SYRIA – IM Manager (M/F) – NES

Desired start date: 15 Jan 24
Duration of the mission: 6 months
Location: North east Syria

ABOUT US

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI’s interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in some twenty countries, the SI teams – 2500 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers – intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.

ABOUT THE MISSION

SI has been working in Syria since 2012, and is today operating in North East Syria (NES) and North West Syria (NWS)

The NES programs provide an integrated assistance in the WASH, NFI, Shelter, FSL sectors to displaced populations and host communities affected by the conflict.

The NWS programs provide WASH and NFI/Winterization support to affected populations.

In NES and NWS, the lifesaving activities are:

Wash – emergency package in IDPs settlements,
Distribution of NFIs and cash for vulnerable populations,
COVID Response (WASH in Health, distributions).

And in NES, SI is implementing more sustainable activities:

Individuals’ houses rehabilitations

ABOUT THE JOB

General objective:

The Information Management department in SI remains a relatively new department, with the Syria mission being one of the most advanced in it. While the development of tools is quite advanced, the structuration of the data, improving the acceptance from all departments and improving the overall understanding on IM role is still to be enhanced. The department reached a point where the creation a IM mid/long term strategy is a priority.
The IM manager will have to engage with all teams (program and support), to understand how the IM department could help them to be more efficient, having more sustainable data management systems. The aim is to overall improve the quality of SI Syria humanitarian response by taking more informed decisions, as well as the efficiency of the implementation by speeding up intervention. This includes developing an in-depth understanding of field operational constraints and challenges and being solution-driven.
The IM manager will have to show high analytical skills, to be able to feed program and support departments with the data they need and develop data visualization solutions that adequately support decision making.

The main challenges:

IM team in NES has developed an extensive pool of tools that will require to be listed and understood by the new Manager
IM is relatively a new concept at SI and the manager will have a prime role to ensure it performs its roles and responsibilities, also by ensuring regular reminders about what is the role of IM, and systematic briefings to new joiners.
IM has a big role in data collection survey designs and training of the data collectors. There are specific and ongoing challenges in terms of survey optimization, relevance, and data protection standards, as well as issues with data quality due to misunderstandings from enumerators that creates the need for extensive data cleaning. The manager will need to ensure proper IM involvement in all phases (form design, enumerator training – data quality, data cleaning)

Priorities for the 2/3 first months:

Gain extensive knowledge on NES activities, full data workflows, and project cycles.
Understand IM strategy at both base and mission levels
Support newly recruited Deputy IM Managers
Ensure continued usage of IM tools by maintaining existing ones and updating when relevant

Responsibilities and main activities:

Strategic orientation & Coordination While SI is looking for a technical person, the selected candidate will have a strong appetite for coordination with both program and support departments.
Information systems
Data quality and protection assurance
Personnel management
Capitalization
Reporting / communication
Training and management of program and support teams

YOUR PROFIL

Education / academic background:

Bachelor or Master degree in computer science, data management, data science or equivalent.
Bachelor or Master degree in Humanitarian studies

Specific skills and experience:

Technical Skills:

Practical knowledge and experience of KOBO toolbox (or other Mobile Data collection solution), including questionnaire design and coding in XLS forms.
Excellent command of PowerBi (including DAX and Power Query)
Good command of QGIS and/or ArcGIS (Desktop and online)
Excellent command of Excel (Power Query, VBA, formulas)
Experience with MS O365 environment (SharePoint, OneDrive…)
Knowledge in Data protection and Data security / Cybersecurity is a plus

Transversal Skills:

representation and coordination skills, and enthusiasm for working with a multicultural team
Strong leadership skills and sense of initiative
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capacity, with a collaborative approach to work
Excellent understanding of project cycle management of humanitarian and/or development programs
Ability to manage and work with a remote team, ability to travel between the 2 bases offices and to go on field visits to see the activities in the field
Capacity to work at the same time with different offices / locations (having different needs and priorities)/Ability to work under pressure
Strong time management skills, with the ability to prioritize and work to deadlines efficiently
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
Autonomous, Ability to work with a minimum of guidance and supervision

Language:

Fluent English (written, spoken and read) is mandatory.
Knowledge of Arabic is a plus

SI WILL OFFER YOU

A salaried position:
According to experience, starting from EUR 1980 gross per month (1800 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of USD 700.

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

Breaks: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every three months (with a USD 850 break allowance, allocated by Sl). To these breaks periods, SI grants one (1) additional rest day per month worked.

Insurance package: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which refunds 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:

The candidate will be based in Raqqa. She/He will live in the SI guesthouse(s). In Raqqa, living conditions are simple but highly improved with a few opportunities and places to socialize. The per diem rate for NES is 700 USD a month.

Specific constraints related to security:

Security level is high in NES justifying specific arrangements in terms of rules and movements in the areas of intervention.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Do you recognize yourself in this description? If yes, please send us your CV and cover letter!

Please note that CV-only applications will not be considered, and that the vacancy may close before the deadline.

Thank you for your understanding.

To learn more about Sl: www.solidarites.org

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Solidarités International (SI) est déterminé à prévenir et à combattre tout type d’abus – tout acte d’exploitation, d’abus et/ou de harcèlement sexuels (SEAH) à l’encontre des membres des communautés bénéficiaires ou de ses collaborateurs et collaboratrices, atteinte aux personnes et/ou aux biens, fraude, corruption, conflit d’intérêt non déclaré, financement d’activités portant atteinte aux droits de l’homme – qui pourrait être perpétré dans le cadre de ses interventions. SI applique une tolérance zéro à l’égard de tout type d’abus, particulièrement des actes de SEAH.

Solidarités International est un employeur équitable qui combat toute forme de discrimination. SI ne demandera jamais une rétribution quelconque en vue de participer à un processus de recrutement.

Solidarités International (SI) is determined to prevent and fight all type of abuse – all act of exploitation, abuse and/or sexual harassment (SEAH) against members of beneficiary communities or collaborators, fraud, corruption, violation of persons and/or property, funding of activities harmful to human rights – that could be perpetrated in the frame of its interventions. SI implements a zero-tolerance policy regarding acts of abuse, notably acts of SEAH.

Solidarités International is an equitable employer committed to find all forms of discrimination. SI will ever ask for any remuneration to take part in a recruitment process.