South Sudan: Area Coordinator

Oct 22, 2017 | Concern Worldwide
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Concern Worldwide is an international humanitarian organisation dedicated to tackling poverty and suffering in the world’s poorest countries. Concern works in partnership with the very poorest people in these countries, directly enabling them to improve their lives, as well as using our knowledge and experience to influence decisions made at a local, national and international level that can significantly reduce extreme poverty. In 2015, we positively impacted the lives of 22.5 million people. The Strengthening Resilience of Afghanistan’s Vulnerable Communities Against Disasters (SRACAD) started in March 2015 and was expanded in 2016 under the ‘Replication Expansion and Deepening (READ)’ initiative.   Funded by DFID, SRACAD is led by a consortium of five organisations under the Afghanistan Resilience Consortium (ARC). The vision of the programme is for Afghanistan’s vulnerable communities to be able to cope and bounce back from natural disasters and climate change. Concern’s total budget of the 4 year programme is £3.1 million. 

About the role:

 This is a 12-month, replacement role with unaccompanied terms based in Nyamlel, Northern Bahr El Ghazal State with a salary of Grade 4 €35,981 - €39,979 You will report to the Programme Director.  We would like you to start on as soon as possible. 

Your purpose:

 As a member of the country management team (CMT) the Area Coordinator will provide quality leadership and ensure the effective and professional management of Concern’s programmes in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State. The Area Coordinator (AC) has overall responsibility of all operational and support sectors of the programmes in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State (NBeG). The Area Coordinator will directly manage the Food Security and Livelihoods Coordinator, The Health and Nutrition Coordinator and the Base Manager all based in NBeG. The Area Coordinator will work closely with the PD on programme related issues, the Systems Director on systems issues, and the Country Financial Controller for Financial issues. Overall the Area Coordinator will be responsible for leading and managing a coordinated, collaborative, integrated team work approach among the Northern Bahr El Ghazal State staff and within the programmes and systems departments. You will be responsible for: the Food Security and Livelihood Coordinator, Health and Nutrition 
Coordinator, the Base Manager and the entire staff of NBeG by implication. 

Duties & Responsibilities:

