Regional Economic Recovery Manager(Re-advertisement)

Overall purpose of the role

DRC East Africa and Great Lakes (EAGL) Regional Office is looking for an experienced Regional Economic Recovery Manager who will provide targeted and high-quality strategic guidance, capacity strengthening and technical leadership to DRC EAGL’s Economic Recovery portfolio, across DRC’s three Economic Recovery sub-sectors (food security, decent livelihoods, and financial inclusion), and will promote and reinforce DRC EAGL’s leadership and expertise in building self-reliance and resilience for conflict-, climate- and displacement-affected populations in the region.

A specific focus for the EAGL Regional Economic Recovery Manager will be related to the use of Market Systems Approaches (MSA) in support of developing DRC EAGL’s portfolio of modern, decent and sustainable (waged and self-employed) livelihoods programs. In particular, they will promote the use of MSA to develop market-based programming models for employment and business support interventions, as well as more advanced program models such as market systems, value chains or business environment support and development interventions, including through the development of strategic partnerships with civil society actors and the private sector.

A secondary focus for the EAGL Regional Economic Recovery Manager will be to support the development of integrated programming across DRC’s core sectors of intervention (including with Protection and with Humanitarian Disarmament & Peacebuilding (HDP)).

The EAGL Regional Economic Recovery Manager reports to the Regional Head of Programme and works in close collaboration with the Regional Coordinators within the Technical Team, including across DRC’s core sectors, such as Environment and Climate Adaptation, Protection and HDP, as well as DRC’s platforms Emergency, Root Causes and Durable Solutions.

The EAGL Regional Office covers the following country operations: Burundi, Djibouti, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. This position is a national position with regional coverage. This position is open for national and international candidates with preference given to candidates from the region.

Key responsibilities

Strategy

• Contribute to the further strategic and programmatic development of DRC’s Economic Recovery portfolio in EAGL region, across DRC’s Response Framework and its three programmatic platforms (Responding to Emergency; Solutions to Displacement; Addressing Root Causes). This includes further defining DRC EAGL’s strategic niche in building the self-reliance of conflict- and displacement-affected populations in fragile contexts through advanced and integrated livelihoods and financial inclusion interventions.
• Assist country operations to review and refine their strategic uses, planning and design of Market Systems Approaches (including in support to basic needs, in close collaboration with the Regional Emergency Coordinator) including via facilitating strategic workshops and based upon relevant assessments and stakeholder consultations.
• Assist country operations on Economic Recovery strategy development and associated resource mobilisation. This includes providing technical review of relevant proposals and reports and support to sector-specific donor communications.
• Liaise with Global Economic Recovery Team on global initiatives (e.g. programme, policy, advocacy, research) and represent DRC externally at regional level in relevant technical, policy and advocacy forums and communities of practice.
• Collaborate with other sector leads (e.g. Protection, Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding, Environment, etc.) at regional and country levels to explore options for integrated programming.

Staff Management and Capacity Strengthening

• Line manage Climate change and environment and Alternative Finance Coordinators
• Support recruitment of technical staff involved in delivering DRC EAGL’s Economic Recovery programming.
• Identify technical and/or programmatic gaps and provide training, mentoring and capacity building as required, and specifically for technical line reports.
• Complete regular country visits to deliver training, technical oversight, identify needs, provide support, trouble shoot, strengthen capacity, and ensure quality programming.
• Build capacity of DRC’s operations across the region in the use of Market Systems Approaches. In particular, build capacity of Economic Recovery staff on the use of MSA to design advanced and modern marked-based program models for livelihoods, financial inclusion and food security interventions.

Specific areas of focus:

• • Market assessments: support uptake/better use of targeted market assessment and analysis, including labour market assessments, in support of market systems programming across DRC’s Response Framework.
    • Modality selection/due diligence: deepen DRC Economic Recovery staff’s ability to undertake robust modality selection (across cash, vouchers, or in-kind – alone, or in combination with other assistance modalities such as service provision or infrastructure); systematically further embed and build capacity for the use of DRC’s Modality Due Diligence (MDD) tool in the design of Economic Recovery programs.
    • Monitoring and evaluation: support outcome monitoring to measure programme quality, and evaluate impact, cost-effectiveness and relevance.
    • Participation and accountability: support DRC operations to increase the participation of and their accountability to populations of concern.
    • MSA preparedness: support organisational preparedness for market systems programming (including CVA and uptake of digital payments in country operations).

Technical & Operational Support

• Technical support: provide technical advice and support to EAGL Economic Recovery country teams on assessment, design, set-up, implementation, monitoring, learning and reporting of higher quality, more timely and more accountable needs, preferences and market-based Economic Recovery programming on behalf of IDPs or refugees, and their host communities.
• Quality assurance & compliance: follow up on the implementation of DRC’s minimum standards for Economic Recovery programming and lead the development, harmonization, rolling out of and training in core programme tools, guidance and standard operating procedures (SOPs) as required, with a particular focus on early recovery interventions. Assure compliance with DRC standards and procedures, and alignment with global and regional strategies, including through regular coordination with colleagues in support services at Regional and HQ levels.
• Risk management: support organisational risk management related to MSA and for core Economic Recovery activities.

Other

• Provide regular updates to Program team and Global Economic Recovery Team.

The responsibilities listed in the JD are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

About you

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

Qualifications and Experience

• Masters in Social Sciences, Economics, Development Studies or other relevant field

• Minimum 5 years international field experience with international humanitarian and/or development organisations, and demonstrable experience working on Economic Recovery programming in contexts of forced displacement.

• Significant experience and demonstrated expertise in market systems programming in fragile contexts.

• Strong knowledge of modern Livelihoods Programming (including urban livelihoods, SME start-up and scale-up, and modern agriculture-based livelihoods)

• Strong knowledge of Market-based programming (including CVA)

• Relevant practitioner knowledge of and experience with relevant financial inclusion and food security support. Familiarity with self-reliance programming, including safety net programmes and the Graduation Approach, will be a plus.

• Experience in East Africa and Great Lakes, and strong knowledge of livelihoods zones across the region is expected.

• Familiarity with DRC’s other core sector of intervention, in particular Protection and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP) will be a plus.

• Experience delivering targeted and high-quality technical training and capacity building, including in settings with remote technical management.

• Substantial experience in both a technical advisory role and with hands-on programme management and implementation across the project/programme cycle.

• Confident and effective representation and communication skills

• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills

• Proposal development skills

• Excellent organisational skills, ability to determine priorities and attention to detail

• Excellent interpersonal and coordination skills, including working with different groups, partners and nationalities, and experience in coordination mechanisms

Conditions

Contract: One year contract with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. Salary and other conditions are offered in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for Kenyan Staff ; Employment band NMF

Availability: 1st April 2023

Duty station: This position is based in Nairobi any other DRC Country Office in the East Africa and Great Lakes region

Reporting Line: Regional Head of Programmes

Providing equal opportunities We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, age, ability, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other factor. At DRC we celebrate diversity and appreciate our employees for the people they are and their unique skills, backgrounds, and perspectives. We encourage all interested candidates to apply.

Promoting high standards : DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process