Country: Mali
Closing date: 24 Feb 2019
We help to reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience by responding to disasters and crises and by supporting community and institutional risk reduction and preparedness.
This is done in the Netherlands with more than thirty thousand volunteers, and internationally with the aid of specialists or by sending relief supplies or money.
Together we act before, during and after disasters to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people. We do this without regards to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinion.
Our seven principles guide our humanitarian work: humanity, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.
The Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC) seeks a Project Manager to provide technical and project management support for its response preparedness project in Mali.
Position title: Project Manager Response Preparedness
Duty station: Bamako - Mali
Time period: 12 months with possibility of extension
Starting Date: As soon as possible
Status: Single posting
Rationale
Netherlands Red Cross Response Preparedness Programme
In 2011 the 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent was held. During this Conference the Netherlands government and NLRC agreed to support a selection of National Societies to provide more effective emergency response.[1] This resulted in the so-called ‘RP’ programme, a first full-fledged response preparedness programme implemented from 2012 till 2016 in 5 countries and fully funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
NLRC intended to renew this commitment to strengthening disaster response preparedness and started preparations for a proposal in 2014, which was formally accepted for funding by July 2016. The programme (May 1st 2016 – April 30th 2020) fills a critical gap between current community based resilience and risk reduction programmes and international disaster response by focusing on strengthening national response capacity and linking it to regional and global capacity. It aims at enabling a better prepared response mechanism of the RCRC Movement partners and surrounding stakeholders in case disasters strike and therefore complements community-based resilience and DRR activities. For the Netherlands Red Cross the response preparedness programme contributes to an important part of the organization’s strategic focus on disaster management[2] as laid down in the paper ‘Towards 2020’.
In the second phase of the Response Preparedness Programme (RP2), NLRC will contribute to improved Disaster Response Preparedness in four disaster and conflict prone countries, working closely with the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in those countries-namely Central African Republic, Lebanon (including Palestinian Red Crescent branch in Lebanon), Mali and Zambia-, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Secretariat, the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre (RCCC) and the 510 data team of NLRC. RP2 covers core activities that lie at the heart of disaster preparedness of National Societies, but also aims to address capacities that strengthen and facilitate these. This means that RP2 not only focuses on the capacity of the involved National Societies (NS), but also on its specific position within the country’s broader disaster response preparedness mechanism. In addition RP2 will be contributing to global Red Cross and Red Crescent tools and guidelines on response preparedness through the IFRC Secretariat and the RCCC. In achieving these objectives the following innovative approaches will be set up in some NS’:
- Forecast-based Financing (FbF);
- Information management (including needs assessments) and data preparedness;
- Cash Transfer Programming (CTP) in preparedness;
- Improved sanitation in emergency response.
Summary statement and responsibilities
Specific tasks and responsibilities
- Appraise the annual plans of the Malian government as well as those of the MRCS; verify whether they are in line with the objectives and the overall project description and use them as a base for yearly revision of RP2 Plan of Action and budget;
- Work closely with the MRCS in order to strengthen its disaster response management and improve its planning processes;
- Strengthen the MRCS Disaster Management unit by providing guidance on operational structure and member’s roles and responsibilities;
- Ensure effective working relationships with the project staff as required
- Provide support to all staff in ensuring that cross-cutting themes are considered in interventions at all levels, especially in project design, work plans, and trainings;
- Conduct regular site visits to meet with project staff and/or beneficiaries;
- Coordinate the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the RP2 project in order to achieve all the project outputs within the allotted timeframe ensuring that interventions adhere to international project implementation and development standards;
- Ensure that all expected results of the project are accomplished in a timely manner according to timeline established by programme manager;
- Monitor quality of project implementation, indicate in an early stage needs for technical support to RP technical advisor
- Share documents produced within RP2 by the MRCS with the RP advisor for her advice and feedback and ensure the feedback is taken into account and followed up in future activities
- Assist the MRCS in producing regular, accurate and timely financial and narrative reports for the Netherlands Red Cross RP2 programme manager and advisor and for donors through mentoring and training in project and financial management as well as reporting.
- Assemble required information from MRCS and translate (in English) into NLRC (financial) reporting formats. Send these to programme manager RP2 @ HQ before deadline on quarterly and yearly basis.
- Update indicator progress in SPACE on quarterly basis
- Monitor booking of expenses in WINPAX for RP2 and be end responsible for financial reporting to NLRC HQ
- Maintains regular communication from distance (per skype and mail) with NLRC HQ.
