Desk Officer – LAC Region

About Us

GOAL has responded to the world’s major humanitarian crises since its founding in 1977, working with vulnerable communities in 15 countries across the globe with a dedicated team of 3,500 personnel. While GOAL continues to be an agile first-responder to humanitarian crises, it is also committed to working with vulnerable communities to help them survive crises and support them on the road to recovery.

Job Purpose

The Desk Officer is responsible for ensuring the coordination of information between Head Office and the country programmes, particularly regarding donor submissions and contracts, programme and organisational information, and provision of overall programme support. Reports to their Regional Director.

This includes facilitating the provision of wider Head Office support to the Country Director and senior in country team for the effective implementation of the country programme.

At Head Office and at international level, the Desk Officer is the first point of contact for all information on assigned country programmes. Specifically, the Desk Officer:

• Provides head office support and coordination during development of submissions to donors, and throughout the grant management process.
• Represents country programmes internally at HQ, including during operations and Project Review Committee meetings.
• Represents GOAL and country programmes externally with donors and in related fora.
• Provides first line of contact between Head Office departments and assigned country programmes.
• Facilitates and supports the Country Directors in the creation, implementation, monitoring and reporting of Country plans and programmes.
• Links country operations with all other Head Office departments, other country programmes and GOAL technical staff in respect of assigned countries.

**This role will be based in country in Colombia**

Key Areas of Responsibility:

Submissions, grant management and donor liaison

• Coordinate, support and provide knowledge to country programme staff in developing submissions to donors; including, but not limited to, concept notes, proposals, reports, cost and other contract modifications and donor correspondence.
• Represent the programmes by presenting concepts and proposals at Global Project Review Committee (PRC) meetings and take minutes at Regional PRC, and support programmes in developing submissions for PRC approval.
• Review all field submissions of reports and proposals to donors for accuracy, completeness and timeliness. Evidence of community feedback mechanisms and information sharing being included in project plans should also be sought from Country Programmes.
• During PRC process, check for evidence of and communicating the importance of from a HQ perspective of community participation in the design of programmes.
• Maintain submission and grant information in softcopy (including on the Grant Management System- GMS, and departmental files) and in hard-copy grant files.
• Thoroughly review all contracts and letters of agreement from donor agencies and partners, highlight key conditions for field and relevant staff in HQ.
• Initiate grant opening meetings with Operations, Finance and Logistics departments in Head Office upon commencing a new grant – record and manage permanent filing of minutes.
• Liaise with, and represent GOAL to donors in relation to country and project specific matters, and in relation to new business.
• Monitor donor websites and calls for proposals and report on new opportunities to Country Directors and the Deputy / Operations Manager.

Representation and visibility

• Ensure the relevant Donor visibility requirements are addressed appropriately in all submissions to donors, and country programme staff are appraised of donor requirements during grant implementation.
• Prepare specific briefs for senior management, media department, donors, and country offices as required; maintain a country profile document for up to date country briefings.
• Ensure that GOAL project information for external relations is current and accurate.
• As appropriate represent GOAL in external sectoral networks – facilitate the exchange of technical information and identify opportunities for cooperative work and joint ventures with other agencies.
• Participate in relevant (internal and external) discussion groups as required in order to assess future policy development.
• Ensure maintenance of accurate country, project and programme information on the relevant intranet and internet pages.

Programmes support and information management

• Facilitate and collaborate with CDs in the creation of optimal country plans, and support and monitor the implementation of same.
• Supports each country programme in the development of an annual monitoring and evaluation plan that shows how it contributes to country programme objectives and global objectives for GOAL.
• Make recommendations on Technical Team support to field.
• Review all programme narrative and financial submissions, including but not limited to submissions to donors, and weekly, monthly and quarterly reports, from the field and make recommendations for action.
• Ensure weekly field and desk reports are prepared and submitted on time and to a high standard.
• Review field weekly and monthly reports and feedback to country programmes on same.
• Undertake quarterly review of country risk management tools.
• Work with in-country focal points to ensure the effective roll out of organisational policies and work with other members of the technical team in particular nutrition, WASH, health, livelihoods and HIV to develop integrated programmatic strategies were possible.
• Support sudden onset emergency responses as required.
• Ensure maintenance of accurate hard and soft copy files of all project/programme documentation, including on the grant management system (GMS), inter/intranet; Operations Department folders on the central server and in hard copy files.

