YEMEN – FIELD COORDINATOR – EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (M/F) – ADEN At Solidarités International

Desired start date: ASAP

Duration of the mission: 12 months (renewable)

Location: Based in Aden but with regular field trips

ABOUT THE MISSION

SI opened its mission in Yemen in 2017, establishing its coordination in Aden. With the support of the Emergency DESK, SI mission was able to quickly acquire operational capacity, which was first deployed in Lahj Governorate, for implementation of WASH and Food Security Programming. Over the course of 2018, SI expanded the geographical scope of its intervention, and established presence in Al Turbah and Al Mokha in Taizz Governorate.

For the year 2020/21; the mission has a forecasted budget of about 10M Euros. It operates from Aden, where the coordination is based, and 2 operational field bases located in Al Turbah and Al Mokha. EPRT base is located in Aden for a better flexibility in geographical coverage of the intervention.

The mission is run by 23 expatriates and 120 national staffs, and is funded by OFDA, CDC, YHPF, DutchMoFA and ECHO. SI Programming in Yemen focuses on addressing immediate food needs of communities at risk of famine, as well as providing timely response to displacements of population and AWD/Cholera outbreaks. Its portfolio is primarily composed of WASH Emergency projects, along with unconditional cash distribution.

The Emergency Preparedness Response Team (EPRT) is intervening in emergency WaSH (Water trucking, sanitation construction, distribution of Hygiene kit, HP awareness….), WaSH in Health with a strong focus on water-borne disease preparedness and response (Rehabilitation of Health Facilities, Distribution of cholera kit and second line response at village level, Water supply at Health Facilities level…), Shelter/NFI kit distributions, and finally in emergency cash for food assistance.

The objective of the base for 2021 is to have the access and capacities of response in 2 additional governorates and enforce EPRT ongoing strategy and structuration

ABOUT THE JOB

• General objectives

The Field Coordinator leads the flying Emergency Response Team based in Aden. In coordination with the Technical Coordinators and under the leadership of the Country Director, he/she enforces the emergency response strategy of the mission. He/she supports and oversees the implementation of programs across the different areas of intervention. He/she actively coordinates with humanitarian partners, clusters and local authorities, to identify emergency needs, gaps in response, and proposes appropriate response as part of the mandate of the EPRT. With the support of the Field Coordinator Assistant, he/she maintains close monitoring of the security situation in its areas of operation, and negotiates access to hard-to-reach areas with relevant stakeholders. He/she oversees support department and ensure adherence to SI procedures.

• Specific stakes and challenges

The EPRT base is relatively young with one-year activity only, therefore the EPRT Field Coordinator will face the associated challenges to maintain/enforce structuration of the teams. Specific challenges associated with the position relate to implementing emergency response programming in Yemen; i.e. insecurity and access constraints (including administrative access constraints), C19 implementation restriction, challenging coordination between humanitarian actors along with poor reliability of secondary data in hard to reach locations.

PRIORITIES FOR THE 2/3 FIRST MONTHS

• Update/ Enforce EPRT strategy and structuration of the team
• Develop the positioning of the Outreach team internally and its recognition by partner
• Create access in Marib and Abyan Governorate

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordination and strategic orientation
• Relevance and operational quality / operation monitoring
• Resource management
• Human resource management
• Security
• Financial backer relations / search for funding
• Internal and external communication
• Representation

MANAGEMENT

The Field Coordinator will manage a team of 1 expatriate (1 Log/Adm manager), and 30 national staff, including one Field Coordinator Assistant. A part of the team is still junior, hence require substantial orientation and capacity building. The Field Coordinator directly reports to the Country Director. EPRT programming is funded both by ECHO (1.5 M. Euros) to support the emergency response in WaSH/Shelter and by OFDA/FFP (1M. Euro) to support cash for food activities. Additional emergency cash activities grants are expected.

YOUR PROFILE

Education and experience

• Post-graduate with at least 3 years’ experience as humanitarian worker
• Prior substantial experience in unstable environment (conflict / post conflict country)
• Experience in working in tense security context with strict security rules
• Experience in implementing/supervision emergency projects
• Prior experience in cholera response is an asset
• Prior substantial experience in security management and access an asset
• Knowledge of the sub-region/prior experience in Yemen is an asset

Knowledge and technical skills

• Good and proven writing and spoken English are required
• Knowledge of emergency programing
• Strong Knowledge of security management and access is an asset
• Knowledge of Arabic is an asset

Qualities:

• Skill transfer ability highly appreciated
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Anticipation and self-organization capacities
• Willingness to work in complex and volatile environments

SI WILL OFFER YOU

A salaried position: starting from 2860 euros gross per month (2600 € + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly per diem of 750 USD a month. Please note that salary is not negotiable with SI.

Vacation: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time-off is implemented at the rate of one break after two months spent on the field. For a one-year assignment, the expatriate will have a 9 calendar days break for every 2 months spent on the field (with 850 USD allocated by Solidarités). In addition to these regular break, SI adds a day off per worked month. These days off as well as the breaks are not deducted from the paid leaves that are paid every months with your salary as they are offered by the organization.

Social and medical cover: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which reimburses all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

Security and Living Conditions

Aden

EPRT office is located in Aden city and EPRT team is active in four different governorates with its specific constraints, notably because most of EPRT activities are located close to frontlines. The security in Aden remain fragile because of the ongoing tension between both STC and IRG forces in the “South” and overall fragmentation. The presence of IS and AQ in some located areas in the Center/East of the country is an additional risk yet both groups have not been escalating in attacks nor regular, incidents are decreasing since 2017. In all Governorates of intervention where SI-EPRT is intervening close to the frontline, the main risk remains to be “at the wrong place at the wrong time” and to be impacted by crossfires and/or shelling. The risk of INGO carjacking is new yet to be considered seriously, but the risk of expat targeting/kidnapping is quite low with no major history in the areas of intervention.

Strong mitigation measures are in place, in addition to C19 prevention measures leading to restrictive movements within Aden for expatriate. Dedicated SOP for each area of intervention are developed and enforced for movement to the field for both international or national staff.

KEY INFORMATION ABOUT LIVING CONDITIONS

The field office in Aden is shared with the guesthouse (same building). It is located 5 minutes-drive from the coordination office, which also shares guesthouse and office. Security rules in Aden are rather restrictive, with a curfew at 6.00 pm, extended to 10.00 pm in the green zone, where most INGOs are located. Expatriates are allowed to go to the supermarket, to one restaurant (not during C19 pandemic), one castle and two beaches. Guesthouse are comfortable as per middle-east standards (large rooms with AC, with high-standard bathrooms with running water).

Trips to the field is possible for expatriates under certain condition but are limited to keep the presence of international staff low profile

COVID 19 :

Solidarités International recommends vaccination against Covid-19, using WHO approved vaccines. If possible, the vaccination should be done before departure in order to reduce the logistical constraints once on the ground.