South Sudan: Deputy Country Director - South Sudan

Role and Responsibilities

Manage all aspects of the implementation and development of the programme and support functions to facilitate the implementation of the country strategy. Provide leadership, strategic direction, management and evaluation of all aspects of the Medair programmes. Play a key role in external representation, legal compliance grant management, programme coordination and team leadership.

Project Overview

Multi-sector relief programme including: provision of Primary Health Care, Health and Hygiene Promotion, Water and Sanitation and NFI distributions across fixed and emergency response locations. Goal is to assist in improving health and water and sanitation conditions for vulnerable people in South Sudan.

Medair

Medair is a humanitarian organisation inspired by Christian faith to relieve human suffering in some of the world’s most remote and devastated places. We bring relief and recovery to people in crisis, regardless of race, creed or nationality. As signatories of the Red Cross Code of Conduct, we believe that aid should be given to everyone who is in need, regardless of political, social or religious viewpoint. We save lives in emergencies and then stay to help people recover from crisis with dignity—working side by side with communities to leave a lasting impact. We provide a range of emergency relief and recovery services: health care and nutrition; safe water, sanitation, and hygiene; shelter and infrastructure.

Workplace

Juba, South Sudan with frequent travel to field locations

Starting Date

July 2014

Initial Contract Details

Full time, 24 months

Key Activity Areas

Programme Leadership

• To deputise for the Country Director in their absence.

Operations Management

• Oversee programme implementation in consultation with the relevant senior field managers (programme and programme support) and in accordance with the project proposals, ensure objectives are met within the required time frames and budgets. Where necessary ensure preventative and corrective action is taken.
• Facilitate cross cutting communications with all country teams implementing and supporting the programme plans.
• Support field managers in all aspects of finance, administrative, human resource and logistics management, ensuring knowledge of and adherence to applicable operational systems, donor requirements and country programme strategy.
• Prepare and implement policies, procedures and guidelines, as appropriate and with the relevant field managers and HQ staff, so as to enhance the smooth running of the programmes through standardised procedures and improved support.
• Manage a comprehensive activity plan for the programme, including resource needs analysis, covering the time frames of the project proposals.
• Represent Medair at relevant national and local meetings with government officials, contractors, other NGOs, etc., reporting back as applicable to staff, field managers and HQ.

Financial Management

• Supervise the project budget management and expenditure, in collaboration with field managers and HQ staff, ensuring budgets are spent according to donor proposals and regulations.

Staff Management

• Line manage designated staff, including direct supervision and development.
• Hold regular team meetings and, through a consultative leadership style and a transparent, honest and supportive communication structure, develop and build an effective team.

Quality Management

• Review, develop and implement (as applicable) systems to improve transparency and to detect and ultimately prevent loss or fraud.
• Ensure country programmes are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Medair, donor, country and international standards e.g. Sphere and HAP standards, WHO recommendations, etc.

Qualifications

• University degree in a relevant subject such as Management / Development Studies / Business Administration or in a relevant technical subject
• Post-graduate degree in the humanitarian sector desirable
• Security management and/or Leadership training desirable

Languages

• Strong working knowledge of English (spoken and written)

Experience / Competencies

• 2 years post-qualification experience in a management position
• 1 year post-qualification experience in a complex humanitarian emergency
• Experience in dealing with donors and government officials
• Knowledge of Humanitarian Essentials, Sphere and HAP Standards
• Advanced planning, assessment and analytical skills
• Advanced leadership and management skills; ability to build trust and enforce procedures
• Experience and willingness in training/mentoring staff
• Team-player with good inter-personal skills; committed to team-building and able to develop and support other team members
• Self-motivated, energetic, hard-working, servant-hearted
• Capacity to work under pressure and manage personal stress levels

Medair Standard Working Requirements for the Field

• Experienced professionals in a relevant field; Overseas intercultural experience
• Committed Christians; commitment to the Medair values
• Strong working knowledge of English, spoken and written
• Working knowledge of French, spoken and written, for French-speaking field programmes
• Single or married (with no children under 18). If married, your spouse must also apply.
• Successful completion of Medair Relief & Recovery Orientation Course (ROC)
• Reflect the vision and values of Medair with team members, local staff, beneficiaries, external contacts
• Able to live and work in a multicultural team under difficult conditions
• Strong character traits, including emotional stability, adaptability, ability to handle stress, cultural and gender sensitivity, honesty, and physically fit

Benefits

• A salary based upon the grade of the position and the experience of the position-holder
• Comprehensive briefing at our Swiss headquarters, as well as an in-country briefing
• Security training for those going to particularly insecure environments
• Accommodation, food, and transportation in-country
• Return flights to and from the country programme (one return flight for every year of service)
• Rest and recuperation (R&R) leave (including travel, accommodation, and food allowance)
• Annual leave; Death and disability allowance
• Contribution matching programme for retirement savings (for experienced relief workers)
• Additional contract benefit allowance for those who commit to longer contracts
• Comprehensive medical and emergency rescue insurance, with up to 60 days post- assignment coverage, including debriefing

Working Conditions

• This is a field position based in Juba and working and living conditions may be very different to that previously experienced.

Follow this link: www.medair.org/work-with-us, check if you are an Experienced or New Relief Workerand that you fit our standard working criteria, then:

1. apply for this vacancy (or another position that matches your profile),or
2. apply for a Medair ROC(where we can try and match your competencies to our vacancy needs).

Please do not make multiple applications. We will not review email applications. Only English-language applications / CVs will be reviewed. Medair does not set closing / deadline dates for applications; recruitment is on-going until the position is filled.