Country Representative

Place of assignment: Bucharest, Romania, also covering Moldova
Type of posting: International Delegate, family posting
Desired starting date: As soon as possible
Contract period: 12 months, with the possibility of extension

Background

In response to the escalating crisis in Ukraine, Swedish Red Cross (SRC) is establishing a partnership with the Romania and Moldova Red Cross Societies. Though SRC has supported the Romanian Red Cross bilaterally in the past, this is a new role as SRC has not had a Country Representativ in these countries. The purpose of this role is to establish the SRC country office and structure in response to the Ukraine crisis, and develop a programme portfolio in collaboration with Romania and, as a second step with Moldova Red Cross in close coordination with other Red Cross Red Crescent Movement partners. To support Ukrainian and other vulnerable communities across Romania and Moldova, the programme portfolio will initially focus on humanitarian interventions including but not limited to Health (community-based health primarily), Shelter and WASH. SRC aims at systematically mainstreaming the cross-cutting issues of Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) and Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) and Green Response into the programme, as well as support the organizational development of the Romanian and Moldovan Red Cross.

Your role in the organisation

As the Country Representative for Romania and Moldova you will be based in Bucharest. You are part of the Europe regional unit, which responds primarily to the crisis in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, reporting to the Head of Region based in Stockholm. Your role is to set up and manage the SRC programme in Romania and Moldova as well as the partnerships with Romania and Moldova Red Cross and other partners in the two countries.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Establish and manage the SRC in-country office including security management
• Represent SRC in Romania and Moldova, in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement (Romania/Moldova Red Cross, ICRC, IFRC and other Partner National Societies) and towards other strategic institutions and partners in the country
• Set up and manage SRC team in Romania, including engagement of international and/or national staff; ensure a light management structure for the cooperation in and with the Moldova Red Cross in the country
• Seek opportunities for collaboration and partnership for resource mobilization and programme development
• Oversee development and management of the country programme following the operational cycle (planning and design, systematic monitoring and field visits, evaluation and reporting)
• Manage and monitor the country budget, including financial and audit reporting
• Close collaboration with relevant technical and thematic advisors and support staff at the SRC headquarter, in accordance with SRC’s procedures and systems.
• Identify needs and facilitate support for the strengthening of the National Societies in Romania and Moldova (e.g., volunteering, resource mobilization, branch development, and others).

Your profile

The position demands that you have a strong organisational awareness, the ability to work seamlessly with several stakeholders, while taking responsibility for ensuring that SRC works towards our intended objectives in Romania and Moldova. You need to be able to lead and manage a team and support your team to achieve SRC’s intended objectives in close collaboration with the Romania and Moldova Red Cross and other partners. You can represent SRC towards potential donors such as the Swedish embassy and Sida representatives. You need to be analytical and able to develop and assess project proposals and reports. You need to be systematic and structured, with the ability to handle high workloads. You meet deadlines and can work with an elevated level of independence.

As a successful candidate you have solid interpersonal, networking, and diplomatic skills. You have demonstrated experiences of holding similar responsibilities outlined above.

As an SRC employee, you share the Red Cross Red Crescent humanitarian values including diversity, and actively work against all forms of discrimination. You understand, respect and comply with the SRC Code of Conduct and security rules and regulations.

While Romania is not a high-risk environment, the Country Representative, at all times, respects and follows relevant communication as well as security rules.

Required qualifications and experience

• Relevant academic degree (3-5 years of full-time study) in a relevant field
• Minimum 5 years of relevant working experience from positions in the humanitarian and/or development cooperation sector holding similar responsibilities
• Field experience in complex and volatile contexts
• Experience in resource mobilization and results-based management, including programme design and proposal writing, planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation
• Experience of managing teams
• Relevant security training for work in high-risk environment (HEAT or equivalent)
• Proficient knowledge of written and spoken English

Desired qualifications

• Experience of working or volunteering within the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Movement
• Experience of establishing new partnerships and country offices
• Experience of working with cross-cutting perspectives, such as gender, conflict sensitivity and environment/climate change
• Understanding of the current political, social and humanitarian situation of the region
• Experience in Organisational Development
• Knowledge of Romanian, and/or Ukrainian and Russian languages

Other requirements

• In line with the principle of neutrality SRC does not assign delegates to a country of which they are nationals
• Candidates must be in good health and are required to pass a medical check-up prior to departure to the duty station
• Candidates must hold a manual driving license and have experience in driving manual transmission vehicles
• Valid work permit or equivalent for the EU

The recruitment process

Our process includes cognitive and administrative tests, interviews, background checks and references. Please note that the recruitment process will only commence once the deadline for application has passed.

Candidates who are selected for roles with the Swedish Red Cross undergo a background check before an offer of employment is given. As the Swedish Red Cross is part of the Inter-Agency Scheme for the Disclosure of Safeguarding-related Misconduct, one of the three references given must be from the candidate`s current or most recent employer. Final candidates will also be screened against EU and UN sanction lists.

We kindly decline any offer of services from recruitment agencies or consultants.