Country Director Liberia

 Monrovia, with frequent travel to DRC field offices in Liberia

Background

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been present in south east Liberia since 1998. Since 2006 DRC has been pursuing a regional strategy determined and shaped by the displacement patterns stemming from the conflicts in the West Africa region. With the aim of building up protection capacities for people in displacement and of working towards durable solutions upon return, DRC strives to have a presence in refugee/IDP producing areas and communities as well as in refugee/IDP receiving and hosting areas and communities.

DRC’s Liberia programme focuses on emergency, community recovery and development within the sectors of Camp Management, WASH, Livelihoods and Social Cohesion through cross border approaches with focus on protection. Since the beginning of the Ebola Outbreak, DRC reduced the activities and focus on the emergency through Protection and Emergency Response.  The Liberia Country Director will supervise 7 expatriate staffs, as well more than 130 local staff.  A close working relationship will be maintained with the regional management team.

Job purpose

The country Director for Liberia is responsible for managing all activities within the Liberia country program which currently includes the country office in Liberia and the field operations in South East Liberia (Maryland and River Gee counties) and North Liberia (Nimba and Grand Gedeh counties). The CD provides strategy guidance and management to all sectors and is responsible for high quality and accountable programme design and delivery. The country Director is supervised and reports to the Regional Director and will be closely collaborating with the DRC Country Director of Côte D’Ivoire.

Key Responsibilities

Programming:

• Oversee and conduct strategy planning and development of DRC’s Liberia programme, including emergency to Ebola Crisis.
• Responsible for ensuring that annual/project action plans are prepared for all projects in accordance with annual planning cycle;
• Responsible for supervision, monitoring and evaluation of the program to ensure that activities/projects are implemented in accordance with agreed strategies, principles, implementation plans, and donor requirements;
• Ensure all reports are done in time and quality according to HQ and Donor requirement,
• In coordination with the RD, head of Desk in HQ, the head of field offices and other relevant staff, identify opportunities for new projects and organize assessment and fact finding missions;
• Formulation of project proposals, concept papers and budgets using the DRC Programme Manual;
• Ensures that the DRC projects are implemented in accordance with DRC standard regulations and operational procedures (e.g. Code of Conduct, DRC Program Manual, DRC Operational Handbook, HAP, Strategic Focal Areas);
• Lead process of developing and updating local Humanitarian Accountability Framework and Quality Management System.
• Ensure that at all times contact with beneficiaries, target groups and representatives of authorities is conducted in a sensitive and respectful manner;
• Implement and expend the DRC cross border strategy between Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia.

Representation Coordination and Stakeholder management:

• To provide strong fundraising abilities and play key role in fundraising and donor contract management
• High levels of representation with Government and UN agencies at local and national level, with ability to work with high level officials to negotiate DRC programme priorities in Liberia,
• Representing DRC at relevant and senior forums/ meetings,  
• Maintaining agreed profile of DRC at country level,
• Conducting regular stakeholder analyses to ensure that DRC has good understanding of dynamics/ relationships,
• Engaging in, and where effective, leading coordination processes amongst key stakeholders.
• Preparing a programme communication strategy including identifying key networks,
• Guiding staff to communicate and network clearly, appropriately and strategically.
• Ensure collaboration between Monrovia and field offices as well as future areas of operation in LIBERIA;

Finance/Administration/Logistic support

• Overall responsibility for management of the offices in Monrovia and field offices including the overall financial budgeting and expenditures, staff management, administrative issues, logistics and other aspects pertaining to running of DRC offices and adhering to DRC rules and guidelines;
• Responsible for organizational development of the DRC LIBERIA operation, including formulation of human resource development strategy, and staff training;
• Supervision of national staff performance, and in close collaboration with the relevant staff,  take actions in terms of recruitment, promotions and dismissal;
• Supervision of international staff performance, and provide recommendations on recruitment, promotions and dismissal to DRC HQ;
• Assess staff development needs and provide/recommend training and coaching to increase technical and managerial skills.

Security:

• Working with DRC’s Security Advisor to ensure that all DRC HoA security management protocols and procedures are updated, made locally relevant and applied consistently,
• Ensure appropriate information regarding security in the area;
• Ensures that security incidents are reported to DRC HQ.
• To be overall responsible for ensuring that DRCs Liberia programme is delivered in a safe and secure manner.

Requirements

• Proven ability with respect to the design, management, monitoring and evaluation of programmes, preferably with a focus on protection and durable solutions for refugees and displaced people;
• Proven management experience at senior level including capacity building, training and mentoring, especially in complex humanitarian environments;
• Proven skills of negotiation and diplomacy with governments, UN and donors;
• Experience with humanitarian accountability;
• Strong experience of fundraising, networking, advocacy and coordination;
• Financial management skills and experience;
• Experience in security management;
• Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent writing and editing skills in English for external audiences (including governments and donors);
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability.
• Work related experience from WA region and advantage.

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

Conditions Availability:    November 1st, 2014

Duty station:   Monrovia, Liberia with frequent travel to DRC Field Offices in Liberia (Non Family Duty station).

Contract:         13 months, with possibility of extension (subject to funding)

Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Global Expatriates (available at www.drc.dk under Vacancies). This is An A4 position.

Application and CV

Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit updated CV and cover letter explaining their motivation and why they are suited for the post. Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications will be considered.

CV-only applications will not be considered.

We only accept applications sent via our online-application form on www.drc.dk under Vacancies. 

Please forward the application and CV, in English and marked “Country Director Liberia”, no later than September 30th, 2014.

Further information

You are welcome to contact Head of Desk Una Verdel on email: una.verdel@drc.dk or Regional Director Gilles Ponserre  on email: rd-wa@drc.dk for further information on the programme and the position. Please note that applications are not to be sent to Mr Ponserre; we only receive applications via our online-application form at www.drc.dk under Vacancies.

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.dk.

Commitments

DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability committments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework (http://www.drc.dk/HAF.4265.0.html).