SYRIA – DEPUTY COUNTRY DIRECTOR SUPPORT (H/F) – AMMAN

Desired start date: June 2022
Duration of the mission: 1 year
Location: Amman

ABOUT THE MISSION…

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) has been working in Syria since 2012. The mission employs nearly 300 national staff, and more than 40 expatriates, and has a 25 million EUR budget forecasted for 2021. There are 3 implementing offices in Syria (2 in North East Syria/NES, 1 in North West Syria/NWS) with the coordination based in Amman – Jordan.

The NES programs provide an integrated assistance in the WASH, NFI, Shelter and Livelihoods sectors to displaced populations and host communities affected by the conflict. NWS programs are remotely managed and provide WASH and NFI/Winterization support to affected populations.

Type and content of program: Syria mission is dedicated to work in areas recently and in challenging contexts to provide lifesaving activities to the population affected by the conflict. A turn from lifesaving activities to more post-emergency/development has also been undertaken.

Main current activities are related to:

• • Lifesaving
    – Wash – emergency package in IDPs settlements
    – Distribution of NFIs and MPCA
• More sustainable activities:
  • • individuals’ houses rehabilitations, rehabilitation of schools
      • Institutional rehabilitations and support: Water stations rehabilitations, capacity building of the Water Department, rehabilitation of irrigations systems and infrastructures
      • FSL, composed of an agricultural support to farmers/production system and of livelihoods activities including MPCA and ERMS.

Additionally, SI has some contingency and capacity to respond to emergencies in all NES.

ABOUT THE JOB

General objective:

• The Deputy Country Director Support leads the support services of the mission.
• She/he manages and coordinates the following support functions: Supply, Finance, Human Resources and Logistics Coordinators’.
• As DCD Support, s/he ensures the respect by all of the Solidarités International HR, Finance and Logistics processes, donors processes and the national laws of the countries where Solidarités International operates. S/he participate to the strategic definition of the mission.

Responsibilities and main activities:

Team management

• Coordinate, plan and supervise the coordination support teams’ activities
• Facilitate the weekly support services meeting with the Financial Coordinator, the HR Coordinator, the Logistic Coordinator and the Supply Coordinator.
• In consultation with the Support Coordinators, Base Administrators and Logisticians, define the needs for support staff on the mission and support recruitment according to the resources allocated and Solidarités International’s operational strategy.
• Defines with the CD and DCD-P the mission dimensioning and structuration of the mission along with the operational strategy.
• Support the Finance, HR, Logistics and Supply Coordinators on strategic workshops related to their respective departments, and ensure a smooth interdepartmental link.
• Participate to the monthly budget monitoring meeting with the deputy CD – Programmes, and facilitate the support and programme coordination teams.
• Train and evaluate the Coordinators and Managers under his/her direct management.
• Ensure the Finance, HR, Supply and Logistics Coordinators regularly visit the field bases to provide support and training.
• The DCD-S stands for the dissemination of procedures and their implementation. He/she has to make sure the procedures are applied and understood
• Supported by the Deputy of the Department and its team, the DCD-S ensures the continuity of service of the Finance, HR, Supply and Log Departments in the event of a support coordinator gap.

Risk Management and Coordination

• Ensures the audit recommendations (internal and external) are addressed in each support Department, in close collaboration with Compliance and Grants Coordinators.
• Carries out internal control of support departments in coordination with Compliance Coordinator
• Maintain the Mission Signatory Table up to date and disseminate it

Finance Coordinator support and supervision:

• Ensure compliance with eligibility rules and budgetary flexibility inherent to each donor
• Control and analyze allocation tables
• Review the mission’s monthly internal financial reporting
• Ensure cash flow forecast are done, and support Finance Coordinator on Bank and money transfer issues
• Control the operating costs of the mission
• Ensure the financial parts of project proposals and reports is done
• Ensure new donor contracts are integrated into the financial management of the mission’s projects in accordance with Solidarités International procedures
• Identify the training needs of mission managers on budgetary aspects
• Review the monthly internal Financial reporting
• Signatory of engagement of expenses on the mission (contracts, EOF, etc..) from 5,000 to 10,000 EUR

HR Coordinator support and supervision:

