Department: Regional Coordination
Position: Deputy Country Director Contract duration: 6 months (Renewable) Location: Khartoum, Sudan Starting Date ASAP
I. Background on ACTED
ACTED is an independent international, private, non-partisan and non-profit organization that operates according to principles of strict neutrality, political and religious impartiality, and non discrimination.
ACTED was created in 1993 to support populations affected by the conflict in Afghanistan. Based in Paris, France, ACTED now operates in 30 countries worldwide, with over 200 international and 4000 national staff. ACTED has a 100 million € budget for over 350 projects spanning 8 sectors of intervention; including emergency relief, food security, health promotion, economic development, education & training, microfinance, local governance & institutional support, and cultural promotion. For more information, please visit our website at www.acted.org.
II. Country Profile
Capital Office : Khartoum National Staff : 125 (average May 2011) Areas : 2 (Western Darfur, Southern Darfur) On-going programmes : 10 Budget : 4.2 M
In 2005, ACTED began work in West Darfur. The objective was to respond to the humanitarian crisis through the rehabilitation of road networks and the promotion of water access and sanitation. In 2010, ACTED’s mission in Sudan focused on ensuring emergency access to basic services, while also supporting early recovery and rehabilitation in both Darfur and South Sudan. In the Darfur region, ACTED continued to provide emergency water, sanitation and hygiene support in camp areas for internally displaced populations. The organization also expanded its support to vulnerable local communities in rural parts of West Darfur. In South Sudan, ACTED expanded its efforts to ensure access to basic services, such as water and sanitation services, and supported local efforts to increase agricultural production and food security in underserved areas. Sudan is undergoing historic changes. With the formal separation of the South on 9 July, 2011 will be a critical year for recovery and development throughout the country. With high needs and new opportunities for collaboration with a burgeoning government and private sector, ACTED is expanding significantly its intervention in South Sudan.
III. Position Profile
The Deputy Country Director (DCD) is the second most senior ACTED staff member at country-level. In close partnership with the Country Director, the DCD is responsible for the coordination of operational and program aspects of the mission. This includes the direct management of:
I. Operational aspects: (a) all FLAT processes; (b) national and international human resources; (c) ACTED’s assets and property in the country; (d) compliance to relevant national legislation; (e) compliance to ACTED’s safety and security procedures;
II. Program aspects: (a) coordination of reporting and external communication;
(b) project follow up and management; (c) coordination of internal reporting and communication; (d) coordination of Appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation unit.
The DCD works under the close supervision of the Country Director. All functions listed below are shared with the Country Director. It is therefore essential that the DCD coordinates his/her functions with the Country Director on a regular basis
A. OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS
In his/her Operational Functions, the Deputy Country Director ensures that the mission is compliant to relevant ACTED procedures and processes as well as to relevant national legislation.
- Management of all FLAT processes
1.1 Coordination and direct management of FLAT department managers: - Supervise all FLAT department managers through regular interaction; With the CD, conduct regular appraisals of FLAT managers. - Organisation and chairing of regular (weekly) FLAT meetings with Finance, Logistics, Administration HR and Audit managers
1.2 Ensure full compliance to ACTED’s FLAT procedures - Ensure that all FLAT staff is trained and is fully aware of FLAT procedures; - Ensure that all global FLAT procedures and processes are fully respected in all ACTED bases / areas of intervention; - Ensure that all internal and external Audit recommendations are followed -
1.3 Supervision of ACTED’s FLAT processes - Regularly monitor financial reports (BFUs, TITANIC, etc) to ensure that expenses are conducted on a timely basis; - Ensure that costs/budgets are allocated according to actual price and need; - Ensure a regular/efficient interaction between FLAT and program depts (notably through the regular updating of the PMF); - In partnership with the Regional Audit Team, coordinate the work of the country internal auditor
Note: Should s/he become aware of any risk to ACTED’s operations in the country, the DCD is responsible and liable for disclosing it immediately to ACTED senior management (HQ and Region) in written and verbal form.
- Management of national and international human resources
2.1 International staff management - Ensure that upon arrival in the country all international staff receive a welcome package, a detailed briefing of his/her job and its context, and a security briefing ; - Ensure that all international staff is appraised by their line managers within one month of arrival and every 6 months thereafter; - Meet each international staff on a regularly basis (should be monthly) to provide them with the opportunity to express their concerns/needs/plans to coordination. Provide feedback to CD and HQ HR after such meetings; - Provide international staff follow up to HQ on a regular basis.
2.2 National staff management - Develop and regularly update national HR guidelines that are based on the ACTED global ones and take in consideration and are fully compliant to the relevant national legal framework. - Ensure that all national staff is appraised at least twice a year and counter-sign appraisals for all staff above at grid level A, B and C
- Develop and regularly update a strategy for continuous training and professional development of all staff. In particular: (1) ensure a regular follow up of all regional staff in the country; identify and build the capacity of a pool of promising national staff.
Note: For their long term sustainability and success, ACTED relies on the development of its staff. The DCD will be directly responsible for ensuring this.
- Management of ACTED’s assets and property
3.1 Ensuring that mission assets enable efficient implementation of operations - Regularly monitor the state of all assets to ensure that they correspond to the mission’s needs and security/safety guidelines; - Participate in budgeting exercises to ensure that we provide for asset addition/replacement (as and when needed)
3.2 Ensure regular maintenance of assets - Develop, regularly update and closely supervise a maintenance schedule for all assets - Supervise the contracting of maintenance services - With logistics, closely follow up the Asset follow up report
3.3 IT functions - Supervise IT manager/officers and/or external maintenance companies for IT (including the regular updating of antivirus systems) - Ensure that every office has a functioning and used server, according to ACTED’s server mapping standards
3.4 Guest House and Office management - Ensure that all ACTED offices in the country provide a professional working environment, as specified in ACTED’s logistics guidelines - Ensure that all ACTED GHs provide a comfortable place for staff to relax after work, meeting their needs in as far as possible - Ensure that GHs and offices are regularly cleaned, maintained and (for GHs) that food is of a good quality)
Note: ACTED’s assets and properties form the backbone of our operations. It is essential that the DCD is directly (in coordination with relevant FLAT depts) responsible for their supervision, in order to improve the efficiency of the mission and reduce safety hazards.
