COLOMBIA – Field Coordinator (H/F) – YOPAL

Desired start date: 15/05/2022**
Duration of the mission:** 12 months
Location: Yopal

ABOUT THE MISSION…

In Venezuela, people are faced with hyperinflation, struggle to find necessities, lack of medicines and access to medical services in addition to a rise in crime rates. Many Colombians, formerly settled in Venezuela have decided to go back home while many Venezuelans chose to migrate to major cities in Colombia or to transit through them during their journey to other countries in the region. They walk along the roads, often with no means or possessions. One of the main routes for those travelling to Bogotá or Medellín goes through Bucaramanga. Walkers called the Caminantes use this road every day.

SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL (SI) is operational in Colombia since October 2019. The mission is currently working on reinforcing WASH, Shelter, NFI, humanitarian transport in the shelters (refugios) and points of attention along the routes between Cucuta and Bucaramanga and in Arauca and Casanare (Yopal). Venezuelans are walking along this route aiming at reaching one of Colombia’s major cities or a third country. They are very vulnerable at this stage and SI respond, together with PUI and LWF, access to basic services along the route.

The Colombian mission is currently limited in size with two bases of operation in Bucaramanga and Yopal and sub-base in Pamplona. The base has grown up to more than 70 national staffs and 12 international staff and the volume of activity is increasing.

ABOUT THE JOB

General objective:

• The Field Coordinator has the role of delegated Country Director for an area within the country in which Solidarités International intervenes.

• He/she proposes a regional strategy according to the geopolitical and humanitarian context, and ensures its implementation once validated.

• He/she checks and ensures that projects are carried out in accordance with the Solidarités International charter, respecting all internal and contractual procedures

• He/she mobilizes the material and financial resources necessary for programs to run smoothly, and supervises resource management.

• He/she coordinates the teams in place and is responsible for their security in his/her assigned zone.

• He/she is responsible for the coordination with local actors including UN, local actors (NGOs, Authorities) and INGOs.

• He/she is in charge of supervising partnerships with local NGOs (contractual management, capacity building, coordination)

• He/she is the Country Director’s direct contact and representative.

Main tasks:

• Coordination and strategic orientation

• Relevance and operational quality / operation monitoring

• Resource management

• Collaboration and coordination

• Human resource management

• Security management

• Context analysis

• Financial backer relations / search for funding

• Internal and external communication

• Representation and coordination

Specific stakes and challenges

· Manage Security in a very complex environment

· Atypical programming with a high tension for a 7 days a week delivery of food and services in Attention points

· Complex external relation with local authorities, partners, national authorities, humanitarian coordination

Priorities for the 2/3 first months

· Establish/reinforce all the monitoring systems

· Stabilize all newly started activities

· Coordinate the opening with LWF and PUI, our partners

· Manage security in very complex area

· Map regional actors and potential partners

· Lead needs assessments

YOUR PROFILE

Education and Experience:

· Post-graduate degree in humanitarian and/or development studies, social sciences, political sciences or similar field

· Experience in managing emergency response activities

· Prior experience in remote management would be an asset

· Experience of working with or through partners

· Proven experience in liaising with Local authorities (including security forces representatives)

· Previous experience with SI is an asset

Skills and Qualities :

· Strong management skills

· Strong representation and coordination skills

· Security management in volatile and armed conflict environment

· Speak fluent

· Knowledge of SI tools and processes is an asset

· Ability and willingness to build up the capacity of its team

· Ability to work under pressure

Languages : English and Spanish are mandatory

SI WILL OFFER YOU

A salaried post:
According to experience, starting from 2 600 euros gross per month (+ 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly i.e. 2 860 euros gross per month)
and a monthly Per Diem of 750 USD

SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate’s country of origin and the place of assignment.

Vacation: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every three months. For a one-year assignment, the expatriate will have a 7 working days break at 3, 6 and 9 months (with 850 USD allocated by Solidarités).

To these break periods, it is necessary to add the granting of one additional rest day per month worked, i.e. 12 days in addition for a one-year contract**.**

Social and medical cover:
Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which reimburses all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

LIVING CONDITIONS:

Expats will be housed in a GH in YOPAL. The housing conditions are generally good in Colombia with all services available.

SECURITY

The security context is stable in this part of Colombia. Besides usual criminal risks (existing in the country generally), the social context is tense with some of the local communities that feel pressured by arrival of Venezuelans and those who help them. This balance and necessary dialogue is a key to understand the context dynamics and adapt the response to Venezuelans needs but also to local communities’ perceptions and vulnerabilities. The context of living in Bogota is good although criminality is increasing. The programs being multisectoral and implemented with several partners (PUI – Health, LWF – protection and local organizations), the coordination is key.

In other countries of intervention where the coordinator will be deployed, the criminality is to be taken very seriously and higher restrictions in terms of movements, lodging and No Go areas are in place.

SI is also very strong in terms of external coordination and is co-lead of the coordination of the humanitarian response on the route through the Caminantes Working Group and is at the forefront of negotiations with local, departmental and national authorities in the area of intervention.