Area Coordinator

Contract Grade:                                Grade B

Contract Length:              1 year

Date Needed By:             15th August 2014

New Post or Replacement:         Replacement

Accompanied / Unaccompanied:              Unaccompanied

Exact Job Location:          Saut d’Eau, Haiti+

Reports To:                         Country Director

Responsible For:              Project Managers (Education; Livelihoods); Programme Manager Base Administrator; Finance Assistant.

Liaises With:                      ACD Programmes, ACD systems, Logistics Officer, Country Financial Controller, HR Manager, IT Manager, Programme Coordinator/ Advisors

Job Purpose:

As a member of the country management team the Area Coordinator will provide quality leadership and ensure the effective and professional management of Concern Haiti’s Rural Development programmes in Saut d’Eau, consistent with Concern’s strategic aims and within the national context.

The Area Coordinator translates the Country Strategic Plan together with the Country Management Team into project proposals to ensure proper implementation, monitoring & evaluation of interventions in accordance with Concern’s mandate, whilst constantly monitoring the operational context, giving meaning to Concern’s humanitarian principles and values.

The Area Coordinator directly manages the project teams in Saut d’Eau and reports to the Country Director. The Area Coordinator receives functional support regarding programme issues from the relevant programme coordinator/ advisors, regarding logistics issues from the ACD systems and regarding financial issues from the Country Financial Controller. The Area Coordinator also liaises with the Assistance Country Directors-Programmes in relation to programme quality and grant management.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

Programme Implementation

• To contribute to the planning of the Concern programmes including the reviewing and updating of the Country Strategic Plan, Annual Plans (financial and human resources) and Budget Revisions in consultation and collaboration with the CMT
• To prepare and monitor Project Proposals, Project Budgets and Project Evaluations, in consultation and collaboration with the Country Management Team.
• To be responsible for the management oversight of programmes which are directly managed by project managers in Saut d’Eau, optimising the use of logistical, financial and human resources potential, in line with the Concern standards and policies.
• In conjunction with relevant programme/ project managers, facilitate inter-department collaboration, and regular meetings
• Oversee project and support department budgets and expenditure for all field operations in accordance with Concern and donor financial regulations and within Concern Haiti approved authority levels
• Ensure timely and high quality implementation of the Saut d’Eau programme within agreed plans and budgets
• Ensure timely and high quality reporting to CD and ACDP for submission to HQ, donors and partners
• Ensure contextual analysis is carried out and baseline information is collected for all new projects and programmes
• Develop monitoring and evaluation plans and ensure that they become an integral part of programming and are adequately implemented to ensure measurement and achievement of impact of programme interventions
• Organise Emergency Preparedness capacity in the project and assure PEER (Preparedness for Effective Emergency Response) actions are undertaken as per the plan.
• Ensure that Gender and Equality, Protection, DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) are integrated into all programme design and implementation
• Liaise and brief the Senior Management Team (SMT) on programme and situational context (e.g. local government developments, security situation, humanitarian situation)
• Take responsibility for the implementation and rollout aspects of the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) framework related to Saut d’Eau.

Communication and representation:

• To represent Concern in the central plateau area, taking into account the Country Strategic Plan and the goals and objectives of the programme.
• To establish and maintain relationships with local authorities and other   organisations concerning issues relating to the projects.
• To act as an intermediary between the Country Management Team (CMT) and project staff.
• Liaise with other INGOs, local implementing partners and Government representatives as required and in close coordination with the project managers
• Represent Concern Haiti at coordination meetings with local government, NGOs etc as required
• 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.

Financial management:

• To develop and monitor the project budgets in collaboration project managers and department heads.
• To ensure correct and complete implementation of the financial administration of the programme/project according to Concern systems and standards, i.e. bookkeeping, national staff -salary- administration, safe & cash management and cash flow planning.

Human Resource Management

• Directly line manage the project managers and heads of finance and administration.
• Ensure briefings, mid-term appraisals, end-of-mission evaluations and debriefings of staff at project level are undertaken according to policy.
• Set goals and objectives and undertake participatory review and feedback for direct reports.
• Support the overall capacity building of the Saut d’Eau team
• Contribute to the staffing process by preparing job profiles and providing his/her opinion to proposed candidates by the Human Resource office.
• Identify needs and ensure relevant training to address identified needs in collaboration with senior programme staff and the HR Manager.
• Identify training needs for local partners in conjunction with partnership accountant, project manager and technical coordinators.
• Ensure that any issues with regard to performance or discipline are dealt with in accordance with the Concern Haiti staff manual.

Security Management

• The Area Coordinator will be the Security Focal Point (SFP) for Saut d’Eau
• Monitor and report on the security status in the programme area to the Country SFP (ACD-Systems)
• Ensure implementation of the Security Management Plan and the Standard Operating Procedures and Contingency Plans
• Ensure that Security Protocols are adhered to by all staff
• Brief all staff on the Security Procedures and Policies
• Identify security training needs as they arise

Other Duties

• Adhere fully to the commitments and rules of      Concern’s Programme Participant Protection Policy and Code of Conduct (P4      and CofC), including the respect of confidentiality
• Report to the appropriate manager all      violations/ potential violations of the P4 or CofC
• Undertake any other relevant duties as may be      assigned by the ACDP/CD or their designate

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

• Relevant degree (agriculturalist, economist, public health, rural development)
• A minimum of three years relevant overseas experience in humanitarian and/or development fields at Programme Management level
• Demonstrable experience in supervising, managing/coaching and training others (people management)
• Previous experience in project design, planning, monitoring and evaluation in a humanitarian or development context
• Experience in financial management, budget development and monitoring    
• Experience in dealing with local authorities, national and international NGO’s /UN bodies

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

• Familiar with the project management cycle
• Familiar with logistics and administrative processes
• Proven ability to take responsibility for security issues
• Ability to act as part of a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload, using initiative when appropriate
• Ability to represent the organization with (inter-) national counterparts and proven negotiating skills
• Ability to cope with stress, work under pressure often to strict deadlines
• Flexibility, adaptability, sense of humour, and patience
• Ability to motivate and develop skills of others
• Facilitation and interpersonal skills
• Analytical and problem solving skills
• Ability to assess problems and recommend solutions
• Methodical and thorough
• Fluent in French and English
• Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences
• Prepared to work and live in a challenging environment
• Awareness of gender issues
• Good knowledge and competence of computer applications i.e. Microsoft Office Professional
• Valid driver’s license
• Valid passport to cover period overseas

DESIRABLE

Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

• Masters in relevant discipline (humanitarian aid, community development, equality etc.)
• Previous management experience with Concern
• Experience in Monitoring and Evaluation techniques

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

• Experience in advocacy or basic knowledge of human rights
• Experience in emergency interventions
• Training skills

All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by closing date.    

CV’s should be no more than 4 pages in length.

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.

Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment.   By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these two documents.

Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year. Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List). Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will not be made pending a clearance check being conducted on the applicant. For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office.

Concern Worldwide is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.