Country Coordinator

  • Contractor
  • Colombo Sri Lanka
  • TBD USD / Year
  • IMPACT Initiatives profile




  • Job applications may no longer being accepted for this opportunity.


IMPACT Initiatives

We are currently looking for a Country Coordinator to oversee our team in Sri Lanka.

Supervisor: IMPACT Head of Programs – West and Central Africa, Europa and Asia

Position: Country Coordinator

Contract Duration: 6 months

Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka

Starting Date: November 2022

COUNTRY PROFILE

Since the beginning of 2022, Sri Lanka has been facing an unprecedented crisis which has affected several core aspects of the economy, driving high food and commodity prices, and shortages of key resources and utilities. As a result, food security is on the rise – the World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 37% of the population is acutely food insecure. In order to support the humanitarian response to a deteriorating economic situation in Sri Lanka, IMPACT Initiatives is opening a country office in Colombo. The IMPACT country team will be initially tasked with implementing an assessment of community needs, preferences and priorities, working closely with local humanitarian stakeholders, including civil society organizations (CSOs) and other community representatives, and with close coordination with the Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG).

FUNCTIONS

Under the supervision of IMPACT’s Head of Programs in Geneva, the Country Coordinator is responsible for representing IMPACT and managing and developing IMPACT’s programmes in Sri Lanka. S/he will lead the IMPACT team to achieve programmes’ excellence and ensure the highest level of impact and accountability, while ensuring compliance with IMPACT guidelines, policies and standards across the mission. S/he is in regular contact with headquarters, ensuring that organizational risks are promptly and clearly communicated to senior management, programme and operations management, and other relevant managers at headquarters. S/he will promote the organizational vision and core values through the mission and actively partner with headquarters to help implement IMPACT’s overall strategies.

In his/her mission, the Country Coordinator will be hosted by ACTED and will fall under the direct responsibility and management of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates for all administrative, security, logistics and finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide by ACTED’s security, HR, administration and logistics rules and regulations, and support ACTED teams in ensuring that all IMPACT staff abide by them.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme Development and Fundraising

Context analysis: Ensure IMPACT has an up-to-date understanding of:

  • The country’s socio-economic situation, the impact of a crisis and the aid/humanitarian situation;
  • The aid/humanitarian planning, coordination and response mechanisms, as well as key aid/humanitarian stakeholders.

Programme development and roll out:

  • Take a lead role in developing, implementing and reviewing programme strategies and identifying strategic opportunities for strengthening IMPACT’s work in the country, and in particular:
    • Consolidate and strengthen ongoing programming and operations;
    • Ensure IMPACT activities are relevant and have a measurable impact on the aid/humanitarian response;
    • Identify new areas in which IMPACT can add value to the aid/humanitarian response;
    • Follow up on opportunities for IMPACT’s program development and strengthening of interventions;
    • Identify funding opportunities to consolidate, strengthen and/or expand country programs;
    • Formalize a country strategy in alignment with global/regional strategies, priorities and programs.

Donor relationship and Proposal development:

  • In close coordination with IMPACT HQ, approach donors to identify funding to support IMPACT’s programs (including, as relevant, REACH, PANDA and AGORA) in country;
  • Oversee project proposal conceptualisation (problem statement, logframe) within the framework of the country, regional and global strategy, review with ACTED and/or other relevant country partners as relevant, and submit proposal to HQ Grant Management Unit for validation;
  • Oversee budget design, in close consultation with ACTED (as relevant), and submit to IMPACT HQ finance for validation;
  • Ensure application of IMPACT guidelines on proposal, budget and contract design;
  • Advise Grant and Project Development Department on specific donor approach/regulations;
  • Negotiate proposal and/or contracts with donors, in close coordination with IMPACT HQ and in consultation with ACTED Country Director (when joint proposal/contract).

Programmes Management

Programme Planning and Implementation:

  • Ensure that all IMPACT programmes contribute to supporting better aid planning and are aligned with IMPACT global and country strategies;
  • Ensure that all programmes are planned in line with relevant project objectives and with IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
  • Supervise all stages of programme implementation, receiving regular updates from team members providing inputs when required, and conducting field visits to programme sites for monitoring, quality control and programme staff mentoring and coaching;
  • Ensure that all programmes are conducted in coordination with and, when relevant, undergo the validation by IMPACT HQ; For all research, review TORs, data and draft deliverables, supporting assessment and GIS teams to ensure they meet expected standards before being sent to IMPACT HQ for validation; Ensure the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information;
  • Maintain regular link with ACTED (as relevant) to facilitate the provision of logistic, administrative and security support to facilitate programme implementation, as well as ensuring that IMPACT teams comply to ACTED’s security and other relevant FLAT regulations during programme implementation;
  • Ensure the required level of coordination with partners in programme planning and implementation;
  • Ensure that synergies are established and implemented between various IMPACT programme units in country, and link with other IMPACT countries when relevant;
  • Keep track of progress and delays of all programme implementation. Ensure that delays or identified problems for specific programmes are reported to HQ in writing and orally in a timely manner.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

  • Ensure the development and application of a M&E system/plan for each programme, in line with IMPACT’s M&E guidelines;
  • Lead on internal and external programme evaluations as necessary and ensure the execution of baseline, periodic, and final evaluations as necessary;
  • Ensure learning by the country programme from relevant best practice internally and externally both nationally and globally and make learning available for other programmes; organise a programme review workshop and document lessons learnt at the end of each programme.

