Area Manager

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs.

DRC has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, currently DRC employs over 650 staff in Ukraine and will continue significant scale-up in 2024 to implement emergency response in the Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (humanitarian mine action) sectors, using direct interventions, support to duty bearers and civil society organizations (CSOs), and partnerships with CSOs. DRC will continue and adapt its durable solutions portfolio to the evolving context.

DRC is currentlyl ooking for an experienced Area Manager to support the its activities in East Ukraine. The Area Manager will directly support the management of DRC activities and teams in Kharkiv and Sloviansk as well as deployment of emergency response teams.

Overall purpose of the role:

• Leads area activities and create results which impacts the area
• Enables and oversees the implementation of policies or activities of short-term and operational nature within the area of operation
• Enables a productive and accountable relationship with beneficiaries, communities’ leaders, representatives, relevant governmental authorities, NGOs, and UN Agencies

Your main responsibilities will be:

Management

• Line manage area support and program staff ensuring inter-department co-ordination
• Is accountable for project implementation in the area in coordination with Area Sectoral Managers & Team Leaders
• Closely coordinate with the senior management team ensuring regular information flows
• People management of direct reports (including development, people planning and performance)
• With team leaders manage the programme activities budget lines; ensuring effective and efficient use of resources including financial, human and all assets.
• Ensure overall provision of and adherence to DRC policies, procedures, guidelines, systems and standard practices
• Provide leadership in overseeing logistical/procurement, Human Resources/administration and office services activities and ensure their timely/efficient delivering.

Representation, coordination and reporting

• Primary DRC representative in the area of operation and attend all relevant fora/meetings in order to strengthen DRC’s position
• Foster relationships with Government authorities and other relevant stakeholders in the area of operation
• Maintain close working relationships with donors, national and international organizations and local counterparts
• Comply with internal reporting requirements, contribute to, and provide quality assurance of external reports from area of operation

Programme development

• Lead the process of adapting DRC national strategy to the local context and circumstance
• Provide regular analysis on the context and humanitarian situation in the area for the development of project proposals and safety assessments in cooperation with the Head of Programme

Safety

• Ensure a safe and secure environment for DRC staff, beneficiaries and assets by ensuring the local security procedures are up to date and SOPs are being followed in line with the SMP and DRC policy.

As Manager the post-holder is responsible for the following:

• Accountable for achieving DRC’s strategic goals and objectives within the area of responsibility
• Accountable for making significant decisions on what the unit does: its purpose, functions and role, and for making commitments and decisions that require the expenditure of significant unit resources.
• Accountable for people management of direct reports, generally at least 3 employees. This includes hiring & firing, objective setting, probation, performance appraisal, development of staff, managing performance, including poor performance, etc.
• Accountable for making sound decisions based on DRC policies, MOPs, standards, and the advice of technical experts in DRC

To be successful in this role we expect you to have a minimum of 5 years’ experience in relevant field overseeing humanitarian and development multi-sector, multi-donor programmes in complex and volatile environments and at least 5 years’ experience in people management, Moreover we expect you to have the following:

• Master’s degree in political science, international development, economics or other relevant field.
• Strong leadership skills and a competence in people management
• Practical and extensive financial, Human Resources and administration management
• Substantial work experience in the areas of emergency, camp management, development sector, especially with displaced can substitute education qualification.
• External stakeholder management (especially with local authorities)
• Experience with relevant donor guidelines
• Proven excellent communication and report writing skills
• Full professional proficiency in English

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

• Contract: 12-24 months
• Band: E – managerial.
• Duty station: Kharkiv
• Start date: March 2024
• Salary and conditions in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for DRC International Staff.