NGO JOBS

Organization: Solidarités International
Country: South Sudan (Republic of)
Closing date: 29 Sep 2013

MISSION

Solidarités International (SI) is an international humanitarian organization which provides aid and assistance to victims of war or natural disaster. For over 30 years the association has focused on meeting three vital needs - water, food and shelter - by carrying out emergency programmes followed by longer-term reconstruction projects. Whilst fully respecting the assisted populations’ customs and culture, Solidarités International’s programmes are implemented through the joint expertise of around 200 expatriates and 1500 local managerial staff and employees.

Solidarités International is currently present in Africa (Central African Republic, South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast), in Asia (Afghanistan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan), in the Middle East (Syria and Lebanon) and in Haiti.

The conflict between Northern and Southern Sudan is known as the longest war in Africa. Six and half years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Nairobi in January 2005, South Sudan became the youngest country in the World on July 9th 2011. A new highlight for a country familiar with extreme figures : among others, a challenging environment with only 60 km of asphalt road in a country bigger than France, a complex social environment with more than 60 ethnic groups and dialects and a high level of illiteracy. On a humanitarian point of view, the country can be characterized by the acute needs of its population in having access to basic services, due to the lack of infrastructure, and lack of qualified persons to run these structures. These needs have been compounded by massive influxes of returnees from North to South Sudan, numbering an estimated 400,000 since October 2010.

SI currently implements 2 kinds of programs:

• Rural and semi-urban WaSH activities in one state in the Upper Nile and Unity, targeting counties prone to receiving IDPs and/or returnees and prone to natural disaster. SI is also deeply involved in the coordination of the WaSH actors in both Unity and Upper Nile States by being the State Focal Point for the WaSH cluster. Upper Nile programs are operated out of Malakal, the Upper Nile State capital.
• Emergency WaSH interventions in the camps welcoming Sudanese refugees in Upper Nile and Unity States. These projects started respectively in June and July 2012 and in March 2013, following the rapid assessments made by the WaSH Emergency, Preparedness and Response team that is in place since September 2011.

Goal/purpose:

The Head of Mission is the Solidarités International official representative in South Sudan.

• S/He is in charge of the smooth operation of all mission activities.

• S/He is responsible for the safety and security of all staff and assets on the mission.

• S/He proposes mission strategies, according to the geopolitical and humanitarian context and ensures implementation once it has been validated.

• S/He monitors projects, ensuring that they progress in accordance with the Solidarités International Charter and Code of Ethics and Conduct and comply with internal and contractual regulations.

• S/He mobilizes the material and financial resources necessary for the programs to run effectively and supervises the administration of these resources.

• S/He oversees the overall coordination of the teams and operations.

• S/He is the direct liaison for Solidarités International HQ.

MAIN TASKS

Programme Development:

• Guide the development of the annual strategic programming document according to the security context, the humanitarian situation analysis, and the capacity of the organisation. An annual plan of action will be developed
• Organise participatory and continuous process with all senior staff for (re)evaluation of humanitarian needs and context evolution for the purpose of adapting the strategy to its most relevant form
• Ensure all programmes under implementation and under development are within the framework of the Strategic Programming document
• Planning of and undertaking programme assessments
• Ensure programme activities do not create duplication and SI interests are safeguarded and well represented
• Coordinate programme activities with national authorities, UN agencies, and other international organisations
• Provide guidance on programme development for Field Coordinators and review draft concepts and proposal documents for field validation before submission to HQ
• Develop and maintain contact with INGOs, donors, UN agencies and authorities in the region/country

Programme Quality Management:

• Ensure quality implementation of projects within specified time frames
• Ensure optimal use of finance resources by implementing a cost-efficient management
• Ensure optimal use of human resources in terms of organisation and qualifications
• Ensure optimal use and organisation of logistics resources
• Maintain regular project follow-ups by conducting frequent visits to project sites
• Monitor the regular use of project management and monitoring tools
• Ensure the preparation of timely regular reports to HQ, donor agencies and partners
• Oversee the management of grants and assure timely grant reporting that clearly relates to the stated goals and objectives of grant and relates expenditures to activities
• Directly supervise the financial and administrative coordinator to assure that all accounting and financial reporting requirements are followed on time and avoid that any over expenditures and/or disallowed costs are engaged
• Ensure that an adequate and efficient system of work is established and maintained between the finance and the logistic departments
• Facilitate all audits and follow up on all audit comments and recommendations

Representation, Coordination and Donor Relations:

• Responsible for fundraising for all future programmes in South Sudan and developing strategic national relationships
• Provide strong representation and involvement from SI in the NGO Forum, humanitarian coordination forums, relevant Clusters, donor meetings, etc.
• Maintain close relationships with donor representatives, sharing information on a regular basis and ensuring SI priorities and strategy are well known

Communication and Capacity Building:

• Monitor national staff capacity building initiatives
• Optimise facility and asset management to reduce structure costs
• Assure that proper channels of communication are maintained and respected inside the mission and from the mission to the HQ.
• Provide regular and detailed reports to HQ on all key security, programmatic, country, staff and humanitarian issues in the form of weekly and monthly reporting packages
• Obtain prior HQ Paris authorisation for all new grants and contracts, international staff hiring and promotions, classifications, local policies, and resource commitments
• Develop, maintain and distribute regular programme brochures, informational flyers, thematic reports, programme fact sheets, etc., to key stakeholders in South Sudan

Human Resource Management:

• Provide leadership, promote professional working relationships, and encourage staff members
• Animate the country coordination team through regular coordination meetings, ensure strong technical support, supervise proposal/report drafts
• Anticipate and follow-up the recruitment plan. Provide regular updated information on this issue to avoid HR gaps
• Prioritise and propose an internal promotions
• Participate in the selection of new staff in collaboration with the HR dept and the Desk-Conduct and monitor regular staff evaluations, follow-ups, job description updates, and standard procedures for new position posting, interviews, and applicant selection
• Conduct briefings and debriefings with incoming and outgoing staff
• Oversee the planning and implementation of internal training initiatives
• Identify and resolve staff conflicts and concerns in a timely manner
• Ensure that all personnel adhere to Code of Conduct

Security:

• Cooperate with the UN and any other relevant agencies/partners to gather and analyse updated information on security issues in the country level and in the areas of intervention
• Ensure the development of relevant security information network across the country
• Develop and implement security policies and follow up with Field Coordinators on regular monthly updates for base security guidelines and risk analyses
• Promote and monitor staff adherence to all security guidelines
• Conduct regular discussions to identify and determine approaches to address staff stress levels and sense of personal security
• Ensure strict local vehicle safety policies

PROFILE

Experience:

• Masters’ degree or equivalent in law, political science, international organization management or project management or a relevant field
• 8-10 years of professional experience, including 4-5 years in the humanitarian environment
• Minimum of 2 years of experience as Country Director or equivalent, developing and managing sustainable relief programs, with specific skills in strategic planning, assessment, program design and development, and monitoring and evaluation + 2-3 years as coordinator of humanitarian actions
• Proven experience in conflict/post-conflict contexts and insecure environments, with consequent experience in supporting emergency response

Skills:

• Significant knowledge and experience of grant writing and management for major institutional donors, including: OFDA/USAID, ECHO, UN Agencies and pooled funding mechanisms, such as CHF
• Ability, acquired through experience, to professionally and appropriately represent the organization and negotiate and defend SI’s interests with a diverse range of government officials, departments and ministries, civil society organizations, and other international organizations
• Significant experience of building and supervising large and culturally diverse teams of expatriate and national staff
• Used to work with important budgets
• Excellent communication, organizational and prioritization skills and the ability to multi-task and support and/or fill multiple positions at one time
• Strong initiatives and improvisation capacities
• High management abilities, and particularly team management skills and capacities to provide distance technical support
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work both independently and cooperatively with team members
• Good stress management
• Important flexibility and adaptability
• Used to work in political and security volatile environment

Language:

• Fluent English (written, spoken and read), essential for numerous external coordination and representation meetings with other NGOs, UN agencies, donors and governmental bodies.
• Knowledge of Arabic is an asset

IT:

• Computer literacy with very good command of MS Office Suite.

CONDITION

Salaried post: According to experience from 2300 euros gross per month, plus 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly, and a monthly Per Diem of 650 USD.

Solidarités International will cover accommodation and travel expenses from the expatriate’s home country to the site of the assignment.

• Social and medical cover: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which reimburses all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.
• Vacation: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of one break every three months. For a one-year assignment, the expatriate will have a 7-day break during the 3rd and the 9th month (with 500 euros allocated by Solidarités). He or she will also be entitled to go back to his or her home country for a 14-day period after six months spent on the mission (Solidarités will cover travel costs).

DURATION

9 to 12 months - Beggining: 01/09/2013

CONTACT

Corinne LORIN - Chargée de Recrutement et de Suivi

How to apply:

CV & Cover Letter

https://emea3.recruitmentplatform.com/syndicated/private/syd_apply.cfm?I...