Country Director – Colombia At Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion

Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. The organisation works alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

Since its creation in 1982, HI has run development programmes in more than 60 countries and responded to numerous emergencies. Today, we have a budget of approximately 255 million euros, with 4794 employees worldwide.

At Handicap International-Humanity & Inclusion, we truly believe in the importance of inclusion and diversity within our organisation. This is why we are engaged to a disability policy to encourage the inclusion and integration of people with disabilities.

Please indicate if you require any special accommodation, even at the first interview. For more information about the organisation: www.hi.org

JOB CONTEXT:

HI has been present in Colombia since 1998 and its work is currently based on three strategic pillars:

• Improving access to gaps in health and rehabilitation services;
• Armed Violence Reduction, building resilience and protective environments;
• Disaster Preparedness & Response.

Our actions include:

• Health services (rehabilitation and mental health & psycho-social support) for victims of the armed conflict, Venezuelan migrants and Colombian returnees who are excluded from the Colombian health system.
• Comprehensive mine action, including multi-sectoral victim assistance, land release from explosive devices through humanitarian demining and mine risk education;
• Protection of vulnerable people in conflict-affected areas, especially women and girls;
• Emergency response (basic and specific needs)
• Support for inclusive natural disaster risk management.

All this, from an approach of inclusive humanitarian action and reduction of armed violence.

HI intervenes directly and indirectly in multiple departments (mainly: Antioquia, Cauca, Nariño, La Guajira, Meta).

YOUR MISSION:

In the country where he/she is based, and under the responsability of the Geographic Director, the Country Director is the legal representative of the overall HI organization internally and externally, and promotes a high reputation and positive image of HI.

• The Country Director deploys HI’s full mandate and Strategy in his/her geographical area, with operational partners, institutions and/or donors, and steers organizational transformation in line with Lean, Shared Services and ROOTS projects. This is done through the development and implementation of the Program’s Operational Strategy (StratOp). In case of emergency, he/she takes responsibilities in accordance with the response framework defined.
• In his/her geographical area, ensures compliance with his/her budget framework (including unrestricted funds) and HI policies and frameworks (safeguarding, commitment thresholds, security, human resources, risk management, etc.)
• In his/her geographical area, actively monitors and analyses context developments, in order to identify risks and opportunities

Mission 1 : MANAGEMENT

Mission 2 : STRATEGY AND STEERING

• Conduct the development of the Program’s Operational Strategy, and its implementation and annual monitoring, taking into account context and external constraints, HI’s mandate and multi-year Strategy, the technical strategies and the development plans of Emergency, Atlas and Impact-Innovation-Information divisions.
• Be responsible for fundraising and resource planning:
• The Operational Strategy includes a fundraising strategy aligned with HI’s ethical principles and the Institutional Funding Development Plan.
• Develop regular contacts with donors at field level and inform regularly the Institutional Funding teams
• Ensure the best allocation of resources to match Program ambitions, and plan accordingly (including support missions).
• Ensure the deployment and compliance with HI global frameworks, institutional policies and standards. These include: the mandatory reference frameworks, all HI’s institutional policies, all institutional directives and processes, delegation thresholds and security levels.

Mission 3 : OPERATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION

• Be responsible for security management: in link with the Humanitarian Access and Security Manager, develop a culture of safety & security at Program level; ensure that security documents are up-to-date and that all necessary measures are in place; ensure incident management and reporting according to HI frameworks.
• Ensure financial control and monitoring of operations are effective in the Program: consolidation, control and reporting of operational and organizational elements within the Program (dashboards, corrective measures, unrestricted funds consumption, etc.) – Ensure technical quality standards are applied in the projects of the Program, and monitor the implementation of evaluations and donor audits’ recommendations. – Facilitate internal audits (operational, financial and organizational), and ensure the implementation of their recommendations.
• With both potential opportunities and risks in mind, ensure continuous monitoring and analysis of current developments in his/her geographical contexts: – Implement analysis and monitoring of risks related to HI presence and activities; take mitigation actions when relevant. – Ensure alert on humanitarian needs, and preparation/contingency plans according to StratOp.
• Leads the emergency preparedness actions in his/her perimeter and, in case of emergency, pilots the implementation of the response by reorganizing the priorities of his/her team, according to the framework and the setup decided by the Director of Operations, in order to ensure HI’s quick and efficient response.

Mission 4 : LEGAL REPRESENTATION, INFLUENCE AND LEADERSHIP

The Country Director is the legal representative of the overall HI organization internally and externally, and promotes a high reputation and positive image of HI. This includes:

• Employer’s representative responsibilities and compliance with local working regulations.
• Communications on behalf of HI.
• Representation of HI vis-à-vis local, national, traditional, political, military and diplomatic authorities and bodies.
• Representation of HI vis-à-vis international organizations and coordination mechanisms & system.
• Negotiation and signature of operational partnerships.
• Develop external influence of HI and the external representation of the organization (events, media) in the Program’s geographical scope
  • Take on the messages of HI global advocacy to all relevant external parties.
  • Develop a local specific advocacy activity in accordance with the Operational Strategy (StratOp) of the Program.
  • Develop the communication and information activities, in accordance with the StratOp.
• Carry the overall HI mandate and organization, internally and externally (be a representative of HI vis-a-vis external parties).

YOUR PROFILE:

• With a relevant academic degree, ideally with specialization in social sciences, you have at least 8 years of professional experience in the management of social projects, with proven experience in operational coordination, direct team management and security management.
• You have experience in project cycle management (proposal and reporting), and knowledge of major donors of cooperation and humanitarian aid, and of humanitarian principles.
• You have experience in partnership development.
• With good written and oral communication in Spanish (C1) and English (C1/B2), you have good capacities of analysis, ethical positioning, negotiation and representation.

CONDITIONS:

At HI, the conditions offered are up to your commitment and adapted to the context of your mission. https://hi.org/en/join-the-team

• 3 years International contract starting from the 16th of September 2024;
• The international contract provides social cover adapted to your situation:
  • Unemployment insurance benefits for EU nationals;
  • Pension scheme;
  • Medical coverage with 50% of employee contribution;
  • Repatriation insurance paid by HI;
• Salary from 3232€ gross/month upon experience;
• Perdiem: 635,36€ net/month – paid in the field
• Paid leaves: 25 days per year;
• R&R: 1 day per month
• Position:
• Unaccompanied:
  • Payment for travel costs (air ticket & visa) and transport of your personal effects;
  • A child allowance of 100€ per month, per child (from the second child) paid in the field;
• open to couples:
  • Support travel costs (air ticket & visa) for accompanying dependent and health/ repatriation insurance if the dependent has no income;
  • Payment of one yearly additional return flight;
• open to families:
  • a child allowance of 100€ per month, per child (from the second child) paid in the field;
  • Contribution to school registration fees for children over 3 years;
  • Family-wide health coverage;
  • Payment for travel costs (air ticket & visa) and transport of your personal effects;
• Housing: Individual taken in charge by HI;
• If you are resident in the country: local package.