Area Manager

Overall Purpose of the Role: 

The Bule Hora-based Area Manager is responsible for the overall implementation and strategic direction of the organization's current and future projects in the West Guji (and bordering kebeles in Gedeo zones of the Oromia region of Ethiopia, and is the direct supervisor of both program and support staff in the Bule Hora field office. The Area Manager oversees DRC’s program and support staff to ensure all programming in West Guji zone is in line with DRC Ethiopia’s country strategy, Bule Hora area strategies and the relevant program strategies,and is in full compliance with the organization’s policies and best practices. Furthermore, the Area Manager is responsible for leading project cycle management, area level strategies and contributing to proposal development and program strategies - ensuring the successful implementation of all activities, and relevance and responsiveness of the activities to priority humanitarian needs in West Guji and Gedeo zone. In this capacity, the Area Manager is also responsible for representing DRC publicly at the site level, including in coordination fora with other agencies, and for providing the direct link in communications between DRC's Bule Hora field office and the organization's Addis Ababa country office. Finally, it is essential the Area Manager collaborates with the Addis Ababa based National Safety Officer and Senior Management Team to provide safety and security management of the Bule Hora-based team and ensure all safety and security measures, including contingency plans and standard operating procedures, are in place and well understood by all staff.

Responsibilities

Management and Coordinator:

• Overall responsibility for the recruitment and daily management of the Bule Hora -based program and support teams, including ensuring positive and collaborative working relationships in line with DRC's Code of Conduct and assessing staff capacity to provide or recommend relevant training or coaching as needed.
• Daily management of the Bule Hora office, including ensuring compliant financial operations and budgeting, administration, human resources, logistics, procurement and security in line with DRC and donor regulations.
• Represent DRC publicly at the site level, including in coordination fora with other agencies, and for providing the direct link in communications between DRC's Bule Hora field office and the Addis Ababa office.

   

  Programming and Technical Support:

• Provide oversight of all programming in West Guji zone in compliance with core protection principles and best practices, and DRC and donor regulations, while upholding rigorous project cycle management standards.
• Work with the Head of Programs and finance team to contribute to new project development, including both narratives and budgets, by coordinating and compiling inputs from other technical and support staff.
• Ensure the timely and quality delivery of all organizational and project reports and staff contributions to organizational monitoring and evaluation requirements to ensure project quality, relevance and accountability to DRC's beneficiary populations.
• Support staff to integrate protection and migration concerns and awareness into other sectors as relevant.

   

  Finance and Administration:

• Provide daily management of the field office’s finance team.
• Oversee and regularly update a comprehensive master budget of all of DRC’s operations in West Guji zone.
• Assume responsibility as primary budget holder of all projects and lead in the development of new budgets and spending plans.
• Collaborate regularly with the Addis Ababa based finance team to monitor spending and ensure the timely utilization of all grants.
• Ensure full compliance with DRC and donor financial guidelines and policies.
• Design and support in conducting needs assessments to inform program design as well as identify risks and vulnerabilities, including those related to gender, age and diversity.  
• Develop concrete initiatives to respond to protection risks experienced by the IDP and returnee population in West Guji zone as well as specific strategies which build upon existing assets within the population.  
• Contribute to the strategic direction of programming through active and ongoing participation in and contribution to strategic planning meetings and development of strategic documents.

Human Resources:

• Manage the Bule Hora-based team and support respectful and positive working relationships which allow for the effective implementation of all activities. This is to be achieved through leadership, team building, day-to-day support, capacity-building and strong, generalist knowledge in all of DRC’s core sectors, including protection, migration and infrastructure.
• Lead site-level recruitment processes and ensure that relevant staffing structures are in place and are reflective of appropriate gender balance.
• Promote professional development by identifying training and capacity building opportunities and ensure staff are well versed in core protection concepts, DRC's code of conduct, accountability, respectful dialogue with the refugee population, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Collaborate with the Addis Ababa human resources department to ensure staff evaluations are conducted on a regular basis.

Logistics and Procurement:

• Collaborate with the Logistics and Procurement Team Leader and Addis Ababa based logistics and procurement team to develop and maintain procurement plans.
• Ensure logistics and procurement processes are in place and fully compliant with DRC and donor policies and standards.
• Collaborate with the Logistics and Procurement Team Leader to ensure field-based records are well managed, fulfill DRC and donor requirements, and are always up-to-date for use in donor reports.
• Monitor budget lines to ensure spending is in line with project timelines and implementation schedules.
• Regularly review procurement plans with procurement and logistics, and finance teams to adjust spending as required in advance of project closure.

Safety and Security:

• Assume responsibility for staff safety in the area of operation.
• Ensure all relevant information regarding safety, security and the context is collected, updated and shared in a regular and timely manner.
• Collaborate with the Addis Ababa based Security Coordinator and Senior Management Team to make decisions and manage security incidents at a local level.

About you

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

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

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

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in law, social sciences, international development, or other relevant field.
• Knowledge of Office software packages and experience using data analysis tools. 
• Minimum of 6 to 8 years of work experience within the field of law or protection, particularly within the field of humanitarian response and refugee protection, with experience working for an international NGO, UN agency or relevant ministry or local authority.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a senior project management position.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Languages:

• Excellent verbal and written English.
• Knowledge of Amharic an added advantage.

Conditions

Contract:           One year contract. Salary and other conditions are offered in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment.  This position is under employment Band M.E for international staff.

Availability:        October 2019

Duty station:      The position will be based in Bule Hora, Ethiopia.  This is a non-family duty station.

Application and CV

Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications, sent together with a CV, will be considered.

DRC only accepts applications sent via our online-application form on www.drc.dk under Vacancies. Please remember to upload both a letter of application and your CV and do not attach any written recommendations.

Please submit your application and CV in English no later than 25 September, 2019.