Country Director At MENTOR Initiative

Position Title: Country Director

Country: Mozambique
Base: Pemba with regular travel to other districts and provinces.
Duration: 1 year
Start Date: 1st June 2023

Closing date of applications: 30th April 2023

The MENTOR Initiative is one of the world’s leading non-profit organisation dedicated to the control of malaria and other vector borne diseases in emergency settings, operating across countries in west, central, and eastern Africa, the Middle East and South America. The organisation directly delivers large scale disease control interventions to the most vulnerable communities caught up in emergencies, and in parallel, also works to build the technical and operational capacity of local and international partners on the ground, to incorporate medium- and long-term disease control systems into their operations and country strategy.

The MENTOR Initiative seeks dynamic and highly motivated candidates with a strong interest in disease control to lead and develop some of its country programmes, partnering with a strong headquarters team.

The Country Director (CD) is required to assist The MENTOR Initiative in the overall implementation of the programmes. Key to this is ensuring that the objectives are fully achieved in a timely manner whilst concurrently identifying needs, opportunities and informing strategic and operational response.

The CD will lead in-country organisational representation providing leadership overall responsibility for the management of all fundraising financial and grant management, human resources management, technical programme support and logistics support.

The CD will coordinate the different programmes in order to ensure consistent levels of high quality delivery, accountability and transparency across them all.

The main responsibilities of this post include the following:

1. Security Management

In close collaboration with the HQ Program Manager and the Head of Security, the Country Director is responsible and accountable for the overall security management in country.

– Ensure solid networking and regular information collection and analysis on the security situation in country.

– Directly responsible for implementation and regular updating of the security guidelines/plans in country. This includes overseeing that all MENTOR bases in country have adequate security plans in place.

– Ensure that security plans are written and/or reviewed within the timeframe specified by the HQ Head of Security.

– Ensure that route assessments are written and/or reviewed within 72 hours prior the movement.

– Responsible for passing new and reviewed security plans and route assessments to the HQ Head of Security.

– Organise trainings of all MENTOR personnel and share security updates to all field bases.

– Provide security updates to MENTOR HQ (PM and Head of Security) on a regular basis.

– Report any issue of alerts to the PM and HQ Head of Security and liaise with security agencies and partners in country such as INSO, UNDSS and the Security Focal Points of MENTOR’s humanitarian partners.

– Oversee that security related logistical support for the programmes is adequate and functional (hibernation kits, fence at the bases, vehicles, security training of drivers and guards, communication material, etc)

– Ensures solid and extensive security briefing of new consultant team members upon arrival in the MENTOR programme in country.

– Responsible for ensuring MENTOR personnel compliance with the use of security-related technologies.

– Ensure the strict respect of general security rules by all MENTOR team members in country.

– In close collaboration with the PM, ensure any security incidents are appropriately investigated and reports provided for submission to donors where necessary.

If appropriate, responsibilities can be delegated to the Security Focal Points in country. However, accountability remains with the CD, therefore supervision and reporting must be in place for any delegated tasks.

2. Programme Management

– Support the implementation of the MENTOR programmes.

– Support implementation of prevention campaigns such as distribution of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS); general IEC/BCC sensitisation through schools, women’s’ groups etc, as per programme description and needs.

– Oversee planning and organisation of operational research studies.

– Ensure that an efficient system for data collection and analysis is in place.

– Through clear and efficient communication and support, collaborate closely with the Coordination team to ensure that programme activities are implemented according to

objectives and action plans and as per security constraints in the different geographical targeted areas.

– Provide general representation and active technical support to Technical Working Groups, NGO group meetings, Cluster meetings, UN and stakeholders as well as Government Authorities (NMCP, DPS, etc).

– Oversee the implementation of existing programmes including development and delivery of activities.

– Supervise, develop and support the team in all aspects of the programmes activities.

– Coordinate the strategic mapping of the programmes development.

– Ensure quality reports are produced on monthly, quarterly and annually basis and submitted to HQ in a timely manner.

3. Donor Management

• In close collaboration with the HQ team members, oversee the management of grants including appropriate expenditure of funds and timely grant reporting.
• Responsible for the coordination and final editing of field drafts of narrative donor progress reports and for sending these for review to the HQ Program Manager as per the required deadlines.
• In close collaboration with HQ, carry out exploratory field missions in order to assess and report on potential new intervention areas.
• Liaise with current and future donors (as relevant), in consultation with HQ, to advance program ideas, solicit funding and other support.

