Deputy Country Coordinator

BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH

REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two International NGOs (IMPACT Initiatives and ACTED) and the United Nations Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT). REACH’s purpose is to promote and facilitate the development of information products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision making and planning capacity for emergency, reconstruction and development contexts. REACH facilitates information management for aid actors through three complementary services: (a) need and situation assessments facilitated by REACH teams; (b) situation analysis using satellite imagery; (c) provision of related database and (web)-mapping facilities and expertise.

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organisation manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative. The IMPACT team comprises specialists in data collection, management and analysis and GIS. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of ACTED, an international NGO whose headquarter is based in Paris and is present in thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support on its fields of intervention.

We are currently looking for a Deputy Country Coordinator to oversee our team in Kenya/Somalia.

Position: Deputy Country Coordinator

Contract duration:12 months

Location: Mogadishu

Starting Date: ASAP

COUNTRY PROFILE

Somalia has been experiencing a multi-layered, complex, and protracted crisis over the past three decades, in particular, due to periodic disasters and climate-driven shocks, such as droughts and flooding. This has led to much internal displacement resulting in large IDP populations in urban areas. IMPACT began working in Somalia in 2012 in order to fill information gaps and provide timely data on the humanitarian needs of displaced and vulnerable populations. The compound and complex nature of the crisis continues to influence displacement patterns and constrain the availability of resources, while the presence of armed groups severely impedes the level of access and support provided by humanitarian actors.

In 2016 REACH was deployed in Kenya and has since then been providing information on the needs and intentions of host communities and refugees residing in the Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps. Beyond the multi-sectoral focused work, IMPACT has become the go-to partner of the Kenya and Somali Cash Consortia, covering the post-distribution monitoring in a variety of contexts and multi-purpose cash programs.

Currently, the Horn of Africa is experiencing effects of the El Nino flooding, following five consecutive failed rainy seasons. The drought last year and current flooding are compounding existing food insecurity among both pastoral and farming populations, and needs are spiking across the region.

FUNCTIONS

Under the management of IMPACT’s Country Coordinator in Nairobi, the Deputy Country Coordinator is responsible for representing IMPACT and managing and developing IMPACT’s programs in Kenya and Somalia. He/she leads the IMPACT team to achieve program excellence and ensure the highest level of impact and accountability, while ensuring compliance to IMPACT guidelines, policies and standards across the mission. She/he will promote organizational vision and core values across the mission and will actively link with HQ to contribute to the implementation of IMPACT’s global strategies.

The Deputy Country Coordinator will be hosted by ACTED and will fall under the direct responsibility of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates for all Administrative, Security, Logistics and Finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide by ACTED’s Security, HR, Administration and Logistics rules and regulations, and, in coordination with ACTED, will ensure that all IMPACT staff abide by them.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Deputy Country Coordinator responsibilities include the following:

PROGRAMME PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

1. Provide technical oversight to all mission research cycles, advising on research techniques, ensuring quality, and adhering to IMPACT global research standards.
2. Ensure that all IMPACT programs are aligned with IMPACT global and country strategies, are conducted in coordination with and, when relevant, undergo the validation by IMPACT HQ, and are planned in line with relevant project objectives and with IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines/standards.
3. Supervise all stages of program implementation, any progress and delays, receiving regular updates from team members providing inputs when required.
4. Maintain regular link with ACTED (as relevant) to facilitate the provision of logistic, administrative and security support to facilitate program implementation, as well as ensuring that IMPACT teams comply to ACTED’s security and other relevant FLAT regulations during program implementation.

STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION

1. Context analysis: Ensure IMPACT has an up-to-date understanding of the aid/humanitarian situation, the impact of a crisis and the aid/humanitarian planning, coordination and response mechanisms, as well as key aid/humanitarian stakeholders in Kenya and Somalia.
2. Support the CC in the development of a detailed mission strategy for IMPACT (specifically the strategic objectives related to Kenya and Somalia). Oversee the implementation of this strategy and take a lead role in identifying strategic opportunities for strengthening IMPACT’s work in the his/her countries.
3. Lead, with the Research Managers, on unit strategies and opportunities appropriate to IMPACT’s mission strategy and areas of opportunity and value added to the humanitarian context.

FUNDRAISING

1. In close coordination with the Programme Development & Grants Officer, the different Research Managers, IMPACT HQ and in consultation with ACTED country teams, the DCC will engage and approach donors to identify funding to support IMPACT’s programs (including, as relevant, REACH, PANDA and, with ACTED, AGORA).
2. Oversee project proposal conceptualization (problem statement, logframe, budget/contract design…) within the framework of the country, regional and global strategy, review with ACTED and/or other relevant country partners as relevant, and submit proposal to HQ Grant Management Unit for validation.

KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND LEARNING PROCESS

1. Ensure the application of the M&E framework for each program, in line with IMPACT’s M&E guidelines.
2. Ensure learning and knowledge is shared across units and country programmes.
3. Ensure timely dissemination of products and datasets are shared with key stakeholders in the response, as well as current/future donors and partners.

PROJECT CYCLE MANAGEMENT

1. Grant Management: Monitor output achievement and ensure a timely completion of projects. Ensure that contractual obligations are met in terms of deliverables as well as narrative and financial reporting requirements.
2. Finance Management: Support Research Managers to accurately share with the Senior Finance Officer budget expenditure tracking and forecasting to anticipate financial risks and avoid under/over spending on programmatic lines in close coordination with the Senior Finance Officer, the Country Coordinator, PD and Grants officer and (as relevant) with the IMPACT Finance Control Unit and ACTED PD and finance departments.
3. Assets and IT Management: Ensure proper asset management in collaboration with the Senior FLATs Officer and ACTED logistics and IT departments.

