Jesuit Refugee Service Iraq Country Director

Responsibilities

Direction of the work of JRS at the country level

• To safeguard the vision, identity and unity of JRS at the project level;
• on consultation with the Regional Director and the Project Directors, to enter into negotiations and create agreements with the Church, government or funding agencies on their behalf;
• together with the Regional Director, to sign agreements with the local bishop, government or other funding agencies;
• to take initiatives and develop project proposals to present to the Regional Director and the Regional Council for their approval;
• to direct and support the implementation of JRS works on a country level;
• in consultation with Project Directors, to coordinate and define country policies, e.g., specific country security guidelines, and a country approach to education and social services;
• to facilitate reflection on and evaluation of projects and, when necessary to determine how the process of withdrawal handover is managed in a particular project; and
• to ensure that JRS project members receive training in the use of JRS international programme templates, financial reporting procedures;

Care for personnel

• To procure work permits and visas for JRS internationally recruited staff;
•  to make regular visits to Project Directors and teams in the field, to listen and give support to each JRS team member. In case of problems to draw these to the attention of the Project or Regional Director;
• to give special care to JRS staff, making sure they receive necessary breaks and holidays;
• to sign contracts with JRS collaborators at the country level and to terminate contracts, when necessary, in consultation with the Regional Director; and
• in situations of crisis within the country, to decide on security measures for JRS staff in accordance with the JRS Security Guidelines, after consultation with the Regional and Project Directors.

Administration and finance

• To administer country finances and accounts and guarantee that projects are supplied with the necessary operational funds;
• to support the annual process of project level planning and budgeting;
• to manage the annual regional financial audit at the country level;
• to administer project accounts and guarantee a proper accounting of all project expenses; and
• to render any other necessary administrative or logistical services to the projects and the region.

Procurement and logistics

• To ensure that materials and equipment needed for the project are obtained at the best possible prices;
• to monitor and regulate use of materials and equipment;
• to arrange that equipment is repaired when necessary; and
• to supervise and support the Logistics Officer.

Communication

• To maintain regular communication and reporting to the Regional Director on major issues and developments in the country or in JRS;
• to communicate on a frequent basis with Project Directors and to pass on to teams all relevant information regarding the situation in the country, that of refugees and displaced persons, government policies and other news relevant to JRS; and
• to submit six month and annual reports to the Regional Director on the progress of projects within the country.

Representation of JRS

• To establish and maintain contact with the local diocesan Church, the government, key NGOs and, in particular, UNHCR; and
• to represent JRS at national level meetings of NGOs, UNHCR and the government.

Advocacy

• In conjunction with the Regional Director and the Regional Advocacy Officer, to inform key JRS advocacy offices (Rome, Geneva, Brussels and USA) about significant advocacy needs, sharing with them relevant information from the projects;
• where helpful and necessary, to intervene with the government and UNHCR on behalf of refugees; and
• to animate and support local church structures in addressing issues involving refugees and other forcibly displaced persons.

Qualifications

• University degree in Social Sciences, International Development, Administration or related fields preferable.
• At least 6 years of experience in Project Management, Administration, Budgeting and Human Resources with an INGO in a similar setting.
• Previous experience in the region is preferable.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking and planning skills.
• Excellent skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to work effectively in a cross cultural environment with a multi-national staff
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Good interpersonal and facilitation skills with the ability to lead teams and deal with complex and/or divisive issues.
• Capacity to work independently with limited supervision and support.
• Demonstrated openness to change and ability to manage complexities.
• Ability to respond positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.
• Previous working experience with faith base organizations is an asset.
• Good knowledge of English and Arabic, both spoken and written is required.

Conditions

• Contract is for one year, renewable with an initial probation period of four months.
• JRS remuneration policy is in keeping with the JRS ethos to offer effective and professional services and at the same time express solidarity with the people served. The salary scale is calculated with the use of a post adjustment multiplier and takes into account years of relevant experience and degree of responsibility of the role. Details will be discussed with candidates short-listed for interview.

Please apply at http://en.jrs.net/RecruitDetail?CID=182 before 31 August 2015 and include the following documents:

• cover letter stating motivation for applying;
• current CV (resume) addressing the key criteria and including current contact details; and
• three professional references and their contact information, phone, email and address.