Shelter NFI Working Group Coordinator At People in Need

Starting date: December 2021 or upon agreement

Contract duration: 12 months

Country Program: Syria Response

Base: Derik with travel around NE Syria and the Region

Line Manager: Area Director

About the role:

PIN has been working in Northern Syria since 2012, providing emergency relief and early recovery support to conflict-affected communities and IDPs. PIN’s contribution to the overall Syria humanitarian response is amongst the largest, with an annual turnover of over $45 million, of which around 40% is in North East Syria. The major donors are: ECHO, ENI, BHA and SDC.

The Shelter & NFI Working Group in NES works to ensure coordinated and equitable access to NFI and shelter services and assistance for displaced persons to support over 15 agencies including 2 UN agencies in 4 Governorates (Aleppo, Raqqa, Hassakeh and Der er Zor). In addition, the role supports the development and standardisation of tools, guidance and strategies that ensure timely and adequate support for vulnerable communities, IDPs and refugees. The role will involve and be responsible for supporting sector coordination of Shelter & NFI humanitarian actors in Northeast Syria in collaboration with the Whole-of-Syria (WoS) Shelter & NFI coordinators and the North East Syria NGO Forum Coordinator. The purpose of this position is to provide leadership and facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response by Shelter & NFI actors in Northeast Syria. The position may also involve occasional travel outside Northeast Syria to support relevant Whole-of-Syria initiatives. The WG Coordinator is accountable to Shelter & NFI partners in Northeast Syria with close collaboration to WoS and NES NGO Forum Inter Sector Coordinator.

The position, dependant on security, will be based in Derik. However, NE Syria is a dynamic environment and the position may be moved if the security situation changes.

Duties and responsibilities:

The Sector coordination responsibilities (as prescribed by IASC guidelines) are vested in the sector/cluster coordinators at the hub level and further at Sub Hub Level (for example NES SNFI Hub). The responsibilities are:

• Coordination Mechanisms: Establish and maintain appropriate coordination mechanisms with Shelter & NFI actors in Northeast Syria. This includes meeting with humanitarian agencies to coordinate the response, negotiating humanitarian access with local authorities and collaborating with the WoS Sector Coordinators and NES NGO Forum Coordinator.
• Humanitarian Programme Cycle: Ensure common needs criteria, definitions and benchmarks. Ensure response monitoring, reporting and contribution to HPC Processes, which includes but not limited to HRP processes.
• Strategy development and implementation: The WG Coordinator will support technical task forces established to look into technical issue surrounding new approaches, development of cross cutting issues (e.g. Shelter HLP implementation, Free rent, minimum standards implementations, etc.)
• Information Management. Work in collaboration with the WoS and NES NGO Forum Information Management functions to maintain 4Ws planning, reporting and information sharing in order to identify gaps and eliminate overlaps. (role requires hosting agency to provide IM Officer/Cluster officer to support in coordination)
• Reporting & Resource Mobilization. In collaboration with the WoS Sector Coordinators and NES NGO Forum Coordinator, draft reports and briefing notes on the situation and developments in the context and needs for the use by the WoS Shelter & NFI sectors and the NES NGO Forum. In addition, providing inputs into resource mobilization needs and strategies, providing technical guidance for humanitarian pooled funding allocations, and liaising with donors.
• Needs Assessments & Analysis. Work in collaboration with the WoS Sector Coordinators and NES NGO Forum Coordinator to initiate and support Shelter & NFI needs assessment and analysis. This includes making relevant contributions to multi-sector assessments, providing inputs into the HNO and analysing feedback from key partners. This responsibility includes liaising with NGO partners and WoS assessment and monitoring staff.
• Technical Standards. Work in collaboration with the WoS Sector Coordinators and relevant technical leads in the sector to discuss, develop, and share relevant technical standards and guidelines for best practice. This includes working with the WoS coordinators to develop and promote common or rationalised approaches between coordination hubs.
• Training and Capacity Building. Work in collaboration with the WoS Sector Coordinators and relevant technical leads in the sector to facilitate technical training and capacity building of partners.
• Cross-Cutting Issues. Ensure consideration and inclusion of cross-cutting issues (Protection, Age, Gender, Disaster Risk Reduction and Environment) in the inter-agency Shelter & NFI response in Northeast Syria.
• Emergency Preparedness. Work in collaboration with the WoS Sector Coordinators and NES NGO Forum Coordinator to develop Shelter & NFI emergency preparedness and response plans with NGO partners, including funding requirements.
• Inter-Sector. The position-holder will be responsible for actively participating in other relevant coordination mechanisms in Northeast Syria. The position-holder will work in collaboration with the WoS Sector Coordinators and NES NGO Forum Coordinator to ensure adequate and appropriate liaison and coordination with the other WG/Sector and Coordination fora in Northeast Syria to ensure/facilitate contextual analysis, needs assessments and access to beneficiaries and sites/structures. In addition, provide relevant inputs to key humanitarian deliverables including HNO, HRP and critical funding gaps
• Other relevant tasks as requested by the WoS Sector Coordinators and the NES NGO Forum Coordinator.
• Contributing to monthly reporting to donor project supporting the position.

Suitable candidates for this position should possess:

• At least 3 years of professional experience within a humanitarian organization;
• Degree and experience in engineering, architecture or similar;
• Proven experience in Shelter programming/household rehabilitation;
• Knowledge of the context in Syria and the Syrian Crisis;
• Understanding of the international humanitarian response architecture, including coordination mechanisms, humanitarian reform and action, and funding mechanisms (e.g. Consolidated Appeals Process, Central Emergency Response Fund and Flash Appeals).
• Experience of high-level coordination and chairing of meetings.
• Previous experience and formal training in Sector/Cluster Coordination preferred.
• Ability to work with a diverse group of stakeholders and develop consensus and joint working.
• Ability to work productively in a pressurized environment and to maintain visibly high levels of morale in difficult circumstances
• Experience with remotely managed programming;
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal;
• Fluency in Arabic and/or Kurdish is an advantage, but not essential.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions:

• This position is an unaccompanied position. The position is based in Derik. The PIN office in Derik has a small contingent of international staff providing links to national staff in the other offices in NE Syria. The town is perceived as less conservative, offering opportunities for a social life outside work hours. Location of the position may change as the security situation in NE Syria is fluid.
• Individual rooms are provided in the GH in Derek.
• General security situation in Derek is generally good and there is potential for a relatively good social life with a number of restaurants and a growing expat community. It is close to the Iraq border. Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available. Internet is available in all PIN’s offices and guesthouses. There are a number of health services available with medevac mechanism for INGO’s members. There is reasonable access to most consumer goods.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and PIN’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

People in Need offers:

• Working environment in a well-established and growing humanitarian organization;
• Salary and benefits according to PIN salary scale; expected starting salary 3 000 EUR – 3 200 EUR based on candidate seniority (before taxation, per diems included)
• Accommodation in PIN’s guesthouse on PIN’s expenses;
• 25 days of paid leave annually;
• Reimbursement of travel expenses with travel to the country of residence once per every 6 months of completed work, plus R&R benefits according to PIN’s policy;
• Reimbursement of costs of visas and vaccinations; assistance with visa application procedure;
• Free medical helpdesk and psychological consultation available online; travel health insurance.