• Ensure HR procedures and staff behavior are compatible with the local cultures and labor laws
• Ensure that SI recruitment and hiring procedures are respected: validate the mission’s recruitment needs, post profiles and contracts
• Inform the different members of the coordination team about the methodology for performance reviews as well as their objectives and purpose, and ensure that they are implemented
• Drive the implementation and improvement of Solidarités International training policy and monitor staff development
• Ensure that disciplinary procedures are respected and confirm eventual sanctions
• Define, in partnership with the HR Coordinator and the Country Director, Solidarités International’s salary and social policies. Lead the evaluation of risks linked to changes in compensation and social policies
• Oversee the administrative management of expatriate human resources
• Review the monthly internal HR reporting

Logistics Coordinator and Supply Coordinator support and supervision:

• Analyze the purchasing environment at the national level and define an adapted strategy with Log & Supply Coordinators
• Ensure Solidarités International’s Logistics procedures are implemented and repected (fleet, premises, transport, procurement, communication, warehousing, etc.)
• Ensure donor guidelines are respected.
• Ensure the supply plan is carried out in link with programs and activity plan while taking into account contextual and procedural logistical constraints
• Ensure the respect of process and compliance of expenses through the validation of purchase files and their contract.
• Ensures the Harmonization and dissemination of procedures on the vehicle, equipment and telecommunications park of the different bases and the coordination
• Control that the human and material resources necessary to implement the teams’ security are mobilized and monitored at field level. Review the monthly internal Logistics reporting.

Reporting / Communication

• Make sure reports are sent to headquarters, according to the frequency defined by the respective departments’ calendars
• Organize and lead information and coordination meetings
• Ensures regular meetings are done with each HQ referent (Desk Log & Supply, Fin and HR Nat) and there is smooth collaboration between the Support Coordinators and their referents.

Support to Partnership Management

• Ensure the Support Coordinators are following the partners’ capacity building plans and carrying out trainings.
• Participates to the Partner’s Due Diligence process in collaboration with the Compliance Coordinator and TDI.
• Proposes mitigation measures to address the risks identified in support departments of the partner.

YOUR PROFILE

Specific skills and experience:

Education:

• Post-graduate degree in business administration, Finance or Accounting, Logistics or HR or similar field

Experience:

• At least 5 years’ experience in logistics, procurement, Finance and HR
• Solid experience in team management (including expatriates in support functions) and strategic orientation
• Experience in conflict/post-conflict contexts, preferably with experience in supporting emergency response
• Knowledge of security protocols and ability to work appropriately in an insecure environment
• Knowledge of major donor requirements and compliance issues
• Stakeholder management
• Experience in data analysis
• Desirable: previous experience in partner capacity building
• Desirable: Previous experience with SI
• Desirable: Knowledge and experience working with OFDA projects
• Desirable: Previous work experience in response to the Syrian Crisis
• Desirable: Previous work experience in response in the Middle East

Soft skills:

• Demonstrable attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members
• Outstanding communication skills, including excellent diplomacy skills with the ability to influence and negotiate
• Problem solving skills
• Analytical skills and proven organization and methodical skills
• Strong commitment to humanitarian work and principles
• Ability to work under pressure, with peaks of heavy workload
• Adaptability to changing work environment and possible volatile security situation
• Capacity to provide leadership and be a unifying force
• Knowledge of Solidarités rules, tools and procedures
• Strong stress management skills

Languages:

• English: fluent with excellent writing capacities
• Arabic: fluent will be a very strong asset
• French: fluent will be an asset

SI WILL OFFER YOU

A salaried post:
According to experience, starting from 2860 euros gross per month (2600 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of 785 USD

SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate’s country of origin and the place of assignment.

Vacation: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of on 7 working days every three months. For a one-year assignment, the expatriate will have a 7 working days break at 3/6 and 9 month (with 850 USD allocated by Solidarités).

To these break periods, it is necessary to add the granting of 1 additional rest day per month worked > i.e. 12 days in addition for a 1-year contract**.**

Social and medical cover:
Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which reimburses all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

LIVING CONDITIONS:

Living conditions in Amman are very good and staff has access to a wide range of restaurants, cafes and bars. Most of occidental products (food, clothing…) are easily accessible in Amman. The country also proposes several destinations for weekends.

Security inside Northeast Syria is volatile and justifies specific arrangements for accommodation and movement in the areas of intervention. Adherence to strict security procedures is necessary, while the security levels can vary according to the different geographical locations and the changes of context.

In Erbil (Iraq) where there will be occasional travel to access NES, security levels are good, restrictions are mainly related to obtaining visas for international staff, which can take some weeks.