Human Mobility Hub Lead

Background

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Middle East Regional Office (MERO) commissioned a scoping study to inform the feasibility, vision, and strategy for potential expansion of NRC’s work in the North of Africa, beyond NRC’s current operations in this region. The purpose was to explore strategic linkages between countries, policies and initiatives, best practices, and strategic priorities of civil society, governments, peer organisations, and donors.

The study found that the needs, gaps, and opportunities in the North of Africa as well as strategic linkages with other regions in Africa, the Middle East, and beyond (Latin America and Europe) indeed warrant an engagement by NRC. Therefore, MERO developed a concept of an agile and dynamic “Human Mobility Hub” that would serve as a platform to design, test, evaluate, and potentially scale and replicate innovative, partner-based programmatic, and advocacy initiatives in multiple countries, and that can also inform the sector and NRC’s global policy and strategy development. An important feature of the design is to offer multiple NRC-internal and external stakeholders (academia, international organisations,  private sector) to use the Hub from the beginning as a platform to collaborate on developing and implementing joint action that are grounded in providing agency to displacement-affected populations and civil society.

Based from Tunis, Tunisia, the Hub is envisaged to be implemented over a period of two years, starting in September 2022. The mission and vision of the hub is that improved understanding of human mobility today and in the future is at the core of NRC’s ability to respond effectively. The Human Mobility Hub will enable the understanding of multi-faceted layers and trends of human mobility and find new responses and operational models for the sector and the organisation.

Job Purpose

The Human Mobility Hub Lead is responsible for primarily leading the establishment of the Hub in an innovative and visionary approach. The role will focus on programming, advocacy and policy development in a first phase and will then manage the implementation of various projects and initiatives. Networking and influencing will be central to this position in order to involve a broad range of stakeholders.

What you will do

• Establishment of the Hub: responsible for initiating the Hub structure and processes; provide vision for the definition of problems; develop and oversee the execution of a flexible business plan; identify key thematic areas; and incorporate partnership, and fundraising strategies.
• Manage the establishment of the hub in four phases: ideation and mobilization, advocacy and screening, testing and learning and finally diffusion phase where the Hub Lead will provide recommendations to close the Hub or a development plan for the continuation of the Hub concept (find more details on the four phases in the job description)
• Development of initiatives, products, and concepts: responsible for supervising a well performing team of specialists to deliver feasibility assessments in countries and contexts; co-design innovative projects with local partners and displaced people that leverage transformative change; develop models that allow for new financing with a high return on investment.
• Networking, representation and advocacy: responsible for convening and connecting local and international stakeholders to design a new system of aid that moves from charity to global solidarity to displaced people; establishing strong relationships inside and outside of NRC; and representing NRC in relevant fora.
• Fundraising: Responsible for resource mobilisation in support to the Hub, its partners and initiatives. 
• Testing new approaches: responsible for rigorous testing of selected and funded projects and initiatives; pivot and adapt with a focus on depth of transformation, scale and reach.
• Documenting what works and sharing learning: responsible for putting in place a sound framework to measure progress of the Hub portfolio in line with NRC’s global and regional strategies
• Technical support: responsible for ensuring that technical support is available for the development and implementation of projects and interventions under the Hub.
• Communication: Regularly report to MERO leadership, matrix reporting lines, participating NRC offices, and external partners for strategic guidance and knowledge exchange.
• Adherence to NRC policies 

Professional competencies, skills and qualifications required

• Relevant Qualification to Master’s Level in a relevant field.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant Manager/Adviser experience focused in innovation in the humanitarian/social sector.
• Experience in systems innovation using agile methodologies with knowledge of innovative business models of aid, with practical experience scaling innovation in a challenging context.
• Experience in leading diverse teams of technical experts in a start up environment.
• Able to represent the organisation at a strategic level and experienced in engaging and negotiating with a variety of stakeholders.
• Strong people management skills, with experience managing complex change processes.
• Experience developing, influencing and implementing policy advocacy work; programme evaluation and systems change.
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal. French, Arabic or Hebrew languages are desirable.
• Valid driver’s license. 

Behavioural competencies

• Empowering and building trust 
• Working with people 
• Communicating with impact and respect 
• Coping with change 
• Leadership 
• Influencing

What We Offer

NRC is an equal opportunities employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality and physical ability.

We offer an opportunity to match your career to a compelling cause and a chance to meet and work with people who are the best in their fields.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply and join our work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility: At NRC we think outside the box. We encourage ideas and give responsibility to all employees at all levels, to help solve the complex issues that we face. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take initiative.

We are also looking for people who share our values:

• To be dedicated in what we do;
• To be innovative with our solutions;
• To act as one unified and inclusive team;
• To be accountable to the donors that make our work possible; the people we exist to serve, and to each other… the members of our NRC family.

Additional Information:

Duty Station: Tunis, Tunisia

Duration of contract: 24 months, full-time, in accordance with local labour laws. Its an accompanied contract

Grade 12 in NRC's grading structure

Travel: 50% (MERO, Country Offices in Middle East region, America, Europe and Latin America, Central, West Africa)

Reporting line: Regional Director - Middle East Region

We invite applications from all qualified and interested candidates. Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as applications may be screened prior to the vacancy deadline.

Please note to attach your academic and professional certificates in your application.

For further details you can view a copy of the full job description here.