ERT Project Coordinator

Location

Starting Date & Initial Contract Details

May 2023. Full time, 18 to 24 months.

Role Overview

The Project Coordinator manages the implementation and coordination of the designated field projects. Providing leadership, strategic direction, management and evaluation of all aspects of the Medair projects, the Project Coordinator also plays a key role in liaison with local authorities and other relevant stakeholders, team leadership and security.

Project Overview

The Emergency Response Team (ERT) works across all 10 states of South Sudan in response to acute emergencies: disease outbreaks, displacement due to conflict, and above-emergency-levels of malnutrition. Medair is one of the few agencies with the ability to respond across multiple sectors flexibly and rapidly throughout South Sudan, covering crises such as emergency level malnutrition and neglected tropical disease outbreaks. The ERT has teams for four sectors of work – WASH, health, nutrition, and non-food items & emergency shelter, but teams often work together at field sites. As many as six to eight different emergency sites may be active at any given time.

Our Culture

Key Activity Areas

Project Management

• Oversee the overall implementation of the designated project(s) in consultation with the relevant Project Manager(s) and in accordance with the project proposals, ensuring objectives are met within the required time frame and budget. Where necessary ensure preventative and corrective action is taken.
• Manage a comprehensive activity plan for the designated project(s), including resource needs analysis, covering the time frame of the project proposal.
• Support relevant Project Manager(s) in day-to-day decision making as requested.
• Ensure that regular monitoring and evaluation assessments against project objectives are conducted and reports made to the relevant in-country or GSO managers or to donors.
• Maintain an overview of the regional context with a view to the strategic development of new projects both in current sites and in surrounding regions. This may include baseline needs assessments.
• Support the Programme Funding Manager, the Deputy Country Director and the Country Director in the development and production of new concepts and proposals.
• Develop, in consultation with the other senior field managers, an implementation strategy which is appropriate to the country context and strategy. Ensure complete and timely reporting of activities to Medair, donors, line managers and any other relevant bodies. Ensure all documents related to project(s) are produced and filed according to Medair and donor guidelines.

Representation

• Develop and maintain relationships with relevant stakeholders (e.g. beneficiaries, community leaders, local and national government officials, donors, UN agencies and other NGOs) and represent Medair at meetings (e.g. state and local government, sector-coordination and security) in order to facilitate and ensure cooperation and partnerships.
• Attend OCHA EP&R meetings and meetings relevant to specific emergencies and emergency responses.
• Liaise regularly with UNOCHA, consortium partners, and other NGOs, representatives of the Government of South Sudan and other emergency response partners in discussing potential or current emergencies.
• Accompany donors on field trips and ensure programme details are transmitted in a timely manner.

Financial Management

• Plan and construct the budgets for the designated projects, in collaboration with the relevant Project Manager(s) and Sector Advisers and in accordance with donor guidelines.
• Working with Project Manager(s), ensure that budgets are spent according to donor proposals and regulations and within timeframe, making any budget recommendations to the Deputy Country Director.

Staff Management

• Line manage Project Managers and ERT Logistics Coordinator and ensuring recruitment, on boarding and performance.
• Ensure all personnel related issues for the staff of the designated project(s) are carried out in accordance with Medair guidelines. This includes recruitment, appraisal, objective setting, development and training, disciplinary action, etc. If applicable, work with the relevant Project Manager(s).
• Ensure that staff receive appropriate and adequate training by providing mentoring and coaching and through the promotion of capacity building of local staff.
• Hold regular team meetings and, through a consultative leadership style and a transparent, honest and supportive communication structure, develop and build an effective team.
• Promote the health and security of the staff of the designated project(s) by ensuring the application of security guidelines, health and safety in the workplace and healthy living conditions and practices.

Security Management

• Guide the process, monitor and review security assessments for new locations and the security status of the area(s) of operation on a regular basis, liaising as applicable with local authorities, other NGOs, the UN or other relevant security bodies. Make reports to the DCD.
• Ensure all staff members working for the designated projects and all visitors receive appropriate briefings and on-going training in security-related topics.
• Oversee and monitor staff adherence to security protocols, including security incident reports. Ensure security plans and protocols for the area(s) of operation are updated and implemented in response to changes in the security situation.
• Train and support Project Manager(s) in security planning, management, implementation and monitoring.

Reporting and Quality Management

• Ensure designated project(s) are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Medair, donor, country and international standards e.g. Sphere and HAP standards, WHO recommendations, etc.
• Regularly assess and provide feedback and recommendations on the quality of the programmes and interventions during field visits and at other relevant times.
• Promote and use the Medair e-library and other operating procedures, ensuring that all standardised formats are used and guidelines are followed. Oversee the preparation and writing of donor proposals and reports in collaboration with the relevant PMs, Sector Managers and other senior in-country and GSO managers.

Team Spiritual Life

• Reflect the values of Medair with team members, local staff, beneficiaries, and external contacts.
• Work, live, and pray together in our Christian faith-based team settings. Fully contribute to the rich spiritual life of your team, including team devotions, prayers, and words of encouragement.
• Encouraged to join and contribute to Medair’s international prayer network.

This job description covers the main tasks that are anticipated. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary.

Qualifications

• University degree in a relevant subject such as Management/ Development Studies / Business Administration.
• Strong working knowledge of English (spoken and written).

What is the ROC and why is it required?

Experience

• 3 years post-qualification experience in a management position, preferably in an international position.
• Project Management experience, managing high portfolio multi sector projects. Emergency Response experience.
• Experience in the design, monitoring of implementation and evaluation of humanitarian / emergency programmes.
• Networking and advocacy skills. Experience in dealing with donors and government officials.
• Advanced planning, assessment and analytical skills. Good report and proposal writing skills.
• Good negotiation skills. Experience and willingness in training/mentoring staff.
• Advanced leadership and people management skills. Excellent communication skills.

All new deploying international staff to Medair’s country programmes (and other roles which require field travel) should be fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved COVID vaccine, supported with a COVID vaccination certificate as evidence.