Programme Support Officer - Danish Refugee Council

The PSO will report directly to the Country Director. S/he will be responsible for providing program and administrative support to the CD in Nairobi and senior management team in Somalia.

The PSO will provide comprehensive including drafting correspondences, recording minutes, organising meetings and representing DRC at meetings as necessary.

As required, the PSO will also assist with specified processes for program development by following up various actions and disseminating information to the Somalia team.

The PSO will also provide additional specified support for program implementation as requested.

Background

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997.

DRC aims at integrating its Somalia activities within a wider regional mixed migration programme, comprising the existing programmes in Kenya, Somalia (South Central, Puntland and Somaliland), Ethiopia and Yemen.

DRC Somalia programme operates within a regional framework (East Africa and the Horn) and incorporates three major components namely, long term community driven development, emergency urban/rural humanitarian interventions and protection/advocacy.

DRC Somalia implements both emergency and longer-term interventions targeted to the development of the economic and institutional capacities of selected communities in rural and semi-urban districts affected by displacement.

Internally displaced people, returnees and other groups who are living in settlements in abject poverty and with considerable protection gaps are assisted though emergency humanitarian interventions in water and sanitation as well as through livelihood and protection activities.

DRC advocates through traditional leaders for increased respect for international human rights, particularly for the increased respect of the rights of displaced people, refugees, migrants, women and children.

An integral part of the advocacy programme is conflict resolution between disputing clans through traditional mechanisms.

Key Responsibilities

a) Senior Management Support

• Ensure timely and accurate execution of the day-to-day managerial support requirements of the Country Director and senior management team by ensuring meetings are attended, handling information requests, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, scheduling meetings, etc.
• Support DRC Somalia senior management in coordinating activities, such as conferences, trainings, quarterly and programme meetings, field visits, international travel, internally and externally organized workshops. This role will also include taking meeting notes for those meetings/workshops attended, preparation of materials for quarterly and programmatic meetings, and compilation and distribution of meeting minutes and relevant information.
• Maintain master calendar for DRC Somalia.
• Communicate with external partners, donors and visitors as advised by the CD
• Organising and coordinating visits by donors, regional teams or Headquarters.
• Provide support as required in reviewing correspondence, assisting with recruitment processes, and other administrative actions
• Liaise regularly with staff in other departments, field offices, consultants, and other external contacts to ensure effective information flow and timely actions.
• Maintain an effective filing system to include key correspondences, organisation/project reports, financial information and other relevant documents.
• Responsible for day-to-day project correspondence, information sharing and filing, ensuring that appropriate follow-up actions are taken for the Country Director.
• Maintain records and track the status of the senior management action items.

b) Programme Support

• Support new programme development processes as directed by the CD or Programme Director. With support from PD, play a support role in new project inception processes that involves ensuring work plans/budgets; office, staffing etc are in place for project start-up activities.
• Under the direction of the CD, perform liaison services on behalf of DRC to donors, Government Officials, other relevant partners and government agencies (e.g. UN, NGOs, etc.)
• Represent DRC in programme coordination meetings with other development partners, UN agencies etc in the absence of the CD, PD or technical coordinators.
• Develop talking points and background and briefing materials for meetings, conferences, publicity, advocacy and fundraising for DRC Somalia in collaboration with regional communications advisor.
• Work with the PD to ensure that the annual projects work plans and budgets are finalised approved for all the projects.
• Work with PD to ensure that all key programme documentation is filed and easily accessible.
• Provide the programme support required to the PD to organise the organizational wide annual work planning process and the internal project/organization programme reviews and evaluations.
• As directed, undertake research and prepare written briefings for CD on topical issues related to program development.
• In collaboration with PD, support project coordination as may be requested.
• Perform other duties as determined by the CD.

Reporting Arrangements

The post holder reports to the Country Director - Somalia

Required Qualifications

• University Degree or similar qualifications desirable, Masters Degree preferred.
• Minimum four (4) years office, administrative and programme management experience.
• Excellent written and spoken English is essential
• Demonstrated ability to manage processes and maintain accurate records.
• Ability to work independently and to maintain flexibility in working hours.
• Energetic and flexible with high sense of responsibility and excellent organisational, planning and time management skills
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate tasks to meet deadlines.
• Good interpersonal skills; ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with counterparts.
• Ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively orally.
• High level of integrity and able to maintain strictest of confidentiality
• High competence in handling situations with tact and diplomacy
• Ability and willingness to travel to field sites as needed
• Good command of computer programs and applications with significant capabilities in computerized database and spreadsheet construction, and their practical application.

Conditions

Availability: 1 July 2012

Duty station: Nairobi with travel to the field to field programmes throughout Somalia.

Contract: One year contract with possibility of extension. Terms and conditions in accordance with DRC terms for National staff in Kenya.

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.dk

General Commitments

DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability committments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework (http://www.drc.dk/HAF.4265.0.html)

Application Process

Applicants should send a 1-page cover letter that clearly states how they are qualified, and why they are interested in the post, together with their CV (not longer than 4 pages) to: drcjobs@drchoa.org

Please indicate “Programme Support Officer” as the subject heading.

The deadline for applications is May 13, 2012.

We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, irrespective of age, nationality, race, gender or age.