 Responsibility 1: Programme Implementation
  • Oversee the implementation of all programmes within the agreed plans and budgets, optimising the use of logistical, financial and human resources potential, in line with the Concern values, standards and policies.
  • Ensure monthly tactical plans are prepared by all teams and followed closely for timely delivery of project commitments with the required standards.
  • Ensure quality monitoring information is collected for all projects to inform monthly reporting both internally and externally to donors that require monthly reports.
  • rack budget management and ensure timely absorption of funds with maximum benefit to beneficiaries and value for money in every single transaction.
  • Organize and chair monthly coordination meeting with Programme Managers to plan and review monthly progress and brief the Programme Director on programme and situational context (e.g. security situation, humanitarian situation).
  • Manage and report on inter-programme and inter-department collaboration liaising with Juba office. Hold regular meetings and seek ways to ensure maximum integration of health, nutrition and livelihoods programmes, in conjunction with relevant programme managers.
  • Identify the NBeG level needs/issues and raise these with the Programme Director, Relevant Managers and or SMT to ensure appropriate adjustments to programmes, systems,  and regulatory requirements are planned and executed
  • Analyse and timely resolve issues such as appropriate planning, procurement, procedural mismanagement to meet agreed upon programme deliverables and donor requirements.
  • Contribute to the planning of the Concern Programmes, Reports and Evaluations, budget planning in consultation and collaboration with CMT. Participate and report in quarterly and annual programmes reviews
  • In close collaboration with programme managers, oversee the operations of any surveys, evaluations, including baselines, mid-lines and end-line surveys. Ensure that lesson learned and results of evaluations or surveys are shared with relevant clusters and at coordination meetings as appropriate
  • Ensure cross cutting  issues : HIV and AIDS, Gender and Equality, Protection, DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) are integrated into all programme design and implementation
 Responsibility 2: Financial management
  • Ensure budget holders plan and prepare detailed monthly cash forecasts in line with their tactical plans for the month
  • Liaise with Finance at Juba and NBeG to ensure there is sufficient bank and safe balances to keep activities running.  
  • Monitor the monthly expenditure of all programme budgets and adherence to Concern policy and guidelines for finance management.
  • On a monthly basis, in conjunction with project managers and budget holders, monitor under and over spending in each budget, advise the Programme Director and the finance department of any variances and recommend solutions.
  • Report any suspected and actual financial irregularities or other fraud that has occurred to the Programme Director immediately.
  • Have overall responsibility for the integrity of the finance systems in NBeG and ensuring strict adherence to Concern’s Financial Policy and Procedures
  • Serve as a float and supplies request authoriser and approver for allocations over the Programme Managers’ thresholds
 Responsibility 3: Human Resource Management
  • Supervise managers of NBeG and lead the entire staff team working closely with the Programme Director in providing strategic leadership and management. 
  • Maintain updated job descriptions; participate in recruitment of national staff in conjunction with the Human Resources Department, orient new staff especially the programme brief.
  • Set performance objectives for the supervised staff, and ensure those supervised by your direct reports have performance objectives, routinely monitor their performance and evaluate them at the end of the performance period.
  • Strengthen and build up the programmatic, managerial and operational skills of the staff through on-job mentoring and coaching and feedback mechanisms.
  • Recommend promotions using Concern’s talent spotting and disciplinary actions for Managers who are not performing through consultation with the Programme Director.
  • Develop ongoing capacity building programs for NBeG staff in consultation with the Programme Director and technical support from HR.
  • Address and mitigate staff complains and conflicts in coordination with the HR Officer, Programme Director and under the guidance of the Systems Director.
 Responsibility 4: Coordination, Networking, Advocacy and Representation
  • Develop and maintain effective working relationships with all stakeholders at state and regional level - including community leaders, NGOs, UN agencies, community based organisations and other CWW sectors to enhance cooperation and coordination.
  • Represent Concern during Inter Agency activities, visits by donor agencies, the State Ministries, UN Agencies, partners and other stakeholders. 
  • Establish and ensure adequate management of relationships with local implementing partners including planning and oversight of capacity assessment, capacity building and monitoring of partners’ progress against agreed plans as undertaken by designated staff
  • Coordinate the gathering of information from micro level in line with Concern’s Advocacy agenda, organise such information into a format appropriate for advocacy purposes.
  • Strengthen links with individuals or groups with influence and initiate dialogue with key influencers. Present influencers with appropriate information; facilitate contact between service providers or people in need and the influencers.
  • Ensuring Concern participates alongside other Civil Society Organisations or takes lead in organising international days in line with Concern’s work at community level.
 Responsibility 5: Logistics/Admin Management
  • Facilitate timely procurement to support timely implementation of programme activities
  • Ensure logistics procedures are being followed across procurement, warehousing and vehicle management
  • Carry out spot checks of fuel & stores on frequent basis 
  • Ensure all programmes/projects adhere to the procurement plans 
  • Oversee the implementation of Health and Safety Policy in the office and residential area for International and national relocatable staff.
 Responsibility 6: Security Management
  • The Areas Coordinator is the  Security Focal Point (SFP) for NBeG
  • Ensure implementation of the Concern Worldwide Security Management Plan and the Standard Operating Procedures and Contingency Plans
  • Monitor and report on the security status in the programme area to the CD, SD and PD
  • Attend security meetings at State and County level and share minutes with the Security Focal Group, PD and CD
  • Regularly update the Security Communication Tree and share it with NGOs members and UNDSS
  • Ensure that Concern Security staff list is updated weekly and shared with UNDSS
  • Ensure that security information in NBeG is appropriately shared with Security Group Members and what is necessary for the entire staff team is shared with staff.
  • Convene weekly SFG meetings and on ad hoc basis when it deemed necessary
  • Participate in the review of SMP
  • Ensure that Security Protocols are adhered to by all staff.
Responsibility 7: Reporting
  • Provide Monthly Reports, weekly programmes updates and work-plans to PD
  • Ensure regular weekly meeting in NBeG with all departments supporting integration and collaboration of programmes and following up of action points
  • coordinate all necessary reporting internally and externally including monthly progress programmes reports, on time and in the right formats with the correct information
  • Coordinate the CWW South Sudan Annual Report and annexes for NBeG State liaising with PSO, PMs, logs and admin departments, ensuring that is produced timely, in the right formats with the correct information.
 Responsibility 8: Work as a team member of Concern Worldwide South Sudan
  • Establishing and developing effective working relationship with Concern staff at Juba level and other field locations to ensure team work and integration.  
  • As team member effectively participating in any Preparing for Effective Emergency Response (PEER) process as deemed necessary. This may include being deployed to respond to emergencies as and when required. 
  • Participating in team decision making, planning and joint activities at Country Programme level   
  • Supporting County Office and other Programme Areas in South Sudan your area of expert whenever requested to do so
  • Adhering to Concern’s programme and other policies on physical and financial resources, this includes but not limited to Programme Participant Protection Policy, and Anti-Fraud Policy 
  • Undertake additional duties as mutually agreed with the PD and CD.

 

Your skills and experience will include:

 Essential: 
  • At least three years’ experience of managing and coordinating field based operations preferably in food security, health and nutrition sectors in remote and fragile locations
  • Relevant experience in supervising, managing/coaching and training others
  • Previous experience in project design, planning, monitoring and evaluation in development and humanitarian context
  • Experience in dealing with local authorities, national and international NGOs/UN agencies
  • Proven ability to take responsibility for security issues
  • Ability to assess problem and recommend solutions
  • Ability to motivate and develop skills of others
  • Methodical and through
  • Experience and ability to lead a multi-sectoral programme team of international and national staff working in a remote location
  • Familiarity and knowledge of finance, logistics and administration 
  • Experience of monitoring and reporting of budgets across a programme and ensuring effective and accountable use of funds
  • Computer literate and sound knowledge of Word and Excel.
  • Excellent English
 Desirable:
  • Masters in development studies, public health, rural development or any other development related study
  • Experience in promoting community participation in programme design, implementation and evaluation
  • Experience of institutional strengthening of government and local NGOs
  • Experience of working in challenging, insecure areas and willingness to work and live in a remote environment
  Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date. Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world's poorest countries.