4. Financial / administrative Management

In close collaboration with the Finance team in country and with direct support from the Grants Manager (GM) at HQ level, the Country Director is responsible for the financial integrity of the programme by ensuring financial resources are cost-effectively utilized to implement activities in accordance with budget available and as per MENTOR standard procedures:

• Ensure solid and appropriate security in regards to cash management in country.
• In collaboration with the Finance team, ensure that regular updates of budget tracking for all grants supporting MENTOR activities in country are effective and done on a timely manner.
• Oversee that monthly finance documents (reports on expenditures, requests for cash, payrolls, budget plans etc) are submitted from the Finance coordinator to the GM at HQ level within the required time frame.
• Ensure compliance with all local government taxation and labour regulations.
• In collaboration with HQ, ensures the establishment of all MoUs and mandatory documents in the country.
• Maintain an overview of contextual needs and call for proposal and administrative requirements in country.
• Ensure that all administrative steps / HQ approvals are done for all new grants signed in country.

5. Human Resource Management

• Ensure the direct line management of MENTOR Coordinators as per the organogram set up in country.
• Upon request by HQ Program Manager, participate in the recruitment of consultant team members including in the final selection among shortlisted candidates.
• Directly responsible for organising an in-country general briefing to all new consultant team members upon their arrival to the programme as well as for debriefing for each consultant team member at the end of their contract.
• Ensure the effective implementation of consultant performance reviews in a timely manner by all team managers. The Country Director is directly responsible for ensuring performance evaluations for consultant team members under his/her direct responsibility.
• Oversee and approve the recruitment of all national team members in accordance with national labour law.
• In close collaboration with the Finance and HR team in country, review the internal regulations and policies for MENTOR team members in accordance with national labour law.
• Ensure that national human resources policies and regulations are adhered to consistently.
• Represent MENTOR in any legal case opened in country.
• Ensure, in close collaboration with HQ PM and GM, that each consultant have the adequate visa in order to enter and stay in country. Liaise with administrative support to fulfil the requirements and processes of visa expedition.
• Coordinate weekly team meetings to ensure that the team works harmoniously to meet the needs of the programme.
• Ensure that all contracts, MENTOR’s Code of personal conduct, MENTOR’s policies and procedures are in place, adhered and respected by the entire MENTOR staff.
• Ensure the implementation of the MENTOR Safeguarding/PSEAH policies and tools
• Ensure that regular training and briefings on Safeguarding are done to all the team members and volunteers
• In collaboration with the HQ Safeguarding focal point, provide support and guidance to the Safeguarding Focal points in country
• Lead on safeguarding matters to enable effective support and appropriate situation management
• Ensure that incident reports are made in timely manner and reported to HQ to any violations of the MENTOR policies and Code of Personal Conduct
• Provide support on any ongoing cases

6. Logistics

In close collaboration with the Logistics team:

– Ensure that adequate logistical support is organized for the security management.

– Oversee that timely international and local procurement is carried out as per budgets available and in line with programme needs and procurement guidelines.

– Oversee an appropriate stock management of assets, medicines, prevention material etc.

– Oversee that logistical filing systems are maintained as per the MENTOR procedures.

– Oversee that the MENTOR fleet is renewed and maintained as needed and as per

instructions from HQ.

– Oversee required procurement, maintenance and usage of all communication equipment including HF, VHF and satellite phones / internet.

– Oversee the daily coordination of transport activities by road and air.

7. Communication

– Internal:

o Ensure clear and regular communication within the programme teams.

o Ensure the implementation of regular general team meetings in country

o Organise weekly management team meetings

o Responsible for the elaboration of regular internal situation reports

o Carry out regular meetings with HQ (PM and GM) as required.

– External:

o Ensure MENTOR participation in all appropriate external meetings.

o Organise and participate with the technical teams to the technical programme meetings.

o Ensure a transparent and efficient exchange of data, context reports etc with relevant humanitarian partners/donors.

o Provide support during agreed media related field visits.

o Actively maintain and build good working relationship with partners, donors and all key stakeholders including other NGOs and international organizations. Participate in forums/conferences, identify opportunities for development and emergency needs.

9. Other

– Work with MENTOR to share best practice across the organization as required

– Any other duties as may be assigned by the HQ Programme Manager

Job requirements:

– Diploma: Master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, humanitarian studies or similar.

– Minimum of 2 years of experience as Country Director or in a similar position.

– Familiar with NGO working environments and standard procedures.

– Solid prior experience working in complicated security contexts.

– Proven experience with donor’s procedures/project management/HR management.

– Organized and good coordination / able to work under pressure.

– Experienced in managing teams.

– Excellent communication skills.

– Experienced in representing the organisation with Government authorities, Clusters and other stakeholders.

– Fluency in English and Portuguese.