Country: Bangladesh
Closing date: 28 Feb 2018
ABOUT THE MISSION
Desired start date: ASAP
Duration of the mission: 12 months
Location: Dhaka, with frequent field visits to bases
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) opened its mission in Bangladesh at the end of 2007, following cyclone SIDR.
SI’s intervention and strategy in Bangladesh is to address primary needs of crisis affected people in terms of food security, livelihood, disaster risk reduction (DRR), water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) and shelter, by making use of an integrated disaster risk reduction approach and by taking into account the effects of climate change, whilst working in parallel on mid-long term resilience strategies.
SI in 2017 is currently implementing five projects in different areas of intervention:
WASH, FSL, Shelter, DRR, Protection (Emergency programs + non emergency)
SI strategy focuses on 3 axes:
Emergency preparedness in SI's working areas and emergency response (ER) in all the country.
Integrated WASH/FSL approach with DRR as a mainstream in all current and future projects.
Local advocacy approach in Cox's Bazar and at national level to sensitize the stakeholders about protection issues and humanitarian priorities in Bangladesh.
Mission:
Today, the Bangladesh mission faces huge challenges, particularly as it has experienced a massive increase in size and operational volume in the space of a few months.
For example: 4 expatriates in December 2016 > 22 in December 2017 ( 200 national staffs)
The financial volume has multiplied x5 : The projects’ amount is around 8 million euros.
Beyond the stakes of programmatic follow-up, the priority of the new Country Director will be to structure the mission, to restore confidence and smooth communication between coordination and the bases.
ABOUT THE JOB
The Head of Mission is a vital link between headquarters and the field, particularly in the sharing of information, sometimes as an arbitrator, and has an extremely rich and varied range of functions:
-propose, depending on the geopolitical and humanitarian context, the mission strategy and ensure its implementation.
-control and guarantee that projects are carried out in accordance with the SOLIDARITY INTERNATIONAL charter and in compliance with internal and contractual procedures.
- mobilize the material and financial resources necessary for the proper conduct of the programmes - coordinate the teams in place and ensure their safety on the mission.
Management
Line management of the whole coordination team: 1 Deputy HoM for programs, 1 Field coordinator, 1 Finance Coordinator, 1 HR coordinator, 1 Log coordinator, 1 HoM assistant
Budget
- The mission currently has a portfolio of inclusive of emergency response and protected crisis response projects with a total budget of over 8 million dollars.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- General objectives
- Coordination and strategic orientation:
- Relevance and operational quality / operations monitoring:
- Resource management:
- Human Resource Management:
- Security:
- Relationships with financial donors / fund-raising
- Internal and external communication
Representation
Specific stakes and challenges
Quick and important scale up, with large emergency operations with tight implementation timeframes; but also longer-term projects to kick off
Complex administrative environment, complex relations with authorities
Heavy team, with turnover and gaps
Priorities for the 2/3 first months
Ensure team’s and project management’s structuring, including strengthen the internal coordination, and including identify gaps and need for improvement
Support the teams in ensuring timely and quality implementation of the programmes, while building on the current programmes to relationship with donors
Improve relationship with authorities
YOUR PROFILE
The eduction is not decisive, but field experience in leadership functions is imperative: field coordination, programme coordination, technical coordination... obviously, taking into account the major stakes of this mission, a previous experience in the same position would be a major asset. You also have a strong ability to conceptualize and plan a project/synthesize and disseminate information/disseminate information/analyze security and if necessary manage crises... in short, you are Chuck Norris.
Technical skill and competence:
- Excellent representational skills, to represent SI to a broad range of people and organizations including donors and government officials.
- An ability to reflect on and learn from own performance and the performance of the program; and to act upon that learning
- Ability to consider, understand and make use of the historical background of SI presence in Bangladesh
- A good understanding of security management
- A good understanding of humanitarian issues including refugees, protection, advocacy, DRR and climate change issues
Personal quality:
- An ability to analyze information quickly and accurately
- Good problem solving skills in day to day and crisis situations
- A flexible approach to managing and prioritizing a high workload and multiple tasks with tight deadlines
- Ability to take decisions and work in autonomy
- An understanding of and commitment to SI’s mission and values
Language : Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
Desirable:
- Previous experience in South Asia could be a plus
- Previous experience with SI is a plus
SI WILL OFFER YOU
SI will offer you:
The starting minimum wage - without prior experience calculation - is 2,600 euros ( gross, annuel leave incl.) bearing in mind that an increase in salary levels is planned for April 1, 2018, which will substantially change remuneration levels.
and a monthly Per Diem of 450 USD.
Social and medical cover: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which reimburses all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.
Vacation: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of one break every three months. For a one-year assignment, the expatriate will have a 7-day break during the 3rd and the 9th month (with 500 euros allocated by Solidarités). He or she will also be entitled to go back to his or her home country for a 14-day period after six months spent on the mission (Solidarités will cover travel costs)
For further information about Solidarités International, please consult our website: http://www.solidarites.org/en/
CONTACT
Sebastiano SIRINGO, Recruitment & Follow Up Officer
How to apply:
Does this description fit you? Please send us your CV and Cover letter in English. CV only applications will not be considered.
NB: The vacancy may close before the deadline. Thank you for your comprehension