Deputy Field Coordinator

Job Title: Deputy Field Coordinator

Sector: Operations

Employment Category: Regular

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: No

Location: Bidibidi, Uganda

Job Description

Background:

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (www.rescue.org) is a world leader in relief, rehabilitation, and post-conflict development services for those uprooted or affected by violent conflict and oppression. The IRC is currently working in over 40 countries around the world, addressing both the immediate and lifesaving needs of conflict affected people in emergencies and the reconstruction needs of post-conflict societies.

The IRC began programming in northern Uganda in 1998 in response to mass displacement and devastation wrought by rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army. In 2002, the IRC expanded to the remote, conflict-affected region of Karamoja and in 2011, began working with refugees in Kampala. Monitoring the influx of South Sudanese refugees at the end of 2015, the IRC began scaling up its response to refugees arriving in the West Nile region. By promoting durable solutions that deliver on the interdependent aims of saving lives, strengthening institutions, and supporting social cohesion, the IRC in Uganda is laying the building blocks for long-term stability and development – bringing people from harm to home. The IRC currently works in 9 districts in Uganda, including Kitgum, Lamwo, Kyegegwa, Moroto, Amudat, Yumbe, Arua, Kasese and Kampala. The IRC will be moving into additional/new locations in refugee settlements in Kiryandongo and Zombo.

The IRC is currently implementing its health and nutrition program in West Nile and Acholi focusing on providing primary health care services to refugees in their settlements. Similar services will be extended to the new locations starting January 2020.

Job Overview:

Building on the achievements of IRC in Yumbe, the Deputy Field Coordinator IRC Yumbe, will deputize and support the Senior Field Coordinator in the management of IRC’s field operations in Yumbe.

Deputy Field Coordinator IRC Yumbe will support the Senior Field Coordinator (SFC) in ensuring that that the Field operations are operationally functional, and programs are of a consistently high quality. Together with the SFC, the Field Manager will help provide direction to the Field Site and ensure resources are effectively managed to ensure optimal programming.

Duties and Responsibilities

Program Implementation:

• In conjunction with the SFC, the Field Manager will oversee field operations in Yumbe, and provide guidance and support to operations and program teams, supporting capacity development of the team in Yumbe.
• Support the SFC, organize grant review meetings at field sites, sharing support needs with the operations and program teams in Kampala.
• In collaboration with the SFC, support the development and implementation of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system providing insights into delivery of outputs and results at regular intervals.
• Support the SFC in ensuring that there is integration across programs and operations, holding regular coordination meetings and promoting active collaboration across sectors.
• Actively review and participate in program/proposal development to ensure appropriate operations input from the field site.
• Ensure key support needs for the field site are budgeted in new proposals.

Operations (Supply Chain, IT and HR):

• Ensure that the supply chain functions are effectively implemented at the field level, including procurement, stock and asset management, vehicle operations, equipment maintenance and repair (including communications and computer equipment).
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements, and at the same time understanding and adherence to IRC SOPs in procurement.
• Support the HR functions at the field level, through the SFC, including recruitment, contracting and payroll management with support from the Kampala HR team.
• Ensure all activities are carried out in accordance with IRC policies and procedures.

Finance and Budget Monitoring:

• Oversee budgeting and expenditures in Yumbe, ensuring a healthy burn rate in line with work plans and agreed deliverables.
• Support in ensuring that expenditures are in line with IRC and donor compliance regulations, eliminating disallowable expenditures and spreading costs strategically across a portfolio of funds.
• conduct monthly Budget vs. Actual reviews with program and support staff, ensuring that relevant action is taken in a timely fashion.
• Inform SFC and Senior Management of changing budget needs and participate in budget development and revision processes.
• Conduct weekly cash count with the Yumbe Field Finance lead or designate.

Systems Compliance and Improvement:

• Ensure adherence to IRC global and Uganda specifically Finance, Logistics, IT, security, communications and HR/administration policies and procedures, including the IRC Way.

Strategy, resourcing, and accountability:

• Contribute to developing and implementing a relevant strategy and resourcing plan, adapting to a changing context, maintaining flexibility and innovation, taking advantage of new opportunities as they arise.
• Support the SFC in maintaining good relations with donors present at the field level, developing funding opportunities for program growth and sustainability. Transitioning the program from emergency to longer term sustainable service delivery.
• Through the Senior Field Coordinator, ensure that the IRC client responsiveness mechanism is functioning and responsive, regularly reviewing the feedback register to ensure timely and effective responses, adapting programming where appropriate.

Reporting:

• Submit timely and accurate reports, review and collate programs, finance, logistics, and HR reports to ensure accuracy before sharing with the Senior Field Coordinator.
• Support the SFC in ensuring punctual delivery of donor reports, taking care to ensure monitoring systems report accurately against deliverables.

Coordination / External Representation:

• Support the SFC in ensuring that IRC is well represented to the Local Government authorities, UN agencies, international organizations, NGOs, donors, and other stakeholders at the field level.
• Support in enhancing collaboration and maintaining of good relations contributing to a safe and productive operating environment.

Staff Management:

• With guidance of SFC, supervise and manage performance of specific staff in operations and programs leads, facilitate setting annual objectives and monitoring performance against set targets, conducting timely performance evaluations, and taking corrective action as and when required.
• Work with staff to identify training needs, providing coaching, and mentoring as required.
• Provide vision, leadership, and direction for staff in new offices, contributing to a safe, respectful, and dynamic working culture.

Security:

• Support the SFC in the day-to-day monitoring and management of security, regularly reviewing and updating Yumbe Security Management Plan.
• attend security briefings, and maintain regular contacts with key security focal points in local government and UNHCR, keeping senior management in Kampala and local staff informed of developments as and when assigned by the SFC
• Ensure tools for rapid response to security incidents are in place and up to date, including telephone trees and constant companion card, as well as supervising quick and comprehensive incident reporting.
• Ensure staff are trained on, aware of and in compliance with IRC security policies and Yumbe site SMP. Provide a security briefing on arrival for all new staff and visitors.

Compound Management:

• Ensure good living conditions for the field staff in all sites.
• Actively liaise with Kampala to ensure basic items are available at the field level.
• In the absence of SFC, act as Focal point for visitors or other organizations staying at the IRC compound, if any.

Professional Standards:

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

Qualifications

• Degree in any of the following field. Public Administration, Development studies, Social Sciences, or its equivalent
• Possess excellent leadership, interpersonal and strong negotiation skills.
• At least 5-8 years of working experience in management,
• Demonstrated success as a team lead in the previous experience
• Broad knowledge and experience in operations management at field level.
• Good knowledge of project management and an understanding of the humanitarian context programming is a plus.
• Strong collaborator and influencer with effective interpersonal and analytical skills who can work seamlessly across cultures, and organizational units.
• Able to work effectively in a highly matrixed structure, multi-task, prioritize and make decisions.
• Excellent training and coaching ability

Working Environment: Security level yellow. The situation in Yumbe and the whole of West Nile is calm now but across the border in South Sudan remains tense and unpredictable.

Housing: The site is remote and living conditions are basic. Yumbe office has a limited staff accommodation. Food is each individual’s responsibility.