Country Program Director At African Initiatives for Relief and Development

The African Initiatives for Relief and Development (AIRD) is a non-political, non-religious and non-profit making NGO with Country Program Offices in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, Niger, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda. AIRD’s objective is to offer operational support, including but not limited to supply chain, logistics, construction, infrastructure, environment, livelihoods and WASH in partnership with relief and development organizations that focus on disaster-affected and development-oriented areas. AIRD delivers for and through partners including but not limited to UN Agencies, international and national donor organizations and governments.

Job summary

AIRD is looking for a mission-oriented, strategic leader with experience in managing country programs and business development in a high demanding context.

Reporting to the Global Director of Programs the Country Program Director for 1) Ethiopia/South Sudan and 2) Tanzania will define, manage and grow a timely, pertinent, effective, and efficient response to the humanitarian and longer-term development needs of the Country and population within the framework of the AIRD SOPs while ensuring the security of the team.

AIRD has established its reputation and a successful track-record as an expert in Humanitarian Logistics. For nearly 17 years AIRD has been the main partner of the UNHCR in terms of humanitarian logistics, responsible for refugee transportation, warehouse management, fuel management, vehicle workshop and key assets management.

AIRD’s new vision, as defined by AIRD’s board, is to grow beyond humanitarian logistics, and play a key role in the long-term life conditions improvements not only of the refugees and host communities but also in the population at large, with a focus on the most vulnerable. AIRD program in Ethiopia and South Sudan have a huge potential to grow and innovate.

As such, AIRD is looking for a leader to lead AIRD Ethiopia and South Sudan through this change process and retain its identity as a leader of humanitarian logistics but also establish itself as the partner of choice of donors, government and communities in stabilization and longer-term development initiatives such as WASH, Livelihoods, and the Environment. AIRD is looking for an exceptional leader with a solid knowledge of humanitarian logistics, together with experience of designing, securing resources for and managing longer term developmental initiatives at various levels.

Key Responsibilities

1. General Duties

• Build and maintain a strong, innovative senior leadership team and ensure AIRD Policies and Code of Conduct are followed.
• Lead the design, implementation, evolution and growth of Country Program (CP) activities and resources as defined in the CP strategic plan
• Direct the mobilization, management, and accounting of all resources in the joint Country Program
• Oversee the management and development of the joint Country Program Human Resources to ensure a diverse, skilled, and productive workforce
• Provide leadership, strategic direction and support in the development and implementation of an effective Resource Development Strategy.
• Promote AIRD’s Vision, Mission, Core Values and key Partnership Standards and Practices among the staff and partners and ensure these are the core foundation of AIRD strategies and work.
• Build network and supporters of AIRD in donors’ communities in both countries
• Ensure people issues are front and centre, promoting an office that embraces diversity, gender balance and engagement with all Partnership staff.
• Implement AIRDs SOPs and partnership agreements signed with Donors

2. Specific duties

1. Manage, supervise, evaluate, improve, quality assure and grow AIRD traditional business of logistics services to UNHCR and other donors:

• Management of the warehouses
• Management of fuel and fuel facilities
• Management of the garage/spare parts for project fleet, asset repair and vehicle maintenance
• Management of fleet and safe transport of goods to the beneficiaries.
• Provision of logistical support to returnees and asylum seekers

2. Manage and expand the long-term development activities, expertise, resource-base and funding of AIRD in Ethiopia and South Sudan:

• Leverage the current position of trusted UN, government, and community partners to position AIRD for subsequent funding.
• Diversify the CP portfolio of activities and funding sources by identifying key value-added interventions, reaching out to new potential funding partners, responding to funding opportunities and drafting of concept notes and high-quality proposals in livelihood, WASH, poverty reduction and any other identified area.

3. Strategy, Coordination and Representation

• Ensure proper registration and compliance with statuary regulations related to INGOs in South Sudan and Ethiopia
• Lead the development and execution of high quality country strategy for AIRD in the Country Program in light of political, economic and humanitarian context.
• Acting as key contact with head office, local partners, NGOs, UN agencies, local authorities, government authorities and donors.
• Acting as a focal point, to issue policy recommendations in collaboration with field staff and headquarters.
• Representing AIRD to partners, NGOs, local authorities, government authorities and donors.

4. Operational/Program Management:

• Defining the program strategic activities, field activities and CP Business Plan with the coordinated team and ensuring achievement of the program’s objectives.
• Ensuring program is still appropriate, according to the situation, the context, and the program’s objectives.
• Ensuring the organization has adequate resources, responsible for the appropriate management of all resources in a transparent manner.
• Responsible for financial feasibility of the country program: initially to obtain resources, at final stage to make sure program is within budget; also responsible for all logistical aspects.
• Ensuring timely and accuracy of narrative and financial reporting to donors and to headquarters; also accountable to the donors
• Identify and evaluate the risks associated with program activities and take appropriate action to control the risks.

5. People Management

• Ensure the management human resources in conformity with applicable laws and internal regulations.

6. Security management.

• Oversee the recruitment, orientation, and management of performance of country based staff and development of middle management staff; demonstrating healthy engagement, strong senior management teams, culture of innovation, and effective talent management.
• Ensure people issues are front and centre, promoting an office that embraces diversity, gender balance and engagement with all Partnership staff

Personal Qualities:

• Strategic Thinking
• Entrepreneurial
• Resilient
• Results focus
• Change Leadership
• Team Leadership
• People Management

Key Result Areas

• Planning and implementation of country strategy
• Timeliness, regularity and accuracy in reporting
• Sourcing and management of organizational resources
• Team development
• Employee/Talent development

Key Relationships

• Director of Programs, HQ
• Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnership, HQ
• Partners, Government authorities
• Country Team

Qualifications, experience and skills

• An Advanced University Degree in Project Planning and Management, International Relations, International development or in a related technical field.
• 10 or more years’ experience in senior management position in international development. Experience and a track record in program management and successful fundraising is a distinct advantage.
• Proven track record of applying new technologies to programming or make use of existing technologies to innovatively influence program design and delivery;
• Significant senior leadership and management experience in the development and delivery of high quality program influencing and humanitarian strategy with and through partners or directly, in one or more challenging locations;
• A high degree of self-awareness and an understanding of how to drive and support excellent team performance and Individual development in line AIRD’s values and policies.
• Demonstrated high-level interpersonal and cross-cultural skills including the ability to build collaborative relationships internally and externally with sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, social and political issues
• Conversant in French and English (written and spoken).