Emergency Director – DRC

Concern Worldwide started working in DRC in 1994. Since that time we have grown into one of the leading humanitarian organisations operating in DRC through national rapid response, resilience, cash, WASH and nutrition programmes. DRC has been facing a protracted security and humanitarian crisis for 25 years. In May 2021, the government of DRC responded to increased activity by multiple armed groups in the east of the country, including high levels of violence towards civilian populations, by imposing a State of Emergency in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces. Over the course of 2023, however, ongoing conflict has forced the displacement of more than half a million people and humanitarian actors have observed a progressive deterioration in access to those in greatest need.

Concern Worldwide recognises the need to increase its emergency response capacity to effectively serve populations displaced by the ongoing conflict, mostly notably in North Kivu and as such is recruiting an Emergency Director to lead Concern’s teams in the effective positioning for, and implementation of high quality emergency response interventions.

About the role: This is a 12-month role with unaccompanied terms based in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (regular travel expected) with a salary of Grade 5 (€48,648 – €54,054**).**

You will report to the Country Director, and will line manage the emergency Programme Managers and their teams (cash and WASH). You will work closely with the Programme Director, Area Coordinators, Humanitarian Access advisers, Base Managers, sectoral advisers (WASH, Protection and Livelihoods) and Logistics Coordinator.

We would like you to start as soon as possible.

Your purpose: As Emergency Director (ED), you will provide leadership for the overall development, management and implementation of Concern’s rapid response interventions in DRC. You will ensure that emergency response, preparedness and recovery plans and activities for Concern DRC are implemented successfully and according to the respective project budgets and timeframes whilst meeting the highest standards of quality and accountability. You will work closely with colleagues to improve standards and procedures around emergency responses, ensuring the country team is well-positioned and prepared to respond effectively to rapid onset emergencies.

Concern is a member of SAFER, a consortium of five international INGOs implementing rapid responses to support households displaced by violence or natural disasters. As Emergency Director, you will lead the SAFER response for Concern in DRC and will be responsible for coordinating with the other four SAFER organisations plus the Consortium Coordination Unit to ensure our interventions are meeting the needs of vulnerable communities in Eastern Congo. You will also be responsible for positioning the organisation to respond to additional alerts via other funding modalities, and the development of Concern DRC’s expertise in rapid response more generally.

In this role, the Emergency Director will:

Coordination and Leadership:

• Provide operational leadership in the implementation of Concern emergency programmes, ensuring cohesion with Concern DRC’s country strategic plan.
• As the designated in-country focal point for emergency response, maintain familiarity with, and ensure adherence to Concern and international standards and tools.
• Work proactively to identify new alerts in coordination with other actors including OCHA and ensure that Concern is strategically and operationally well positioned to respond to rapid onset crises in North Kivu, Tanganyika and, where appropriate, other provinces in DRC.
• Coordinate Concern-led emergency assessments and participate in other relevant joint assessments as requested by the PD/Country Director.
• Ensure that Concern DRC’s internal mechanisms are optimised to support rapid response.
• Develop and maintain a strong network of key contacts with other INGOs, local partners, OCHA and other UN agencies in order to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication of activities.
• Participate actively in coordination meetings regarding responses to alerts.
• Develop and document lessons learnt and success stories, sharing information where appropriate and promoting good relations and collaboration with other actors.
• Develop strategies and plans that contribute to raising the profile of Concern as an expert organization in Eastern DRC.
• Work actively with partners and consortium members to develop, improve and harmonize tools for emergency programming.
• Participate in donor calls and meetings, preparing and presenting regular, informative project updates.

Programme Management, Quality and development

• Plan emergency responses in collaboration with Concern teams, ensuring clear follow up to recommendations from relevant assessments.
• Assist in the development of funding proposals in line with Concern DRC’s country strategy.
• Provide ongoing strategic input into the planning, implementation, technical development, monitoring and evaluation of Concern’s Rapid Response Programme in DRC, including SAFER.
• Support project launch and closure, collect and disseminate lessons learnt and support learning initiatives across all grants.
• In close collaboration with the Country Financial Controller and PD, develop accurate financial forecasting for emergency response interventions and monitor expenditure on current programmes, ensuring resources are optimised and spending is in line with Concern’s financial procedures and donor requirements.
• Ensure that programme implementation teams understand and adhere to donor strategy, donor guidelines, formats and processes
• Oversee procurement processes for emergency responses, coordinating closely with relevant departments.
• Ensure that donor proposals, budgets and reports are of high quality, up to date and delivered in a timely manner in accordance with Concern policies/procedures and donor requirements.
• Work closely with field teams to develop objectives, indicators and activities and clear monitoring frameworks (including, where appropriate, remote monitoring plans) for each project in collaboration with the M & E Manager and Programme Director.
• Ensure the mainstreaming of a gender-sensitive and protection-oriented approach across all programme activities, in particular those addressing complex and culturally sensitive topics (gender-based violence, transactional sex, sexually transmitted diseases) with groups of women, men, girls and boys.
• Conduct regular field visits to support programme teams and monitor programme implementation.

Security

• In collaboration with the Security Focal Group and Area Coordinator, undertake analysis of security incidents and trends in the zone(s) of intervention and surrounding areas, ensuring that line management is regularly briefed on the security situation and advise as necessary in relation to adaptation of work plans and movement plans as necessary.
• Participate in the revision of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and other security related duties when necessary.
• Support the program team in security and feasibility assessments for new areas of intervention.

Staff Management and Development:

• Manage the rapid response programme managers with particular emphasis on capacity building of staff through mentoring, training, and ensuring all staff have up to date job descriptions and Performance Development Reviews (PDR) as per policy.
• Identify project staff needs, ensuring that job descriptions are developed, properly qualified staff are recruited, inducted and trained as per the needs of the specific programme and the organisation more generally.
• Participate in the recruitment of the programme team staff, including through the preparation of job requisitions and job descriptions and participation in interviews and induction.
• Establish clear performance objectives for each of the reporting staff and conduct formal Performance and Development Reviews (PDRs).
• Build the capacity of the current team members on project management and relevant technical skills.

Other:

• Ensure team members are aware of core Concern policies and procedures relevant to their work, and with the support of others, carry out regular briefings on these policies, including the P4, security management, accountability etc.
• Contribute to the implementation of the aforementioned policies.
• Together with other project teams members, ensure HIV & AIDS, inequality and risk and vulnerability are analysed, mitigated against and responded to during the overall planning, implementation and management of the WASH project

Your skills and experience will include:

Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

• At least 5 years of experience in implementing multi sectoral programmes in a complex emergency context, with proven experience in all cycles of the project cycle.
• Experience managing cash-based interventions.
• Experience in external representation with authorities and partners.
• Good spoken and written French & English.
• A proven record of effective team and people management.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences, and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts.
• Excellent teamwork skills and the ability to build good relations both internally and externally.
• Experience of building capacity of internal and partner staff.
• Analytical and problem solving skills.
• Proven financial management skills.
• Commitment to Concern’s ethos and values.
• Sound IT skills, including Word and Excel.

We would also like:

• Experience in proposal and report writing.
• Familiarity with logistics, HR, Finance, and administrative processes of Concern.
• Understanding and experience of mainstreaming issues of gender equity, ethnicity and HIV and AIDS into project planning and implementation.
• Proven influencing and negotiating skills with internal and external audiences.
• Experience of working in Africa (or elsewhere under similar conditions).
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload, using initiative when appropriate.
• Ability to cope with stress; work under pressure often to strict deadlines.
• Facilitation and interpersonal skills.