Solidarités International Head of Mission - Kenya/Somalia

MISSION

Solidarités International is a French 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 180 expatriates and 1500 local managerial staff and employees. Solidarités International is currently present in Africa (Central African Republic, South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire), in Asia (Afghanistan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan) and in Haiti.

Goal/purpose:

The Head of Mission is the SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL official representative in Kenya for both missions in Kenya and Somalia S/He is in charge of the smooth running of the mission. S/He proposes mission strategy, according to the geopolitical and humanitarian context, and ensures its implementation once it has been validated. S/He monitors projects, ensuring that they are progressing in accordance with the SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL charter and complying with internal and contractual procedures. S/He mobilizes the material and financial resources necessary for the programs to run effectively and supervises the administration of these resources. S/He coordinates the teams in place and ensures their security on the mission. S/He is the direct liaison for SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL HQ.

MAIN TASKS

Coordination and strategic orientation:

• Monitor and analyze the humanitarian, political, cultural, social and economic contexts in Kenya and Somalia
• Propose and develop separate operational strategies for Kenya and Somalia, consistent with the association’s policies and population’s needs
• Define a plan of action for putting this strategy in place with the coordination team
• Propose new operational directions as contexts change with the coordination team

Relevance and operational quality / operations monitoring:

• Ensure the coordination, development, monitoring and evaluation of programs implemented on the missions
• Ensure the relevance, quality and consistency of programs
• Ensure that programs are implemented in accordance with annual operational strategy, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL technical requirements and financial donor criteria

Resource management:

• Design and organize the human, financial and logistic layout of the mission
• Ensure the financial resources and means necessary for the completion of projects are mobilized
• Ensure that resources are used effectively

Human Resource Management:

• Build and maintain team dynamics that enable SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL objectives to be achieved in Kenya and Somalia
• Promote SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL ethics and values
• Ensure that SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL Human Resource policies and procedures are applied (recruitment, performance reviews, etc.)
• Ensure a positive work-life balance for all SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL staff on the mission, including the maintenance of suitable working and living environments
• Manage the coordination team as well as staff s/he supervises directly

Security

• Be responsible for the security of all SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL team members and property on the mission, under the supervision of the HQ Desk Officer
• Monitor and analyze the security situation and ensure that teams clearly understand it
• Ensure every new arrival on the mission receives a geopolitical and security briefing
• Ensure that documents and procedures relating to security are regularly updated
• Ensure that everyone complies with security rules and procedures on the mission
• Ensure that a permanent security alert system is in place
• Deal immediately with any security incidents that may occur on the mission and communicate incidents immediate to HQ (Desk Manager or Director of Operations) using standard incident report

Relationships with financial donors / fund-raising

• Monitor and analyze financial donor strategies
• Actively lead fundraising efforts at field level in order to ensure the mission’s financial stability
• Strengthen relationships between SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL and financial donor representatives

Internal and external communication:

• Ensure that deadlines are adhered to and that documents produced by the mission are of good quality
• Ensure compliance with formats and procedures in internal reporting
• Organize coordination meetings on a regular basis
• Ensure that key operational information is circulated correctly, on the mission and between the mission and HQ

Representation:

• Act as the SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL official representative in the country, particularly inr interactions with Humanitarian actors, local political and administrative authorities, the civil society and the media.
• Ensure that SI is adequately represented in all relevant humanitarian forums and coordination meetings, and when appropriate, delegating representation duties to other SI team members in order to achieve this.

Profile sought:

Education:

• Relevant university degree, preferably in social sciences, political science, international relations and/or development or other relevant discipline.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of field experience with iNGOs with at least 2 years of field experience with iNGOs at a senior management position (Country Director, Programs Coordinator).
• At least 2 years’ experience of security management in insecure working environments
• Proven experience in fund raising and donor relations;
• Proven experience in managing large teams
• Proven experience in project cycle management (assessments, proposal drafting, reporting, , evaluation)
• Proven experience and ability to professionally and appropriately represent the organization and negotiate and defend SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL’s interests and neutrality with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Proven capacity in geopolitical analysis and strategic planning.
• Ideally previous experience with SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL’s (good knowledge of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL’s procedures).

Other skills and competences:

• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Strong analytical skills (qualitative and quantitative)
• Strong change management skills: reactivity and adaptation to a very dynamic contexts
• Resistant to stress
• Good understanding of various donor and UN agencies funding priorities and requirements
• Political and cultural awareness of the Somalia context
• Excellent communication and training skills
• Calm and diplomatic -Ability to motivate others to adopt new ideas and bring about change
• Natural ability to connect with other stakeholders and team members
• Strong capacity to work with initiative and without close supervision
• Good multi-tasking skills
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural team
• Ability to meet strict deadlines
• Good writing skills (English)

Key criteria:

• Senior management experience in insecure environments is essential
• Working knowledge of Somalia is not essential but it would be a big asset
• In terms of staff management and community relations in the Somali context, the candidate should display the ability to be diplomatic, patient, persistent and strategic in his/her communications. In other words, he/she should be a confident and clever communicator.
• Good knowledge of programs is not essential but it would be an important asset as coordination team capacity is sometimes stretched and HoM needs to help out sometimes
• Ability to work in restricted access operating environment (where there is a need to develop/use enhanced management and M&E ). It is not essential, but it would be a large asset
• Excellent representation skills; he/she needs to be a good networker as information is not well shared on Somalia and funding opportunities in Kenya often depend on being invited into consortia. In other words, the person should be outgoing and good with people, not an introvert or humanitarian fundamentalist!
• Experience in a “regional” style position. Ability to delegating day to day responsibility to focus on representation and fundraising while also having the ability to “switch on” and effectively monitor/support activities, finance, logs etc.
• Very comfortable communicating in English
• Essential: Very comfortable and effective working with a multicultural team

STATUS:

Salaried post: According to experience from 2100 euros gross per month, , plus 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly, and a monthly Per Diem of 700 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).

Languages:

• English: Fluent with excellent writing capacities; very comfortable communicating in English
• Working knowledge of French would be advantageous
• Working knowledge of Somali or Kiswahili would provide advantageous

DURATION OF THE MISSION:

12 months beginning 07/04/2013

CONTACT

Marie Beatrix Carrale

How to apply:

Please send your CV and cover letter.

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