Projects Manager (for multi-country operations) At Danish Refugee Council

Introduction

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit-making, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organization.

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

Background

To be able to assist refugees and the displaced, protect their rights and empower them towards a better future, DRC has transitioned its worldwide structure into four regions of similar size, structure and turnover (Asia & Europe, Middle East, East Africa & Great Lakes and West-North Africa & Latin America) – ensuring that DRC, at all times, is optimally equipped and able to provide the same high-level support to all countries. Within the new structure, DRC has established a regional capacity in Latin America (LA) in May 2023.

Within the LA regional capacity, a department of multi-country grants and operations has been created with multi-country and cross-border projects management, as well as regionally held grants. The position named LA Projects Manager exists since June 2022 and consists of a replacement. The Projects Manager’s portfolio is and will be composed of multi-country and muti-year programmes (including in consortia) that operationalize triple nexus in strategic partnerships with local/international actors and integrate multiple sectors (economic recovery, protection, shelter and resettlements).

Purpose

The LA Projects Manager is overall responsible for ensuring the timely and compliant delivery of DRC’s programme activities in the field for multi-country and cross-border projects as outlined in programme documents and sector strategies, and in line with the programme technical guidelines.

A key member of DRC LA regional capacity, the Projects Manager works collaboratively with technical experts of the regional capacity office to ensure sufficient technical guidance and support is available to implement regional projects effectively (Protection, Emergency and Early Recovery). The LA Projects Manager also works collaboratively with the Support Services team to ensure that processes to enable smooth delivery of operations in the field are being consistently applied and improved (e.g. HR, Admin, IT, Finance, Supply Chain, etc.).

Country offices, Area Managers and Project Managers are primarily responsible for the timely and quality implementation of multi-country operations in their countries and regions. The LA Projects Manager works in support of Country Programmes, and Area Managers where regional and/or multi-country grants are implemented. In addition, in countries where there is no DRC presence, DRC operates in partnership with Civil Society Organizations (CSO), the LA projects manager is responsible for the implementation in these locations (Peru, Guatemala, Honduras in 2023). The LA Projects Manager ensures technical support in grant management and project cycle management to partner CSO, and S/he supervise the timely implementation of activities in these areas.

Duties and Responsibilities

Management:

• Supervise, monitor, and evaluate multi-country projects implementation by Country operations and partners.
• Manage the LA projects team (10 -15 people) including a protection unit, a partnership unit, a 4MI team, an IM team and a support services unit.
• Develop multi-country project management tools between countries and LA regional capacity.
• Support Country teams in planning operations and activities, contribute to their training plan and capacity building, and develop toolboxes to improve operations planning and monitoring.
• Ensure close cooperation with technical and support teams in the regional office and in countries.

Partnerships:

• Supervise and develop strategic partnerships for LA projects.
• Support Country teams in managing partnerships at local level.
• Develop tools for partnership management in the region.

Accountability:

• Champion a positive approach to gender and diversity mainstreaming in DRC’s LA projects.
• Support the roll out of accountability processes in LA Projects.

Representation:

• Represent DRC LA in relevant forums at regional and Country level as requested by the Operations Director for LA or Country Directors when LA activities are concerned.
• Assist the Operations Director for LA in representing DRC in meeting with regional projects financial partners and donors.

When manageable, the LA Projects Manager may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Regional Operations Director.

Required Qualifications

To be successful in this role we expect you to have minimum 5 years’ management experience in emergency/development contexts as head of programs/senior manager of a humanitarian or development organization or similar, moreover, we also expect the following:

Mandatory:

• Relevant university degree (Master or Postgraduate) in international relations and/or development, political science or similar field
• Min. 5 years’ experience overseas in complex humanitarian emergencies and development, preferably with refugees and/or IDPs
• Substantial project management experience in NGO, including in consortia and leading strategic programming and planning, implementation, monitoring, and learning
• Substantial experience in managing and developing partnerships with local and international organizations.
• Experience in managing HR, administration, finance, grants, and donor relations.
• Ability to transversal management with multidisciplinary teams, large workload and multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.
• Good understanding of displacement issues and related international standards/frameworks
• Team player with excellent communication and strong participatory leadership skills
• Excellent written and spoken Spanish and English
• Excellent Computer Skills (MS Office, Internet)

Desirable :

• Previous experience in LA