Staff Management and Administration

Staff Management

  • Ensure that IMPACT staff, as well as national staff working in IMPACT programmes (including REACH, AGORA, PANDA) understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities related to country operations and links with HQ;
  • Promote team building, productivity and staff welfare;
  • Mentor and support the team to build capacities, and improve efficiency and performance, and follow career management of international and national staff working in IMPACT programmes;
  • Management of interpersonal conflicts (internal and external);
  • Ensure regular update with HQ HR about staff potential, career management, training opportunities, contractual issues, difficulties faced with or expressed by field-based staff;
  • Ensure linkages between HQ crisis support (psychologist, HR) and staff in the field;
  • Ensure in country staff receives an appropriate introduction and training upon arrival/hiring.

Administration and HR management

  • Ensure transparent and timely recruitment of national staff working in IMPACT programmes (in coordination with ACTED where relevant) and contribute to international staff recruitment upon HQ identification;
  • In coordination with IMPACT HQ and (for national staff, when relevant) ACTED country HR, proactively adapt the staffing structure to needs and funding;
  • Develop and update country organogram and staff recruitment plan, in line with the needs of country strategy and existing budgetary and programme requirements;
  • Ensure regular performance appraisal and career management;
  • Ensure timely and accurate HR reporting to IMPACT HQ;
  • Links with HQ HR to provide regular update on IMPACT international staff, as well as senior national staff working in IMPACT programmes;
  • Ensure timely attendance sheets, leave plans, as well as exit forms for departing staff.

Internal communication and coordination with ACTED teams

Internal communication

  • Facilitate internal communication within the team and information sharing for a positive working environment;
  • Ensure implementation of regular internal team meetings, as per IMPACT internal communication guidelines;
  • Ensure regular reporting to IMPACT HQ through the Monthly Coordination Report, as well as direct reporting to HQ grants management, finance, HR and programme departments;
  • Ensure that any risk to IMPACT programming, projects or staff is as soon as possible communicated to and understood by IMPACT Executive Director and relevant HQ head of departments.

Coordination with ACTED – valid in all countries where IMPACT teams are hosted by ACTED

  • Regularly coordinate with ACTED’s Country Director through weekly meetings and the submission of monthly updates;
  • Ensure regular coordination with ACTED’s Project Development, Finance and other FLAT departments at all stages of project development and implementation, including consultations for donor discussions, participation in project kick off and lessons learnt meetings, joint drafting of monthly internal updates (BFU, RFUs, allocation tables, etc), and drafting of donor reports or amendment requests;
  • Ensure compliance of IMPACT staff to ACTED FLAT and security procedures. Facilitate coordination between IMPACT programmes and ACTED Area Coordinators where relevant;
  • Ensure that all IMPACT staff, as well as staff working under IMPACT supervision (in REACH/AGORA/PANDA projects), is aware and fully abide by ACTED’s regulations in terms of administration, logistics and security;
  • Ensures that IMPACT movements are coordinated with and validated by ACTED’s Security department, in the frequency and modality requested by the latter;
  • Regularly links with ACTED administration and finance to plan movement, travel and in relation to IMPACT staff, as well as staff working under IMPACT supervision, leave and welfare;
  • Immediately inform and coordinate with IMPACT HQ HR and ACTED CD should any IMPACT staff, as well as staff working under IMPACT supervision, not respect ACTED regulations, especially in terms of security.

Project and FLATS management

Grant and Project Management

  • Ensure timely organization of project kick-off, review/update and end of project meetings;
  • Monitor output achievement, cash burn rates and ensure a time completion of projects through review of BFUs, Project factsheet, and project reports;
  • Ensure that contractual obligations are met in terms of deliverables as well as narrative and financial reporting requirements, in close coordination with HQ Grants Management and (as relevant) with ACTED PD and finance departments;
  • Ensure contractual monitoring and evaluation indicators are identified and tracked in a timely manner;
  • Provide ad-hoc support to project implementation through trouble shooting and eliminating blocking points;
  • Ensure adequate contribution to project and proposal follow up tools through the timely submission of monthly updated Reporting Follow Up (RFU) tool.

Finance Management

  • Anticipate financial risks and gaps in funding;
  • Control project budgets to avoid under/over spending, in link with IMPACT HQ finance and (as relevant) ACTED finance;
  • Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, in link with IMPACT HQ finance and (as relevant) ACTED finance;
  • Ensure accurate budget expenditure tracking and forecasting, in link with and IMPACT HQ Finance (as relevant) with ACTED finance;
  • Ensure timely and accurate finance reporting to HQ finance, including monthly submission to HQ of updated Budget Follow Up tables (BFUs) for all projects, and staff allocation tables.

