Country Director

Primary location: Bujumbura

Reports to: Chief Operations Officer and Technical Programme Development

Contract type: Local

About RET International

RET International is an independent, impartial, non-partisan, non-for-profit organization head-quartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 2000 by Mrs Sadako Ogata (former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). RET International acts a managing and implement-ing partner for all projects funded by UN entities, Swiss Government, Principality of Liechten-stein, Cantons, Foundations, Corporations, and private individuals in Switzerland.

RET is committed to working in emergencies, in protracted crises, and in fragile contexts to alleviate the deepest sufferings, build people’s resilience and enhance their self-reliance.

We believe we are amongst the leading NGOs to provide tailor-made solutions and relevant programs to bridge the gaps and respond to the real needs and challenges of the communi-ties. We assume a decisive catalytic role in sustainable development. We aim to provoke significant positive change, enabling particularly vulnerable youth and young women to take control of their lives and fulfill their social and economic rights.

We stand with people, with refugees, returnees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s), alongside the host communities adopting the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrali-ty, and independence.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Country Director will be responsible for leading and driving the Burundi program by ensuring compliance and high-quality delivery.

1. Specific responsibilities

Strategy Development and representation

• Lead on the development and implementation of RET’s strategy in a timely, effective and efficient manner;
• Develop with country staff strong proposals (narrative and financial) to secure additional funding for programs based on needs and priorities identified in the field and ensure that they are of the highest quality and closely responsive to donor requirements;
• Building partnerships and maintaining excellent relationships with donors, partners, local governments, businesses, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders;
• To ensure that the program is implemented in a consultative, participative and gender sensitive way;
• Maintain regular written and oral reporting to HQ on the key country, regional, program, security and staff issues.

Program Coordination and Management

• To ensure the coherence and effective coordination of the programme; coordinating, harmonising and linking our work with other development actors in the areas;
• Ensure that RET programme is cost effective, efficient and complies with all organizational standards of management and accountability;
• Supervise and ensure quality project implementation through interactive management of project/program managers, including ensuring appropriate allocation of resources and that controls are maintained at all levels.
• To monitor programme progress and quality, and ensure adherence to organisational and internationally recognised standards of humanitarian and development programme implementation;
• Actively identify and pro-actively pursue new opportunities for program growth;
• Take the lead, with program management team, in sufficiently early identification and diagnosis of off-track projects and actively determining feasible strategies to correct such problems;
• Establish and manage local administrative mechanisms such as procurement and asset management;
• Ensure project communication, and all requested internal and external reporting is completed with the highest quality, responsive to information requirements, and submitted on time.

Financial Management

• Supervise the Finance and Administration Manager and ensure, through close collaboration and follow-up, that all project budget are fully met;
• Actively and personally verify that the national office and sub-offices maintain complete, up to date and accurate financial records for all transactions, and that full and appropriate supporting documentation, signatures, stamps, are available, using proper forms and templates;
• On an ongoing basis ensure that project expenditures are in line with implementation plans so that early detection of under or over expenditure is appropriately addressed and projects end on- budget.

Team management/HR

• To be responsible for recruitment, performance management and staff development. This will include ensuring that all staff members have performance objectives and are managed according to performance;
• Manage a process of assignment and reassignment of local staff for the country operation, in accordance with local & RET International’s rules and procedures;
• Exercise effective managerial oversight, direction, guidance and support and conduct regular coaching;
• Ensure staff are working effectively as a team to meet Country Strategic objectives, and individual performance and satisfaction are maximized through efficient support structures and procedures within the legal framework of the country and within RI policies and guidelines;
• Act as a Point of Contact for Safeguarding (Child Protection, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Harassment, and Code of Conduct policies), and train staff and beneficiaries on reporting misconduct mechanisms.

Risk and security management

• To gather and disseminate country risk & security information and implement appropriate security responses to crises, in collaboration with the established security systems;

2. Secondary responsibilities

• To prepare a monthly SitRep and ensure the effective flow of information between operations in Burundi and RET headquarters’ offices in Geneva;
• To enhance the visibility of the organisation;
• To organise field visits of RET Senior Management, donor visits, and occasional other visitors.
• To perform other duties as assigned by the hierarchy.

Skills and competences

Main qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field ( in humanitarian/development studies, social sciences, management, Community Development, conflict transformation, international development or other related discipline) or Bachelor’s degree with commensurate work experience;
• Ability to manage for results: translate strategic aims into achievable plans, with established priorities, monitors them, making periodic adjustments as required;
• Ability to effectively represent RET International at external meetings and to build strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders;
• Knowledge and understanding of the international development context in RET core sectors;
• Professional-level proficiency in French and English, written and spoken.

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years relevant experience in international humanitarian/development NGO, with strong program management, team management and financial management experience;
• Experience of successfully fundraising and dealing with institutional donors and international donors;
• Previous experience as a CD is a plus;

Competencies

• Solid leadership and project management skills;
• Strong knowledge of donors’ policies and guidelines;
• Developed planning and organizing experience;
• Ability to work under pressure and in conflict-affected settings, and to handle numerous tasks simultaneously;
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, public speaking, and strategic planning skills;
• Proven management ability, including ability to motivate and develop skills of team’s members;
• Experience in capturing results and overseeing reporting, monitoring and evaluation;
• Computer literacy with very good command of MS Office.