incidences of armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom. The humanitarian crisis in North-East Nigeria remains one of the world's largest and most complex humanitarian crises. Though women constitute about 50% of the country's population and contribute in many informal ways to conflict resolution, they continue to be poorly represented in formal peace and security processes. The security sector institutions are major actors engaged by the government to prevent and respond to the security issues in Nigeria. These institutions include the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). However, there is a huge gender gap in the policies and operational procedures of the institutions, at all levels. The advancement of gender balance in security sector institutions has been increasingly identified as a key strategy for enhancing gender-responsive security sector response, which is supported by global normative frameworks, including the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 (2000) and UNSCR 1820 (2008), among others. Ensuring women’s meaningful representation in the security sector is critical to building an inclusive, responsive, and accountable security sector that reflects the diversity of the community it serves and better responds to their needs.
In view of the above, UN Women facilitated several strategic initiatives to enhance gender-responsive security sector operations in Nigeria. One of these is the Enhancing Gender-Responsive Security Operations and Community Dialogue Project (2020-2021), supported by the Government of Germany. The project successfully enhanced the integration of gender-sensitive and human-centric security responses into the security sector at the federal level and target areas in Borno and Yobe states. The development and adoption of gender policies by the AFN, NSCDC, and review of gender policy of the NPF. Moreover, the development of a standard training manual on gender for security institutions, and the adoption of a training manual and SOP on SGBV by the police, supported by the project creates opportunities for further engagements and consolidation of achievements for sustainable impact. These initiatives will therefore be further supported under Phase II of the project.
The project “Enhancing Gender-Responsive Security Operations and Community Dialogue in Nigeria - Phase II (2023 – 2024) is designed to consolidate on the successes recorded by achieving the following outcome results: (i) Security sector legislation, policies, and institutions are reformed to promote gender equality, and women’s participation and rights.; (ii) Women in their diversity, especially those in conflict-affected grassroots communities are empowered to voice and assert their rights to protection and have enhanced collaboration with security institutions to address community security needs in an inclusive and gender-responsive manner, and (iii) Coordination mechanisms among key security sector institutions in Nigeria is improved to address the security needs of individuals and communities in a gender-responsive and inclusive manner. The Governments of the target states (Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa) will also be supported to review the State Action Plans on Women, Peace, and Security in their respective states, in line with emerging issues, including strengthening mechanisms to enhance the implementation of the policy documents. The entry points will include continuous engagements with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs at the national level and other MDAs, Legislators at the National Assembly, and Security Institutions (including AFN, NPF, and NSCDC). At the state level, the State Ministry of Women Affairs and other key MDAs, Traditional and Religious Leaders, CSOs, Community Security Platforms (CSPs), Mixed Observers Teams (MOTs), and Women-Led Organizations (WLOs), among others, will serve as the entry points.
Reporting to the Programme Specialist/Coordinator the driver provides reliable and safe driving and clerical services to the “Enhancing Gender-Responsive Security Operations and Community Dialogue Project in Nigeria at UN Women Field Office in Maiduguri, Borno State, and other target states in the Northeast. He/She will ensure the highest standards of discretion and integrity, a sense of responsibility, and excellent knowledge of protocol and security issues are adhered to. The Driver also demonstrates a client-oriented approach, courtesy, confidentiality, tact, and ability to work with people of different national and cultural backgrounds. The Driver will also be required to provide driving services to the operations and programme staff in the Office, consultants and experts, and UN staff on mission.
Duties and Responsibilities
Provide reliable and secure driving services
- Drive office vehicles for the transport of UN Women Project team, other high-ranking officials, visitors, UN Women programme and operations staff, and facilitate VIP missions;
- Deliver and collect mail, documents and other items to Government – Offices/Embassies/Commercial Establishments/ UN Offices;
- Meet official personnel and visitors at the airport including visa and customs formalities arrangements when required;
- Verify that all passengers wear seatbelts at all times in the vehicle;
- Oversee and ensure that all immediate actions required by rules and regulations are taken in case of involvement in accidents;
- Adhere to relevant job specific guidelines and policies of UN Women such as but not limited to the vehicle management policy;
- Oversee and ensure that all vehicles comply with the Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS).
Proper use of vehicle
- Ensure cost-saving by driving responsibly;
- Maintain daily vehicle logs, daily mileage, gas consumption, oil change, servicing, greasing, repairs and oversee that other drives do the same;
- Prepare and maintain data of the vehicle maintenance plans and reports.
Day-to-day maintenance of the assigned vehicle
- Ensure that all official vehicles are kept clean and is always in good working condition;
- Make minor repairs and make arrangements for major repairs;
- Change oil, check tires, lights horn, clutch and brakes and wash car regularly;
- Ensure that vehicles comply with Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS).
Maintain and ensure availability of all required documents/supplies
- Maintain and ensure availability of all required documents/supplies including vehicle insurance, vehicle logs, office directory, and map of the city/country, first aid kit, and necessary spare parts in the assigned vehicle;
- Ensure that all immediate actions required by rules and regulations are taken in case of involvement in accidents.
Provide general administrative and logistic support as needed
- Assist office staff in filing, photocopying and maintaining required records;
- Assist in the mailing and distribution of publications and payments of bills, as required;
- Provide logistic support for meetings, workshops and events organized by UN Women and partners.
Key Performance Indicators
- Quality and timely driving services; safe and on-time
- Quality care and maintenance of vehicle and necessary documents
- Timely inputs to logs and records
Competencies
Core Values:
- Respect for Diversity
- Integrity
- Professionalism
Core Competencies:
- Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
- Accountability
- Creative Problem Solving
- Effective Communication
- Inclusive Collaboration
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Leading by Example
Functional Competencies
- Excellent driving skills;
- Strong knowledge of driving rules and regulations, chauffeur protocol and courtesies and local roads and conditions;
- Strong defensive driving skills;
- Skills in minor vehicle repairs;
- Ability to be on time.
Required Skills and Experience
Education and certification:
- Secondary education;
- Valid driver’s license.
Experience:
- Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience as a driver in an international organization, embassy or UN system with a safe driving record.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English is required
- Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.
- Working knowledge of Hausa is an asset.
Notes:
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality, and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Diversity and inclusion:
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)