Asset Management

  • Ensure proper asset management;
  • Ensure proper IT systems, data back-up and protection from malware;
  • Ensure sufficient and reliable means of communication;
  • Regularly link with and report to IMPACT HQ hub and (as relevant) ACTED logistics and IT departments;
  • Ensure implementation and maintenance of country server for secure storage and sharing of internal documentation.

External Audit Follow-up

  • Support the preparation of external audits in close collaboration with HQ Finance.

External relations

  • Establish, maintain and improve active and regular working relationships with coordination platforms (clusters, sectors, working groups, NGO forum, HCT, etc), UN agencies, donors, NGOs, consortia, academia, etc;
  • Promote a regular and pro-active contribution of IMPACT and its programmes in key aid decision- making forums (including HCT, donor coordination meetings, inter/cluster meetings, etc) and for key decision-making milestones (HNO/HRP, donor financial years, etc);
  • Ensure that IMPACT and its programmes are well understood by key aid stakeholders and that potential partnership options have been explored when relevant;
  • Ensure IMPACT participation in key coordination fora, and maintain a collegiate, consistent and shared approach to external relations by IMPACT staff at country and sub-country levels;
  • Identify potential opportunities and develop donor relationships, as relevant;
  • Capitalise and strengthen relationships with key IMPACT global partners at country level; ensure any issues that may impact on global partnerships are communicated to and understood by IMPACT Executive Director and relevant HQ head of departments in a timely manner;
  • In close coordination with HQ, lead the dissemination of research/programme products/outputs, including through in country presentations, website articles, journal articles, IMPACT social media contents, targeted e-mails, meetings, etc, in line with IMPACT Dissemination and External Communication guidelines. Support IMPACT HQ in global-level dissemination related to the country mission, including through provision of updated information for website and social media, organization/attendance to HQ level events, briefings and panel discussions;
  • Maintain positive perception of IMPACT by external partners, donors and coordination platforms.

Contribution to global IMPACT strategy development and operations

The Country Coordinator will regularly engage with IMPACT HQ Head of Programs and global Managers to contribute to strategy development and support IMPACT’s operations from the distance or through surge to other countries.

Others

  • Other tasks as requested by Executive Director or Head of Programs

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

  • Management of Programme Cycles:

    • # of programme cycles completed and completed in a timely manner
    • For research, average number of days between start of data collection and final product validation, by type of product
    • # of actors participating in programme cycles by type
    • # of actors accessing and using programme products and reported level of satisfaction
    • # of references to research findings in key humanitarian planning and response documents
    • % of research cycles with complete documentation folder (validated TOR(s)/Methodology note(s) for assessment(s) including all annexes; validated data set(s) and cleaning log(s); validated output(s).
  • Staff Management

    • Retention rate among international and national staff
    • Progression in staff performance
  • Internal communication

    • Regular and timely holding of internal coordination meetings and submission of reports to HQ
  • Project and FLATS Management

    • % of projects completed on time without the need for an NCE
    • % of projects with contractual targets/indicators met
    • % ineligible expenses in overall annual budget and % change as compared to previous year
    • % of over/under-spend in budget and % change as compared to previous year
    • % of projects with completed internal documentation folder (project factsheet, with updates as per contractual changes, kick off minutes, end of project minutes, with end of project factsheet completed)
  • External relations

    • Number of institutional partnerships with clusters, IM working groups, coordination mechanisms, etc
  • Programme Development and Fundraising

    • # of global IMPACT initiatives and pillars operational in country and % change from previous year
    • % annual budget increase/decrease of the mission as compared to previous year
    • Number of donors in portfolio and % change as compared to previous year
  • Contribution to global strategy and operations

    • # of deployments to support other operations
    • Quality of contribution to HQ management meetings and to the development of global strategy and programmatic priorities

CONFIDENTIALITY

The Country Coordinator will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes. S/he will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of any information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners, or collected during his/her assignment with IMPACT.

REQUIREMENTS

  • Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar);
  • Proven track record in successful management of international and national teams in humanitarian contexts;
  • Excellent analytical skills;
  • Fluency in both oral and written English, with experience in report writing at a graduate or professional level and excellent drafting skills;
  • Experience in the South Asia region, with excellent contextual familiarity;
  • Ability to work in a cross-cultural environment and strong capacity to work in intercultural teams;
  • Excellent team working and communication skills;
  • Familiarity with humanitarian and development contexts;
  • Ability to work independently and with initiative;
  • Ability to think creatively and use initiative to develop new tools and processes;
  • Experience in assessments, M&E, field research, evaluations.

How to apply

Please apply using the following link: Country Coordinator | Impact (impact-initiatives.org)


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