Myanmar: Livelihoods Manager – Short Term

Feb 11, 2020 | Danish Refugee Council
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DRC is seeking a dynamic and motivated Livelihoods Manager to strengthen and develop the Livelihoods team and programmes in Rakhine state. DRC has provided humanitarian assistance to people in need in Myanmar since 2009. DRC is currently engaged in humanitarian response in Rakhine, Kachin, Northern Shan and Kayah. 

In 2012, waves of inter-communal violence swept through Rakhine, forcing approximately 140,000 persons to flee their homes and take refuge in IDP camps spread across the state. DRC activities target these IDPs, as well as other local vulnerable populations such as host villages and isolated villages. DRC implements a multi-sector response, including camp management, GBV, Child Protection, Livelihoods, Protection, and WASH in Sittwe, Pauktaw, and Mrauk U Townships in Rakhine. 

DRC/DDG Myanmar currently employs over 385 national and 34 international staff and operates from eight operational offices. To strengthen Protection activities in Rakhine State, DRC is looking for highly motivated and capable candidates to fill the position of Livelihoods Manager – Short Term

Reporting to: Area Manager (line manager)

Based in: Sittwe, Rakhine

Duration of contract: 5 weeks

Overall purpose of the role:

• Overall responsibility for the day to day management of DRC’s sector projects within geographical area of responsibility Sector responsibilities: Business training and SME development, business grants, life-skills training, literacy and numeracy training, vocational training, micro-credit loans, savings groups, group enterprise development and facilitation, agronomy, and other technical livelihoods areas of intervention implemented in Rakhine State by DRC.
• The Livelihoods Manager will develop, manage, provide technical guidance, report, represent the Livelihoods programme as well as develop the capacity of the livelihoods team, to deliver high quality programs. The Livelihoods Manager will also be a strong communicator able to coordinate closely with the other DRC departments and sectors to deliver a coherent program.
• Reporting to the Rakhine Area Manager, the Livelihoods Manager will line manage Livelihoods teams based in Sittwe, provide technical management for Livelihoods teams based in Mrauk U and Maungdaw field bases, and overall technical strategy and guidance for the Rakhine Livelihoods programme.

Geographic scope: Area (Rakhine)

This role has an area focus and ensures compliance to DRC procedures and guidelines within the area. The role contributes to the development of area strategies, which are translated into action plans and day-to-day tasks. The role provides support and/or technical guidance to base operations. Covering the whole of Rakhine State – Sittwe, Mrauk U and Maungdaw field bases.

Responsibilities:

People management

• Lead and manage the sector team (including people planning, performance, and development)
• Staff capacity building in technical Livelihoods and general professional development of Livelihoods national and international staff

Program and Technical management:

• Identify key strategic opportunities for future programming in line with DRC’s strategy and lead on the design and development of proposals with support from the grants team as requested.
• Provide leadership developing and enhancing the quality and adaptabality of the livelihoods programmes implemented by DRC Myanmar, and ongoing analysis to determine contextually appropriate interventions.
• Work closely with other DRC sectors to ensure a holistic approach, especially ensure a close collaboration with protection to facilitate protection mainstreaming and referrals between Livelihoods and Protection teams
• Proactive coordination with other livelihood actors including consortia partners, and other actors implementing similar or complementary interventions
• Proactive coordination with the Nutrition/Food Security/Livelihoods sector, other relevant sectors, UNDP, national authorities, TVET Working Group and other actors in Rakhine State
• Develop and lead needs assessments around feasible solutions for IDPs and villages in terms of livelihoods and social cohesion, including Community Driven Development
• Ensure strong oversight, and direct management when necessary, of livelihoods programme budgets, ensuring delivery against costed workplans, and full donor compliance, in collaboration with support services and funding/grants teams. Monitor financial spending and budgets and deal with any underspends/overspends in a timely manner

Monitoring, reporting and development

• Develop program monitoring tools, in collaboration with the MEAL team
• Quality control and site monitoring to ensure that services provided are according to standards
• Program monitoring as per expected outputs and outcomes – ensuring strong monitoring of project indicators, to feed into donor reports, and ensure ongoing learning and improvement for DRC Livelihoods teams and programmes
• Work with funding/grants team to produce high quality donor reports
• Work closely with CD, Area Manager, Protection, CCCM and other technical teams to ensure consistent messaging from DRC in all external fora and at all levels, in relation to advocacy and external relations
• Develop and undertake needs assessments to inform program design and strategic direction. Conduct frequent rapid needs assessment of the situation in the event of emergency in collaboration with other stakeholders to address related problems

External coordination and representation

• Share relevant project information with stakeholders
• Participate in relevant coordination meetings and working groups, as required for programme needs, and as requested by the Area Manager
• Attend relevant donor and other external meetings in Yangon as required/requested by CD or Area Manager
• Working with Programme Support Manager, and funding/grants team, lead on donor visits for Livelihoods grants

As Manager the post-holder is responsible for the following:

• Accountable for achieving DRC’s strategic goals and objectives within the area of responsibility
• Accountable for making significant decisions on what the unit does: its purpose, functions and role, and for making commitments and decisions that require the expenditure of significant unit resources.
• Accountable for people management of direct reports. This includes hiring & firing, objective setting, probation, performance appraisal, development of staff, managing performance, including poor performance, etc.
• Accountable for making sound decisions based on DRC policies, MOPs, standards, and the advice of technical experts in DRC

Any other duties relating to the nature of the job as requested by the Manager

Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)

• A minimum of 5 years’ project management experience with humanitarian response in displacement-related contexts, preferably in camps and camp-like situations
• A minimum of 3 years implementing livelihoods programming in displacement related contexts
• A university degree in international development, agronomy, economics or similar
• Strong experience in livelihood support, including Market oriented skills devt, small-business support and development, Cash programming, rural financial services and Community Driven Development
• Experience of managing a livelihood project portfolio across different donors and project sites
• Experience of project cycle management including proposal writing, budget monitoring, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting
• Experience of managing and leading a team of livelihood staff and coordinating with other sectors and support departments
• Solid experience in participatory approaches and facilitation skills
• Strong interpersonal communication and writing skills
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Experience in training and capacity building
• Experience of data management and the creation of databases

Education: (include certificates, licenses etc.)

• Master's degree (e.g. political science, international development, or economics)
• Relevant experience in both humanitarian and development Livelihoods programming

Key stakeholders: (internal and external)

• UN, other INGOs, especially ILO, UNDP and actors involved in Livelihoods programming in Rakhine State
• Other DRC technical sectors/departments
• National Livelihoods Coordinator (if post exists)
• DRC Yangon team, and Livelihoods Managers in other States where DRC operates in Myanmar and the wider region

• DRC Global Livelihoods Advisors

About you

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

DRC offers

DRC will offer the successful applicant with 5 weeks contract (negotiable). Salary and conditions will be in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies. The position is placed in Employment Band F2.

The duty station is Sittwe, Rakhine State, with occasional travel to the field and to Yangon as needed. Sittwe is a non-family duty station.

Application process

Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the apply button. All applicants must send a cover letter and an up-to-date CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in the same language as this vacancy note. CV only applications will not be considered. 

(Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and a candidate may be appointed before the closing date)