BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH
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 Representative to oversee our team in South Sudan.
Position: Country Representative
Contract duration:12 months
Location: Juba, South Sudan
Starting Date: ASAP
Country profile
IMPACT, through REACH, has been implementing programming in South Sudan since 2012 supporting humanitarian decision-making with assessments and information management activities focusing on the needs of displaced, returnees, and conflict-affected populations. Today, data collected and disseminated by REACH aims to provide a baseline for ongoing response planning efforts across South Sudan as well as highlight areas of highest need and concern as crises emerge. Broadly, REACH South Sudan implements assessments across three core pillars:
· Providing data to prioritise emergency assistance to areas at risk of excess mortality, through quarterly assessments covering over 2,000 settlements in South Sudan; the development of a robust real-time monitoring of needs severity across the country as well as the mobilisation of REACH rapid need assessment team to quickly assess needs after specific shocks.
· Contributing to a detailed understanding of public health challenges to support key actors in respond to emergency situations and structural problems through rapid PH assessments, nutrition surveys, in-depth food security analysis, and active joint analysis such as the IPC.
· Mainstreaming Accountability to Affected Population, Resilience and Climate Change dynamics, including through standalone assessments on community priorities relating to humanitarian needs and perceptions of assistance, contextual analysis of the impact of climate change on community needs; as well as leading in-depth assessment on cross-cutting topics such as local governance or protection .
FUNCTIONS
Under the management of IMPACT’s Regional Coordinator in Geneva, the Country Representative is responsible for representing IMPACT and managing and developing IMPACT’s programs in South Sudan. He/she leads the IMPACT team to achieve program excellence and ensure the highest level of impact and accountability, while ensuring compliance to IMPACT guidelines, policies and standards across the mission. The CR is in regular contact with HQ, ensuring that organizational risks are promptly and clearly communicated to the Regional Coordinator, the Director of Country Programs and Operations, and other relevant HQ Senior Management. She/he will promote organizational vision and core values across the mission and will actively link with HQ to contribute to the implementation of IMPACT’s global strategies.
In his/her mission, the Country Representative will be hosted by ACTED and will fall under the direct responsibility and management of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates for all Administrative, Security, Logistics and Finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide by ACTED’s Security, HR, Administration and Logistics rules and regulations, and, in coordination with ACTED, will ensure that all IMPACT staff abide by them.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Country Representative responsibilities include the following:
Strategy development & implementation
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.
Develop and oversee the implementation of a Country Strategy for the mission, and take a lead role in identifying strategic opportunities for strengthening IMPACT’s work in the country; 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.
FUNDRAISING
• In close coordination with the Deputy Country Coordinator and the Senior Project and Partnership Officer, approach donors to identify funding to support IMPACT’s programs in country;
• Work closely with the Senior Project and Partnership Officer on project proposal conceptualization (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, according to IMPACT guidelines on proposal, budget and contract design ;
• Negotiate proposal and/or contracts with donors, in close coordination with IMPACT HQ, the Senior Project and Partnership Officer and in consultation with ACTED Country Director (when joint proposal/contract).
programme planning and implementation
• Ensure that all programs are planned in line with relevant project objectives and with IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Ensure the required level of coordination with partners in program planning and implementation, in coordination with the Deputy Country Coordinator;
• Ensure that synergies are established and implemented between various IMPACT program units in country, and link with other IMPACT countries when relevant;
Project Cycle Management
Grant and Project Management
• 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, the Deputy Country Coordinator 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;
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.
Team Management and Leadership
Staff Management
• Ensure that IMPACT staff, as well as national staff working in IMPACT programs understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities related to country operations and links with HQ;
• Ensure that all staff have clear and regularly updated TORs, workplans and Key performance Indicators against which their performance will be appraised;
• Promote the growth and development of staff within the organisation, actively linking with HQ to provide feedback and support retention and internal mobility. This includes the identification and capacity building of staff with potential for growth into senior management positions;
• 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 communication and linkage with HQ is made immediately in case of HR problem;
• Ensure in country staff receives an appropriate introduction and training upon arrival/hiring;
• Ensure that in country staff receives regular training on IMPACT’s code of conduct and policies.
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, using templates provided by HQ, 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;
Internal Coordination and Communication
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 director of country programmes and relevant HQ head of departments, including, when relevant, the executive director.
Coordination with ACTED
• Regularly coordinate with ACTED’s Country Director through weekly 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 consultations for donor discussions, participation in project kick off and lessons learnt meetings, joint drafting of monthly internal updates and drafting of donor reports or amendment requests;
• Ensure compliance of all IMPACT staff to ACTED FLAT and security procedures.
• Ensure that all IMPACT staff, as well as staff working under IMPACT supervision, 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.
External Engagement
• 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;
• Capitalize 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 directors
Dissemination of Products and external communication
• 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;
Accountability to Communities and Beneficiaries
The staff member is responsible for ensuring that all relations with the communities we work are conducted in a respectful and consultative manner. Due attention must be paid to ensuring that communities are adequately consulted and informed about IMPACT’s programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every IMPACT staff member.
Data confidentiality and Data Protection
The IMPACT CR 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.
South Sudan REPRESENTATIVE Contribute to Global Strategy and Operations
The Country Representative will regularly engage with IMPACT directors and global Managers to contribute to and engage with IMPACT’s global strategic priorities. This can include support to development of global guidance or trainings; active engagement in COPs; supporting the development of IMPACT’s operations in other countries, including providing of remote support and surge; external representation and engagement with global stakeholders; and other tasks determined with the Executive Director
REQUIREMENTS
- Academic Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar)
- Management experience Previous experience in a senior management role in a INGO at field level . Proven track record in successful management of international and national teams in humanitarian contexts
- Familiarity aid system Familiarity with the aid system, and the research community;
- Communication/reporting skills Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting, including proven experience in contributing to high level presentations/briefings.
- Years of work experience At least 5 years of relevant working experience or proven progression within IMPACT
- Research skills: Excellent research and analytical skills an asset. Experience in assessments. M&E, field research, evaluations an asset.
- Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles in complex environment;
- Level of independence A self-starter with a proven ability to work independently;
- Cross-cultural work environment Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
- Experience in geographical region Past experience in the East Africa and South Sudan is desirable;
- Language skills Fluency in English required;
- Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
- For this position, salary between 4’600 CHF and 4’900 CHF monthly (before income tax), etc as well as a monthly living allowance of 500 USD
NB – IMPACT salaries are strictly determined by our salary grid depending on the grade of the position and the level of education of staff. A location-dependent security and/or isolation adjustment is then applied as a recognition that some staff are required to work in difficult places where living and working conditions are much more difficult than elsewhere. - Accommodation and food provided in a guesthouse. IMPACT is hosted by ACTED in this country
- Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance
- This base is not a family duty station
- Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and professional expenses are fully covered)
- R&R after 2-3 months (flight ticket up to 500$ + 200$ of living allowance) if duty station allows
- Contribution to the luggage transportation: between 20 and 100 kgs, depending on the length of the contract (+ luggage and personal property insurance)
- Annual leave of 36 days per year. Public holidays of the country of assignment. Family/compassionate leave when applicable.
- Predeparture induction – 3 days at IMPACT Initiatives’s HQ in Geneva + one week pre-departure training in ACTED HQ in Paris, including a 4-days in situ security training;
- Enrolment in IMPACT Initiatives Research Foundational Learning Programme within the first 3 months from the start of contract.
- IMPACT prioritizes the psychological safety of its staff and the health insurance provided covers, among others, up to 1000 € per year of psychosocial counselling fees