Background:
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC has been active in Kenya since 2005. The Kenya Program provides services and support in the sectors of livelihoods, community development, and protection and for refugees residing in Kenya and the resident hosting communities. DRC is a key partner of UNHCR in the voluntary repatriation of Somalia Refugees from Dadaab to Somalia. DRC has operational offices in Nairobi, Kakuma, Mombasa and Dadaab implementing programs directly and in partnership with local NGOs.
Overall Objective:
Working under the Country Director (CD), the Area Manager (AM) is responsible for DRCs operations in Dadaab refugee camp and host community projects in Fafi and Dadaab sub-counties. . S/he is responsible for program design and implementation, security management, managing support functions (Human resources and administration, finance, logistics), partnership management, community relations, funding and budgetary functions.
Job Purpose:
The AM’s core function is to ensure development of programming that is efficient, accountable, need driven and based on best practices. The AM will lead strategic planning and program development, ensure that operations are implemented within DRC’s regulations, procedures, guidelines and strategies; enable a productive and accountable relationship with beneficiaries, members of the local and refugee community, relevant line ministries, L/INGOs, Donors and UN agencies. The AM is DRC’s primary representative with relevant actors in Dadaab Refugee operation. The AM is the overview manager for all staff based in Dadaab and is responsible for retaining a highly motivated and a result oriented team. The incumbent will also ensure a safe environment for DRC staff, beneficiaries and assets through a proactive-acceptance approach using DRCs security framework.
Responsibilities:
Management
Retain an effective team through result oriented management systems, providing leadership, on-job capacity building and designing staff development strategies.
Provide direct management of senior program, support and security staff; provide overview management for the entire Dadaab team.
Ensure proper communication mechanisms are in place to ensure effective and timely communication between staff and the Area Office Senior Management Team.
Provide on-site support through frequent visits to project sites
Ensuring the implementation of DRC Risk Management policy at the area level. This includes regular assessment of contextual, programmatic and institutional risks and designing risk mitigation measures.
Security
Ensure a safe and secure environment for DRC staff, beneficiaries and assets through: operationalizing DRCs security procedures, providing safety and security analysis, recommendations and follow-ups.
Organize regular staff training on the use of security systems and personal safety.
HR, Finance, Logistics and Administration
Ensure proper support function which is adequate to ensure program quality is in place.
Ensure compliance to DRC, donor and national policies, rules, regulations and systems in a timely, responsible, documented, accurate & appropriate manner; ensures that support services are cost effective and efficient.
Ensure a diverse and professional workforce through efficient, effective and transparent recruitment, evaluation and disciplinary processes.
Ensure procurement is carried-out in a fair, transparent, effective and well documented manner.
Supervising all financial reporting and financial procedures, including the monthly schedule for financial reporting, donor reporting and audits, cash flow and liquidity management. This includes maintaining a master budget for the Area Office and regular monitoring of expenditure against the master budget.
Program/Advocacy
Ensure that programs are based on user-identified needs and resources of the targeted population, are well coordinated with other aid actors (including actors in Somalia), address lessons learned (from DRC and other actors) and steered towards ensuring accountability to the people to whom the services/inputs are indented to serve.
Ensure programs are developed, implemented and evaluated within clear monitoring systems and against clear people/program/finance planning that meets DRC and donor regulations and humanitarian and HAP principles.
Advocate for the right of refugees based on evidence in consultation with the Country Director.
External relations
Establish and maintain open and productive dialogue with the county government, relevant line ministries, community leaders, power brokers and relevant aid agencies, private businesses and donors.
Attends and contributes to discussions, workshops, working groups and other forums where operations and other issues that may impact operations or the people DRC serves are discussed.
Manage donor relationship at area level.
Skills & Qualifications:
Essential
Advanced university degree in relevant field (Relief and Development,) with at least 5-years relevant experience;
At least 3-years’ experience managing large-scale multi-sector programming preferably in livelihoods and protection
Proven experience in strategic development and program design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation,
Practical and extensive financial, HR and administration management experience with extensive knowledge of budget development/management and finance documentation
Experience with UNHCR, BPRM, ECHO and European Aid guidelines highly desired
Excellent report writing skills is a must.
Experience in management of a large, diverse and dynamic team, and a commitment to good leadership and core humanitarian standards is essential
Experience in security and safety management in highly dynamic security environments is highly desired,
Preferable:
Past experience in East Africa.
Experience in a refugee setting and knowledge of refugee issues.
Reporting: The AM reports to the CD and manages the department heads in Dadaab. S/he is supported by the Kenya Program and the Regional support departments and technical advisors in Nairobi.
Conditions
Commencement: Immediately
Duty Station: Dadaab, Garissa County, Kenya. Non-family duty station.
Contract: 1 year contract dependent on both funding and performance. Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Global Expatriates (available at www.drc.dk under Vacancies). This position is graded as A13.
For qualified National staff the terms of employment will be in accordance with DRC terms for National staff.
Post-holder must be medically fit and able to adapt to isolated and potentially insecure environments.
GENERAL
Commitments:
DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability commitments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework into the work of DRC
Employer want to submit job applications through their website at: Apply Online