Area Manager (Open call for multiple positions) – DRC

Job Description

Organization	Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
Workplace:	Blue Nile State, River Nile State, Northern State, South Darfur State
Department/Country:	Sudan
Contract type:	Expatriate or national contract
Application due:	31/10/2023

DRC Sudan

DRC has been present in Sudan since 2004, delivering life-saving programming in protection, emergency response, shelter, food security and livelihoods, disaster risk reduction, camp management, and humanitarian mine action. DRC has implemented projects in Central Darfur, South Darfur, South Kordofan, Gedaref, Kassala, and Khartoum states. Sudan hosts one of the largest displaced populations in Africa, with over 3.7 million internally displaced people and over 1.1 million refugees from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Central African Republic, Chad, Yemen and Syria. Against a background of political crisis, Sudan faces economic and social turmoil, with sharp increases in food and energy costs, further exacerbated by disease outbreaks and ongoing conflict.

Background

Danish Refugee Council is a leading protection agency pursuing our mandate to protect and promote durable solutions to displacement-affected populations based on humanitarian principles In the East Africa and the Great Lakes, DRC applies a regional approach with operational presence in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.  
DRC Sudan has experienced a significant strategic and operational shift following the onset of the crisis and as the country operation is responding to the evolving emergency as part of the inter-regional Sudan response plan. With the outbreak of conflict, DRC Sudan has reprogrammed activities to emergency modalities, and has deployed emergency teams to participate in joint needs assessments as well as conduct Rapid Protection Assessments. DRC continues to operate in Khartoum, Gedaref, Central Darfur and South Kordorfan, with the provision of life-saving assistance for Protection, Economic Recovery, Shelter and Settlements and Humanitarian Mine Action, as well as establishing a new operational presence in White Nile and Al Jazirah States. In addition, DRC is expanding into new areas of identified need.  

Overall purpose of the role:

The Area Manager will lead DRC’s program implementation and support services in new areas of operation, 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 program staff to ensure programmes are delivered to high standards, on time and within budget. 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 area activities with the organization’s Gedaref country office. 

Main duties and responsibilities include: 

Management and Coordination:

• Overall responsibility for the recruitment and daily management of the area-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 area 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 area offices, 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 area office 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 Services

• Manage the area-office based support services teams and support respectful and positive working relationships which allow for the effective implementation of all activities.
• Oversee and regularly update a comprehensive master budget of DRC’s operations in their area of responsibility.
• Collaborate regularly with the country-office 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.
• 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.
• Collaborate with the Supply Team to develop and maintain procurement plans.
• Ensure logistics and procurement processes are in place and 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.

Experience and technical competencies 

• Master’s degree in law, social sciences, International development, or another 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 of 5 years of experience in a senior project management position.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.

Languages: 

• Excellent written and spoken English. 
• Knowledge of Arabic is an added advantage.

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: 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.

Conditions

Contract:    Twelve months’ contract with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for International staff or  under terms of employment for National Staff in Sudan.  This position is graded at M.E

Start Date:          Open

Duty Stations:     Blue Nile State, River Nile State, Northern State, South Darfur State

Reports to:          Head of Operations

Application and CV

Only motivated applications that meet the required qualifications will be considered. 

Please submit your application and CV in English via our online-application form on www.drc.ngo under Vacancies by 31 October 2023.