- Ensure compliance to relevant national legislation
4.1 Ensuring that our procedures and practices correspond to legal requirements - Draft and update appropriate national HR guidelines; - Ensure that we pay our tax obligations as necessary.
4.2 Identify/maintain regular contact with a legal expert - Establish/follow up a contractual relation with a specialised national lawyer (as relevant) - Link with lawyer whenever needed Note: ACTED is bound by the national legislation of the country where it intervenes. It is the responsibility for the DCD to ensure that (1) s/he is fully aware of the relevant legal framework (2) s/he immediately discloses any risk related to ACTED’s legal positions to senior management.
- Ensuring Compliance to ACTED’s safety and security procedures
5.1 Ensure that security and safety procedures are regularly updated and shared with staff - In coordination with the security manager and CD, regularly update security, safety and evacuation guidelines; - Develop/regularly update a security/safety training package for all staff. - Make sure that all staff are trained on our security/safety procedures upon arrival and every 3 months thereafter
5.2 Ensure that staff respects security and safety procedures - Take relevant disciplinary action should staff not abide by security and safety procedures - Be opened to receive suggestions and feedback on security/safety procedures from all staff
B. PROGRAMMATIC FUNCTIONS
In his/her Programmatic Functions, the Deputy Country Director ensures that the mission’s ongoing and planned projects are relevant to the context and in line with contractual obligations with our donors.
- Coordination of reporting and external communication
1.1 Ensure that ACTED is aware of funding opportunities and strategies of major stakeholders: - Be familiar with all major stakeholder country and regional strategies (including all major donors) and identify synergies with ACTED’s operations; - Regularly monitor relevant donor websites for funding opportunities.
1.2 Supervise the submission of proposals to donors - Ensure that ACTED applies to all relevant funding opportunities in-country; - Coordinate the workplan for proposal drafting, linking to all relevant depts (FLAT, program, AMEU and Reporting) - Ensure that all applications are relevant to contextual needs, donor requirements as well as ACTED’s operational capacity and strategy; - Ensure that proposals are drafted in a professional manner.
1.3 Ensure that ACTED regularly updates and produces visibility material - Develop and follow up visibility requirements of donors; - Ensure that in addition, ACTED promotes in-country visibility action such as leaflets/brochures, strategy papers, assessment/sectoral reports; newsletter, etc - Link with HQ and RCO regarding regular contributions to ACTED websites and newsletters
1.4 Participate in external meetings following as instructed by CD - Attend NGO/UN/govt coordination meetings; - Link regularly with other humanitarian actors. In particular, follow up any partnerships with other NGOs - When relevant and following instructions by CD, participate in meetings with donors.
Note: External relations (especially with donors) remain the prime responsibility fo the CD. The CDC should only participate in external meetings when and after being instructed by the CD or (in his absence) by the Regional Director.
- Project follow up and management
2.1 Regular follow up of all projects - Ensure that the project cycle is followed for each project, including kick-off meetings, drafting of PMF, appraisals, implementation of activities, mid and end-term evaluations; - Review all PMFs once a month and make sure that they are reported to RCO and HQ; - Conduct regular visits to ongoing project sites -
2.2 Direct management of national program managers and technical specialists - Draft TORs and conduct regular appraisals - Be in regular contact and receive/review regular reports - Ensure that relevant technical specifications / standards are being respected
- Coordination of internal reporting and communication
3.1 Organisation and supervision of regular coordination meetings - Prepare and (in absence of the CD) chair country-level monthly coordination meetings; - Ensure that weekly area meetings are organised in each area and review minutes
3.2 Ensure regular internal reporting - Receive and (with CD) review Monthly Area Reports - Receive and review monthly reports form all Program Managers and Technical Advisers - Receive and review the PMF on a monthly basis
- Coordination of AMEU
4.1 Supervision of AMEU within country - Ensure that AMEU plans are made for each project and program of intervention; - Organise regular meetings with the AMEU coordinator to update on the dept’s progress; - Review all AMEU assmt reports and ensure that each report is followed up by concrete action from the assessed program/area team; - Ensure that the country has a functioning MIS/database system; - Develop the country GIS capacity; - Develop a Resource Centre in line with AMEU guidelines
4.3 Link with regional AMEU - Ensure that all AMEU reports are provided to RCO - Regularly link with RCO for capitalisation of lessons learnt and best practices
IV. Qualifications:
• Postgraduate diploma in International Development and (or) relevant Master’s level degree (anthropology, development studies, humanitarian aid, sociology); • Fluency in written and spoken English • Strong writing abilities and analytical skills • Skills in political sciences or international relations • Ability to work efficiently under pressure • Previous experience in the humanitarian field, proposals development, and donor relations are required • Previous experience abroad is required
V. Conditions:
• Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus • Additional monthly living allowance • Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse • Transportation costs covered, + luggage allowance • Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance
VI. Submission of applications:
Please send, in English, your cover letter, CV, and three references to jobs@acted.org Ref : DCD/SU/RW
ACTED Att: Human Resources Department 33, rue Godot de Mauroy 75009 Paris FRANCE
Fax. + 33 (0) 1 42 65 33 46
For more information, visit us at http://www.acted.org
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