Programme knowledge

• Maintain a high level of knowledge on all aspects of GOAL activities and local operating environments for designated countries and keep Senior Management fully appraised on a timely basis on all important issues.
• Maintain a good working knowledge of the other GOAL countries of operation.
• In coordination with the technical team and Operations department; maintain an overview of global country programming and provide advice on appropriate interventions which will facilitate more effective and integrated programming.
• Stay abreast of current best practice in fields relevant to assigned country programmes and engage in discussion, working groups and planning exercises to ensure this informs GOAL’s own organisational development and programming.

Financial accountability

• Review monthly financial reports with Finance department for expenditure levels, discrepancies and gaps; follow up with field informing senior management where there are concerns.
• Review proposal budgets for appropriateness and relevance. Raise queries with Finance department and country team.
• Review and monitor annual country budgets, specifically including GOAL funding requests and commitments.

Human resources

• Stay abreast of programme staffing and forthcoming recruitment needs.
• Review proposed new positions or extensions for relevance and budget and submit to Ops Manager for approval.
• Participate in the recruitment of field staff.
• Provide detailed country programme briefing to new/outgoing GOALies and visitors.
• Debrief recently returned staff in relation to country specific programme management challenges and successes.
• Make recommendations for training and development needs identified in support of country programme staff.

Logistics

• Review high value procurements for relevant, appropriateness and budget.
• Review and monitor grant specific procurement plans.
• Stay abreast of in country logistics capacity and concerns and raise concerns as appropriate.
• Review logistics checklists for new proposals.

Safety and security

• Stay abreast of current security context in fields relevant to assigned country programmes
• Engage in discussion and review of changing security policies and procedures.
• Participate in discussion on local security in review of existing and proposed programmes.
• Participate in discussion on local security in review of existing and proposed staff and staff structures.

The Person

Essential

• A Bachelors’ degree and demonstrable, relevant experience and/or a Masters level degree (or higher) in Development or related field.
• Experience in proposal and report writing, ideally within the development context and/or to institutional donors.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of major institutional donors, including familiarity with key donor priorities and grant implementation, monitoring and evaluation guidelines.
• Appreciation of the aims and objectives of GOAL.
• Adept in use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Fluent Spanish
• Fluent in spoken and written English with strong analytical skills.

Desirable

• Ideally, a minimum of two years practical field experience in emergency humanitarian and/or development programs, with a particular focus on grant or programme management, preferably within one or more of GOAL’s programme countries.
• Specific knowledge or experience of GOAL’s thematic programme or sectors.

GOAL is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all employees. We know that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

All employees share in the responsibility for fulfilling GOAL’s commitment to equal employment opportunity and equal treatment. GOAL does not discriminate against any employee or volunteer; or any applicant for employment or volunteering on the basis of age, gender identity, ancestry, political opinion, civil status, medical condition, ethnic background, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

Accountability within GOAL

A commitment to GOAL values and GOAL’s integrity framework is critical to working with GOAL. Any candidate offered a job with GOAL will be expected to adhere to the following key areas of accountability: 1) Comply with GOAL’s policies and procedures with respect to safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, confidentiality, do no harm principles and unacceptable behaviour protocols; 2) Report any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult or any wrongdoings within our programming area; 3) Report any concerns about inappropriate behaviour of a GOAL staff or partner.

Safeguarding

Children and vulnerable adults who come into contact with GOAL as a result of our activities must be safeguarded to the maximum possible extent from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury and any other harm. One of the ways that GOAL shows this on-going commitment to safeguarding is to include rigorous background and reference checks in the selection process for all candidates.

General Terms and Conditions

This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available. GOAL reserves the right to change this document.