Regional Director East Africa and Yemen

We believe in a world where the rights of displaced and vulnerable persons are protected during a crisis. We do this through our programmes, where we help meet immediate humanitarian needs, prevent further displacement, and contribute to durable solutions. At the root of our programmes are our solid technical expertise and specific sectorial knowledge aiming for the highest possible quality, whether in stand-alone or integrated approaches.

NRC is seeking a strong and inspiring leader who will further develop and strengthen NRC’s ability to assist and protect displaced people in need in the region.

The East Africa & Yemen (EAY) region includes ten countries, all connected geographically. The NRC country programmes differ in size from some of the largest in the organisation to some of the smallest that remain partly dependent on follow up by the Regional Office. The EAY region has a budget of USD 150 million and employs 2,000 staff.

All countries in the region are united within the objectives of the new NRC Global and EAY Regional, four-year strategies. Delivering on the ambition of the EAY strategy is a key responsibility of the Regional Director.

The Regional Director is an exciting opportunity to provide strategic and dynamic leadership for the East Africa Yemen (EAY) region’s country programmes. The country programmes in the region incorporates Yemen, Ethiopia, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania and Eritrea.

You will be responsible for:

• Strategic and operational leadership to ensure the collective country priorities and approaches are relevant to the country specific contexts and wider humanitarian trends
• Ensuring that the programmes in the EAY region are managed and developed in line with NRC’s overall strategies and policies
• A leadership culture, a working and learning environment in line with NRC’s values and leadership/management framework
• Leading the Regional Management Team of county directors and the Regional Office team of technical professionals within programme, support, risk and compliance, advocacy and health, safety, and security.

You will be reporting to the Executive Director Field Operations in HO in Oslo and a member of the Field Operations Management Team. You will be a member of the Secretary General’s Extended Senior Management Group

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, follow up and report on regional strategy in line with overall NRC strategic direction
• Approval of Country Strategies and compliance of Country Directors for their delivery
• Duty of Care to all NRC staff and partners, including the promotion of a safety and security risk management culture in the region, including development of security plans and trainings in line with NRC’s HSS Policy and plans (Health, Safety & Security)
• NRC’s compliance with Government, Donor and its own regulations, policies and procedures
• Develop and maintain new partner -and donor relations in the region with a focus on securing predictable and flexible funding in line with regional NRC targets
• Contribute to NRC’s advocacy efforts (including media) nationally, regionally and internationally, and represent and profile NRC at the different levels
• Overall budget responsibility and authority for region, ensuring optimal use of the region’s resources. Responsible for the Regional Budget
• Hold Country Directors in the region accountable for assessing new programmes and emergencies
• Hold Country Directors accountable for ensuring that the regional activities are coordinated with the plans of national authorities, the UN and other organisations / agencies
• Conduct continuous monitoring and quality assurance in accordance with NRC framework

The following qualifications will be required:

• Minimum 8 years of relevant leadership/management experience within the humanitarian field
• Experience from working as top-level manager in complex and volatile contexts
• Demonstrated success in strengthening an organisation through the development of a transformative agenda
• Broad network within the international humanitarian community and proven ability to represent an organisation at different levels
• Experience from delivering results in complex and volatile contexts
• Insight and awareness own leadership profile, strengths, and weaknesses
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in English, both written and verbal. Fluency in Arabic and French is also an asset
• Knowledge of the context in EAY region is an asset

Personal qualities:

• Managing performance and development
• Strategic thinking
• Empowering and building trust
• Managing resources to optimise results
• Influencing
• Initiating action and change
• Handling insecure environments

All employees of the Norwegian Refugee Council should be able to adhere to our Code of Conduct and the four organizational values: Dedicated, innovative, inclusive and accountable

We offer:

• Commencement: June 2022
• Contract period: 2 years
• Duty Station: Nairobi, Kenya. This is an accompanied duty station!
• Travel: Up to 30% within the region.
• Salary/benefits: Grade 13 according to NRC’s general salary directives.