Emergency Response Consortium Manager (Chief of Party) for Colombia

Duty station: Bogotá, Colombia (with extensive travel within the country).

Please note fluency in both Spanish and English is required for this position. Candidates who do not command either of the languages will not be able to be considered.

1. Background/Context

NRC implements a multi-country Colombia-Panama-Ecuador strategy to respond to the complex crises and emergencies across the sub-continent. In Colombia, we provide assistance to IDPs and victims of the armed conflict in hard-to-reach areas where authorities struggle to protect civilians and provide help. We also help Colombians in need of international protection in Ecuador and Panama, as well as Venezuelans who were triggered to flee their country as a result of the growing political instability and humanitarian crisis. We provide protection, legal assistance, food, water, hygiene kits and promote access to temporary shelter. We also help displaced, migrant and refugee children to go to safe learning environments during acute emergencies.

Within this context, NRC coordinates an Interagency Emergency Response Mechanism (MIRE consortium) together with Action Against Hunger (ACF), Alianza por la Solidaridad (ApS), Médecins du Monde (MdM) and ACAPS, funded by EU Humanitarian Aid (ECHO). The consortium delivers multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance responding rapidly to emergencies resulting primarily from the armed conflict in Colombia. MIRE operates across all of the country, prioritizing response in hard-to-reach areas and bringing support to people that have been affected by multiple compounding crises. The consortium is currently in its third phase and plans a fourth one for 2023-2024. We are therefore searching for an experienced and dynamic MIRE Consortium Manager (Chief of Party). Although this position will be hosted by NRC, there will be a degree of independence of the Consortium Manager (Chief of Party).

The purpose of the Consortium Manager (Chief of Party) is to ensure MIRE’s emergency response is implemented with quality, in a coordinated and timely manner, in compliance with donor and partners’ strategies and policies and in accordance to target populations’ needs and a rapidly evolving context. The Consortium Manager should strive to maintain MIRE’s positive reputation as one of Colombia’s largest consortia responding to urgent needs caused by the internal conflict, always seeking to improve technical and operational processes to achieve optimal efficiency and quality in the response. He/She should show leadership and adaptability as well as strong problem-solving skills and positive, assertive communication capacities.

2. Role and responsibilities

The following is a brief description of the role:

1. Provide overall direction and leadership of the Consortium to ensure seamless operations, leveraging complementarity among expert multi-disciplinary partners.
2. Oversee day-to-day management of the project, including planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and budget spending, ensuring project is always on scope and schedule.
3. Represent the Consortium towards relevant stakeholders, including national authorities, donors and counterparts, promoting the best interests of Consortium partners.
4. Line manage and supervise the work of the Consortium Management Unit; carry out any needed recruitments, including for consultants.
5. Lead the consultations, design and preparation of the next phase of the Consortium based on evidenced needs, donor expectations and drawing from partners’ diverse expertise.
6. Contribute to fundraising initiatives to diversify the Consortium’s portfolio, actively seeking new relationships with donors and developing funding proposals.
7. Support decision-making processes within the Consortium by promoting productive discussions where partners reach agreements in line with the Consortium’s strategic objectives.
8. Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, donor’s strategy, requirements and expectations and guarantee donor reports and other Consortium products are developed in time and with quality.
9. Ensure the project adapts to changes in the context and donor requests as relevant, integrating lessons learned to better respond to beneficiary needs.
10. Coordinate with key stakeholders to ensure that consortium interventions are complementary to national response mechanisms and to the interventions of other actors present in target areas.
11. Develop, update and ensure compliance of consortium interventions with emergency response SOPs that are in line with national and international standards and best practice.
12. Facilitate the development and implementation of the Consortium´s communications and advocacy strategy.
13. Cultivate and strengthen positive, productive relationships with all stakeholders and guarantee the Consortium’s participation in relevant coordination forums at the various administrative levels.

3. What We Are Looking For

• Minimum five years of experience in the sector, with progressively increasing responsibilities in humanitarian crises’ contexts.
• At least three of those years in a leadership position involving the management and coordination of similarly sized, international donor supported programmes.
• Proven ability to communicate a common vision among diverse partners and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience in complex and volatile settings.
• Full professional proficiency in English and Spanish.
• Knowledge and experience of working in Latin America is strongly preferred. Specific knowledge and experience of the context in Colombia is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in emergency response management and international best practice.
• Well-versed in the humanitarian architecture in the region.
• Knowledge of the particular dynamics of ethnic communities and regulatory frameworks.
• University Degree in International Development, Social or Human Sciences, Project Management, Emergency Response or related field.
• Influencing-
• Initiating action and change.
• Managing resources to optimise results.
• Handling insecure environments.
• Strategic thinking.

Find more details about the role HERE with the Job Description (JD) of the position

4. What We Offer

• Type of contract: Fixed term contract.
• Salary/benefits: According to NRC salary scale, terms and conditions.
• Duty station: Bogota, Colombia (with extensive travel within the country).
• Travel: 50 %.

Internal candidates are encouraged to apply but we are also open to external applicants who can show a commitment to NRC and being part of a challenging, but important mission to make a difference.

NRC might review applications before the adverted deadline, therefore interested candidates are encouraged to apply early.

Please note fluency in both Spanish and English is required for this position. Candidates who do not command either of the languages will not be able to be considered.