REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two International NGOs (
IMPACT Initiatives and ACTED) and the
United Nations Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT). REACH’s
purpose is to promote and facilitate the development of information products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision making and planning capacity for
emergency, reconstruction and development contexts. REACH facilitates
information management for aid actors through three complementary services: (a) need and situation assessments facilitated by REACH teams; (b) situation
analysis using satellite imagery; (c) provision of related database and (web)-
mapping facilities and expertise.
IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organisation manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative. The IMPACT team comprises specialists in
data collection, management and analysis and GIS. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of ACTED, an international NGO whose headquarter is based in Paris and is present in thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s
operational support on its fields of intervention.
We are currently looking for a Country
Coordinator to support our team in Yemen.
Supervisor: IMPACT Head of Programs
Title: REACH Country Coordinator
Location: Amman, Jordan
Start Date: ASAP
COUNTRY PROFILE
The humanitarian situation in Yemen is one of the most severe in the world, with 14.3 million people – or 40% of the population – in acute need of
humanitarian assistance. The direct effects of the conflict – from airstrikes, to sieges of population centers, to the extensive use of mines – continue to have severe effects on the population. Other aspects of the conflict – especially blockades, the deterioration of basic service infrastructure, and the depreciation of the Yemeni riyal – also have enormous impact on Yemenis. Approximately 9.9 million people in Yemen are facing severe acute
food insecurity, not necessarily because food is unavailable, but because they cannot afford to purchase it. Since 2016, Yemen has witnessed up to 1.3 million suspected cases of
cholera, with outbreaks exacerbated by crumbling
WASH infrastructure.
The loss of livelihoods, when combined with the depreciation and general volatility of the Yemeni currency, has made the purchase of basic everyday necessities difficult for most Yemenis. REACH has supported the
humanitarian response to the Yemen crisis since October 2016, working extensively with the Shelter/NFI Cluster, the CCCM Cluster, the WASH Cluster, the Cash and Markets Working Group (CMWG), and the Assessment and Monitoring Working Group (AMWG).
The REACH team – based remotely in Amman – provides systemic assessment and IM support to the response through indicator review, tool
design,
coordination of data collection exercises,
data analysis, output production, and IM platform design. Given the challenging context in Yemen, REACH is constantly working to find new and innovative ways to effectively inform the humanitarian response.
FUNCTIONS
Under the supervision of the IMPACT Head of Programmes in Geneva, the Country Coordinator is responsible for representing IMPACT and managing and developing IMPACT’s programs related to the Yemen response. He/she leads the IMPACT team to achieve program excellence and ensure the highest level of accountability.
In his/her mission, the Country Coordinator will be hosted by ACTED Jordan and will fall under the direct responsibility and management of ACTED’s
director" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Country Director and his/her delegates for all Administrative,
security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security,
Logistics, and Finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide by ACTED’s Security, HR,
Administration and Logistics rules and regulations, and support ACTED teams in ensuring that all IMPACT staff abide by them.
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Program Development and Fundraising
1.1) Context analysis: Ensure IMPACT has an up-to-date understanding of:
· The country’s socio-economic situation, the impact of a crisis, and the aid/humanitarian situation;
· The aid/humanitarian planning, coordination, and response mechanisms, as well as key aid/humanitarian stakeholders.
1.2) Program development and roll out: In close coordination with IMPACT HQ, develop, implement, and review programme strategies and identify strategic opportunities for strengthening IMPACT’s work in the country, and in particular:
· Consolidate and strengthen ongoing programming and operations;
· Ensure IMPACT activities are relevant and have a measurable impact on the aid/humanitarian response;
· Identify new areas in which IMPACT can add value to the aid/humanitarian response;
· Follow up on opportunities for IMPACT’s program development and strengthening of interventions;
· Identify funding opportunities to consolidate, strengthen and/or expand
country programs;
· Formalize a country strategy in alignment with global/regional strategies, priorities and programs.
1.3) Donor relationship and Proposal development**
· In close coordination with IMPACT HQ, approach donors to identify funding to support IMPACT’s programs (including, as relevant, REACH, PANDA and AGORA) in country;
· Oversee project proposal conceptualisation (problem statement, logframe) within the framework of the country, regional and global strategy, review with ACTED and/or other relevant country partners as relevant, and submit proposal to HQ Grant
Management Unit for validation;
· Oversee budget design, in close consultation with ACTED (as relevant), and submit to IMPACT HQ finance for validation;
· Ensure application of IMPACT guidelines on proposal, budget and contract design;
· Advise Grant and
Project Development Department on specific donor approach/regulations;
· Negotiate proposal and/or contracts with donors, in close coordination with IMPACT HQ and in consultation with ACTED Jordan (when joint proposal/contract).
