Country Director - Uganda & Tanzania

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is an independent, non-profit organization (NGO), founded on the basis of humanitarian principles, and human rights based approach, to secure the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), and to promoting long term solutions to the problems of forced displacement. Danish Demining Group (DDG) is a specialized unit within DRC which implements mine action and armed violence reduction (AVR) programmes. DDG’s mandate is ‘to create a safe environment free from armed violence and the remnants of conflict’, and DDG does this via a programmatic focus on four key sectors: Security Systems Reform, Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) management, Mine Action and Conflict Management. 

 

 

DRC has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. Using a human rights framework, the DRC East Africa and Yemen (EAY) operation focuses mainly on people who are affected by displacement, including refugees, internally displaced, and migrants in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda, Tanzania and Yemen. The EAY Regional office also supports non-operational initiatives, focusing on mixed migration issues, civil society engagement, and advocacy and policy initiatives related to displacement.  

 

The Uganda-Tanzania operation is the fourth largest international programme in the organization and is part of the East Africa and Yemen Regional Office based in Nairobi. The Uganda programme has been running since 1997 and is a significant actor in support refugees throughout the country as well as conflict management programming in Karamoja. The Tanzania operation began in 2015 and is focused on the Burundian and Congolese refugee populations in North-West region.  There are currently over 370 staff working in the Uganda programme in eleven programme offices while there are over 150 staff in five programme offices in Tanzania. Current programme sectors include protection, food security, WASH, shelter and NFI, livelihoods and conflict management. 

 

DRC/DDG strives to be one of the absolute leading displacement focused INGOs in Uganda and Tanzania in terms of relevance, impact and quality. Current focus is both emergency programming to address critical needs resulting from the current conflict, as well as an increased pursuance for recovery programming, durable solutions and sustainable livelihood strategies for the displaced population while building better strategic, programmatic and operational coherence and synergy across the Uganda and Tanzania. 

 

In close collaboration with the Regional Director; along with the DRC and DDG regional staff; CD colleagues and senior programme staff and advisors, the incumbent’s prime objectives will be to provide leadership and strategic management with a view to position DRC as the leading INGO in Uganda and Tanzania on protection of displaced populations, promotion of durable solutions, Armed Violence Reduction; oversee the strengthening of DRC’s programme development, quality and accountability framework and be a pro-active partner in the wider regional strategic and programme development process. 

 

The CD supervises the senior management team for Uganda and Tanzania including the Deputy Country Director based in Dar es Salaam, the DRC Head of Programmes, and the Head of Finance and Administration.  In addition, the CD will oversee the work of the DDG Head of Programmes, supporting the DDG portfolio as a key pillar of the overall Uganda programme. A close working relationship will be maintained with the regional senior management team. The CD for Uganda-Tanzania reports to the Regional Director. 

 

Ensure that the SMT and PMs have clear and realistic performance based management goals. Tasks include:  

a) Direct line management of SMT, Consortium Managers, and country wide programme support team;  

b) Support PMs to establish good management support for their teams;  

c) Provide on-going support and coaching, and ensure that staff has the necessary capacity to fulfil their responsibilities. 

To develop and update the Uganda-Tanzania programme strategy, within DRC/DDG’s overall regional and global strategic frameworks. Tasks include:  

a) Keeping abreast key conflict and displacement trends in the region impacting the two countries; 

b) Identifying key developments and trends in refugee response in countries and position the organisation to best deal with these 

c) Ensure that the key regional and global frameworks are contextualised and applied in the country program context and ensure that staff understand these,  

d) Leading a consultative process for local strategy development,  

e) Leading the Uganda and Tanzania annual programme portfolio analyses,  

f) Playing a key role in fundraising and donor contract management. 

 

To be responsible for ensuring that programmes comply with the organisational quality and accountability commitments. Tasks include:  

a) Ensure that the Operations and Programme Handbooks are utilized throughout all offices,  

b) Lead process of developing and updating the local Humanitarian Accountability Framework and Quality Management System,  

c) Promote accountability concepts and practices. 

 

To hold overall responsibility for ensuring that DRC’s Uganda-Tanzania programme is delivered in a safe and secure manner. Tasks include:  

a) Working with DRC’s Regional Security Advisor and Uganda-Tanzania Programme safety officers to ensure that all EAY security management protocols and procedures are updated, made locally relevant and applied consistently,  

b) To be overall responsible for ensuring security analyses is being done collectively and regularly,  

c) Ensuring compliance with risk mitigation against corruption, fraud and diversion. 

 

To ensure that DRC/DDG maintains excellent and productive relations with all key stakeholders, especially beneficiaries, local authorities, the humanitarian community and donors. Tasks include:  

a) Representing DRC/DDG at relevant and senior forums/ meetings,  

b) Ensuring other staff are appropriately representing DRC/DDG at relevant forums/ meetings,  

c) Maintaining agreed profile of DRC/DDG at country level,  

d) Conducting regular stakeholder analyses to ensure that DRC/DDG has good understanding of dynamics/ relationships,  

e) Engaging in, and where effective, leading coordination processes amongst key stakeholders. 

 

To lead the Uganda and Tanzania’s team’s advocacy in all DRC/DDG key messages. Tasks include:  

a) With Regional Office to prepare and implement an advocacy and communication strategy, 

b) Guiding staff to advocate clearly, appropriately and strategically. 

 

Ensure that the different programmes deliver financial accountability. Tasks include:  

a) Playing an active and coordinating role in linking finance teams with the Regional finance teams, and financial management itself,  

b) Ensuring that financial systems are followed by FOs and that financial reports submitted are accurate, 

c) Ensuring the finance and programme teams have a productive engagement. 

 

 

To be successful in this role, we expect you to be a positive, mature leader with a proven track record of developing effective initiatives, programmes, and impact.  You thrive in managing a wide range of responsibilities, and can effectively communicate and lead the country team. You are an effective people manager and enjoy working with teams of committed staff to build collaboration and capacity within the Uganda and Tanzania programmes and building strong relationships with the regional team. 

  

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate each of DRC’ five core competencies:  

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results through the country team both to position DRC and ensure excellence in all deliverables.  

• Collaborating: You lead initiatives at country operation level by involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.  

• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.  

• Communicating: You listen to beneficiaries, staff and other stakeholders; and you communicate concisely and persuasively 

• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with DRC’s vision and values and set a very clear standard for your country team members.  

  

Moreover, we also expect the following:   

 

Essential: 

Preferable: 

DRC encourages all qualified candidates to apply, irrespective of nationality, race, gender or age. 

 

Availability: 1 December 2017  

 

Duty station: Kampala with frequent travel to programme locations within Uganda and Tanzania 

Duration: Two years with possibility of extension, subject to funding.  

 

Contract: Level A6. This is a Family Duty post.  Salary, benefits and other conditions are offered in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies.  For national candidates, competitive salary and benefits are offered in accordance with the Uganda National staff salary scale and terms of employment. 

 

For more information about the position, please contact the Regional Director, Ms Heather Amstutz at h.amstutz@drceay.org .  For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.dk. 

DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability commitments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework.  

 

Qualified candidates are invited to access the full job description and the requirements for this position under vacancies at www.drc.dk.  Please submit applications online using this link by 21 August 2017. 

 

Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications, sent together with a CV, will be considered.  CV-only applications will not be considered and email applications sent directly to Ms Heather Amstutz will not be considered.  

 

If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please contact job@drc.dk