Position: HINGO Deputy Director

Employment Category:  E2

Reporting To:  HINGO Forum Director

Start of Contract & Duration: December 31, 2023 with a possibility of extension

Required Employee: 1                    

INTRODUCTION

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC promotes and supports solutions to the problems faced by refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and migrants. The organization has offices across the region and has been operational in Ethiopia since 2009.  With funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, DRC is currently implementing a range of activities across Ethiopia and Djibouti, including WASH and shelter provision, child and youth protection, gender-based violence response, awareness-raising of migration risks, protection monitoring of migration routes, and livelihoods support for returning migrants or those at-risk of migration.

Through DRC as hosting agency, the HINGO forum is recruiting a highly qualified Deputy Director who will be responsible for representation and engagement on behalf of HINGOs with key stakeholders in Ethiopia’s Northern region. The Deputy Director will support the HINGO Forum members and humanitarian efforts through high quality information exchange, coordination, multi-stakeholder engagement, facilitating effective INGO representation in decision-making mechanisms, collective engagement and advocacy. Additionally, the Deputy Director will contribute to operational planning and implementation of humanitarian assistance, as well as promoting community acceptance and accountability to affected population. The post holder will report directly to the HINGO Director and the Steering Committee on invitation. The HINGO Deputy Director will provide inputs to briefings, analysis, advisories, actions, approvals and messages through critical analysis and predictions, and also assessments based on the conflict, demographics and historical context, results of enquiries and information gathering.

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

There are currently 74 INGOs members of the HINGO Forum, with operations throughout Ethiopia. The HINGO Forum Secretariat is currently composed of 4 dedicated staff ensuring appropriate information flow, INGO strategic representation, advocacy, coordination and support to the HINGO members. A Steering Committee composed of 8 elected INGO Country Directors, as well as the HINGO Forum host, DRC. While the focus of the work of the HINGO forum has been primarily with Country Directors at the Addis Ababa level, the need for more support in improving information, coordination, representation and supporting effective and principled humanitarian operations in the different regions of Ethiopia, especially in the North of the country, is regularly highlighted.

The HINGO Forum Deputy Director is a senior management position and is responsible for facilitating coordination amongst humanitarian directors and area managers, and external stakeholders in the different regions where significant humanitarian response is implemented. The coordination entails ensuring effective information exchange, as well as representing and advocating on common positions and agreed interests of the HINGO Forum and wider NGO community.

The HINGO Forum Deputy Director is responsible for building and sustaining productive relationships between NGOs and regional governments, UN, humanitarian partners including INGOs and NNGOs donors and diplomatic missions to the Region and nationally.The HINGO Forum Deputy Director is also responsible for regular communication on Forum performance in the regions to the HINGO Forum Director and Steering Committee.

The HINGO Forum Deputy Director supports the work of the HINGO Forum through the following key tasks:

• Represent the THINGO community in meetings with key stakeholders and provide feedback to the HINGO Director so that key messages and issues can be conveyed to a national level providing a conduit for the UN, government, donor representatives and other stakeholders to communicate and coordinate

• Act as focal point for information/experience sharing with and among HINGOs on relevant issues and work with key Forum staff to manage membership process, mailing lists and communication products.

• Strategic day-to-day management of HINGO Forum staff, office, budget and relationship with the principle donor (includes proposal development and report writing).

• Maintain a thorough understanding and develop messaging on operational constraints and policy related issues affecting HINGOs in country as well as broader political developments.

• Read, synthesize and analyze political and security updates.

TASK and RESPONSIBILITIES

Coordination and representation

• He/ she liaises with humanitarian partners to promote and encourage improved coordination and information sharing in general and on best practices, key challenges and common understanding of the response

• Attend and chair where necessary the relevant coordination meetings including AHT, ASMT, ICCG, Access WG, and regular regional HINGO Forum meetings in regions with significant INGO members’ presence and coordination needs (Mekelle, Jijiga, Gambella, etc.). 

