Cameroon: Emergency Team Leader/ Environmental Health Coordinator

Sep 3, 2018 | International Rescue Committee
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Requisition ID: req2635

Job Title: Emergency Team Leader / Environmental Health Coordinator

Sector: Environmental Health

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full-Time

Location: Cameroon

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been present in Cameroon since January 2016 when the organization launched an assessment in response to increasing concerns for people affected by violence linked to Boko Haram.  In March 2016, IRC opened a field office in Maroua in the Far North, delivering lifesaving programming to increase access to water and improving hygiene practices in vulnerable displaced and host communities.  Soon after the IRC launched unconditional cash programming to enable poor families to meet basic needs and improve food security, further expanding programming into GBV prevention, service provision and case management.  With funds from Global Affairs Canada, SIDA, SV and OFDA, the IRC has a multi-year strategic plan in place to meet the needs of a growing number of increasingly vulnerable displaced and host families. 

Based on the recent Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, IRC is expanding its intervention in this zone to provide humanitarian assistance to affected communities. The initial IRC programming response will focus on WASH and NFI.

JOB OVERVIEW: 

The main objectives of the role include building the capacity of national staff and partners involved in the implementation, design, development, and management of Environmental Health (EH) projects of IRC Cameroon through ongoing contextual analysis. In line with IRC's emphasis on integrated programming, the EH coordinator will work with coordinators from other sectors to actively pursue integrated programming opportunities and ensure timely, effective, and efficient implementation of the program as well as high quality of all components of the sector. As Emergency team leader / EH Coordinator s/he will report to the Deputy Director of Operations.

The Emergency team Leader / EH Coordinator will lead IRCs response in the North West and South West of Cameroon and will be responsible for overall field coordination, program support, and field office management working in collaboration with the country program Sector Coordinators, Finance Controller, Grant Manager, Deputy Director of Operations and the Country Director. As field coordinator s/he will report directly to the Deputy Director of Operations and is responsible for overall program quality and the direct oversight and quality of the core support services: Administration, Human Resources, Supply Chain and Finance. As the IRC’s most senior representative in the field, the Emergency Team leader / EH Coordinator must bring a senior leadership profile with a proven track record in managing programs. The successful candidate will be confident, eloquent and organized, able to represent IRC to partners including beneficiaries and donors as well as handle sensitive, complex issues in a diplomatic way that puts the needs of beneficiaries first.  

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership and Coordination

  • Ensure leadership and strategic direction to the emergency response, in coordination with the Deputy Director of Operations
  • Establish adequate systems of coordination with external stakeholders (bilateral or otherwise), including but not limited to OCHA, INGOs, NGOs, UN agencies and local administrative authorities, while representing IRC policies, promoting long-term strategy, and problem/conflict resolution
  • Actively participate in external coordination meetings including NGO coordination and sectoral groups, serving as the IRC focal point and ensuring sharing of information internally with the country program

Program Quality

  • Provide advice, technical support, and leadership to the EH team in the emergency response in line with international best practices and IRC policy.
  • Monitor, evaluate and revise programs to improve program implementation and quality
  • Based on evaluations and strategy, develop technical proposals and budgets to enable the programs involved to respond to the needs of affected communities
  • Actively contribute to the strategic planning process for the EH , NFI sector and work collaboratively with management and other IRC program areas
  • Participate in intersectoral evaluations, including analysis and planning
  • Ensure timely and compliant completion of EH activities
  • Ensure adherence of the EH program to local and international standards, including Sphere and other recognized standards.
  • With support from program teams, ensuring accountability to beneficiaries, sensitivity, and gender inclusion are adequately addressed in IRC programs
  • Develop technical plans and approaches for all EH activities
  • Complete reports regularly, document results, and maintain detailed records, sharing with key stakeholders within the country program

Staff Management and Development

  • Ensure effective, open communication and professional relationships among team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing follow-up and support to enable staff to perform successfully in their positions.
  • Ensure timely completion and quality of timesheet, work plans, leave, and staff training/development activities.
  • Participate in the recruitment of staff according to the authorized organization chart.
  • Assume responsibility to speak with staff regularly regarding their performance, expectations, and objectives
  • Adhere to global and national employment policies.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reports

