Area Manager

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for an experienced Area Manager to oversee our offices in Central Darfur. The Darfur offices implements both emergency activities as well contributes to increased resilience amongst the population we work with.

About the job

The Area Manager advises DRC’s program and support staff to ensure all programming in Central Darfur is in line with DRC Sudan’s country strategy and compliant with the organization’s policies.  The aim of this role is to translate programme and operational strategy into action at field level. 

The Area Manager is directly responsible for managing support staff in their base, and for leading base managers and team leaders to ensure programmes are delivered to high standards, on time and within budget.  Based in Nertiti with extensive travel to other office locations in the state and beyond, the Area Manager is also responsible for representing DRC, including in coordination fora with other agencies, and for providing the direct link in communications between DRC’s Darfur field offices and the organization’s Khartoum country office. 

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Management and Coordination:

• Overall responsibility for the recruitment and daily management of the Central Darfur-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 Central Darfur 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 state level, including in coordination fora with other agencies

Programming and Technical Support:

• Provide oversight of all programming in Central Darfur in compliance with core protection principles and best practices, and DRC and donor regulations, while upholding rigorous project cycle management standards.
• 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.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of Central Darfur programming through active and ongoing participation in and contribution to strategic planning meetings
• Work with the Head of Programmes and finance team to contribute to new project development, including both narratives and budgets.
• 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 base office’s finance team.
• Oversee and regularly update a comprehensive master budget of DRC’s operations in Central Darfur.
• Collaborate regularly with the Khartoum 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.

Human Resources:

• Manage the Central Darfur-based team and support respectful and positive working relationships which allow for the effective implementation of all activities.
• Lead state-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.
• Ensure staff evaluations are conducted on a regular basis.

Logistics and Procurement:

• Collaborate with the Supply Team to develop and maintain procurement plans.
• Ensure logistics and procurement processes are in place.
• Collaborate with the supply chain team to ensure field-based records are well managed, fulfill DRC and donor requirements, and are up-to-date.
• Monitor budget lines to ensure spending is in line with project timelines.
• 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 Security Coordinator and Senior Management Team to make decisions and manage security incidents at a local level.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect the following:

Required                        

• Master’s degree in law, social sciences, international development, or other relevant field.
• Minimum of 7 years of work experience within the field of humanitarian response and refugee protection in at least two different international crises contexts, with experience working for an international NGO, UN agency or relevant ministry or local authority.
• Minimum 5 years of work experience in people management;
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a senior management position in at least 2 conflict affected contexts.
• Proven experience in project implementation
• Practical and extensive financial, Human Resources and administration management.
• External stakeholder management (especially with local authorities)
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Excellent written and spoken English

Desirable

• Knowledge of Arabic is an added advantage

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: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: 24 months

Band: E

Designation of Duty Station: Nertiti, Central Darfur with extensive travel within the region l Unacccompanied Non-family Duty Station

Start date: 16 October 2022

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to drc.ngo under Vacancies. For questions regarding the vacancy please contact Julian Zakrzewski at julian.zakrzewski@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: 31 May 2022

The screening process for this position is on rolling basis, so early submission of applications is encouraged. DRC remains a right to close the vacancy once a suitable candidate is identified.

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