Program Manager in Syria for Swedish Red Cross

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The Swedish Red Cross is part of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, the world’s largest humanitarian network. The Red Cross/Red Crescent is working to improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters and emergencies. We support people whoever they are, wherever they are.

As one of the 192 National Societies in the Movement, the Swedish Red Cross contributes towards emergency response in various ways ranging from technical to financial support. For example in 2023 we support with food, shelter, health care, water and sanitation to people in need. We are bound by the Red Cross/Red Crescent fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

If you want to contribute, please apply to the Swedish Red Cross today!

Title: Programme Manager
Place of assignment: Damascus, Syria
Type of posting: International Delegate, non-family posting
Desired starting date: As soon as possible
Contract period: 12 months, with the possibility of extension

Background

Swedish Red Cross (SRC) works in partnership with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) and the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Syria branch. Since September 2019, a Country Representative has been posted in the country. The programme portfolio currently focuses on sustained access to primary health care, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services and livelihoods support to vulnerable communities across Syria, including internally displaced people, host communities and Palestinian refugees. SRC aims at systematically mainstreaming the cross-cutting issues of Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA), Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) and Green Response into the programme. The SRC supports its partners in several processes and working groups and collaborates with various Red Cross and Red Crescent movement partners present in Syria.

Your role in the organisation

As the Programme Managern Syria for the Swedish Red Cross, you are part of the MENA AP unit reporting to the Regional Head of Unit, who is based in Stockholm. The Programme Manager will be based in Damascus, Syria, and be part of the SRC in-country team which is led by the SRC Country representative who is responsible for the SRC portfolio in Syria. You will guide, coach and train staff in the host national society to ensure sustainability and ownership of the programming, while conducting proper monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the programme to ensure compliance with plans and regulations.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Responsible for supporting SARC and PRCS-S in managing and coordinating activities of program implementation, including planning, monitoring, reporting and evaluation as well as financial monitoring to ensure that donor requirements are met during program implementation
• With SARC and PRCS-S counterparts, jointly conduct regular field visits to operational sites, identifying and helping to solve any critical challenges/issues faced in the programme
• Responsible for coordinating requested technical support from SRC to SARC and PRCS-S within the programme
• Overall responsible for Sida HUM 2023-2026 programme with an overall focus on MHPSS and health as well as SRC’s part (as co-lead) of the ECHO project with a specific focus on Green Response and solar panels

Project management, incl. financial management

• Be responsible for project reporting (narrative and financial), including donor reporting and any other reports that may be required.
• Monitor the project to ensure quality and timely implementation.
• Lead procurement of project evaluations.
• Ensure adequate financial management of the project, including financial monitoring, budgeting, etc.

Technical support and capacity building

• Support SARC, together with the SRC Health Delegate, in planning, assessments, implementation, monitoring, evaluations and reporting of the SRC supported projects, including financial and narrative reporting.
• Work closely together with SRC Health Delegateto build SARC capacity and successfully deliver the project.

Compliance and risk management

• Conduct spot checks together with SRC controllers and the SRC regional finance coordinator based in Beirut to ensure project compliance with procedures, processes and regulations.
• Monitor risk log to ensure adequate measures are in place to reduce risks related to corruption, compliance, etc.

  Representation, relationship and communication

• Represent the SRC with donors (SIDA, Swedish Embassy, etc.) as agreed with the SRC Country Representative;
• Represent the SRC with the SARC and with the RCRC Movement partners as well as externally as requested & agreed with the SRC Country Representative;
• Organize and participate to field visits as requested;
• Liaise with the SRC HQ as needed and required;
• Your profile

  The position demands that you are constructive, flexible and solution oriented. You need to be analytical and able to develop project proposals and reports. You need to be systematic and structured, with the ability to handle high workloads. You meet deadlines and can work with an elevated level of independence in culturally diverse environments. You are also able to travel to remote locations.

  As a successful candidate you have solid interpersonal and communication skills, are team oriented and able to positively interact with all levels of society. You have demonstrated experiences of holding similar responsibilities as outlined above.

  As an SRC employee, you share the Red Cross Red Crescent humanitarian values including diversity and actively work against all forms of discrimination. You understand, respect and comply with the SRC Code of Conduct and security rules and regulations.

  Required qualifications and experience

• Academic degree (3-5 years of full-time study) in a relevant field
• Relevant working experience from positions in the humanitarian and/or development cooperation sector holding similar responsibilities
• Documented experience of project/programme cycle management (PMER, budget and financial Management, proposal writing, training and coaching of staff and volunteers)
• International humanitarian field experience, preferably in the MENA region
• Documented experience of working in contexts with high security risks (conflicts and/or complex emergencies)
• Proficient knowledge of written and spoken English
  Desired qualifications
• Experience of working or volunteering within the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Movement;
• Experience working Sida and EU/ECHO funded projects;
• Experience from one or several of the following fields is an asset, protection, gender and inclusion, community engagement and accountability, health disaster risk reduction, volunteer management, resource mobilization, green response, financial sustainability
• Understanding of the current political, social and humanitarian situation of the region
• Additional languages are a strong asset (Arabic and Swedish).
• Other Requirements
• In line with the principle of neutrality, SRC does not assign personnel to a country of which they are nationals
• Relevant security training for work in a high-risk environment (HEAT or equivalent)
• Candidates must be in good health and are required to pass a medical check-up prior to departure to the duty station
• Candidates must hold a manual driving license and have experience in driving manual transmission vehicles

  The recruitment process

  Please note that only applications made through our website will be considered.

  For more information about the position, please contact Gabriel Karlsson, Country Representative Syria, International Department: gabriel.karlsson@redcross.se

  The closing date is 2 July 2023. Our process includes cognitive and administrative tests, interviews, background checks and references. Please note that the recruitment process will only commence once the deadline for application has passed, and interviews to be conducted between 5th – 13th July.

  Candidates who are selected for roles with the Swedish Red Cross undergo a background check before an offer of employment is given. As the Swedish Red Cross is part of the Inter-Agency Scheme for the Disclosure of Safeguarding-related Misconduct, one of the three references given must be from the candidate`s current or most recent employer. Final candidates will also be screened against EU and UN sanction lists.

  We kindly decline any offer of services from recruitment agencies or consultants.