Grants Officer (expatrié.e), RDC, 100% At HEKS/EPER

HEKS’s work is driven by the vision of a just world, in which peace reigns and the dignity of all human beings and natural livelihoods are respected. The organization pursues this objective within the reference framework of the 2030 Agenda through four priority themes: “climate justice”, “right to land and food”, “asylum and migration”, “inclusion”. HEKS also provides humanitarian aid to victims of natural disasters and armed conflicts. It aims for a transition at the social, economic and political levels. The HEKS contributes to improving the living conditions of people in Switzerland and abroad and asserts their rights. To this end, it raises awareness and mobilizes society, the political and economic spheres as well as the Churches.

In the DRC, where it has been active for a long time through development programs, EPER also opened a humanitarian aid mission in February 2019. It has since concentrated its humanitarian interventions in difficult-to-access areas of several northern territories. Kivu (Rutshuru, Masisi, Walikale and Lubero) and South Kivu, where it is permanently present and directly carries out, with its own teams, Rapid Response activities (in particular through the distribution of unconditional cash), Humanitarian Monitoring (monitoring of population movements), Water/Hygiene/Sanitation, Rehabilitation/Opening of humanitarian access via Cash for Work, and Agricultural Recovery. The humanitarian aid mission’s projects are currently financed (directly or via a consortium with MEDAIR or Dan Church Aid) by ECHO, BHA, SDC, OCHA – CHF and from own funds (for an annual volume greater than $10 million ) and their implementation mobilizes 15 expatriates and 160 national employees in North and South Kivu. The current programmatic challenges concern increasing the volume with our current donors, seeking multi-year funding, better integration of cross-cutting aspects and the link between the Humanitarian and Development sections of the EPER in the country.

The Grants and Communication Coordination Officer will support the Programs Officer to manage the multiple grant portfolio of the emergency program at the national level, from the HEKS/EPER Coordination office in the DRC. He/She will contribute to obtaining new programs by coordinating or leading the proposal development processes and will ensure that reports to donors meet quality standards and are established within the set deadlines.

For our project in the DRC, we are looking for a:

Grants Officer (expatriate), DRC, 100%

Your main responsibilities:

Grant management

• Maintain a “Grants Follow-UP” and provide regular management feedback to the national management team on the performance of the Grants portfolio.
• Maintain an online grant filing system, ensuring compliance with HEKS/EPER minimum standards.
• Play a leading role in grant kick-off and close-out meetings, to ensure that all grant information, including deadlines, priorities and donor requirements, is communicated and understood by the team, and that the grants are closed in compliance with the legislation in force.
• Establish regular grant monitoring systems and organize regular meetings with the program, MEL, finance and operations teams to help the Program Manager ensure that the performance of the various grants is monitored effectively , that risks and problems are reported and that action is taken where appropriate.
• Maintain effective communication with headquarters staff, providing timely grant updates and promptly reporting potential issues.

Development of proposals

• Interface with HEKS/EPER headquarters and regional office to keep abreast of donor strategic priorities, specific requirements and deadlines;
• Participate in the strategic evaluation process of new financing opportunities;
• Oversee proposal development processes, including drafting and producing high-quality concept notes and proposals that support HEKS/EPER RDC strategic programming objectives.
• DRC staff are responsible for developing, managing and sharing the proposal development timeline in country and with headquarters, ensuring that funding proposals are submitted in a timely manner.
• Coordinate funding opportunities with relevant staff.

Reports

• Oversee workflows and reporting processes between program teams and headquarters to ensure the development, review and submission of reports and other communications products on time and with quality wanted.
• Maintain a reporting tracking system and share it regularly with program and MEAL teams.
• Collaborate with the Program Officer and the MEAL department to develop strategies, position papers, discussion papers and other related initiatives based on program evidence.
• Provide prompt and comprehensive responses to requests for information from internal and external sources.
• Ensure managerial and programmatic supervision of partners and sector managers.
• Integrate community, gender and inclusion approaches as well as capacity building in all activities where appropriate.
• Produce written reports on program activities, capturing the impact of activities and pilot projects.
• Comply with the minimum standards for HEKS/EPER program management, based on the organization’s guide.

Financial and compliance management

• In collaboration with the finance teams and according to HE standards, ensure compliance with donor and HEKS/EPER regulations, including the minimum standards in place.
• Liaise with program, finance and operations teams when developing budgets for funding proposals.

Communication and representation

• Oversee the implementation of a communications strategy in collaboration with program staff. Ensure compliance with all donor regulations and HEKS/EPER communications initiatives in the DRC, in the region and at the global level.
• Develop strategic communications documents, such as sector profiles, impact reports, program briefing notes, leadership and positioning documents, key messages, talking points and other relevant documents.
• Ensure high-quality information sharing between internal and external audiences.
• Represent HEKS/EPER in external coordination forums, where appropriate.

Organizational learning

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and our understanding that organizations that learn are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit HEKS/EPER as well as themselves.

Your strengths and skills:

• Advanced university education
• At least 18 months of experience in the humanitarian field and at least 1 field experience in a complex security context.
• Experience in supporting the practical implementation and monitoring of humanitarian projects/activities.
• Fluent/native French and excellent knowledge of English (written and spoken)
• Very good knowledge of the project management cycle (in theory and in practice)
• Knowledge of the following sectors of activity is an asset: EHA, SAME, emergency distributions (cash and AME), economic recovery and market systems, project monitoring.
• Knowledge of emergency institutional donors appreciated: USAID-BHA, ECHO, SDC, etc.
• Ability to work under pressure and sincere motivation to get involved in humanitarian work
• Excellent organizational skills, sense of priorities and responsibilities
• Excellent analytical skills (judgment, practical sense) and synthesis
• Ability to remain calm, diplomacy, negotiation skills and team spirit

We offer you:

• An interesting and stimulating expatriate position in a dynamic international environment
• A competitive salary package
• Workplace: Goma
• Insurance package
• Accommodation provided by EPER
• A 6-month renewable contract
• Date of entry into office: as soon as possible, or after agreement