Regional Representative for Eastern and Southern Africa

Goal of the position:

The Regional Representative represents COOPI in the coordination and support of all COOPI interventions in the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office, ensuring that COOPI mission and vision is respected in the Countries’ strategy and in the implementation of the programs’ activities.

Report to: COOPI Director at Head Quarters – Milano

Duty station: Nairobi (main office)

Starting date: ASAP

Contract Length: 12 months renewable – desirable availability of at least 24 months

The Regional Representative must demonstrate professional and personal skills directly related to his tasks and responsibilities, including technical qualifications, supervisory skills, relevant academic background and demonstrated experience in African countries and in difficult/problematic operating environment.

The Regional Representative will be responsible for overseeing the technical and management expertise present on the field, liaising with the governmental institutions, the donors and other key stakeholders, fulfilling the principal responsibilities as outlined below.

Terms of reference

Strategic Planning

Collaboration with Head Quarters Offices to define the regional strategy and the related operational plans for the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office;
Continuous monitoring/supervision of implementation of the strategies and the operational plans in the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office.

Institutional relationships

He/she represents COOPI with the Institutions (local and international) and the donors in the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office, in collaboration with the Head of missions of each country (if present);
He/she develops and enhance the relationship with Institutions (local and international), donors and international and local NGOs present in the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office.

Donors Identification

He/she identifies directly, in collaboration with the Head of missions (if presents) and with Head Quarters offices, new donors and partnerships in the geographical area of competence.

Financial management

He/she supports and supervises, in collaboration with the regional administrator, the Head of missions (if present) or the local administrators of the countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office, as well as the preparation of the annual budget, analysis of costs, share costs and subsequent revisions;
He/she supervises, in collaboration with the regional administrator, the projects’ and coordination’s financial management in the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office.

PROJECTS’ PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

In coordination with Head Quarters Offices, he/she collaborates with the Head of missions (if present) in the elaboration of the strategies and annual planning for the submission of projects, and supervises their implementation for the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office.
He/she coordinates the elaboration and designing of new proposals, and ensures the preparation of the documentation needed for the submission of the same, in collaboration with Head Quarters offices.
He/she ensures the right application of donors’ procedures and contracts/grants and the compliance.
He/she revises directly, and/or in collaboration with the Regional Administrators, the projects’ reports (narrative and financial), and ensures the timely sending of the same to the donors, and the monitoring documentation requested by the Head Quarters.
In collaboration with Head Quarters offices, he/she evaluates the results achieved by the projects’ activities implementation, and modifies strategies and activities according to the needs.

Human resources management

In coordination with the Human Resource Office at Head Quarters level, and together with the Head of missions (if present), he/she recruits expatriate staff, discusses the conditions of contract and their approval and follow up.
He/she evaluates the performance of the expatriate and local staff under his/her supervision.

Visibility and communication

In collaboration with the Head Quarters office for Communication and Fundraising, he/she coordinates the visibility and the communication activities in the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office;
In collaboration with the Head of missions (if present), or directly, he/she organizes and supervises the visibility activities and the communication initiatives in the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office;
He/she is the focal point for the Head Quarters office for Communication and Fundraising for the visibility and communication activities implemented in Italy for the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office;
Together with the Head Quarters office for Communication and Fundraising, he/she evaluates the impact of the related activities.

Projects’ Monitoring and evaluation

In collaboration with Head Quarters Office, he/she plans the monitoring tools and the evaluation activities;
He/she ensures the supervision of the implementation of monitoring tools;
Together with Head Quarters offices, he/she evaluates the results of monitoring and evaluation activities, and modifies strategies/activities according to the needs.

COOPI rules supervision

He/she defines/updates COOPI internal rules for the Countries under East and Southern Africa Coordination Office, and ensures/ supervises their implementation.

Acquirement/purchasing procedure

He/she ensures that the acquirement and purchase procedures are rightly implemented, according to donors’ compliance and COOPI requirements.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

University degree, or other relevant academic background with particular focus in International Relations, Cooperation and Development, Humanitarian Management and Emergency;
At least 10 years working experience as Head of Mission / Coordinator and Programs manager;
Previous experience in HR Management;
Previous experience in COOPI overseas will be an asset;
Previous experience in Eastern and Southern Africa Countries will be an asset;
Proactive aptitude in terms of planning and coordination with different bodies, Institutions and local authorities;
Excellent leadership skills, aimed at managing and motivating a multicultural team;
Positive ability to bear stressful and complicated situations;
Diplomatic and confidentiality skills;
Target oriented and problem solving aptitude;
Good knowledge and use of the English and French Language, both written and spoken;
Knowledge of the Italian Language will be an asset;
Previous experiences in project writing and management;
Good report writing skills;
Good administrative skills;
Stress Management