Position Title: Field Coordinator
Reporting To: Area Manager, Gambella
Duty Station: Dimma, Gambella
Employment Period: 1 Year with a possibility of extension
INTRODUCTION
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1956 that works in more than 30 countries throughout the world, including Ethiopia. DRC fulfills its mandate by providing direct assistance to conflict-affected populations, including refugees, internally displaced people and host communities. Under its mandate, the organization focuses on emergency humanitarian response, rehabilitation and post-conflict recovery.
DRC commenced work in Ethiopia in 2011 and currently provides expertise in shelter, WASH, livelihoods and protection in the Gambella and Somali regions of the country. Activities implemented by DRC are funded by UNHCR, ECHO, UNICEF and project grants from the Danish government and other bilateral and multi-lateral donors.
DRC has operated in the South Sudanese refugee camps the Gambella region since 2013. The organization is currently responsible for shelter programming in Jewi and Pugnido II camps, WASH programming in Jewi and Tierkidi camps, livelihoods programming in Jewi, Kule, Pugnido II and Tierkidi camps, and protection programming in Tierkidi, Kule and Okugo camps. Funding for projects implemented in Gambella have included DANIDA, ECHO, and UNHCR.
POSITION’S OVERALL OBJECTIVES
The Dimma-based Field Coordinator has overall responsibility for the implementation and strategic direction of DRC’s projects in Okugo refugee camp. The Field Coordinator is the direct supervisor of national program and support staff, and provides daily support and guidance to project cycle management, proposal development and operations functions, including finance, logistics and procurement. In addition, the Field Coordinator provides oversight to ensure the successful implementation of all projects and monitors the context to ensure programing is relevant and responsive to priority needs. In this capacity, the Field Coordinator is also responsible for representing DRC publically at the site level, including in coordination fora, with other agencies and with ARRA, and for providing the direct link in communications between DRC's Dimma field office and the organization's Gambella and Addis Ababa offices. Finally, it is essential the Field Coordinator provides security management of the Dimma team and ensures all safety and security measures, including contingency plans and standard operating procedures, are in place and well understood by all staff.
POSITION’S SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
The Field Coordinator, in coordination and cooperation with staff, is expected to pursue the following objectives in her or his daily work:
RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS
To achieve the overall and specific objectives of the position, the Field Coordinator will perform the following tasks and undertake the following responsibilities:
1. Management and Coordination:
§ Overall responsibility for managing the Dimma staff including ensuring positive and collaborative working relationships in line with DRC's Code of Conduct and assessing staff capacity to provide or recommend relevant training or coaching as needed.
§ Overall responsibility for managing the Dimma office, including efficient and effective financial operations and budgeting, administration, human resources, logistics, procurement and security in compliance with DRC and donor regulations.
§ Represent DRC publically at the site level, including in coordination fora, with other agencies and with ARRA, and for providing the direct link in communications between DRC's Dimma Field Office and Gambella and Addis Ababa offices.
2. Programing:
§ Provide oversight of all programming in Dimma in compliance with DRC and donor regulations while upholding rigorous project cycle management standards.
§ Contribute to the strategic direction of the Dimma operation through active and ongoing participation in and contribution to strategic planning meetings and development of strategic documents.
§ Work with the Gambella Area Manager, Deputy Area Manager, Head of Program Quality, Development and Learning, and Finance Coordinators to contribute to new project development, including both narratives and budgets, by coordinating and compiling inputs from field-based technical and support staff.
§ Ensure the timely and quality delivery of all organizational and project reports and staff contributions to organizational monitoring and evaluation requirements to ensure project quality, relevance and accountability to DRC's beneficiary populations.
§ Support staff to integrate child protection, SGBV, shelter and WASH sectors.
3. Finance and Administration:
§ Ensure full compliance with DRC and donor financial guidelines and policies.
§ Maintain a site-level budget overview and collaborate regularly with the Gambella and Addis Ababa based finance team to monitor spending and ensure the timely utilization of all grants.
§ Support technical managers and support staff in the development of site specific budgets and spending plans.
§ Oversee responsibility for daily cash counts as well as cashbook reconciliations.
§ Quality assure bi-weekly cashbooks sent to Gambella.
4. Human Resources:
§ Manage the team of Dimma-based national staff and support respectful and positive working relationships which allow for the effective implementation for project activities. This is to be achieved through leadership, team building, day-to-day support and capacity-building.
§ Support site-level recruitment processes and ensure that relevant staffing structures are in place, are reflective of appropriate gender balance, and promote opportunities for nationalization.
§ Promote professional development by identifying training and capacity building opportunities and ensure staff are well versed on DRC's Code of Conduct, accountability, respectful dialogue with the refugee population, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
§ Collaborate with the Gambella and Addis Ababa Human Resources departments to ensure staff evaluations are conducted on a regular basis.
§ Comply with all organizational HR policy in managing HR systems in terms of recruitment, leave and R&R planning and focusing on staff retention and their future development.
5. Logistics and Procurement:
§ Collaborate with the Gambella and Addis Ababa based Logistics and Procurement Team Leaders, technical managers, and support staff to develop and maintain site-specific procurement plans.
§ Ensure the budgeting of projects incorporates logistics and support costs such as significant transport and warehousing needs for procurement-heavy activities.
§ Ensure logistics and procurement processes are in place and fully compliant with DRC and donor policies and standards.
§ Appoint and manage focal points for collecting and monitoring procurements and assets in line with donor requirements and DRC Operations Handbook.
§ Ensure field-based records and filing are well managed and fulfill DRC and donor requirements and are always up-to-date for use in donor reports.
§ Monitor budgets to ensure spending is in line with project timelines and implementation schedules.
§ Regularly review procurement plans with the Gambella and Addis Ababa based Procurement and Logistics Team Leaders and Finance Co-ordinators to adjust spending as required in advance of project closure.
6. Safety and Security:
§ Assume overall responsibility for staff safety in the area of operation.
§ Ensure that all relevant information regarding safety, security and the context is collected, updated, reported and shared in a regular and timely manner.
§ With the support of Local Security Officer, manage security planning including development and regular updating of risk assessments, standard operating procedures, and contingency plans.
Make decisions and manage security incidents at a local level, such as the arrangement of medical evacuations, in consultation with the Country Director and the Country Safety Advisor.QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE