Area Manager

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Spanish and English-speaking Area Manager to lead its Humanitarian Demining (HD) programme in Caquetá for a 12-month contract (renewable depending on funding) in Colombia. This is an opportunity for an experienced and dynamic professional to support and strengthen DRC program in Colombia.

About the job

DRC/DDG established operational presence in Colombia in 2011 with focus on HD and providing support to conflict-affected population in the south of the country. With the onset of the large mixed migration flows into Colombia due to the Venezuelan crisis, DRC started up an integrated humanitarian response in 2018 to meet the urgent needs of refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, Colombian returnees, and host communities.

Through its specialised unit (formerly called the Danish Demining Group), it conducts Humanitarian Mine Action programming in the departments of Caquetá and Nariño. Also, DRC has been able to assist the Colombian population, Venezuelan refugees, migrants and host communities through its integrated humanitarian response. Currently, DRC Colombia’s programming is taking place in some of Colombia’s most vulnerable areas such as Riohacha, Barranquilla, Bogota, Cundinamarca, Medellin, Caquetá and Nariño.

The primary objectives of the Area Manager – Caquetá -, will be together with the Head of Operations, Head of Humanitarian Demining, Head of Programs and Head of Support Services - to manage the operational base, ensure the timely and effective delivery of services in the target areas (5 municipalities of Caquetá), lead the recruitment of new local staff and oversees the security of DRC staff and activities.

Under the Head of Operations direct line management, the Area Manager will be based in San José del Fragua and will be responsible for the overall management and activity implementation in the surrounding municipalities. The position includes travel to the implementation sites in the mentioned area as well as occasional visits to hosting areas: rural communities for assessment, and meetings with authorities, partners and donors as necessary.

The position will include the line management of a team of international and national staff, capacity building of national staff, support tasks and procedures.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Management    

• Line manages area support and program staff;
• Ensure inter-department co-ordination at area level;
• Closely coordinate with the senior management team ensuring regular information flows;
• People management of direct reports (including development, people planning and performance);
• With supervisors, supervise the program activities budget lines; ensuring effective and efficient use of resources including financial, human and all assets;
• Ensure overall provision of and adherence to DRC policies (including Code of Conduct), procedures, guidelines, systems and standard practices;
• Provide leadership in overseeing logistical/procurement, Human Resources/administration and office services activities and ensure their timely/efficient delivering.

Representation, coordination and reporting 

• Primary DRC representative in the area of operation and attend with support from DRC technical staff all relevant fora/meetings in order to strengthen DRC’s position;
• Foster relationships with local authorities and other relevant stakeholders in the area of operation;
• Support working relationships with donors, national and international organizations and local counterparts;
• Comply with internal reporting requirements, contribute to, and provide quality assurance of external reports from area of operation.

Programme development

• Lead the process of adapting DRC national strategy to the local context and circumstances;
• Provide regular analysis on the context and humanitarian situation in the area for the development of project proposals and safety assessments in cooperation with the HoP, Country Director and Grant staff.

Safety                

• Ensure a safe and secure environment for DRC staff, beneficiaries, and assets by ensuring the local security procedures are up to date and SOPs are being followed in line with DRC policy. Given the highly conflictive context within the areas of operation, the Area Manager will have to monitor closely the activities that take place on the ground and the staff that conduct them, making sure that they abide to the safety protocols;
• When expanding activities to new areas, the Area Manager is responsible to gain access to them and to secure that all DRC staff follow the safety and security protocols;   
• Conduct regular safety and security monitoring and assessments.                                 

As Manager the post-holder is responsible for the following

• Accountable for achieving DRC’s strategic goals and objectives within the area of responsibility;
• Accountable for making significant decisions on what the unit does: its purpose, functions and role, and for making commitments and decisions that require the expenditure of significant unit resources;
• Accountable for people management of direct reports, generally at least 3 employees. This includes hiring & firing, objective setting, probation, performance appraisal, development of staff, managing performance, including poor performance, etc.;
• Accountable for making sound decisions based on DRC policies, MOPs, standards, and the advice of technical experts in DRC;

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to posses the following:        

Required                                                                                                               

• Master's degree in political science, international development, humanitarian assistance, economics or other relevant fields from a top-tier university;
• Or Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields with 3 years’ working experience in similar positions.  
• Minimum of 5 years´ experience in managing integrated humanitarian programs
• Minimum 3 years' experience in relevant field overseeing humanitarian multi-sector programs in environments in conflictive areas and context;
• At least 5 years' experience in people management;
• Strong leadership skills and a competence in people management;
• Practical and extensive financial, Human Resources and administration management;
• Experience working with an integrated ERP system (end to end process of procurement, and other peripheric modules of logistics) – MS Dynamics considered an advantage;
• External stakeholder management (especially with local authorities);
• Proven excellent communication and report writing skills; 
• Full proficiency in Spanish is compulsory;
• Proficiency in English is compulsory;
• Experience working in remote areas, with limited opportunities to create social networks.
• Experience with Humanitarian Demining operations is a plus;

Desirable

• Calm and diplomatic in nature;
• Ability to manage competing priorities and to meet deadlines;
• Effective team-player;
• For this role, the best candidate will also demonstrate ability to think beyond evidence, to deliver results and solve problems. He/She will show wit and ambition as well as a longsighted mindset.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ 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: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: 12 months renewable depending on funding

Level: Senior Management, E

Designation of Duty Station: San José del Fragua, Non-Family duty station – Unaccompanied

Start date: latest 1 August

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates. For questions regarding the vacancy please contact Giuliano Perseu: giuliano.perseu@drc.ngo. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 22 June

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.