Forensic Coordinator (Western Balkans Program), Local Professional

Description

Organization profile

Every year, millions of people around the world go missing as a result of conflict, human rights abuses, disasters, organized crime, irregular migration, and other causes. This is a complex global challenge that can be tackled effectively through cross-cutting programs that address a variety of difficult, interconnected issues.

The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) is the only international organization tasked exclusively to work on the issue of missing persons. It works with governments and other stakeholders, including families of the missing, to help them develop and maintain successful missing persons processes. To learn more about ICMP click here.

Western Balkans Program

In the Western Balkans ICMP has supported regional cooperation in the search for the missing; it has worked effectively to foster the development and cooperation of civil society organizations with one another and with governments and local authorities in the region. It has pioneered the application of state-of-the-art DNA and advanced database informatics to locate and identify large numbers of missing persons. To date, more than 70 percent of the estimated 40,000 persons reported missing at the end of the fighting in the Western Balkans have been accounted for. ICMP’s Western Balkans Program continues to provide assistance to countries in the region to account for approximately 12,000 persons that are still missing from the conflict in the 1990s.

Position Background

Reporting to the Head of Program (Western Balkans), and under the technical guidance of the Head of Archaeology and Anthropology (AAD) Division, the Forensic Coordinator’s duties and responsibilities will include, but will not necessarily be limited to, the following:

• Manage and supervise the Western Balkan AAD team and field operations in response to requests for technical assistance from domestic authorities in Albania, BIH, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia (currently 7 staff members);
• Provide written and verbal regular reports on forensic activities and evaluations;
• Draft talking points for the Head and Deputy Head of WB Program and contribute to reports for donors, the ICMP bi-weekly report, background papers, analytical notes, pre-meeting notes and minutes;
• Monitor and ensure project indicators are met;
• Train, mentor, and provide technical support to the AAD staff members;
• Under the close guidance of the Head and Deputy Head of WB Program, engage with relevant country officials and institutions and program donors on technical forensic issues relevant to the WB program objectives;
• Develop policies and SOPs relating to archaeology and anthropology and ICMP’s informatics tools in relation to programmatic needs;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of scientific standards of the ICMP AAD division;
• Conduct archaeological assessment and excavation, and anthropological examination in field and mortuary settings;
• Other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Masters/graduate degree in forensic anthropology, archaeology, or related forensic discipline;
• Ten to fifteen years of relevant professional experience, with previous experience in international organizations;
• Proven experience leading and managing a team of technical staff;
• Proven skills and experience managing the strategic technical operations related to anthropology and archaeology;
• Extensive practical experience in the conduct of archaeology, anthropology, or related forensic discipline to missing persons’ investigations;
• Experience in monitoring, evaluating, and reporting;
• Excellence drafting skills in English;
• Prior ICMP experience is an asset;
• Knowledge and understanding of the missing persons issue in the Western Balkans is essential;
• Tact, diplomacy, and negotiating skills.

Additional requirements

• Professional fluency in English and BCS; knowledge of Albanian is an asset;
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel and Power Point;
• Proven ability to interact positively with colleagues regardless of culture, nationality or gender;
• Willingness to travel and to work flexible hours including weekends and evenings;
• Capacity and willingness to work in sometimes challenging circumstances;
• Full driving license for manual transmission vehicles is essential;
• Legally entitled to work in BiH;

Benefits

This is a full time position with a competitive base salary at the LP level on the ICMP WB salary scale, generous paid leave and extensive health insurance benefits for the incumbent and any eligible dependent.

This is a locally engaged position and is not entitled to the expatriate allowances.

ICMP is committed to maintaining an environment of mutual respect, where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants. ICMP believes that diversity and inclusion among our staff are critical to our success as a global organization, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented individuals from a thoroughly diverse range of candidates. ICMP is proud to be part of the International Gender Champions network.