Call for Application: Conflict Scan Consultant
Search for Common Ground, Nigeria

About Search for Common Ground:Search for Common Ground (Search) is an international non-profit organization that promotes the peaceful resolution of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and Brussels, Belgium, Search’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflictaway from destructive approaches towards cooperative solutions. With more than 600 staff worldwide, Search implements projects in more than 30 countries across the globe.
Search for Common Ground (Search) is part of a consortium and is responsible for implementation of objective 1 in Borno State, in partnership with Action Against Hunger and Neem Foundation. This will contribute to the creation of the conditions for a broad alliance in these territories by recreating social links between and within the communities most affected by the crisis and by helping victims of violence overcome their traumas and to resume trust. Collective and participatory activities will make it possible to offer means of analysis and shared actions to peacefully manage conflict, access and use of limited natural resources.
About the RESILAC Project:The overall objective of the RESILAC project is to contribute to the economic recovery and to the strengthening of the resilience and the social cohesion of the territories of the Lake Chad basin most impacted by the Lake Chad crisis and the climate change. The specific objectives of the project are:1. Strengthening human capital, social cohesion and collective and sustainable management of natural resources in targeted territories;2. Promoting economic recovery in targeted areas and the resilience of the most vulnerable populations, especially young people and women, through access to employment and agro-sylvo-pastoral production systems intensified and adapted to climate change;3. Valuing and consolidating the actors of the targeted territories by encouraging dialogue and commitment, and reinforcing their capacities according to the skills and roles of each one; and4. Producing useful knowledge for the quality of project activities in a crisis context and for decision-making by local actors.
Purpose of the ConsultancyThe Conflict Scan Consultant(s) will provide an updated rapid assessment of the conflict context in Monguno, Jere and Kukawa LGAs as a part of the RESILAC Project. S/he will be responsible for the complete implementation of Search for Common Ground’s conflict scanning in all the 3 RESILAC LGAs in Borno State, from inception through research and analysis, until the production of report.
The Consultant will directly be supervised by the North East Conflict Analyst. S/he will work directly with the RESILAC Project Manager and DMEL team and National Conflict Analyst. The position will be based in Maiduguri with travels to the field locations in Borno state.
Objectives of the Conflict ScanTo achieve the goal of social cohesion, resilience building and economic recovery through the collaborative management of natural resources in the affected regions, the following broad objectives will guide the development of this assessment;1. Identifying the causal factors of contestations amongst groups, factors relating to the access and use of natural resources.2. Exploring the different forms of vulnerabilities (man-made and natural) playing out in the target communities, including the indigenous mechanism(s) for preventing or resolving them, and their efficacy.3. Understanding the different levels of livelihood vulnerabilities as experienced across gender, ethnicities, religion, IDPs and refugees.4. Exploring the levels of social cohesion existent among different social groups in Jere, Monguno and Kukawa using a set of social indicators.5. Assess the level of change in perception of conflict management and mitigation strategies from adversarial to more collaborative approach by both parties.6. Assess to what extent any change in context, including the Covid-19 pandemic, is affecting the program implementation and how project implementation has affected the context.
MethodologyUsing Search’s tools and guidelines for conflict scans, the study will bring the perspectives of different stakeholders in Kukawa, Jere and Monguno LGAs together through a participatory and solutions-oriented process that specifically includes women, youth, and other marginalized groups. The conflict scan, like other assessments, will be conducted using a mixed methodology that includes both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. This will allow for the triangulation of information, allowing for in-depth findings and recommendations. The study, from conception to recommendations, will be grounded on conflict sensitivity and Do No Harm principles, to ensure that the needs of women and youths are met, in ways that do not entrench dividing lines between various groups in the community.
The scan will target community reside