More Information
- Experience 2-5
Desired start date: ASAP
Duration of the mission: Until 05/31/2025 (renewable depending on funding)
Location: Bangui
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association that, for over 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their vital needs: drinking, eating, shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI implements through its interventions expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and the promotion of hygiene, but also in the essential field of food security and livelihoods. Present in 26 countries, SI teams – 3,200 people in total made up of expatriates, national employees, permanent staff at headquarters, a few volunteers, etc. – intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultures.
The mission
SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL teams in CAR are rehabilitating water and sanitation infrastructure, while training water management committees to ensure their sustainability. Awareness campaigns on hygiene and the use of water points are helping to cope with the high pressure exerted by the massive influx of populations. SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL is providing drinking water to families, but also to farmers, by repairing some defective boreholes and ensuring the transport and storage of this water to their land, contributing to improving food security.
Community service projects facilitate agricultural, pastoral and commercial activities, thereby increasing food availability and reviving the market. Our teams provide toolkits and seeds to farmers and livestock keepers, and provide training.
Thanks to a rapid emergency response mechanism and the creation of an emergency stock, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL is ready to intervene from the first hours of a man-made or natural disaster in order to ensure access to drinking water and a healthy environment for populations made vulnerable by a shock, a natural disaster or an epidemic.
The projected budget for the SI RCA mission is approximately 9 million euros in 2023. Several fundings cover the year 2023 but the financial visibility for 2023 must be confirmed through several ongoing project proposals. The objective is to stabilize the mission around a volume of activity and funding equivalent to or slightly higher than 2022.
Activities are spread across 3 operational bases (Kaga Bandoro, Markounda and Bouar) covering the central/northern zone of the country as well as part of the West. The coordination office is located in the capital, Bangui. The opening of a sub-base in Kabo is underway. There are currently around 180 staff on the mission.
General objective:
The logistics coordinator manages the mission’s logistics activities to ensure the smooth running of Solidarités International’s programs in the country.
He/she ensures the implementation of Solidarités International logistical procedures and tools on the mission and ensures that they are respected and used correctly.
He/she participates in defining the Solidarités International strategy on the mission, in drafting projects and in sizing the resources necessary for the activities of Solidarités International.
He/she supports the head of mission in the operational management of security.
He/she is the point of contact for the mission and the link between headquarters and the mission for any questions relating to logistics.
Main Challenges:
- Continuous training of local teams with significant monitoring and support of the bases
- The highly volatile security context and the poor condition of the roads complicate access to the bases and intervention zones.
- Anticipation of activities and need for responsiveness to meet the needs of the RRM (Rapid Response Mechanism) project
Security :
The CAR is now among the countries in the world where the most incidents against humanitarian workers are reported. However, the impact of these incidents must be put into perspective, as most are criminal acts without physical harm. The main risk for NGOs today remains robberies on the roads, criminal acts and incidents linked to the presence of many weapon carriers in the country. The security context affects both the working conditions of staff, as well as the implementation of activities (sometimes suspended following security incidents).
Formation :
- University degree of minimum BAC + 3 level in one of the following fields: Logistics, management, master’s engineering,
- At least 5 years of professional experience including two years in coordination
- At least one experience in an emergency context
- At least one mission experience with a difficult security context
- If possible, experience in a complex logistics access context (supply and transport)
Experience and technical skills:
- Good knowledge and experience in project management for the main institutional donors: ECHO / UNICEF / CHF / CIAA / CDC / OFDA / DFID (donor rules and procedures);
- Good command of the Office Pack;
- Demonstrated ability to represent the organization and defend the interests of SI;
- Strong managerial qualities, and in particular skills in team management and remote technical support;
- Proven skills in team capacity building and training;
- Organizational and prioritization skills, and the ability to manage multiple things at once;
- Telecommunications (mainly radio) and transportation skills strongly desired;
- High work capacity and resistance to stress;
- Availability, flexibility, responsiveness, autonomy;
- Strong adaptability skills;
- Knowledge and mastery of the ESSENTIAL SI procedures;
- Accustomed to working in a politically and security-unstable environment
- Masters and implements safety rules
LANGUAGES :
Fluent French
English reading and writing would be a plus
A salaried position: Depending on experience, from EUR 2,860 gross per month (2,600 basic salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of FCFA 480,160
SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate’s home country and the duty station.
Breaks: During the mission, a system of alternating between work and leave is set up at a rate of 7 working days every three months (with USD 850 allocated by Solidarités International). In addition to these break periods, there is one additional day of rest per month worked.
Social and medical coverage: Expatriates benefit from insurance that reimburses all health costs (including medical and surgical costs, dental and ophthalmological care, repatriation) and a welfare system that includes war risks. The costs of essential vaccinations and anti-malarial treatment are reimbursed.
LIVING CONDITIONS:
Bangui is a medium-sized city, very green, and with a relatively low population density. The city is bordered to the south by the Oubangui River, on the banks of which there are bars, terraces and sports facilities: swimming pool, tennis and squash courts, a weight room, etc. Other sports venues (gym, stadium, swimming pool) and relaxation areas (restaurants, bars, nightclubs) are accessible in the city. It is possible to find many foreign products in the large supermarkets in Bangui, but at a high price. There are many restaurants (French, Lebanese, Chinese, Indian and of course African cuisine) which are allowed to be visited during the day and in the evening. Some restaurants also deliver to homes. The large number of NGOs based in Bangui makes social life easier.
Generally speaking, it is a fairly calm city, although one must keep in mind the general fragility of the political context in Central Africa and the possibility of a deterioration in the security situation even in Bangui. It is not uncommon for security measures to have to be adapted to the local context and control operations are frequent by internal security forces.
SI has a guest office in Bangui. Internet access is good: the guest office has a Vsat. The city’s electricity is regularly cut off, but SI has a generator that provides constant power. Internationals have access to the French Embassy’s medical-social center and other medical centers in Bangui, and relatively advanced medical tests can be carried out at the Pasteur Institute in Bangui. These two institutions are able to effectively treat the majority of health problems. However, the Central African Republic is a country heavily affected by malaria and water-borne diseases and it is up to everyone to take the necessary precautions.