• Assist the HINGO Director in building synergies and facilitating collective understanding and analysis around the humanitarian response efforts, bureaucratic and access impediments among humanitarian partners, especially among NGOs.

• Engage with relevant actors (e.g. government, armed groups, communities, etc.) on building synergies and a better understanding of the collective efforts and impacts of the humanitarian community, and highlighting humanitarian access issues, bringing expertise of local culture and dynamics, including traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms.

• Develop a network of local contacts among key stakeholders, including authorities and the humanitarian community to identify, monitor and analyse key access constraints in collaboration with Tigray NGO partners and OCHA access focal points and UNDSS local security advisors.

• Represent the HINGO Forum at key meetings with donors, UN, Regional government officials and  GOE and ensure the dissemination of written feedback.

 Information sharing

• Engage in the process of briefing and orienting all new humanitarian about NGO operational issues in the different regional contexts.

• Ensure transparent coordination mechanisms and regular information-sharing between HINGOs and UN and government agencies and other stakeholders as relevant.

• Schedule HINGO Forum regional meetings, draft agendas, invite external speakers and follow up on relevant action points as required.

• Facilitate and support HINGO Working Groups such as the Humanitarian Leads group, or regional/area managers coordination groups.

• Encourage active and open dialogue between the HINGO Forum members and other key stakeholders

• Coordinate visits of advocacy groups, researchers, donors, and partners working on Ethiopia

• Ensure the research, documentation and sharing of lessons learned/best practices on strategic or operational issues and actively share information with the ECSOC, CCRDA and other coordination platforms

• Identify gaps in research and analysis that, if addressed, would be useful by large numbers of the membership 

• Together with other Forum staff, ensure effective and coordinated participation to the ICCG, liaise with the sector working groups and Clusters, ensuring key messages are shared and activities and advocacy messages are coordinated and consistent

• Monitor current media and context. Ensure an information flow is maintained with the capacity to develop context analysis documentation for external bodies such as donors or peer agencies.

• Oversee updates on partner presence and location with an understanding of program activities. Engage in the maintenance and securing of access in all areas of operation with relevant Standard operating Procedures (SOPs) across each.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master

DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.  

• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.  

• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.  

• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.  

Job Requirements:

Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)

• Minimum 3 years as in a senior leadership level role with UN, NGOs and/or Donor agencies or equivalent in an emergency context.

• Demonstrated representation and coordination experience in multi-agency forums

• Experience in developing and updating TORs, Strategy documents, SOPs, and other management documents and tools.

• Proven in-country experience liaising with UN missions or agencies.

• Significant experience in the development of advocacy, policy and key messaging documents

• Strong understanding of the IASC coordination architecture, integrated missions, Humanitarian principles and the Transformative Agenda

• Proven experience in incident/crisis management.

• Fluent English, and strong interpersonal, communication, and networking skills.

• Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines under pressure.

• Computer literate, able to use common software packages.

• Previous work experience in Ethiopia is preferred

• Be flexible to travel at short notice to difficult and risky areas.

• Proven ability to work effectively with minimal supervision.

EDUCATION: (include certificates, licenses, etc.)

• A degree in a relevant field, or equivalent experience.

• At least 3 years’ experience working with INGOs and/or international agencies on similar duties

• Demonstrated leadership and management skills

• Documented skills in developing proposals, budgets and reports

LANGUAGE: (indicate fluency level)

• Full professional proficiency (Read, write, speak) in English

How To Apply:

Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit an updated CV and cover letter explaining their motivation and why they are suited for the post. 

We only accept applications sent via our online-application form on CLICK HERE

Please forward the application and CV, in English through the stated website no later than July 21, 2023. 

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.ngo

Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels. In light of this, women candidates are particularly encouraged to apply to bridge the gender gap.

Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, colour, race, marital status, or other protected characteristics

We encourage only qualified Ethiopian Nationals to apply. DRC considers all applicants based on merit.

Application Deadline: 07.21.2023