2. Programs Management
2.1) Program Planning and Implementation:**
· Ensure that all IMPACT programs contribute to supporting better aid planning and are aligned with IMPACT global and country strategies;
· Ensure that all programs are planned in line with relevant project objectives and with IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
· Supervise all stages of
program implementation, receiving regular updates from team members providing inputs when required, and conducting field visits to program sites for monitoring,
quality control and program staff mentoring and coaching;
· Ensure that all programs are conducted in coordination with and, when relevant, undergo the validation by IMPACT HQ; For all research, review ToRs, data and draft deliverables, supporting assessment and GIS teams to ensure they meet expected standards before being sent to IMPACT HQ for validation;
· Ensure the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information;
· Maintain regular link with ACTED (as relevant) to facilitate the provision of logistic, administrative, and security support to facilitate program implementation, as well as ensuring that IMPACT teams comply to ACTED’s security and other relevant FLAT regulations;
· Ensure the required level of coordination with partners in program planning and implementation;
· Ensure that synergies are established and implemented between various IMPACT program units in country, and link with other IMPACT countries when relevant;
· Keep track of progress and delays of all program implementation. Ensure that delays or identified problems for specific programs are reported to HQ in writing and orally in a timely manner.
2.2) Monitoring and Evaluation**
· Ensure the development and application of a M&E system/plan for each program, in line with IMPACT’s M&E guidelines;
· Lead on internal and external program evaluations as necessary and ensure the execution of baseline, periodic, and final evaluations as necessary;
· Ensure learning by the country program from relevant best practice internally and externally both nationally and globally and make learning available for other programs; organise a program review workshop and document lessons leant at the end of each program.
3. Staff Management and Administration
3.1) Staff Management**
· Ensure that IMPACT staff, as well as national staff working in IMPACT programs (including REACH, AGORA, PANDA) understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities related to country operations and links with HQ;
· Promote team building, productivity and staff welfare;
· Mentor and support the team to build capacities, and improve efficiency and performance, and follow career management of international and national staff working in IMPACT programs;
· Management of interpersonal conflicts (internal and external);
· Ensure regular update with HQ HR about staff potential, career management, training opportunities, contractual issues, difficulties faced with or expressed by field-based staff;
· Ensure linkages between HQ crisis support (
psychologist, HR) and staff in the field;
· Ensure in country staff receives an appropriate introduction and training upon arrival/hiring.
3.2) Administration and HR management**
· Ensure transparent and timely recruitment of national staff working in IMPACT programs (in coordination with ACTED where relevant) and contribute to international staff recruitment upon HQ identification;
· In coordination with IMPACT HQ and (for national staff, when relevant) ACTED country HR, proactively adapt the staffing structure to needs and funding;
· Develop and update country organogram and staff recruitment plan, in line with the needs of country strategy and existing budgetary and programme requirements;
· Ensure regular
performance appraisal and career management;
· Ensure timely and accurate HR reporting to IMPACT HQ;
· Links with HQ HR to provide regular update on IMPACT international staff, as well as senior national staff working in IMPACT programs;
· Ensure timely attendance sheets, leave plans, as well as exit forms for departing staff.
4.1) Internal communication**
· Facilitate internal communication within the team and information sharing for a positive working environment;
· Ensure implementation of regular internal team meetings, as per IMPACT internal communication guidelines;
· Ensure regular reporting to IMPACT HQ through the Monthly Coordination Report, as well as direct reporting to HQ
grants management, finance, HR and program departments;
· Ensure that any risk to IMPACT programming, projects or staff is as soon as possible communicated to and understood by IMPACT
Executive Director and relevant HQ head of departments.
4.2) Coordination with ACTED – valid in all countries where IMPACT teams are hosted by ACTED**
· Regularly coordinate with ACTED’s Country Director through regular meetings and the submission of monthly updates;
· Ensure regular coordination with ACTED’s Project Development, Finance, and other FLAT departments at all stages of project development and implementation, including participation in project kick off meetings, joint drafting of monthly internal updates (BFU, RFUs, allocation tables, etc), and drafting of donor reports or amendment requests;
· Ensure compliance of IMPACT staff to ACTED FLAT and security procedures.
· Ensure that all IMPACT staff, as well as staff working under IMPACT supervision (in REACH/AGORA/PANDA projects), is aware and fully abide by ACTED’s regulations in terms of administration, logistics and security;
· Ensures that IMPACT movements are coordinated with and validated by ACTED’s Security department, in the frequency and modality requested by the latter;
· Regularly links with ACTED administration and finance to plan movement, travel and in relation to IMPACT staff, as well as staff working under IMPACT supervision, leave and welfare;
· Immediately inform and coordinates with IMPACT HQ HR and ACTED CD should any IMPACT staff, as well as staff working under IMPACT supervision, not respect ACTED regulations, especially in terms of security.
