Serbia/Bulgaria Programmes Manager

Important: We are only able to consider candidates who can enter Serbia & Bulgaria (EU & Schengen) without a visa. As a small NGO, we sadly do not have the resources to support entry visa applications.

> Reporting to: Senior Management and Executive Director

> Contract Length: 12+ Months

> Start date: 22 July 2024 (handover ideally begins in Subotica on 8 July)

> Role Objective:

Each location where Collective Aid is present has a management team to ensure the development and implementation of our projects, as well as ensuring the operational side runs smoothly and the team is motivated, safe and efficient.

The Programmes Manager has overall responsibility for the management and evaluation of all Collective Aid projects in Serbia and Bulgaria and oversees the work of all other Coordinators and Officers. The Programmes Manager also has overall responsibility for the running of the projects and maintaining relationships with partner organisations. The Programmes Manager is therefore crucial for the overall execution of our NFI, WASH and advocacy projects and executing the organisation’s mission, strategy and goals in Serbia and Bulgaria.

> Collective Aid Serbia and Bulgaria:

Collective Aid is a grassroots organisation that provides NFI, WASH and advocacy services in Northern Serbia from the city of Subotica and advocacy missions in Bulgaria. The Serbia and Bulgaria programme is Collective Aid’s oldest and largest programme that extends over two countries.

Collective Aid conducts advocacy and monitoring activities across Serbia, these activities then inform our NFI and WASH services on an ad hoc basis. Police brutality is more common in this context, and teams are typically in close proximity to dynamic security situations that require fast paced decision making and sensitive understanding of responses.

We visit Bulgaria once a month to conduct fact-finding activities on the situation facing People on the Move. These trips inform our advocacy reports and communications content as well as submissions to the Border Violence Monitoring Network.

> Working in Serbia:

It is relevant that applicants are aware we work in a criminalised context. Collective Aid operates entirely legally and transparently in total observance of the laws of the countries in which we work. Nonetheless due to the work we do and the demographic we provide services to, the work we do is stigmatised and subject to a range of pressures. These pressures can result in interactions with law enforcement and hostile members of the public.

As the Programmes Manager, applicants will be expected to not only be aware of these pressures, but also to respond to these pressures in accordance with Collective Aid Safeguarding, Security and Criminalisation procedures.

> Essential Responsibilities:

The Programmes Manager spends four days in the office and one day in the field per week. As a Collective Aid Programmes Manager they are expected to,

• Keep up-to-date Collective Aid status as a Serbia-registered organisation and maintain our relationship with partner organisations.
• Communicate with main partners and represent Collective Aid in inter-associational meetings in Serbia and Bulgaria, local advocacy committees and maintain our links to other local partner associations. Expand the organisation’s engagement with local and national actors.
• Manage internal and external developments in the operation to ensure project goals are achieved, preparing reports to our partners and the Director of Collective Aid.
• Regularly evaluate programme strengths and identify areas for improvement.
• Ensure and maintain coordination team relations within a team of 8 people with a diverse array of talents and responsibilities.
• Work with the International Programme to execute advocacy goals and develop spending plans.
• Work with the Donations Coordinator to plan and review long-term strategy for donations needs, partnerships, procurement, space management and efficiency, reviewing and improving warehouse work.
• Work with the Field Coordinator to ensure distributions run smoothly, stock is in place, effective advocacy efforts and keeping the distribution models remain adapted to the needs on the ground.
• Work with Human Resources Manager to plan a recruitment strategy, ensure smooth volunteer and staff onboarding and housing capacity in the long-term according to the projects’ needs.
• Work with the International Management team on fundraising, communications, advocacy, coordinators and managers recruitment, data collection and long-term strategic planning. Draft monthly newsletters for donors and supporters.
• Team-lead field work when possible.
• Respond to Crises and Risks according to Collective Aid Crisis management protocol and policy.

