Closing date: 02 Aug 2009 -- (CLOSED)
Location: Côte d'Ivoire - Abidjan
Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is looking for a Regional Director to our West Africa Programme. Our organisation presently has ongoing activities in Liberia, Guinea and Ivory Coast.
DRC West Africa
The overall strategic objective for the West Africa programme is to:
Support peace and stabilisation, and protect and promote durable solutions to conflict-affected population in Liberia, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Burkina Faso and other West African countries on the basis of humanitarian principles and fundamental rights.
More specifically the regional strategy points out three immediate objectives that guide DRC activities throughout the region:
- To strengthen resilience and build up livelihood assets and capacities among the conflict-affected population in DRC area of operation on the basis of their own resources and capacities.
- To strengthen local institutional and organisational capacities that can promote democratic, accountable and transparent governance conducive for the peaceful handling of conflict and promotion of recovery processes.
- To support that the conflict affected population in the DRC area of operation has safe access to meet subsistence needs in accordance with relevant standards and to strengthen local emergency response capabilities.
The regional office is located in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, with a sub-regional office in Monrovia, Liberia. Additionally, DRC has two field offices in Liberia, two in Ivory Coast and one in Guinea.
Danida, EC, World Bank, UNICEF, CERF and UNHCR currently fund our operations in West Africa along with private contributions. The majority of activities are presently within the sectors of a) Food Security and Agricultural Development, b) Conflict Prevention, Conflict Resolution and Cohesion Sociale, and lastly c) Income Generation. Other sectors are, however, also in play.
Presently 14 expatriates and approximately 350 local employees are employed.
DRC is looking for a person who has the ability to work within all three scenarios of a) acute crisis, b) displacement and c) durable solutions. However, as DRC West Africa is in the process of changing its funding base from early recovery to mid-long term development as well as entering into a new working area of mixed migration, much focus will be on the ability of taking charge of such course in order to sustain and develop DRC in West Africa.
Overall responsibility
External
- To take part of or active lead in NGO forums whenever relevant
- Co-ordinate with UN agencies and international organisations, other NGOs, donors, national authorities and regional mechanisms
- Promote durable solutions for displaced people within the region
- Handling of media and advocacy
Internal
- Lead the senior management team
- Take the lead in developing the strategy and strategic priorities for DRC West Africa
- To oversee development of the programme and support new projects
- Support the various field offices in programmatic issues related to daily work
- Oversee and facilitate co-ordination between all DRC projects in the region
- Facilitate quarterly management meetings
- Facilitate annual reviews and calibrate the Strategic Project Document (2009-2013)
- Ensure adherence to reporting requirements
- To further build up and enhance the monitoring and evaluation system in West Africa
- To write proposals
- Overall budget supervision and monitoring
- Overall responsible for security management
- Ensure adequate human resources level to the lift the various tasks
Personal competencies
- To be the right candidate you have a high level of service-mindedness as regards donors, beneficiaries, authorities, partners, staff and DRC HQ.
- You have perseverance, integrity and the courage of your own convictions. You know yourself well and trust in your ability to make the right decisions and choices. This, however, is balanced by maturity, open-mindedness, and readiness and ability to learn – also from your own mistakes.
- You are programmatically analytical.
- You have a dialogue-oriented approach towards staff and partners.
Professional competencies
- A minimum of 5 years of proven senior management experience positions in NGOs or UN, including being the manager of expats as well as locals
- Solid knowledge of UN system and working experience with its major agencies
- Experience with and proven ability to be operational in a flat organisational hierarchy
- A record of being structured and stringent with all reporting requirements
- Proven experience as being a good fundraiser and networker
- The ability to resource and manage the finance / admin units adequately – and to function as back-up for these units
- Fluency in French, written and oral
- Fluency in English, oral. High command of written English.
Further information
You are welcome to contact the Programme Co-ordinator Thomas Jacobsen, Thomas.jacobsen@drc.dk for further information about the position.
Please note that applications are not to be sent to Mr. Jacobsen. We only accept applications sent via our online application form at www.drc.dk/Vacancies/Regional Director - West Africa.
For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.dk
Conditions
Duty station: Abidjan, Ivory Coast with frequent travels to Liberia and Guinea
Contract: Non-family duty station. The contract period will be for a period of 12 months with the possibility of extension upon performance review.
Salary and conditions are in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council “Terms for Employment for Expatriates” (available at www.drc.dk under Vacancies). The position will be placed at salary level A2.
Commencement: Late September / start October 2009.
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private, independent, humanitarian organization working on all aspects of the refugee cause in more than twenty five countries throughout the world. The aim of DRC is to protect refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) against persecution and to promote durable solutions to the problems of forced migration, on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC works in accordance with the UN Conventions on Refugees and the Code of Conduct for the ICRC and NGOs in Disaster Relief.
The protection and assistance to conflict affected population is provided within a long-term, regional and rights-based approach in order to constitute a coherent and effective response to the challenges posed by today’s conflicts. Assistance consists of relief and other humanitarian aid, rehabilitation, support to return and repatriation as well as promotion of long-term solutions to displacement and its causes. In addition, support and capacity building of local and national authorities and NGOs form an integral part of DRC’s work.
Reference Code: RW_7TTD6Z-68
