Country Director – Haiti At Concern Worldwide

Concern is a key humanitarian INGO in Haiti. We started working in Haiti in 1994 in response to hurricane Gordon. Since then we have responded to 16 major disasters. Currently our work is focused on Port-au-Prince and the Central region, where we work to support households affected by violence with food security, protection and WASH interventions. At the same time, we work on the longer-term root causes of conflict on innovative youth peace-building programmes and agriculture supply chain development which we keep implementing even when the security situation deteriorates. We are looking for an accomplished leader who can oversee our highly motivated and dynamic Haiti team, who live and work in a challenging context but remain dedicated to alleviating suffering and extreme poverty in Haiti. Come and help Concern do our part in Haiti.

About the role: This is a 36 month, replacement role with unaccompanied terms based in Port-au-Prince with a salary of Grade 7 €61,613- €68,459

You will report to the Regional Director and will line manage the Programme Director, Operations Director, Internal Auditor and the Country Finance Controller. We would like you to start in August 2024.

Your purpose: Within this dynamic working environment and diverse portfolio of programmes and donors, you will have overall responsibility for the strategic development and management of the Concern country programme in Haiti. You will ensure that the programme meets objectives as set out in the Haiti Country Strategic Plan (CSP), annual plans and programme proposals. You will also ensure that the country programme is in line with Concern policies, procedures and meets the Core Humanitarian Standards. You will lead the Country Management Team (CMT) and represent the organisation with government, donors and other international organisations.

You will be responsible for:

Leadership & Strategic Direction:

• Leading the Senior & Country Management Teams and ensuring participative decision-making processes
• Leading a team of national staff and international staff, and ensuring staff capacity, organisational structures and programme approaches are fit for purpose and able to effectively deliver strategic organisational goals
• Leading by example and supporting the Concern team to achieve organisational outcomes.
• Providing overall leadership and management, strategic direction, and technical leadership to the country programme to achieve expected results within budget and time-frame.
• Serve as principal liaison to donors and the Government of Haiti, ensuring high levels of coordination and maintaining productive working relations, while engaging with and nurturing relationships with all key stakeholders (partner organizations, local government, civil society, etc.) on administrative, financial, and programmatic matters.
• Engaging with major organisational advocacy issues, providing support and leadership for key strategic campaigns.
• Supporting and ensuring the implementation of the CSP.

Risk Management & Accountability:

• Ensuring optimal use of financial resources; managed in a transparent and accountable manner, consistent with Concern’s and donor policies, systems and procedures, delivering quality results and demonstrating value for money.
• Responding robustly to any suspicions or reports of fraud, safeguarding or code of conduct abuses or other misdemeanours, and adhering to Concern’s policy and procedures on investigations
• Ensuring Concern complies with all relevant national legal and administrative requirements
• Identifying all risks and implementing mitigating measures in conjunction with the Country Management Team.
• Lead and manage the implementation of safeguarding policies and procedures; and response to breaches of the Concern Code of Conduct and associated policies, in collaboration with the Safeguarding department
• Promote and ensure compliance with the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) commitments and quality criteria
• Ensure that all staff are familiar with the principles underpinning accountability, safeguarding and Concern’s Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) and ensure that information about Concern’s commitments on accountability and safeguarding are disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Security Management:

• Ensuring an overall comprehension of the security context and liaise with other organisations and key actors in the field of security.
• Overall responsibility for security management in-country, including ensuring efficient and transparent communication and decision-making processes around ad hoc security restrictions
• Leading incident management in the event of a serious security incident.
• Ensuring all staff are aware of and adhere to the Security Management Plan (SMP) as well as key security procedures in place and ensure these are reviewed regularly and updated as necessary.

Programme Development & Implementation:

• Ensuring adequate financial resources for continual programming in country, and engaging actively with in-country and regional donors.
• Supporting the Programme Director to ensure programmes are designed, implemented, monitored and evaluated in line with Concern Worldwide policies, incorporating a results-based management approach, and external standards such as the Red Cross/Red Crescent Code of Conduct, Sphere, and the CHS are adhered to Supporting efforts in fundraising, identification of new opportunities, donor relations and leading the development of the country funding strategy
• Enabling an organisational culture that supports effective learning, sharing and continual improvement of programme quality.
• Conducting regular monitoring and support visit to the field bases.
• Overall responsibility for ensuring the advancement of localisation and partnership within the country programme, in line with Concern’s approach to localisation and equitable partnerships

Support Systems & People Management:

• Supporting and guiding the Systems and Finance functions to ensure effective and efficient HR, administrative, logistical and financial support is provided to staff of Concern Worldwide.
• Supporting the Country Finance Controller (CFC) in budget preparation, revision and monitoring; ensuring that budget holders actively manage their budgets and prepare accurate budgets in line with the annual plan.
• Ensure that Concern’s IT systems provide efficient and effective communication and data management for the organisation, linking with Concern Worldwide systems.
• Supporting and guiding the Operations Director and HR Manager to ensure there are competent and empowered human resources, in a fair, diverse and efficient workplace
• Undertaking initiatives to ensure a good working environment and team spirit so Concern is perceived as an employer of choice for national and international staff.
• Ensuring job requisitions are prepared on a timely basis for international positions
• Ensuring staff Performance and Development Review’s (PDRs) are undertaken for all staff with appropriate training, development and career opportunities identified and budgeted.
• Ensuring good working conditions for all staff and implementing team building activities

Representation & Networking:

• Creating a strong and visible profile for the organisation, as a leading actor in the fight against poverty, climate change, social protection and resilience programming.
• Communicating information regarding Concern and its programme at National level to Government, Donors and INGOs, alliances and networks across a range of fora.
• Ensuring the coordination with other NGOs, the United Nations Systems as well as other key actors in Haiti.
• Engaging appropriately with the media to ensure that Concern’s values, vision and programmes are highlighted.
• Representing Concern Worldwide in strategic national and international meetings;
• Ensuring relationships and formal agreements with the government are maintained and updated.
• Ensuring regular contacts with the donor community

Your skills and experience will include:

• Relevant post graduate qualification
• Five years’ or more experience in senior position with an international NGO in similar contexts.
• Management of diverse and multi-sectoral programmes
• Management of a diverse team of senior staff
• Management of systems and finance functions, including knowledge of donor compliance.
• Working with major international donors and securing external donor funding.
• Knowledge and experience of incorporating key approaches across programmes
• Experience of humanitarian programmes
• Experience of security and critical incident management
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and a confidence to engage and represent Concern at public fora, media and donors.
• Delegation, time management and prioritizing skills
• Computer literate and good knowledge of Word and Excel.
• Excellent English and French.
• Empathy with Concern’s mission, vision and goals, and our target group

We would also like:

• You to be flexible and reliable
• You to be culturally sensitive and empathic to others
• You to be able to work under pressure and to strict deadlines;
• You to have some sense of humour