Emergency Coordinator – Somalia

September 2024

About the role:

This is a 24 month, replacement role with unaccompanied terms based in Mogadishu, Somalia with a salary of Grade 4 €44,133 – €49,038. You will travel frequently to Hargeisa, Baidoa and other programme areas, and to Nairobi for external meetings and supporting fund raising efforts.

You will report to the Country Director, and will line manage an Emergency Programme Manager. You will also work closely with the Programme Director (PD), Operations Director (OD), Country Financial Controller (CFC) and Finance Team, Somaliland Programme Director, Programme Coordinators and Managers, Grants & Information Manager, MEAL unit, Partnership Advisor, senior staff of partner organisations, Dublin-based Desk Officer and Emergency Directorate.

We would like you to start on 15th October or earlier. We are open to negotiating the starting date with the selected candidate.

Purpose of the role:

The overall purpose of this position is to lead development and implementation of Concern’s emergency operations, ensuring that emergency response, preparedness and recovery plans and activities for Concern Somalia/Somaliland are funded, and are successfully implemented according to the respective project budgets and timeframes and to the highest standards of quality and accountability. The position ensures that all activities are aligned with the objectives of the Country Strategic Plan and donor guidelines; and that emergency response activities are synergised with parallel longer-term Resilience and Durable Solutions programming. Concern’s current emergency portfolio comprises of large-scale multi-purpose cash assistance, WASH, nutrition, health, emergency education, and NFI distribution activities. Particular attention should be given to mainstreaming of protection and conflict-sensitivity.

Key Responsibilities

Overview:

• Ensure that the programme is adequately staffed and managed; mentor emergency staff and build capacity within the team
• Identify needs and recommend appropriate adjustments & course corrections to planned interventions
• Develop plans for emergency response within the Somalia/Somaliland context ensuring linkages with Concern’s other resilience and development programmes
• Identify and respond to opportunities to expand programme funding
• Ensure adherence to all programme budgets and work plans
• Liaise with other NGOs, local authorities and other relevant stakeholders for effective coordination, co-operation and communication for mutual understanding and acceptance of Concern’s mandate, activities and objectives, project progress and implementation
• Brief the CD and Senior Management Team on programmes and situational context on a regular basis
• Ensure activities of Concern’s staff and partners are in line with proposals, budgets and Concern/donors’ guidelines

Emergency preparedness, response and recovery planning and programme implementation

• Monitor the early warning information being gathered from Concern (with focus on field-level data/info) as well as that of UN agencies, government and other INGOs. Share information on any alerts with the CD, PD and other Programme Coordinators/Managers
• Monitor potential emergency/humanitarian needs and advise the CMT on appropriate responses
• Keep up to date with any changes in or updates to national assessment results, appeals and guidelines, and communicate these to relevant staff
• Coordinate and lead rapid needs assessments in areas affected by shocks or where early warning information suggests a need for early action
• Regularly update Concern Somalia/Somaliland’s Preparedness for Effective Emergency Response (PEER) plan
• Develop and implement capacity building plans for Concern’s Emergency Response Team and partner staff
• Ensure that emergency response programmes are implemented in line with National, international and Cluster quality standards.
• Ensure programmes are designed and implemented in accordance with the Core Humanitarian Standard of Quality and Accountability (CHS)
• Promote knowledge sharing within the country programme with particular attention to relief, recovery and humanitarian accountability issues
• Ensure emergency projects/program staff are kept up to date on best practices in the fields of emergency preparedness and response
• Support the resilience and durable solutions programmes with training and support to the community-based Disaster Management Committees and link emergency response interventions with them wherever possible

Financial Management:

• Manage expenditure of approved emergency budgets ensuring compliance with donor requirements and Concern’s financial procedures. Keep the CD, PD, CFC and Grants and Information Manager informed of any variances that may need to be communicated to donors in good time
• In collaboration with the finance team, Emergency PM and the PD, develop emergency project budgets
• Assist direct reports with financial management
• Report any suspected or actual financial irregularities that have occurred
• Ensure all projects have detailed procurement plans; share and monitor progress together with the Logistics team in a timely way

Team Management:

• Manage direct reports and ensure their on-going development, following Concern’s objective setting and Performance Development Review processes and tools and building their management capacity
• Identify needs and opportunities for technical and capacity development within the emergency team and roll out capacity building initiatives (eg training, coaching)
• Identify staffing needs in line with programming and assist in the timely recruitment of staff
• Ensure staff comply with the Code of Conduct and associated policies (which includes the Programme Participant Protection Policy, Child Safeguarding Policy and Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy), and the CHS; contribute to the establishment of preventive measures to reduce potential for abuse within Concern’s programme