General tasks and responsibilities
- Under the supervision of the Country Representative for Mali, and the Programme Manager in HQ, ensures the successful implementation and monitoring of the Response Preparedness 2 project in Mali in close cooperation with the Mali Red Cross Society (MRCS).
- Coordinate and communicate with representatives in-country of Partner National Societies, regional donors and other relevant Red Cross and non-Red Cross partners involved in Disaster Risk Management activities;
- Establish links and work towards co-ordination and co-operation between relevant stakeholders including other NS’, RCCC and IFRC Secretariat (‘s representatives);
- Suggest improvements, innovations or efficiencies that could be implemented in consultation with RP technical advisor;
- Be familiar with - and be able to represent - the NLRC project and objectives in the region;
- Provide regular requested and unrequested information and timely reports to the RP programme manager at NLRC Headquarters (The Hague, The Netherlands) with copy to the NLRC Country Representative as well as the Desk at the NLRC headquarters and his/her assistant;
- Consult and collaborate with the RP technical advisor during his/her presence in Mali ;
- Perform other work related duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the NLRC Country Representative.
Position in the organization
- The Project Manager reports to the NLRC Country Representative in Bamako.
- For all project related obligations and information, (s)he is accountable to the RP Programme Manager at HQ.
Requirements/Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree in development studies, geography, political science, disaster management or equivalent;
- A minimum of five years of experience of working for a humanitarian aid organization in developing countries (preferably in Disaster Management programming);
- A minimum of five years of field experience internationally in managing operations in emergency and non-emergency settings;
- Experience in project/programme management, design, (financial) reporting, monitoring and evaluation of multi-sectoral programmes;
- Fluency in French and English, written and spoken required.
- Demonstrated success in timely (financial) planning and budgeting, project management and reporting;
- Extensive experience in team management;
- Budgeting and financial, as well as programme supervision experience;
- Excellent practical knowledge of computers (Windows, spreadsheets, word processing, e-mail, Internet)
- Experience in dealing with and bringing together various stakeholders for the purpose of effective project implementation
The following skills would be an asset:
- Experience in managing or supporting Government grants;
- Qualification in coordinating development/emergency projects;
- Experience within the Red Cross Movement, working in bilateral projects;
- Experience in giving training and coaching;
- Experience in PME
- Experience in and/or extensive knowledge on, FbF (institutional early warning systems), performing Emergency Needs Assessments (ENA), data collection and – analysis, IFRC evaluation tools, IFRC PER approach, IDRL lobby/advocacy, simulations, contingency planning, logistics in emergencies, pre-disaster agreements and other core RP activities.
Personal Qualities:
- High degree of integrity, discretion, and personal conduct;
- Team player;
- Able to work well independently
- Able to work under security constrained situations;
- Flexible and adaptable to changing working conditions;
- Self-motivated and proactive, with good judgment and initiative;
- Able to prioritize and meet deadlines;
- Be diplomatic and result orientated;
- Strong interpersonal, communication and networking skills;
- Working in a multicultural environment;
- High motivation to work in challenging emergency context with attention for sustainability through capacity building on RP of MRCS;
- Respectful and patient attitude.
[1] Original Pledge text: ‘The government of the Netherlands and the Netherlands Red Cross herewith pledge that options will be investigated to, during the years 2012-2015, support selected National Societies in strengthening their capacities in emergency preparedness and response’ Source: https://www.icrc.org/appweb/p31e.nsf/pledge.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=CEE41EB45AC0DC75C125795800327731
[2] Being defined as ‘limiting the impact of emergency situations, strengthening resilience and promoting respect and willingness to help’.
How to apply:
· Please upload your resume and letter of motivation in English with reference to Annemieke van Teeffelen before December 2nd on the following link: https://werkenbij.rodekruis.nl/nl/Vacancy/Postulate/114775
· Please note that we will start the selection procedure as soon as applications come in.
· For more information about the position, you can contact Clotaire Tapsoba: Ctapsoba@redcross.nl.
· For more information about the context of the position, you can contact Wassim Beaineh, wbeaineh@redcross.nl
· An assessment of short-listed candidates will be part of the selection procedure.
· For more information about the work of the Netherlands Red Cross please go to www.rodekruis.nl andwww.rodekruis.tv. NLRC on Facebook: Facebook.com/rodekruis and Twitter: Twitter.com/rodekruis.