> Long Term Tasks:

• Remaining flexible and keeping a critical and open mind about the work we do.
• Ensuring Collective Aid operates legally and transparently.
• Monitoring stock and ensuring the warehouse is being run smoothly. Keeping standards high during field work and advocacy activities and putting choice and dignity first.
• Develop lasting partnerships with international and local actors and associations, funders/donors.
• Putting together training documents and procedures.
• Review warehouse and field risk assessments on a quarterly basis.
• Plan ahead: prepare for coming seasons, and support and guide the coordinators in doing so.
• Prepare the programme dynamics and working relationships reports for quarterly reviews.
• Taking leadership in safeguarding matters as Safeguarding Lead.

> Monthly Tasks:

• Meetings with other organisations and other Collective Aid programmes.
• Meetings with journalists and photographers visiting the programme.
• Contribute to newsletter for the Advocacy and Communications Manager.
• Pay coordinators salaries, bills and insurance contracts.
• Join interviews with candidates during recruitment processes.
• Draft coordinators’ contracts in collaboration with the HR Manager when new members to the coordination team are recruited.
• Run the accounts and finances with support of the Director.
• Check debriefs and action points and take important issues to Coordination meetings.
• Be responsible for the projects’ finances and security.

> Daily and Weekly tasks:

• Execute spending plans by paying bills, collecting volunteer rent and reimbursing expenses.
• Check in with coordinators, delegate work, follow up with coordinators to ensure tasks are being completed, discuss ongoing projects and support when potential difficulties arise.
• Relay information from Coordinator level to the whole team, monitoring Signal groups, providing guidance where needed.
• Coordinating with partner organisations (e.g. on referrals)
• Hold meetings with the Field Coordinator and Donations Coordinator to review the NFI stock situation and adjust budgets, warehouse tasks and priorities on donations needs list based on stock levels. Discuss long term purchases, procurement and optimising the distribution of current stock.
• Take part in Inter-associational meetings and Collective Aid Coordination meetings.
• Feedback to Director of Collective Aid challenges and achievements
• Stay abreast of issues (external and internal factors) that could impact Collective Aid’s work (new laws, police violence, evictions, covid, etc).
• Review feedback and action points from all meetings and implement them when needed.
• Update the team on relevant changes to our project.

> Compensation:

The Serbia Programmes Manager receives a salary of €700 per month, one free meal per working day and a rent-free space in the organisation volunteers house. The handover period is unpaid. The manager is currently based in Subotica, subject to programme requirements.

> Skills:

Excellent organisational skills, volunteer management skills and communication skills, budget handling experience, flexible approach to work, stakeholder management skills, knowledge of Balkan border context is an asset, competency in text and spreadsheet programmes, first-aid training desirable, experience with field work, especially distribution or free-shop projects, knowledge of Serbian and Bulgarian desirable.

> Expectations:

Fluent in English essential, experience working in grassroots charities or NGOs, experience in project management and leading volunteer teams, driver’s licence required, can commit to at least twelve months, ability to travel to Bulgaria (schengen area) as required, ability to enter Serbia and Bulgaria without a visa.

> Qualifications and expectations:

• 3-4 years of experience working in a refugee aid grassroots charity or humanitarian NGO.
• Competency in text and spreadsheet applications (such as Microsoft Office, or Google Docs/Sheets).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
• Radical flexibility to adapt to ever-changing contexts.
• Understanding of organisational structures .
• Ability to enter Serbia and Bulgaria (Schengen Zone) visa-free.
• Familiarity with human rights issues, particularly related to border violence and migration

Collective Aid has a zero tolerance towards abuse of power, exploitation, bullying, harassment and discrimination and towards fraud and corruption. Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) is everyone’s responsibility and all staff are required to adhere to Collective Aid’s safeguarding policy both during work hours and outside work hours. Therefore, all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and screening checks. Collective Aid participates in the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, this scheme requires us to seek information about any misconduct committed by a candidate with any previous employers.