  • Select and implement an appropriate monitoring and evaluation system; analysis of results to ensure and improve the effectiveness and quality of programs
  • Regularly monitor the performance of the partners to achieve the established objectives of the project; provide technical support and advice;
  • Prepare and submit quality donor reports in line with the internally agreed timelines
  • Responsible for collecting and analyzing data for WASH indicators according to the plans put in place

Field Office, team and  Security management

  • Oversee day-to-day implementation of all programs in the field site, providing constructive supervision to the program managers to implement, monitor, and evaluate work plans including monitoring & evaluation mechanisms 
  • Work closely and coordinate with IRC's supply chain, finance and grant staff to ensure program activities and expenditures are processed on time, including active participation in opening/closing meetings and reviews.
  • Provide supervision and leadership to the field site’s finance and supply chain teams. 
  • Review and ensure timely submission of monthly departmental and field base reports from the field site as required. 
  • Provide direct supervision to the field site’s HR lead, ensuring recruitment, staff orientation, and payroll preparation, leave management and exit management processes are carried out timely and in line with relevant policies and procedures. 
  • In close collaboration with relevant Technical Coordinator(s), lead the field-based teams in the development of new proposals and initiatives for the field site,
  • Participate in the development of budgets for program proposals in conjunction with the grants and finance departments. 

Humanitarian Access and Security Management

  • Act as IRCs Security Focal Point for the field site.
  • Monitor the Anglophone zone security situation, attend security meetings and inform the country director and SMT where appropriate, of developments through submission of accurate weekly and –where needed- ad-hoc security and incident reports. 
  • Liaise with community leaders and other external parties to maintain/improve the security environment for IRC programs
  • Participate in the review and update of the country Security Management Plan, ensuring the development, roll out and adhesion to field specific Contingency Plan, Evacuation Plans and SOPs. 
  • Ensure all staff in the field site know, understand and respect IRC security regulations

Other

• Any other tasks assigned by the supervisor

KEY RELATIONSHIPS: 

Position Reports to: Deputy Director- Operations  

Position directly supervises: EH Managers, M&E, finance, supply chain and HR staff

Other Internal and/or external contacts

Internal:  Sector Coordinators, Finance, HR and Supply Chain Departments; EH TA.

External: local and international NGOs, UN Agencies, coordinating bodies, sector group leads, local administrative authorities

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Master's degree (or equivalent experience) in engineering, environmental science or public health (MPH) or related discipline; specialization in Water, sanitation and hygiene preferred
  • A minimum of 5-10 years of professional experience in the management of water, sanitation and hygiene promotion projects in emergency and development contexts
  • At least 5 years of international humanitarian management experience, ideally in Africa, including field base management and/or supervision of program support services (administration, finance, supply chain and security).
  • Ability to think strategically and solve daily problems at the same time.
  • Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
  • Demonstrated systems and process analysis skills and experience in developing strong monitoring and evaluation systems.
  • Strong management skills, project planning, budget management and reporting, and monitoring and evaluation
  • Excellent understanding of environmental health issues in emergencies and knowledge of emergencies standard (Sphere)
  • Strong oral and written communication skills, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment and effective in representation and liaison. Able to plan, prioritize and manage multiple tasks under pressure and deliver tangible benefits to a team
  • Knowledge and / or experience in conflict management, protection, or other related discipline
  • Excellent professional approach, enhanced skills and proven ability to build staff capacity
  • Proficiency in English
  • Excellent computer skills: MS Word, Excel; AutoCAD and preferred GIS
  • Pidgin English local language knowledge a plus

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: 

Housing: The Emergency Team Leader / EH Coordinator will be based in Buea with travel to Yaoundé.  Accommodation is shared with other international staff in a guesthouse with a private bedroom with electricity, internet and cable TV.

Security: Buea is security level orange and the IRC has a curfew in place. The situation is calm though there remains a risk of terrorist attack and kidnap.  

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

This is an unaccompanied position.