Technical Field Manager – North East Syria

Place: Raqqa, North East Syria
Starting date: December 2023 / ASAP
Duration of contract: 12 months
Closing date for applications: 13th December 2023

Handicap International/Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is an independent and impartial international solidarity organization, which intervenes in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflicts and disasters. Working alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, it acts and speaks out to meet their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights. More info: www.hi.org

At Handicap International-Humanity & Inclusion, we truly believe in the importance of inclusion and diversity within our organisation. This is why we are engaged to a disability policy to encourage the inclusion and integration of people with disabilities.

Please indicate if you require any special accommodation, even at the first interview.

JOB CONTEXT:

The Syrian crisis is in its 11th years and is still in semi-acute emergency, shifting slowly to resilience. According to UN figures, about 11.7 million people are currently affected by the crisis in Syria, including about 6 million IDPs, while over 5 million Syrians have sought refuge in neighbouring countries or in Europe. The current humanitarian response only provides a patchy and partial coverage of the growing humanitarian needs. 11 years after the beginning of the crisis, the number of injured persons in Syria keeps rising, with a severe lack of healthcare in many areas. In large areas of the country, the local economy is in bad shape local populations and IDPs are in need of livelihoods assistance. The inclusion of the most vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, in the humanitarian response remains a major concern.

From its office in Amman, HI is managing its Syria program which is implemented via three different hubs (Beirut, North-West and North-East), along four main pillars:

1. Support to health partners (hospitals, psychosocial support centers, local NGOs) for the provision of multidisciplinary rehabilitation services (physical rehabilitation, psychosocial support and/or prosthetics and orthotics) and standalone psychosocial support services, through training, technical supervisions and donations of assistive devices and/or equipment;
2. Humanitarian Mine action (HMA), including education to the risks and effects caused by conventional weapons (including mines, explosive remnants of war and small arms light weapons), non-technical survey of hazardous areas and clearance operations;
3. Livelihoods assistance, with a combination of cash for work, vocational training, small grants for businesses and apprenticeships;
4. Training and technical support to other humanitarian actors on the inclusion of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable persons in the humanitarian response (with a special focus on inclusive health and inclusive livelihoods).

The actual intervention is based on a mix of remote management of national teams, remote partnerships with local structures and organizations, and direct implementation programs.

The access to North East Syria is done via Erbil, in Iraq, with the support of HI Iraq program.

YOUR MISSION:

The Technical Field Manager (TFM) – also called Land Release Project Officer (LRPO) at HI – has the primary function of providing technical advice to all national staff assigned to him/her throughout all HMA activities. He/she will provide daily support, field mentoring and advice to a number of High Threat Search and Clearance, BAC, TS, IED clearance, NTS, Land Release Process teams operating throughout the designated area of operations. HI is seeking a person that displays a positive approach to his/her work and is of a determined and dedicated character.

His/her secondary function is to develop the capacity and technical knowledge of all national HMA staff within HI assigned to him/her.

The TFM will be primarily based in Raqqa, North-Eastern Syria and can be expected of to travel and reside in other regions, mainly to areas where HI clearance teams operate. Some areas of operations are remote and will require the TFM to ‘embed’ himself/herself within the local community in order to achieve acceptance by the community at risk.

The TFM reports directly to the Land Release Project Manager (LRPM) – also called Chief of Operations thus will plan your activities closely with the LRPM and will work very closely with other Technical Advisors, National Demining Supervisors and other demining team members.

Responsibility 1: Contribute to project planning and implementation in line with the existing frameworks
– Contribute to project planning and implementation in line with the existing frameworks;
– Contribute to planning and preparing activities, tools and the associated resources, and implement the action plan in conjunction with the support services and the technical unit;
– Ensure that activities are implemented and that resources are correctly allocated as authorized by the project manager;
– Ensure regular reporting of activities and contribute to the internal and external reporting as requested by the project manager;
– Contribute to identifying areas of the project in which adjustments are required and put forward adaptations to the project manager.

Responsibility 2: Contribute to project monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning
– Contribute to project monitoring, specifically activity progress indicators and the expected outcomes;
– Contribute to project evaluations at the request of the project manager and ensure that project evaluation recommendations are followed;

Responsibility 3: Ensure project data management
– Ensure that the appropriate data collection and management tools are in place and are used correctly on the project, in line with global standards.

Responsibility 4: Contribute to the coordination of project teams
– As authorized by the project manager, facilitate coordination meetings between the project teams and the support services located in the area when necessary;
– Ensure that the project teams and the support teams (shared and technical services, in particular) work well together in order to facilitate the implementation of the project in the country.

Responsibility 5: Contribute to external project communication
– Contribute to HI’s external influence by taking part in networks, when required;
– Communicate about the project to partners, authorities and stakeholders when relevant.

Responsibility 6: Emergency Preparedness and Response
– Contribute to the programme’s emergency preparedness initiatives, and in an emergency situation, adapt his/her working arrangements in order to contribute to an effective humanitarian response from HI.

YOUR PROFILE:

– You hold an IMAS EOD 3+ certification and an IEDD certification from accredited training institution;
– Underwater diving/EOD experience is a huge plus;
– You have at least 3 years of experience managing teams, particularly in high-risk search and clearance environments;
– You have more than 5 years working experience in the field of HMA;
– You master the implementation of the land release policy;
– You demonstrate ethical values and a constructively critical mindset.

ONDITIONS:
At HI, the conditions offered are up to your commitment and adapted to the context of your mission. https://hi.org/en/join-the-team

• 12 months International contract starting from December 2023 / as soon as possible
• The international contract provides social cover adapted to your situation:
• Unemployment insurance benefits for EU nationals
• Pension scheme
• Medical coverage with 50% of employee contribution
• Repatriation insurance paid by HI
• Salary from 4500€ gross/month upon experience
• Perdiem: 463.61€ net/month paid in the field
• Hardship: 500€ net/month paid with your salary
• Paid leaves: 25 days per year;
• R&R: 5 days every 8 weeks => + possible transport/package support.
• Position: unaccompanied
  Payment for travel costs (air ticket & visa) and transport of your personal effects
• A child allowance of 100€ per month, per child (from the second child) paid in the field
• Housing: Collective taken in charge by HI

If you are resident in the country: local package