Programme Funding and Reporting:

• Together with the CD & PD, build relationships with current and potential donors to support continued growth of Concern’s Emergency response portfolio and funding
• Provide brief updates (bi-weekly or weekly) to the CD and members of the Country Management Team, and to Concern Head Office as relevant
• Develop concept notes, proposals and funding applications to build Concern’s emergency portfolio and to respond to crises – working with technical coordinators and advisors as appropriate
• Provide the Grants and Information Manager, Dublin Desk Officer, CD, PD, etc. with timely responses to queries on concept notes, proposals and reports
• Ensure monthly reports are submitted to the Grants and Information Manager by the deadline
• Report any new developments, problems and challenges encountered in implementing emergency response projects in a timely manner and through appropriate channels

Networking and Coordination:

• Ensure proper representation of Concern Somalia programme at Cluster, working groups and other emergency preparedness and response related meetings (in consultation with the CD, PD and Programme Coordinators)
• Ensure Concern’s programmes are coordinated with other actors and included in all relevant databases, 4W matrices, etc
• Ensure good collaboration and working relationship with government and other relevant partners
• Create appropriate links, working procedures and information sharing with stakeholders – UN agencies, INGOs, NNGOs and government bodies regarding response plans, agreements, reports, training etc
• Share information on Concern activities and interventions and promote good relations and collaboration with other actors working in the area

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning:

• Conduct frequent supervision and monitoring visits to programme areas (per security clearance) and identify any issues needing attention related to implementation, donor compliance and programme quality standards.
• Take responsibility for the implementation of learning and recommendations from external or internal reviews/evaluations and donor feedback.
• Take responsibility, together with Emergency PM, for development of detailed costed work plans at the start of each project and then ensure monthly updates are made to the output databases.
• Working with the M&E unit, Emergency PM and the PD as relevant, plan and lead on baseline/endline surveys, post-distribution monitoring etc as well as any external evaluations, ensuring timely analysis and reflection on findings to inform programme adaptation and learning.
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about FCRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities
• Ensure that beneficiaries have access to feedback mechanisms and that data is monitored and responses given within appropriate time periods.

General:

• Ensure that emergency teams strictly comply with programme security management plan and SOPs
• Assist in reviews of Security Management Plans
• Any other duties assigned by CD which are consistent with Concern operations

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential

• Master’s Degree in Development Studies, Humanitarian Response or a relevant technical subject (health, nutrition, WASH, Education, Protection, etc)
• At least 5 years professional experience with a humanitarian agency, of which at least 3 overseas, with minimum 2 years in a senior management role
• Good managerial and leadership skills, ability to work effectively with people
• Commitment to building capacity of national staff for effective emergency response
• Experience of working in insecure environments, preferably in Africa or a context similar to Somalia
• Experience of designing, carrying out, analysing and reporting on multi-sectoral emergency assessments, in line with internal and donor requirements
• Experience managing complex emergency response programmes through both direct implementation, through local partner organisations and within consortia arrangements
• Able to provide training on and implement Red Cross Code of Conduct, SPHERE and Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS)
• Knowledge and experience of multi-purpose cash transfer programming
• Demonstrated familiarity with grant management and compliance requirements of major institutional donors (eg ECHO, DFID, UN CHF, Irish Aid, etc)
• Strong proposal and report-writing writing skills and prior success in accessing funding from diverse sources
• Ability to represent the organisation in external meetings (cluster/working groups, consortia, donors), share timely information and influence key stakeholders

Desirable

• Experience of working in Somalia/Somaliland, East/Horn of Africa or other similar context
• Experience of mainstreaming cross-cutting issues into humanitarian programmes: equality (esp. gender), safeguarding, protection, conflict-sensitivity, DRR
• Experience of managing people and projects through remote management
• Experience of implementing and strengthening a complaints response mechanism in humanitarian setting
• CaLP (Cash Learning Partnership) level 1 or level 2 certification
• Proactive ability to identify and implement synergies between emergency response and longer-term development programming

We would also like:

• Must have a ‘hands on’, practical mentality, be self-driven and very motivated
• Must be well organized
• Able to take initiative and work independently
• Very high attention to detail
• Cultural and political sensitivity
• Must be flexible and willing to adapt to a fluid situation
• Strong written and verbal communications skills and good command of English
• Good interpersonal skills