Director for the DRC INGO Forum Secretariat Cordaid

CORDAID

Cordaid works to end poverty and exclusion. We do this in the world’s most fragile and conflict-affected areas. We engage communities to rebuild trust and resilience and increase people’s self-reliance. Where poverty, conflict, and exclusion divide societies, we connect people and communities. Cordaid is one of the leading Civil Society Organizations in the Netherlands, working in fragile contexts on Health, Resilience, Private Sector Development, Humanitarian Aid and Security & Justice, Economic empowerment and Food & Nutrition Security. Cordaid has over 1400 staff, working at Global Office in the Netherlands and in offices across the most fragile countries in the world. Within Cordaid we work on the basis of respect, accountability, sustainability and diversity & inclusion.

For the Cordaid Country office in the Democratic Republic of Congo**,** Cordaid is looking for a Director for the DRC INGO Forum Secretariat

Introduction

The DRC INGO Forum gathers 120 INGO member implementing emergency and development aid projects for the benefit of Congolese population. The Forum is supported by a Secretariat which gathers a Team of seven people, providing expert support and advice to its members. More specifically, the role of the Forum is to:

• Support to INGOs members and advocacy for solving common issues;
• Improve communication between INGOs and other stakeholders (government, UNOCHA, UN, etc.);
• Strengthen the voices of INGOs in the humanitarian architecture and the development community in DRC;
• Act as a focal point for INGOs and for external stakeholders;
• Ensure a national cohesion of INGOs (linking Kinshasa and the other Provinces).

Cordaid is currently the host of the DRC INGO Forum.

More information on the DRC INGO Forum is available here: www.forumongi-rdc.org

Position and responsibility

Secretariat Management

1. HR Management of Secretariat staff:
   1. Recruitment: Developing TORs, short-listing, and interviewing.
   2. Team management: Provide leadership and direction for Secretariat, coaching.
   3. Supervision: Work plans, performance appraisals, identify capacity building needs.
2. Financial Management (generally in cooperation with Host Agency):
   1. Budget management
   2. Grant management, reporting
   3. Fundraising, proposals and donor relations for the Secretariat
3. Membership Management:
   1. Maintain system to register new members and track existing members; undertake out-reach to non-members; mapping of members
   2. Induction of new members (or new staff of member NGOs).
   3. Management of membership fees.
4. Leadership
   1. Coordination of Steering Committee elections.
   2. Development of Fora strategy, log-frames, etc.
   3. Ensure smooth working relationship between Secretariat and Host Agency.
   4. Provide strategic and technical guidance to the Executive Committee.

Coordination & Information Sharing

1. Monthly NGO Heads of Mission Meetings
   1. Facilitate, ensure organization of, regular INGOs meetings.
   2. Ensure clear agendas, minutes and follow up on relevant action points.
2. Coordination within the 3 Provincial platforms: ensure an excellent communication, collect main issues and share information between the 3 Provincial platforms in collaboration with the deputy director based in the East : Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu
3. Information Sharing :
   1. Share information received from key stakeholders.
   2. Support and give advice to INGOs in terms of contacts, legal framework
   3. Maintenance of member and external contact lists.
4. Serve as focal point for the UN, government, donor representatives and other stakeholders to coordinate and communicate with NGOs, and for NGOs to collectively communicate with external stakeholders.
5. Facilitate improved NGO coordination with/within existing response coordination structures (e.g. HCT, clusters/working groups, inter-cluster/sector, OCHA); attend relevant clusters/sector working groups, inter-agency, and other coordination meetings.

Representation

1. Ensure representation of INGOs in high-level multi-stakeholder bodies including HCT and other response leadership bodies, etc. Ensure consultation with and feedback to members.
2. Represent as mandated by the Executive Committee the Forum at key meetings with Donors, UN, government, and other external stakeholders. Ensure consultation with and feedback to members.
3. Represent the Forum with other NGO coordination bodies (e.g., sibling NGO fora, other NGO coordination platforms in-country, ICVA, InterAction).
4. Represent the Forum with national and provincial authorities
5. Attend and actively participate to meetings of reflection and consultation with the Government (National Framework for Humanitarian Consultation) about INGOs issues especially administrative issues
6. Ensure external communication for the INGO Forum
7. Disseminate all Forum statements/press releases.
8. Participate in policy and planning processes (e.g., Humanitarian Program Cycle, etc.)

Policy & Advocacy

1. Conceive with the legal expert an advocacy strategy in terms of INGOs administrative harassments: elaboration, monitoring and evaluation
2. Support the Advocacy Advisor for sharing advocacy notes/letters and monitoring in Kinshasa when needed
3. Oversee the implementation of the Forum advocacy strategy and identify potential advocacy opportunities
4. Undertake background research, policy analysis, and consultation to draft common NGO messages/talking points, position/policy papers, and other advocacy documents related to humanitarian action.
5. Lead joint advocacy initiatives/efforts.

Networking/Partnership Relations

1. Maintain and/or develop productive relationships with key individuals and agencies in the national government, UN, NGOs/civil society, counterpart institutions, donors, diplomatic community, etc.
2. Provide information and briefings on the function/role and structure of the NGO forum

General objective of the posting

To support the DRC INGO Forum in achieving its goals and lead the work of the Secretariat, we are looking for an experienced Director with strong leadership skills, strong coordination and diplomatic abilities, experience leading advocacy efforts and excellent writing skills in French and English.

Specific objectives

• The Director will work under the oversight of the DRC INGO Forum Steering Committee and manage the Secretariat activities and team.
• He/she will work in close collaboration with INGO members to represent and advance common interests and positioning of the INGO community in the DRC.
• He/she will ensure the appropriate coordination and information sharing with all the members of the Forum, as well as with key external stakeholders.
• He/she will be based in Kinshasa with missions in other areas of the country, especially Goma and Bukavu.

Qualifications

EDUCATION: Master degree in international relations, humanitarian affairs, political science, development, social science, and international law or related field

EXPERIENCE:

Essential :

• 5-10 years of humanitarian experience with INGOs,
• Prior experience with multi-agency and/or humanitarian coordination
• 5-10 years of experience at the management level.
• 5-10 Experience in representation, negotiation and coordination
• Experience dealing with Governments, donors and UN agencies
• Prior advocacy-related experience

Desirable

• Experience in the Great Lakes Region

SKILLS

Essential:

• Leadership/Management skills, including ability to initiate action and deliver
• Knowledge/understanding of the UN system and humanitarian coordination architecture
• Diplomatic and inter-personal skills, ability to build positive relationships in a multi-cultural context
• Fundraising, proposal develop and donor relations skills
• Strategic and/or analytical skills
• Contextual or country-specific knowledge
• Communication skills, written (with synthesis skills) and verbal
• Representational skills
• Fluent in French, proficiency in English
• Computer proficiency
• Be proactive and results and solution-oriented.

Specifics of station

Duty station is Kinshasa, DRC. This is an accompanied posting.

Contract information

The contract period is until 31 May 2024 starting as soon as possible, with the intention to extend for a longer period. We offer a competitive, fair and comprehensive salary and benefits package that is justifiable to our donors. A Cordaid contract which includes R&R, a comprehensive insurance cover, social security and pension contribution, a holiday allowance, 13th month, hardship allowance and cost of living allowance (if applicable).