Country Director - Ethiopia/Djibouti | ReliefWeb

Background

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) invites applications for the position as Country Director (CD) for our Ethiopia/Djibouti operation.

DRC has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. Using a human rights framework, the DRC Horn and Africa and Ethiopia/Djibouti (HOAY) operation focuses mainly on Somalis who are affected by displacement, but also oversees programmes for internally displaced in Kenya, Ethiopia/Djibouti, Somalia and Yemen. The HOAY Regional office also supports non-operational initiatives, focusing on mixed migration issues, civil society engagement, and advocacy and policy influencing on displacement related issues

The Ethiopia/Djibouti operation falls under the HOAY Regional Office based in Nairobi. There are currently over 100 staff working in the Ethiopia/Djibouti programme in seven programme offices with three new project offices expected to open in Djibouti in 2015. Current programme sectors include protection, food security, WASH, shelter and NFI, livelihoods and social cohesion.

Purpose

DRC strives to be one of the absolute leading displacement focused INGOs in the Ethiopia/Djibouti region in terms of relevance, impact and quality. Currently focus is shifting from emergency programming to an increased pursuance of durable solutions and sustainable livelihood strategies for the displaced population as well as building better strategic, programmatic and operational coherence and synergy across the wider Ethiopia/Djibouti region.

In close collaboration with the Regional Director; other CD Colleagues and senior programme staff and advisors, the incumbent’s prime objectives will be to provide leadership and strategic management with a view to position DRC as the leading INGO in Ethiopia/Djibouti on protection and promotion of durable solutions; oversee the strengthening of DRC’s programme development, quality and accountability framework and be a proactive partner in the wider regional strategic and programme development process.

The CD supervises the senior management team for Ethiopia/Djibouti including the Deputy Country Director, Head of Finance and Administration, and area managers. A close working relationship will be maintained with the regional senior management team; the regional support team and Country Directors in Somalia, Yemen and Kenya. The CD for Ethiopia/Djibouti reports to the DRC Regional Director.

The desired candidate is expected to have senior level management experience and a demonstrable successful track record of organizational development and resource mobilization. He or she must also be able to conceptualize and articulate DRC vision and have the strong oral and written communication skill required to translate the vision into action.

Experience and understanding of refugee and displacement issues is an advantage and ideally the candidate will have a good understanding of the region and/or from other similar migrant and protection situations.

Key Responsibilities

Direct managerial oversight and support:

Ensure that the Senior Manager team (SMT) and Area Managers (AMs) have clear and realistic performance based management goals. Tasks include:

Direct line management of the SMT, AMs,, and programme support team;

Support Area Managers to establish good management support for their teams;

Provide on-going support and coaching, and ensure that staff has the necessary capacity to fulfil their responsibilities.

Strategic Leadership:

To provide strategic leadership, guidance and mentorship to the SMT

Lead all strategic processes at Addis level

Encourage learning and reflective thinking

Coordinate inclusive and participatory decision making

Programme Strategy:

To develop and update the Ethiopia/Djibouti programme strategy, within DRC’s overall regional and global strategic frameworks. Tasks include:

Ensuring staff understand the regional and global frameworks,

Leading a consultative process for local strategy development,

Leading Ethiopia/Djibouti wide annual programme portfolio analyses,

Playing key role in fundraising and donor contract management.

Quality and Accountability:

To be responsible for ensuring that programmes comply with the organisational quality and accountability commitments. Tasks include:

Ensure that the Operations and Programme Handbooks are utilized throughout DRC’s field offices,

Lead process of developing and updating local Humanitarian Accountability Framework and Quality Management System,

Promote accountability concepts and practices.

Human Resource management:

Provide strategic leadership for Human Resources management

Ensure Fair and consistent application of human resource management

Guide organisational structure and development

Provide leadership in talent management and ensure staff morale and development are prioritized

Safety and Security:

To hold overall responsibility for ensuring that DRC’s Ethiopia/Djibouti programme is delivered in a safe and secure manner. Tasks include:

Working with DRC’s Regional Security Advisor and Ethiopia/Djibouti/Yemen Safety Coordinator to ensure that all DRC HoA security management protocols and procedures are updated, made locally relevant and applied consistently,

To be overall responsible for ensuring security analyses is being done collectively and regularly,

Ensuring compliance with risk mitigation against corruption, fraud and diversion.

Representation, Coordination and Stakeholder management:

To ensure that DRC maintains excellent and productive relations with all key stakeholders, especially beneficiaries, local authorities, the humanitarian community and donors. Tasks include:

Representing DRC at relevant and senior forums/ meetings,

Ensuring other staff are appropriately representing DRC at relevant forums/ meetings,

Maintaining agreed profile of DRC at country level,

Conducting regular stakeholder analyses to ensure that DRC has good understanding of dynamics/ relationships,

Engaging in, and where effective, leading coordination processes amongst key stakeholders.

Advocacy and communication:

To lead the Ethiopia/Djibouti team’s advocacy in all DRC’s key messages. Tasks include:

With Regional Office to prepare and implement a Ethiopia/Djibouti wide advocacy and communication strategy,

Guiding staff to advocate clearly, appropriately and strategically.

Financial accountability:

Ensure that the different programmes deliver financial accountability. Tasks include:

Playing an active and coordinating role in linking finance teams with the Regional finance teams, and financial management itself,

Ensuring that financial systems are followed by FOs and that financial reports submitted are accurate,

Ensuring the finance and programme teams have a productive engagement.

Qualifications

Essential:

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field


• At least five years management experience, as head or senior member of humanitarian or development programme/organisation


• Good communicator and proven diplomacy with all types of stakeholders


• Proven commitment to accountable practices and knowledgeable of quality assurance systems


• Hands on experience in managing staff in insecure locations and strong human resource management skills in general


• Experience of managing budgets and multiple donor contracts


• Experience in donor contact, fundraising and networking


• Fluency in spoken and written English required

Preferable:

• Proficiency in French language skills highly preferred


• Experienced with conflict related displacement issues


• Experience of humanitarian advocacy


• DRC encourages all qualified candidates to apply, irrespective of nationality, race, gender or age.

Conditions

Availability: 1 May 2015

Duty station: Addis Ababa with frequent travel to programme locations within Ethiopia/Djibouti

Duration: One year with possibility of extension, subject to funding.

Contract: This is a Family Duty post. Salary, benefits and other conditions are offered in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates at Grade A4; please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies. For National candidates, the National staff salary scale and benefits package provides a competitive salary.

Further information

For more information about the position, please contact the Regional Director, Ms Heather Amstutz at h.amstutz@drchoa.org or HQ HOAY Head of Support Unit, Mr. Malthe Mulvad at malthe.mulvad@drc.dk. For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.dk.

Commitments

DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability commitments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework.