Haiti – Country Director (M/F) – Port Au Prince At Solidarities International

Title: HAITI – COUNTRY DIRECTOR (M/F) – PORT AU PRINCE
Job Description:

Desired start date: 09/16/2024
Duration of the mission: 1 year
Location : Port-au-Prince, Haiti

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 over 20 countries, SI teams, 3,000 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at headquarters, a few volunteers, etc. – intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultures.

The mission

Haiti is a country that is highly exposed and vulnerable to climate hazards. Since 2004, a total of 49 natural disasters have hit the country, and this trend was confirmed in 2020, with a record of 30 named systems in the North Atlantic.

The alternation of El Niño and La Niña phenomena as well as the effects of global warming directly impact Haiti, thus repeated drought episodes limit access to water, both for the consumption of populations and their livestock, but also for irrigation. In addition, hurricane seasons put the country on alert for more than 4 months per year. The mission is positioned on two axes: Emergency responses and projects to strengthen the resilience of communities or local actors in the field of WASH and food security and nutrition. This mainly in the Port au Prince area, in neighborhoods where internally displaced persons or very vulnerable people live and this in a security context requiring a fine access strategy and daily security management. The mission receives institutional funding from the CDCS, ECHO, UNICEF, AAP and works on other options in consortium with health or protection actors for a better integrated approach.

In addition to climatic hazards, Haiti is facing a governance crisis with the delivery of deficient and very low quality public services.

The Haitian context is therefore the regular theatre of emergency responses, carried out in parallel with more sustainable actions. The response to immediate needs helps to relieve the population of the intervention zones, while the longer-term projects aim to sustainably improve their resilience and/or prevent risks.
Also, the strategy of Solidarités International is part of a reflection of integration and link between development and emergency action, particularly adapted to the dynamics of the Haitian crisis aiming to strengthen the capacities of local actors while equipping itself with a solid intervention capacity in the event of an emergency in a tense security context where the negotiation of access is an essential key.

MAIN OBJECTIVE:

The Country Director is the official representative of Solidarités International. He/she:

Responsible for the proper functioning of the mission.
Proposes, depending on the geopolitical and humanitarian context, the mission strategy and ensures its implementation once validated.
Monitors and guarantees that projects are carried out in accordance with the Solidarités International charter and in compliance with internal and contractual procedures.
Mobilizes the material and financial resources necessary for the proper conduct of programs and supervises their management.
Coordinates the teams in place and is the guarantor of their safety on the mission.
He/she is the direct and privileged contact for the Solidarités International headquarters.

Main activities :

Coordination and strategic orientation
Relevance and operational quality / monitoring of operations
Resource management
Human Resource Management
Security
Donor relations / search for funding
Internal and external communication
Representation

SPECIFIC ISSUES AND CHALLENGES:

As part of a substantial increase in activity, structure, supervise, manage new teams and new dynamics
Work on access and acceptance to strengthen SI’s positioning within the framework of purely humanitarian coordination / provide our added value
Explore the first possibilities of activities outside PaP either in Artibonite or in the North-West.
Continue the donor commitment to perpetuate the mission in the years to come
Support the development of new activities related to nutrition and food security

PRIORITY ON THE FIRST 2-3 MONTHS:

Continuation of structuring, support, recruitment, dynamic team interviews and nationalization of positions
Support for the proper implementation of all ongoing projects and exploration of Artibonite/North West
Donor commitments, clusters, humanitarian coordination and partner NGOs, exploration of consortium possibilities
Security monitoring

Your profile

REQUIRED DIPLOMA

University degree of minimum BAC + 4 level in the humanitarian sector,
Minimum 3 years experience in similar positions
Previous experience in Haiti appreciated
Experience in management and coordination of humanitarian projects
Strong management experience
Experience in security management

EXPERIENCE

At least 5 years of experience in the humanitarian sector
Initial experience in an equivalent position

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Negotiation and diplomatic skills with local authorities and state actors
Management and leadership skills, involves others to seek solutions and reacts quickly to new challenges.
Skills in networking, donor engagement and strategic development

TRANSVERSE SKILLS