Together we act before, during and after disasters to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people. We do this without regards to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinion, and based on our seven principles that guide our humanitarian work: Humanity, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary service, Unity and Universality.
To strengthen the Netherlands Red Cross team in Malawi the International department is looking for a:
Position title : Country Representative
Duty station : Lilongwe, Malawi
Time period : 1 year, with possible extension
Starting Date : 1 September 2016
Setting
Malawi is a low-income sub-Saharan African country with a population of approximately 15 million people . The majority (80%) of the population lives in rural areas and depends on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihood . Malawi faces a number of disasters, natural and human-made which include floods, drought, stormy rains, strong winds, hailstorms, landslides, earthquakes, pest infestations, diseases outbreaks, fire and accidents. The intensity and frequency of disasters has been increasing, in light of climate change, population growth, urbanization and environmental degradation.
In synergy with other actors, particularly other Red Cross Movement actors present in the country, the Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC) seeks to effectively prepare and respond to emergencies and assist people in need. Our main bilateral partner is the Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS), Particular areas of intervention with a community resilience objective are responding to sudden (natural) disasters and activities relating to WASH, Mother and Child Health, Food Security and Capacity Building of MRCS. Building on our experience in the country, the NLRC is progressing towards a longer term partnership with the MRCS. The position of Country Representative is key to ensuring continuity and further development of our vision and strategy in Malawi.
Purpose of the position:
To represent the Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC) in Malawi and build excellent relations with RC and non-RC actors, support the bilateral implementation of activities, maintain effective relations with donors, and proactively assist with mobilizing resources to enable continuity of NLRC support to MRCS.
Responsibilities/ Key Tasks:
Strengthen the partnership between NLRC and the National Society in Malawi (MRCS) based on their Strategic Plan (2015-2019), which forms the bases of the Partnership Framework Agreement (FPA). Assess and implement capacity building and technical support to the HQ and branch staff of MRCS in coordination with other Partners in country.
Relationship management in country with all movement partners, donor representatives, knowledge Institutes, Embassies, other international and national organizations, as well as national and international media. Special attention and responsibility towards overseeing successful implementation of EU and ECHO projects.
Initiate portfolio development and resource mobilization.
Develop and implement a country vision and develop an annual country work plan.
Manage the local office of the NLRC including personnel, fixed assets, financial assets and other resources. Supervise and develop a team of senior NLRC delegates with different backgrounds and expertise. Oversee program implementation in according to project proposal(s), taking preventative and corrective action where necessary. Advise on recruitment of new staff.
Ensure sound financial management of the programs/projects funded through/by the NLRC in accordance with the NLRC procedures, systems and financial manual, and regulations stipulated in signed contracts with the respective donors. Monitor that no commitments are made in the field for which no budget approval has been received. Report all incidents and advise the desk.
Inform NLRC HQ about the social, political and economic trends in Malawi and the Southern Africa region. Review the security plan when necessary.
Ensure high quality of NLRC visibility through reporting and contributions to the website and other media.
Implement NLRC security policy for all program personnel and NLRC assets in Malawi
In case of disasters the County Representative will assess the need for and possibilities of NLRC support and take action to mitigate the effects of the disaster as far as possible within the settings of the existing projects and in close collaboration with the NS, the Federation, ICRC and PNS.
Profile candidate
Qualifications
University (Masters) Degree or advanced degree;
Skills and experience
Minimum of 8 years experience in program management with proven ability to develop, write and present plans and proposals, including financial management, planning, reporting and budget control;
Minimum of 8 years experience in managing and guiding a team of professionals
Excellent understanding of key trends in international and humanitarian development especially of Disaster Management (preparedness, response and risk reduction) and/or Climate Change programs;
Experience in participatory and strategic planning and review techniques;
Excellent English communication skills;
Extensive experience working in International settings is required, working experience in Africa is preferred;
Practical knowledge of computer skills incl. Word, Excel;
Key competencies:
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in different cultural and organizational settings.
Assessment, analytical and interpretation skills at strategic level.
Ability to develop clear goals and steer team towards results and observing deadlines.
Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges, remains calm in stressful situations.
Positive thinker, able to see and act when an opportunity arises.
Ability to monitor and adjust plans and actions as necessary.
Position in the organization
The Country Representative will report hierarchically to the Regional Programme Coordinator based at NLRC HQ in The Hague. He/she will liaise with colleagues within the NLRC on matters such as HR, finance, logistics, and technical areas such as Health, WASH, Food Security/Livelihoods, and DRR, as well as for external communication for support, management of consortia, and technical backstopping.
