JobsEmergency Team Leader – South Sudan - Reuters AlertNet

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is looking for an experienced Team Leader with overall responsibility for the implementation of DRC’s programs in Maban County Upper Nile State. 

The Team Leader will be part of DRC and DDG South Sudan’s Senior Management Team whilst at the same time reporting directly to the DRC Head of Programmes.

Background

The Danish Refugee Council has been in South Sudan since 2004 mainly working with returning refugees and internally displaced persons returning home after a long civil war. In 2012, DRC opened its operations in Upper Nile State (Maban County) to respond to the large influx of refugees coming from Blue Nile State in Sudan. DRC’s programmes in Maban county consists of 4 main areas:  Camp management in Doro camp and Yusuf Batil camp, in total 80.000 refugees.  The camp management programme includes also shelter, community services, livelihoods, and distribution non-food items. Protection, including GBV and conflict mitigation, in all four refugee camps in Maban County.  Logistics: Vehicle workshop to carry out repair and maintenance for vehicles, trucks, generators. Host Community Recovery is a new programmatic focus starting in 2013 to support host communities in an integrated approach including livelihoods support, protection and infrastructure development.

In 2012 DRC in South Sudan merged with the Danish Demining Group bringing together DRC’s protection activities and DDG’s AVR (armed violence reduction) activities as well as humanitarian mine action.

DRC’s main donors in Maban are UNHCR, Danida, and BPRM.  The Team Leader will be leading a team of 17 international staff and 130 national staff.

DRC is a rights-based organization and a member of the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) and therefore committed to documenting our accountability to the beneficiary population and the impact of our activities. DRC adopts a community-based approach, where beneficiaries and local authorities are included in the prioritizing, planning and implementation of activities as an important measure of rehabilitation and capacity building.

Duties and responsibilities

Reporting to the DRC Head of Programmes, the Team Leader has overall responsibility for the implementation of DRC’s projects in Maban County. The Team Leader is the direct supervisor of the Doro Camp Manager, Batil Camp Manager, Protection Manager, Workshop Manager, Logistics Officer, and Host Community Recovery Manager and Finance Manager.  Specific responsibilities include:

Management

• Oversight of camp management programs, protection programs, vehicle workshop programs, shelter, livelihoods and host community recovery programs
• Oversight of logistics, administration, human resources, finances
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the country operation through participation in strategy planning meetings and developing strategic documents.
• Overall responsible for managing the office in Maban, including the overall financial budgeting and expenditures, staff management, administrative issues, security, logistics and other aspects pertaining to running of DRC offices, and adhering to DRC rules and guidelines
• Assess staff capacity and provide/recommend training and coaching to increase technical skills for improved project implementation as necessary.

Programmes

• Responsible for the programmatic and organizational development of DRC Maban operations
• Prepare for emergency response in case of additional large-scale influx of refugees or transfer from existing sites.
• Ensure synergy between different programmatic units, including a coherent camp management approach across the two camps under DRC’s leadership and a strong integration with between protection, SGBV, livelihoods, shelter, community services, and camp management activities
• Continuously monitor programme quality and develop relevant accountability initiatives in the field as well as strengthen the effort to document the impact of activities and DRC presence.

Finance, Administration, Human Resources, Logistics

• Ensure that adequate staffing is in place, including an appropriate gender balance, and that all staff are trained on skills and values required, with particular attention to accountability, respectful dialogue with the refugees, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Ensure that the organizations’ financial, logistics, security and human resources policies and procedures are fully implemented

Coordination

• Coordination and good collaboration with all actors involved, including local partners and authorities, as well as other donors and humanitarian actors in the area
• Represent DRC and DDG in the area of operation

Monitoring and Reporting

• Accounting for progress toward project objectives and the overall goals of DRC and DDG in Maban County
• Ensure that timely narrative and financial reports are provided to the Head of Programme
• Responsibility for preparing outgoing public reports in close collaboration with the DRC Head of  Programme

Staff Safety

• Ensure that appropriate information regarding security in the area is collected and shared
• Security planning, including development and regular updating of security and evacuation plans and measures for the area, as well as implementation of contingency plan
• Take appropriate action in case of security incidents, e.g. medical evacuations, in consultation with the Country Director and the Staff Safety Advisor

Fundraising

• As the majority of the fundraising is done locally, the Team Leader will, under the leadership of the Country Director and Head of Program, take part in applying for funding and broadening of the funding base for DRC Maban County
• Hosting regular donor and diplomatic missions to Maban County.

Qualifications

• At least 8 years’ proven and successful track record of project management experience
• Direct experience and/or broad knowledge of themes relevant to conflict-affected or post-conflict countries, and specific operational experience with Emergency Response and Community Driven Development or Community Based Development programming
• Ability to work effectively as an integral part of multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural team and to work with a wide range of government and civil society counterparts, and other partners
• Experience with budget management, navigating financial systems and payments, and contracts management
• Experience familiarity with systems and concepts for monitoring and evaluating project performance 
• Post-graduate degree in Political/Social Sciences, Management, Economics, International Development or equivalent
• Demonstrated experience delivering programs to tight deadlines
• Fluency in written and spoken English with excellent writing skills is essential
• Excellent human resource management skills, interpersonal skills, cross-cultural communication and ease in managing a multi-ethnic team

Desirable:

• Demonstrated ability for rapid analysis of very complex issues, strong decision-making, and translation of programmatic learning and priorities into operational strategies
• Knowledge of local governance in post-conflict contexts, and of gender and inclusion strategies
• Prior experience in South Sudan a plus
• Self-motivated and able to work with a minimum of guidance
• Very strong computer skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook)

We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, irrespective of nationality, race, gender or age.

Conditions

Availability: 1. March 2013

Duty Station: Maban

Contract: One-year contract with possibility of extension. Salary and other terms are in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment. The position will be placed at salary level 7.

Further Information: You are welcome to contact Head of Desk for South Sudan, Anders Engberg, telephone: +45 3373 5023, for additional information about the position. For additional information about DRC DDG as an organization or our work, please visit our website www.drc.dk

Application and CV

Only applications with CV and application letter that address the stipulated duties and responsibilities and meet the required qualifications will be considered. Applicants should send a 1 page cover letter that clearly states how they are qualified, and why they are interested in the post, together with their CV (not longer than 4 pages).

We only accept applications sent online on www.drc.dk under Vacancies > Current vacancies > Ermergency Team Leader – South Sudan (Click on the vacancy, then on “Apply” at the bottom of the window that opens).  

The deadline for applications is 28. January 2013. 

Please note: Applications are not to be sent to Mr. Engberg. Applications sent to Mr. Engberg will not be considered.