Background on ACTED

ACTED is a French humanitarian NGO, founded in 1993, which supports vulnerable populations, affected by humanitarian crises worldwide. ACTED provides continued support to vulnerable communities by ensuring the sustainability of post-crisis interventions and engaging long-term challenges facing our target populations, in order to break the poverty cycle, foster development and reduce vulnerability to disasters. Their interventions seek to cover the multiple aspects of humanitarian and development crises through a multidisciplinary approach which is both global and local, and adapted to each context. 

ACTED is looking for professionally confident, self-motivated, experienced and committed team player to fill the Area Coordinator position in Jigjiga, Ethiopia. 

Position Profile

The Area Coordinator is responsible for representing ACTED`s interests in Somali Region of Ethiopia with local authorities, donors, beneficiary communities and other key stakeholders. The Area Coordinator is member of the senior management team and works to ensure program quality and operational implementation, as well as growth where appropriate and feasible, and strong representation. The Area Coordinator directly supervises Project Managers ensuring that projects and programs address beneficiary needs and are implemented according to ACTED’s global strategy, donor guidelines, approved work plans and budgets The Area Coordinator also oversees day-to-day operations and security in the respective area.

Duties and Responsibilities 

Positioning

Context analysis: Ensure ACTED has an up-to-date understanding of the area’s socio-economic situation, trends, needs and gaps, and who does what and where (3W)

Strategy Implementation: Take a lead role in implemeting ACTED’s coutry program strategy in the area identifying strategic opportunities for expanding ACTED’s work in the area, and in particular

1. Identify new opportunities and new sectors of intervention;
2. Consolidate and stabilization programming;
3. Review the geographic and thematic footprint;
4. Ensure activities are relevant and meeting area/beneficiary needs;
5. Identify ACTED added-value;
6. Ensure humanitarian principals are adhered to;
7. Contribute to identifying new donors, private sector partners, national and international NGOs, think tanks, academia, etc. to work with in the area based on complementarity and added value;.

Networking, positioning and general representation:

• Participate in donor meetings at area level and communicate relevant information to the Country Director and other relevant staff;
• Establish, maintain and improve active and regular working relationships with other NGOs, UN agencies, clusters, working groups, consortia, etc. at area level ensuring maximum visibility of ACTED
• Establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships with local authorities and where necessary non-state actors and obtain required authorizations and buy-in for ACTED’s activities at area level
• Ensure ACTED is represented in key clusters, working groups, NGO coordination bodies, etc. at area level

Proposal development

• Lead assessment(s) at area level to ensure proposals are relevant
• Support the Country Director and Project Development Department in proposal conceptualisation (problem statement, logframe) within the framework of the country, regional and global strategy
• Contribute to budget design ensure budget needs at area level have been taken into consideration

Advocacy: Contribute to drafting issues papers, advocacy notes, press releases on relevant humanitarian and development issues in the area of operation

Promotion of ACTED network: Keep abreast with and contribute to ACTED’s global initiatives and global trends, in particular Impact (REACH, Agora), Convergences and Oxus

Management and Internal Coordination

Staff Management

1. Ensure that all staff in the area understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities related to area operations and link with the capital Head of Departments
2. Promote team building, productivity and staff welfare
3. Mentor and support the team to build capacities, and improve efficiency and performance, and follow career management
4. Manage interpersonal conflicts among staff at area level

Internal Coordination

1. Facilitate interdepartmental communication and information sharing for a positive working environment
2. Ensure implementation of ACTED coordination mechanism at area level (WAM, MAR, FLAT meeting, etc.)

Project Implementation Follow-up

Project Implementation Tracking

1. Supervise Project Managers in the area and provide support to project implementation through trouble shooting and eliminating blocking points
2. Monitor output achievement, cash burn rates and ensure a time completion of projects through review of PMFs, BFUs and project reports
3. Ensure that relevant project information are up-to-date and available for reporting purposes
4. Ensure coordination and complementarity amongst projects within the area of intervention

Project Quality Control

1. Ensure the application of a practical field based M&E system/plan for each project
2. Conduct frequent field visits to project sites to assess activities and ensure efficient use of resources
3. Advise Project Managers to adapt projects according to monitoring and evaluation findings
4. Ensure beneficiary feedback mechanisms are in place
5. Ensure capitalization of best practices and lessons learnt for projects in the area of operations.

Partner Management

1. Identify potential local partners in the area based on an assessment of complementarity and added value
2. Provide support to partners in project implementation and ensure timely and qualitative implementation of projects by partners in line with ACTED and donor requirements

FLATS Management

Finance Management

1. Control project budgets at area level to avoid under/over spending
2. Ensure accurate budget forecasting and efficient cash flow management
3. Ensure timely and accurate area finance TITANIC reporting

Logistics & IT Management

1. Ensure timely procurement and adherence to rules of origin and nationality at area level
2. Ensure quality supply management at area level
3. Ensure proper asset management at area level and enforce asset investment policy
4. Ensure proper stock management at area level
5. Ensure proper IT systems, data back-up and protection from malware at area level
6. Ensure sufficient and reliable means of communication at area level
7. Ensure timely and accurate area logistics TITANIC reporting

Administration and HR Management

1. Ensure transparent and timely recruitment of national staff and contribute to international staff recruitment upon capital request
2. Proactively adapt the staffing structure to needs and funding
3. Ensure regular performance appraisal and career management for staff at area level
4. Ensure timely and accurate area HR TITANIC reporting
5. Ensure timely exit forms

Transparency/Compliance Management

1. Minimize risk of fraud and corruption by ensuring adherence to ACTED FLATS procedures
2. Ensure that staff is aware of ACTED’s transparency and whistle blowing policy

Security Management

1. Analyze the security context at area level and in close collaboration with the Country Security Manager contribute to defining, analyzing and evaluating risks
2. Engage with relevant key stakeholders at area level to ensure access and support of interventions
3. Address security and safety risks by implementing standard operating procedures defined for the area
4. Ensure the offices and houses conform to recommended security, health and safety standards
5. Ensure all staff in the area adhere to security procedures
6. Ensure security incidents at area level are promptly reported to the capital

Job Requirements

• University education in a relevant field such as international development, emergency operations, humanitarian programming, technical degree in camp management, or the like
• Extensive project management experience (management, planning, staff development and training skills) in emergency and/or development programs
• Base management skills preferred
• At least four years relevant work experience, preferably including camp settings
• Proven capabilities in leadership and management required
• Ability to work well and punctually under pressure
• Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills, and flexibility in cultural and organizational terms
• Ability to work well and punctually under pressure
• Knowledge of local language and/or regional experience an asset
• Proficiency in English language, both written and spoken
• Somali language is a mandatory requirement

How to Apply

Application Procedure:

Qualified Ethiopia national persons with the required skills are invited to submit their applications accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae and cover letter as a single document i.e. with the cover letter being on the first page and the CV starting on the second page, detailing three work related referees and contacts to ethiopia.jobs@acted.org org and received on or before 5.00PM on   5^th March 2022 with the subject line “Area Coordinator– Jigjiga, Ethiopia”

Do not attach any other documents while sending your applications, if required they will be requested at a later stage. Please note that ACTED reserves the right to shortlist on ongoing basis. Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted. ACTED will at no stage of recruitment process request candidate to make payments of any kind. Further, ACTED has not retained any agent in connection with recruitments.

ACTED is committed to protecting beneficiaries within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and any kind of misconduct. ACTED has specific policies, including PSEA and Child Protection, which outlines the expected behaviour and the responsibility of all staff, beneficiaries, consultants and other stakeholders and has zero tolerance towards misconducts. Any candidate offered a job with ACTED will be expected to sign ACTED’s organizational Policies and Code of Conduct as an annex to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.

ACTED is an Equal Opportunity Employer