5. Project and FLATS management
5.1) Grant and Project Management**
· Ensure timely organization of project kick-off, review/update and end of project meetings;
· Monitor output achievement, cash burn rates and ensure a time completion of projects through review of BFUs, Project factsheet, and project reports;
· Ensure that contractual obligations are met in terms of deliverables as well as narrative and
financial reporting requirements, in close coordination with HQ Grants Management and (as relevant) with ACTED PD and finance departments;
· Ensure contractual monitoring and evaluation indicators are identified and tracked in a timely manner;
· Provide ad-hoc support to
project implementation through trouble shooting and eliminating blocking points;
· Ensure adequate contribution to project and proposal follow up tools through the timely submission of monthly updated Reporting Follow Up (RFU) tool.
5.2) Finance Management**
· Anticipate financial risks and gaps in funding;
· Control project budgets to avoid under/over spending, in link with IMPACT HQ finance and (as relevant) ACTED finance;
· Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, in link with IMPACT HQ finance and (as relevant) ACTED finance;
· Ensure accurate budget expenditure tracking and forecasting, in link with and IMPACT HQ Finance (as relevant) with ACTED finance;
· Ensure timely and accurate finance reporting to HQ finance, including monthly submission to HQ of updated Budget Follow Up tables (BFUs) for all projects, and staff allocation tables.
5.3) Asset Management**
· Ensure proper asset management;
· Ensure proper IT systems, data back-up and protection from malware;
· Ensure sufficient and reliable means of communication;
· Regularly link with and report to IMPACT HQ hub and (as relevant) ACTED logistics and IT departments;
· Ensure implementation and maintenance of country server for secure storage and sharing of internal documentation.
5.4) External Audit Follow-up**
· Support the preparation of external audits in close collaboration with HQ Finance.
· Establish, maintain and improve active and regular working relationships with coordination platforms (clusters, sectors, working groups, NGO forum, HCT, etc), UN agencies, donors, NGOs, consortia, academia, etc;
· Promote a regular and pro-active contribution of IMPACT and its programs in key aid decision-making forums (including HCT, donor coordination meetings, inter/cluster meetings, etc) and for key decision- making milestones (HNO/HRP, donor financial years, etc);
· Ensure that IMPACT and its programs are well understood by key aid stakeholders and that potential partnership options have been explored when relevant;
· Ensure IMPACT participation in key coordination fora, and maintain a collegiate, consistent and shared approach to external relations by IMPACT staff at country and sub-country levels;
· Identify potential opportunities and develop donor relationships, as relevant;
· Capitalise and strengthen relationships with key IMPACT global partners at country level; ensure any issues that may impact on global partnerships are communicated to and understood by IMPACT Executive Director and relevant HQ head of departments in a timely manner;
· In close coordination with HQ, lead the dissemination of research/program products/outputs, including through in country presentations, website articles, journal articles, IMPACT
social media contents, targeted e-mails, meetings, etc, in line with IMPACT Dissemination and External Communication guidelines. Support IMPACT HQ in global-level dissemination related to the country mission, including through provision of updated information for website and social media, organization/attendance to HQ level events, briefings and panel discussions;
· Maintain positive perception of IMPACT by external partners, donors and coordination platforms.
7. Others
· Other tasks as requested by Executive Director.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Management of Program Cycles
o # of program cycles completed and completed in a timely manner
o For research, average number of days between start of data collection and final product validation, by type of product
o # of actors participating in program cycles by type
o # of actors accessing and using program products and reported level of satisfaction
o # of references to research findings in key humanitarian planning and response documents
o % of research cycles with complete documentation folder (validated TOR(s)/Methodology note(s) for assessment(s) including all annexes; validated data set(s) and cleaning log(s); validated output(s).
Staff Management
o Retention rate among international and national staff
o Progression in staff performance
Internal communication
o Regular and timely holding of internal coordination meetings and submission of reports to HQ.
Project and FLATS Management
o % of projects completed on time without the need for an NCE
o % of projects with contractual targets/indicators met
o % ineligible expenses in overall annual budget and % change as compared to previous year
o % of over/under-spend in budget and % change as compared to previous year
o % of projects with completed internal documentation folder (project factsheet, with updates as per contractual changes, kick off minutes, , end of project minutes, with end of project factsheet completed)
External relations
o Number of institutional partnerships with clusters, IM working groups, coordination mechanisms, etc
Program Development and Fundraising
o # of global IMPACT initiatives and pillars operational in country and % change from previous year
o % annual budget increase/decrease of the mission as compared to previous year
o Number of donors in portfolio and % change as compared to previous year
CONFIDENTIALITY
The Country Coordinator will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes. He/she will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of any information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners, or collected during his/her assignment with IMPACT.
REQUIREMENTS
· Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (
International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar);
· Proven track record in successful management of international and national teams in humanitarian contexts;
· Excellent analytical skills;
· Ability to work in a cross-cultural environment and strong capacity to work in intercultural teams; · Excellent team working and communication skills;
· Familiarity with humanitarian and development contexts;
· Ability to work independently and with initiative;
· Ability to think creatively and use initiative to develop new tools and processes;
· Experience in assessments, M&E,
field research, evaluations;
