Job Description and Person specification
Job title / Country Director, SudanDate reviewed / October 2017
Purpose / To lead the RedR programme in Sudan providing overall direction, effective management of performance and results and representation to stakeholders
Responsible to / International Programmes Director based in the UK
Responsible for / Directly for national staff team in Khartoum, El-Fasher Area Coordinator (managing the field team)
Working with / Colleagues within the Sudan Programme, Associated Trainers (ATs), RedR’s Central Programmes Team, other Country Directors, Communication, Fundraising and Finance Departments in the UK and other external stakeholders and humanitarian actors as necessary (Government of Sudan; donors; etc.)
Location / Khartoum, Sudan – with travel to other states within Sudan
Salary / GBP 42,888.00 gross per annum – all benefits inclusive.
Period / An initial 12-month fixed term full-time post, with possibility of renewal subject to performance and funding
RedR and the work we do
Every year, hundreds of millions of people around the world are affected by natural disasters and conflict. RedR is an international disaster relief charity which saves lives by giving aid workers the vital skills they need to do their jobs to the highest possible standard. We train thousands of people each year in everything from providing emergency shelter to staying safe in the field, from project management after emergencies to essential water and sanitation skills and more. RedR has hubs in the UK, Kenya, Sudan and Jordan, and works in over 40 countries each year.
Job Description
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
The list presented does not cover the full scope of tasks and responsibilities of the Country Director, but serves to illustrate some of the areas of emphasis for the post. A detailed measurable objective and target setting will be finalized in coordination with the identified candidate following the selection and induction process.
The Country Director (CD) is overall responsible and accountable for the programme performance; financial management; staff safety, welfare and conduct for RedR’s operations in Sudan.
S/he is directly responsible for the strategic direction, general oversight and development of the programmes in Sudan, and managing relations with external clients, donors, the Government of Sudan, other humanitarian assistance community stakeholders. The post holder must be an experienced manager with a demonstrated track record of securing funding for and implementing humanitarian programmes, preferably with a focus on capacity building.
Business development - In collaboration with the Central Programmes Team in the UK, the CD will develop and maintain close and regular cooperation with donor representatives in Sudan. The CD will work closely with and mentor other colleagues with the team in identifying local, national and international funding and business opportunities and work with the Programme Funding Manager in UK in the development of funding proposals.
Senior level representation and networking – The CD will maintain regular contact with external stakeholders and ensure the RedR is appropriately represented in external coordination fora with government, UNOCHA and other UN agencies, counterpart NGOs and other relevant humanitarian or development fora.
Programme management – The CD will ensure that RedR’s operations in country and within are in line with the RedR’s strategy and the Sudan annual Operational Plan. S/he will lead the process for development of the 2018-19 Operational Plan and budget in collaboration with the International Programmes Director and in consultation with staff, external partners, Associate Trainers and the other RedR Regions.
Finance management – the CD is accountable for the management of donors’ and RedR’s unrestricted funding for projects in Sudan. S/he is also responsible for ensuring that the Sudan programme functions on a cost neutral basis. The CD must undertake monthly monitoring and analysis of expenditure against budget, ensure that all income and expenditure is correctly accounted for in line with donor and budgetary guidelines, and ensure that all staff are fully conversant and compliant with RedR and relevant donor financial procedures and reporting requirements.
Leadership – the CD will lead team in Sudan and provide strategic direction to guide decision making and prioritisation for staff and programme activities. S/he will input to organisational initiatives and planning at global level through regular contact with the International Programmes Director and counterparts in other Regions.
Staff Safety and Welfare - the CD is accountable for the safety and welfare of RedR staff in Sudan. S/he will work with the Security Focal Point and Global Security Manager to ensure that robust and appropriate safety and security procedures are in place. S/he will ensure that all HR, health, safety and welfare policies are adhered to and that staff are properly inducted and fully conversant with these requirements.
Communication and Marketing – the CD will oversee the Sudan team in the assessment of humanitarian capacity building needs and the development and monitoring of a proactive marketing strategy. S/he will review all external communications prior to publication and ensure that they are in line with RedR’s communication guidelines. All interaction with the media will be undertaken by the CD on behalf of RedR UK.
Government liaison and statutory requirements – In collaboration with various colleagues based both in Khartoum and El Fasher, the CD will liaise with local authorities in Sudan including the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) to ensure that RedR complies with all required legal, financial and diplomatic protocols including work permits, taxation, registration, local employment law, and insurance.
Person Specification
Essential
· Masters’ level qualification in a relevant area e.g. international relation, development studies, political science, or a similar humanitarian/development related field experience
· At least 10 years in senior management position with responsibility for remote line management preferably in humanitarian assistance. Development experience would be considered for short-listing of positions
· Proven track record in sourcing and securing donor funding including familiarity and experience in working with UN agencies, DFID, EU and USAID/OFDA
· Excellent financial management skills, including budget monitoring and analysis, institutional donor compliance and maximising financial performance
· Excellent communication, external relations and networking skills. Competency in marketing would be considered a distinct advantage.
· Proven record of excellent people skills, including good communication and inter-personal skills
· IT skills, with good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
· Sensitivity to cultural differences and the ability to adapt to different contexts
· Excellent written and spoken English
· Willingness and ability to travel extensively within Sudan
Desirable
· WASH in emergencies programmatic experience
· DRR and Resilience programmatic experience
· Learning & Development programmatic experience
· Experience in working through local partners, ideally this would include a role in capacity building with staff and/or partner organizations
· Written and spoken Arabic