TEAM MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

1. Leadership: Provides leadership across the mission, as well as within the Regional Senior Management Team.
2. Staff Management: Directly line manage and support the capacity building and technical growth of the Research Managers in Somalia and Kenya. Ensure that all staff understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities. Ensure that all staff have clear and regularly updated TORs, workplans and Key Performance Indicators against which their performance will be appraised. Promote team building, productivity and staff welfare. Mentor and support the team to build capacities, and improve efficiency and performance, and follow career management of international and national staff working in IMPACT programs.
3. Unit Model: In close collaboration with the Country Coordinator ensure, organizational units are established within overall mission and regional set-up. Ensure all staff within a given a unit is provided clarity on their roles and responsibilities.
4. Administration and HR management: Ensure timely recruitment of staff working in IMPACT programs (in coordination with ACTED where relevant) and contribute to international staff recruitment upon HQ identification; proactively adapt the staffing structure to needs and funding. Ensure timely attendance sheets, leave plans, as well as exit forms for departing staff.

INTERNAL COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION

1. Internal communication: Facilitate internal communication within the team and information sharing for a positive working environment. Foster an environment for learning and growth, while providing high level technical oversight and understanding of the context. Contribute to the regional Monthly Coordination Report. Ensure that any risk to IMPACT programming, projects or staff is as soon as possible communicated to and understood by Country Coordinator and relevant HQ head of departments. Be mindful and cognizant of staff welfare living in hardship locations and communicate regularly with the Country Coordinator on the status of individual and group wellbeing.
2. Coordination with ACTED: Regularly coordinate with ACTED’s Mogadishu-based Senior Management Team through weekly meetings. Ensure regular coordination with ACTED’s Project Development, Finance and other FLAT departments at all stages of project development and implementation, including donor discussions, participation in project kick off and lessons learnt meetings, joint drafting of monthly internal updates (BFU, RFUs, allocation tables, etc), and drafting of donor reports or amendment requests. Ensure compliance of all staff to ACTED FLAT, HR and security procedures. Stay abreast of the Security context in Somalia, with regular communication channels to the Acted Country Security Manager and the IMPACT Country Coordinator.

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

1. Establish, maintain and improve active and regular working relationships with coordination and aid decision-making forums (clusters, sectors, working groups, NGO forum, HCT, etc), UN agencies, donors, NGOs, consortia, academia, etc. Ensure that IMPACT and its programs are well understood by key aid stakeholders and that potential partnership options have been explored when relevant. This responsibility will be vital in Mogadishu where the majority of the Somalia Aid Coordination is centralised.
2. Capitalize and strengthen relationships with key IMPACT global partners at country level; ensure any issues that may impact on global partnerships are communicated to and understood by IMPACT directors.

DISSEMINATION OF PRODUCTS AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

1. Support the Research Managers and Assessment Officers in the dissemination of research/program products/outputs, including through in country presentations, website articles, journal articles, IMPACT social media contents, targeted e-mails, meetings, etc, in line with IMPACT Dissemination and External Communication guidelines;
2. Support IMPACT HQ in global-level dissemination related to the country mission, including through provision of updated information for website and social media, organization/attendance to HQ level events, briefings and panel discussions;

ACCOUNTABILITY TO COMMUNITIES AND BENEFICIARIES

The staff member is responsible for ensuring that all relations with the communities we work are conducted in a respectful and consultative manner. Due attention must be paid to ensuring that communities are adequately consulted and informed about IMPACT’s programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every IMPACT staff member.

DATA CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION

The IMPACT DCC will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes. He/she will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of any information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners, or collected during his/her assignment with IMPACT.

REQUIREMENTS

• Academic Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar)
• Management experience Previous experience in a senior management role in a INGO at field level . Proven track record in successful management of international and national teams in humanitarian contexts
• Research skills: Excellent research and analytical skills an asset. Experience in assessments. M&E, field research, evaluations an asset.
• Familiarity aid system Familiarity with the aid system, and the research community;
• Communication/reporting skills Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting, including proven experience in contributing to high level presentations/briefings.
• Years of work experience At least 5 years of relevant working experience or proven progression within IMPACT
• Software skills: Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Familiarity with R, SPSS and/or STATA or other statistical analysis software an asset
• Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles in complex environment;
• Level of independence A self-starter with a proven ability to work independently;
• Cross-cultural work environment Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility and excellent interpersonal skills;
• Experience in geographical region Past experience in the region is desirable;
• Language skills Fluency in English required;
• Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment

CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• For this position, salary between 3’500 CHF and 3’700 CHF monthly (before income tax), etc as well as a monthly living allowance of 500 USD NB – IMPACT salaries are strictly determined by our salary grid depending on the grade of the position and the level of education of staff. A location-dependent security and/or isolation adjustment is then applied as a recognition that some staff are required to work in difficult places where living and working conditions are much more difficult than elsewhere.
• Accommodation and food provided in a guesthouse.
• Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance.
• Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and professional expenses are fully covered).
• R&R after 2-3 months (flight ticket up to 500$ + 200$ of living allowance) if duty station allows
• Contribution to the luggage transportation: between 20 and 100 kgs, depending on the length of the contract (+ luggage and personal property insurance)
• Annual leave of 36 days per year. Public holidays of the country of assignment. Family/compassionate leave when applicable.
• Predeparture induction – 3 days at IMPACT Initiatives’s HQ in Geneva + one week pre-departure training in ACTED HQ in Paris, including a 4-days in situ security training;
• IMPACT prioritizes the psychological safety of its staff and the health insurance provided covers, among others, up to 1000 € per year of psychosocial counselling fees.