AREA MANAGER

JOB PURPOSE: Lead and manage the Oxfam Syria team working in the eastern hub, overseeing programs and support. This includes representation, partnerships management, and coordination with all external stakeholders, designing the right projects, ensuring quality implementation and outcomes of ongoing projects, and identifying and seeking opportunities for early recovery and humanitarian interventions. The Area Manager leads the whole team with a fully functional base to deliver a program in an effective and efficient way.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

General

• Oversee the quality implementation of Oxfam’s program in respective hub (usually multiple governorates from one field office);
• Represent Oxfam at the governorate level. Establish and maintain working and collaborative relationships with relevant stakeholders in these two governorates, this includes governorate and district authorities, local organizations and communities, contractors, and international organizations. Secure their continuous support for Oxfam’s work in the governorate, by ensuring effective communication about Oxfam and its work, including Oxfam’s overall purpose and goals as well as specific program objectives in the area;
• Participate in relevant external coordination meetings including those called for by governorate authorities, UN/OCHA, or other relevant stakeholders;
• Take overall responsibility for the implementation of Oxfam’s Country Strategy (OCS) in the respective hub. This includes a) the implementation of project grants; b) the identification of opportunities for further humanitarian interventions; c) regular consultations with Oxfam country office managers for initiatives that contribute to the implementation of the OCS;
• Supervise the work of Team Leaders and other senior staff at the hub
• Continuously evaluate developments on the ground as related to humanitarian and recovery needs and advise the country office on needed humanitarian interventions;
• Ensure regular communication with Oxfam country office in Damascus in order to ensure head office is informed in a timely manner of significant new developments on the ground that affect/may affect program implementation

Project design, implementation and partnerships management

• Overall responsibility for quality implementation of project grants at hub level
• Ensure all Team Leaders are fully familiar and understand the objectives, logframe and budgets of the project proposals they are responsible for implementing;
• Support field department heads at hub level in developing project work plans and budgets based on planned project outputs and results. Oversee their implementation;
• Support Team Leaders and other senior staff in proactively identifying and managing potential obstacles and risks to project implementation and in taking initiatives to mitigate these;
• Support Team Leaders in coordinating with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team to track performance monitoring analysis and adjust implementation accordingly; in cooperation with the MEAL department identify and synthesis best practices and lessons learned. Ensure these are shared with head office and that senior field staff incorporates these in further implementation;
• Support the Team Leaders in monitoring, procurement, delivery and/or installation of project materials and services;
• Ensure all projects are implemented according to both Oxfam’s and donors’ requirements;
• Ensure project staff implements activities according to global humanitarian minimum standards and best practice, among which Core Humanitarian Standards, Sphere standards, Charter for Change;
• Perform biweekly visits to projects site in order to track implementation.
• Manage partnerships and ensure proper coordination to deliver the program.
• Lead regular needs assessment in the hub area to define priorities and design program
• Lead proposal design with support of the funding team, advisers and Program Coordinator
• Lead partnership management at the hub level
• Provide the direction and exploration on early recovery and resilience program at hub level

Finance, procurement, logistics, and administration:

• Ensure that Oxfam’s financial and procurement policies are strictly adhered to. Work in collaboration with Oxfam Damascus country office to ensure proper and timely finance and procurement processes;
• Support department heads at the hub level in developing and updating monthly budget spending plans based on planned activities and in cooperation with the finance department;
• Support Team Leaders in taking immediate remedial steps in case of over or under-spending;
• Ensure all logistics are in place to facilitate project implementation;
• Supervise requests for procurement orders.
• Safeguard the budget and manage financial risks
• Ensure right work environment and safe workplace

Human Resource:

• Ensure that Oxfam Syria Human Resources policies are correctly implemented;
• Ensure a proper overview of staffing needs overall project grants;
• In coordination with Oxfam HR department at the country office in Damascus, hire support staff required for the field office;
• Ensure all program staff have a good understanding of the project’s objectives, the logical framework and budget of the project they are hired under;
• In cooperation with the Human Resource department at country office and department heads, ensure hired staff are properly trained in Oxfam basic standards (safeguarding, gender, protection,code of conduct), in humanitarian standards, and as may otherwise be required to perform their tasks;
• Support the field team to achieve objectives through ongoing support and regular meetings, including discussions on progress against objectives/implementation plan, providing feedback and encouragement;
• Identify and propose professional and personal development of staff;
• Perform performance appraisal of staff directly supervised according to Oxfam standards.

Reporting, documentation, relationships management and donor engagement

• In coordination Team leaders, advisers, funding team and Program Coordinator ensure timely and quality preparation and submission of Oxfam and donor narrative and financial reports. This includes Oxfam internal monthly reports, weekly sit-reps and reports of external meetings;
• Report any incident that must be brought to Oxfam’s attention (e.g. security, accountability, safeguarding, code of conduct, external interference);
• Collaborate with the MEAL and comms team to document project implementation through photographs, videos or blogs; – facilitate access of communications staff to field locations; and provide other materials and information that supports Oxfam’s strategic communications.
• Strictly adhere to Oxfam’s data protection standards for beneficiaries, partners and staff in regard to data collected for project purposes.
• With the support of senior management team and funding team; support on donor engagement and hosting donor visits.
• Leads the relationships management and coordination at his/her office and represents Oxfam.

Security management and new emergencies

• Fully adhere to Oxfam security protocols and procedures and ensure that all staff do so;
• Contribute to ongoing security management and planning as necessary;
• Report any incident that must be brought to Oxfam’s attention (e.g. security, accountability, safeguarding, code of conduct, external interference).
• Regularly assess hub areas and inform the Program Coordinator to prioritize humanitarian programming.
• Roll out a preparedness plan and ensure capacity to respond ‘emergency in an emergency’. Where necessary, ready to be deployed for new emergencies in other areas of the country

ESSENTIAL

• Sound judgement
• Listening
• Decisiveness
• Self-Awareness

In addition:

• 5 years’ experience of emergency and development work, and an understanding of relevant issues fitting the country and regional context.
• A proven record of effective and complex management in a humanitarian response including managing budgets, staff and funding of the programme. This is to include excellent people management skills, with a good understanding of team development and proven financial management skills.
• First degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (preferably economics, politics, sociology, humanities) or substantial experience.
• Proven ability to work creatively, innovatively and effectively with limited direct supervision.
• Proven experience as a team worker and demonstrably co-operative with members of other teams.
• Familiar with and abide by the NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct, the People in Aid Code, Oxfam International procedures and other regulatory codes (e.g. InterAction Field Co-operation Protocol).
• Commitment to humanitarian principles and action.

Thinking and understanding:

• Good understanding of community emergency issues, with experience of or ability to work directly with local NGOs or communities in the following issues: livelihoods; water and sanitation; protection / gender and of how this may link to Oxfam’s objectives within the programme and in the region, as well as in the use of impact assessment to inform programme development choices.
• Proven analytical skills and ability to think strategically for programme design and to implement the approach.

Working effectively with others:

• High level interpersonal and communications skills.
• Fluency in spoken and written English.
• Ability to influence and liaise effectively with key stakeholders, such as military, local authorities, etc

Leading others:

• Proven evidence of leadership skills including challenging, motivating and developing a team through periods of change.
• Ability to work with others to develop vision into strategy and communicate and influence this to a wider audience.
• Ability to create the environment to enable others to achieve their objectives and to be able to develop their skills and abilities

Desirable.

• Knowledge of Syria context in terms of its political, economic, and social trends plus a good understanding of the key development and humanitarian issues in the region
• Experience of managing the field office/s in complex safety and security environment.