Somalia Emergency Coordinator (IRC)

[Admin]

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to people affected by war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Somalia is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts of its history. The drought, combined with insecurity and state failure, has produced famine in several areas, including Mogadishu. Many other areas of the country are experiencing high rates of mortality and malnutrition, and are at imminent risk of famine.

The IRC has been active in Somalia since 2007, and is currently preparing to increase its programs to include emergency health and nutrition programs serving victims of the drought in Mogadishu and central Somalia.

SCOPE: The Emergency Coordinator will oversee IRC program launch and management within Benedir region of Somalia. The Emergency Coordinator will bring a proven track record in both program and operations management in complex and insecure environments.

The Emergency Coordinator will provide supervision to an emergency team made of up two international staff and 15 national staff. The Emergency Coordinator will report to the IRC’s Country Director, based in Nairobi.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Program Implementation and Quality Assurance – Provide leadership to and oversight of program staff charged with implementing programs in area of responsibility. ? (Leadership role) Coordinate the execution and collection of needs assessments and then participate in proposal development processes in cooperation with Program Coordinators/Technical Advisors. This should include contributing to and reviewing budgets to ensure that they are reasonable and sufficient. ? (Leadership role) Work closely with Project Managers/Program Coordinators to ensure that the objectives of all projects are attained efficiently in accordance with the approved budget and timelines. Proactively identify implementation delays and challenges and work with Program Managers and Coordinators in developing and ensuring the delivery of corrective actions. ? (Supporting role) Support Program Managers in the oversight of program quality through regular field visits and the facilitation of Program Quality Assurance (PQA) visits, contributing to and supporting the delivery of Corrective Action Plans/Program Quality Improvement Plans as required. ? (Supporting role) Work in collaboration with the Country Director, and Program Coordinators to assure appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems are maintained and program implementation is consistently documented in line with IRC standards. • Efficiency and Accountability within Support Services – Coordinate the provision of efficient and effective support services to all IRC programs within the province. Foster good planning practices and a high level of collaboration between programmatic and support service departments. Provide regular/timely feedback and recommendations on operational issues to the Deputy Director Operations to ensure corrective measures are put in place and good practices are upheld. Manage operating budget and grant budgets according to the appropriate IRC and Donor requirements; make timely recommendations for necessary amendments/re-alignments, extensions. • Staff Recruitment and Development – Coordinate the recruitment of all staff based in area of responsibility, ensuring that orientation is made available in the short term, as well as long-term performance management support. Lead the process of setting clear objectives within the first two weeks of new staff joining, in conjunction with the Program Coordinators. Lead the process of performance evaluations development, ensuring through close collaboration with Program Managers that they are conducted on time. Take the lead on ensuring that the supervision of program staff is coordinated and fully harmonized with the Program Managers. Work in in collaboration with the HR department in Nairobi on a staff development strategy that will allow them to perform to their potential. • Representation, Coordination and Planning – Meet regularly with local authorities and communities to foster good will and support for all project activities. Establish good rapport with local administrative, labor, customs, immigration, and other officials to ensure that the IRC project conforms to local laws and customs and to minimize bureaucratic restraints on project implementation. • Safety and Security Management - Assume overall responsibility for the security and safety of staff and assets within assigned region. Monitor security situation in liaison with the NGO Security Project and other national and international organizations including liaison with local communities. Establish and maintain relationship with key-stakeholders (elders, tribal/clan representatives, etc) within communities where IRC operates.
• Professional Conduct - In cooperation with the Country Director, play a key role in planning and rolling out of training and adherence to “The IRC Way: Standards for Professional Conduct” Ensure any violations of the “The IRC Way: Standards for Professional Conduct” are duly reported.

REQUIREMENTS: • At least five years in a Program/Operations management position with significant supervision experience (experience with an international NGO in a similar position an advantage) • Fluent spoken and written Somali a requirement. • Experience implementing programs in Somalia or other volatile environments. • Strong organizational skills, ability to coordinate and manage a diverse array of responsibilities: programs, operations, logistics, security, finance, etc. • Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive situations diplomatically and possesses strong communication skills. • Familiarity of IRC and donors (US government, European, UN) policies and regulations. • Demonstrated experience in mentoring / capacity building of staff and commitment to staff training and development.

Please apply at http://tbe.taleo.net/NA2/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=IRC&cws=1&rid=7375