Solidarités International is a French 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 150 expatriates and 1500 local managerial staff and employees. Solidarités International is currently present in Africa (Burundi, Central African Republic, Southern Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Liberia, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Zimbabwe), in Asia (Afghanistan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar) and in Haiti.
CONTEXT OF INTERVENTION
Since the signing of the CPA in 2005, South Sudan has functioned with a semi-autonomous government (GoSS) and military force (SPLA). The implementation of the CPA has been marked by a difficult relationship between NCP and SPLM , who are the sole signatories and guarantors of the agreement. General elections took place in April 2010 and were marked by accusations of rigging, intimidation and violence, although declared successful by the governments of the north and south. And contentious issues plagued the CPA implementation centring on border demarcation, disputed census results and integrated North-South military deployments. The election itself was an important milestone for the GoSS leading up to the January Referendum, despite election outcomes causing localised armed conflict in two different states. The final objective of the CPA was the January 2011 Referendum vote, which confirmed the South’s desire to become and independent nation. The South will officially secede from North Sudan in July 2011, becoming the youngest nation in the world.
Juba, the capital of South Sudan, has changed significantly since the CPA was signed. The town has undergone a profound transition from a landlocked garrison town to an important economic centre close to Uganda and Kenya, as one of the main states in the sub region. Managing the transition from such a low baseline is an enormous challenge for the new and inexperienced GoSS among many other priorities in the 9 other states of the South. Progress is being made but the challenges of rebuilding Juba to address the needs of the local populations remain many.
In Juba, the process is more about integration for the very first time than proper re-integration. The issue for the people living in Juba (refugees, returnees and IDPs) is to establish relationships and trust between each other, accepting differences in behaviours and ways of life. If left unsupported, these processes could take a very long time and could lead to tensions with the marginalization of certain groups. For return and reintegration to be sustainable, strengthening rural and urban livelihoods and economic development must be urgently addressed.
OUTLINE OF POSITION
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.
TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Programme Development: - Guide the development, alongside the Deputy Head of Mission (DHoM), of the annual Strategic Programming document according to the security context, the humanitarian situation analysis, and the capacity of the organisation - Ensure all programmes fall within the framework of the Strategic Programming document - Coordinate programme activities with national authorities, UN agencies, and other international organisations - Provide guidance on programme development; review draft concepts and proposal documents for field validation before submission to HQ - Develop and maintain contact with INGOs, donors, UN agencies and local authorities
Programme Quality Management: - Ensure high-quality implementation of projects within specific time frames - Ensure optimal use of financial, human and logistics resources - Ensure the preparation of regular reports for HQ, donor agencies and partners - Oversee the management of grants and assure timely grant reporting that clearly addresses the stated goals and objectives and relates expenditure to activities - Directly supervise the Financial and Administrative Coordinator to ensure that all accounting and financial reporting requirements are respected - Facilitate all audits and follow up on all audit recommendations
Representation, Coordination and Donor Relations: - Responsible for fundraising for all future programmes in South Sudan - Represent SI and participate in the NGO Forum, humanitarian coordination forums, relevant Clusters, donor meetings, etc. - Maintain close relationships with donor representatives, sharing information and ensuring SI’s priorities and strategy are well known
Communication and Capacity-Building: - Ensure that proper channels of communication are maintained and respected inside the mission and between the mission and 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 authorization from HQ for all new grants and contracts, international staff hiring and promotions 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 - Lead the country coordination team through regular coordination meetings, ensure strong technical support, and supervise proposal/report drafts - Participate in the selection of new staff in collaboration with HQ - Conduct and monitor regular staff evaluations, follow-ups, job description updates, and standard procedures for 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: In collaboration with Field Coordinators and Logistics Coordinator, the HoM has the overall responsibility for the safety and security of all SI personnel employed in the country. - Cooperate with the UN and any other relevant agencies/partners to gather and analyse updated information on security issues - Ensure the development of a relevant security information network across the country - Develop and implement security policies - Conduct regular discussions to identify and determine approaches to address staff stress levels and sense of personal security
CANDIDATE PROFILE
- Masters’ degree or equivalent in law, political science, international organization management or project management or a relevant field
- Fluent English (written, spoken and read)
- Minimum of 3 years of experience developing and managing sustainable relief programmes (conflict and post-conflict settings), with specific skills in strategic planning, assessment, programme design and development, and monitoring and evaluation
- Proven experience working in countries in political transition and insecure environments
- Significant knowledge and experience of grant writing and management for major institutional donors, including: OFDA/USAID, ECHO, DFID, UN Agencies (IOM, UNICEF, FAO, WFP, UNJLC, etc) and pooled funding mechanisms, such as CHF
- Ability, acquired through experience, to professionally and appropriately represent the organisation and negotiate and defend SI’s interests with a diverse range of government officials, departments and ministries, civil society organisations, and other international organisations
- Significant experience of building and supervising large and culturally diverse teams of expatriate and national staff
- Excellent communication, organisational and prioritisation skills and the ability to multi-task and support and/or fill multiple positions at one time
- Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work both independently and cooperatively with team members
CONDITIONS
Salaried post: from 2100 euros gross per month, according to experience.
Solidarités International will cover accommodation and travel expenses from the expatriate’s home country to the site of the assignment. A monthly Per Diem of 500 USD will be provided to cover food and other living expenses.
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 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 15-day period after six months spent on the mission (Solidarités will cover travel costs).
DURATION : 12 months, beginning as soon as possible.
Please send us a CV and cover letter, either through our website or via the following link: https://emea2.recruitmentplatform.com/syndicated/private/syd_apply.cfm?I....
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