YEMEN –DEPUTY COUNTRY DIRECTOR – PROGRAMS – ADEN

Desired start date: Mid-August 2022 (remote start to be considered)

Duration of the mission: 12 months

Location: Position based in Aden

About the mission:

SI opened its mission in Yemen in 2017, establishing its coordination in Aden. With the support of the Emergency DESK, SI mission was able to quickly acquire operational capacity, which was first deployed in Lahj Governorate, for implementation of WASH and Food Security Programming. Since then, SI expanded the geographical scope of its intervention, and established offices in Al Turbah and Al Mokha in Taizz Governorate and operational presence in Hodeidah, Dahle, Marib and Abyan Governorates. In June 2021, SI started with operations in Marib governorate (Marib City, Marib Al Wadi), and is in the process of establishing permanent presence with opening a field office in Marib City.

. For the year 2022; the mission has a forecasted budget of about 12.5M Euros. It operates from Aden, where the coordination is based, and 2 operational field bases located in Al Turbah and Al Mokha. Another operational base in Aden is dedication to Emergency Response (ERT Base), with current implementation across Marib, Ad-Dhalae, Abyan, Lahj and Tai’zz governorates. The mission is composed of 20 expatriates and about 120 national staffs and is funded by ECHO, BHA, CDC, YHPF, SDC, DutchMoFA and CIAA. SI Programming in Yemen focuses on addressing immediate food needs of communities at risk of famine, as well as providing timely response to displacements of population and AWD/Cholera outbreaks. Its portfolio is primarily composed of WASH Emergency projects, along with unconditional cash distribution but is developing recovery and resilience programming in both Wash and food security sectors.

About the job:

• General objectives

In close collaboration with the Country Director (CD), the DCD’s prime objectives are to provide leadership and management of the strategic programming, overseeing the strengthening of SI’s program development, quality and accountability. The DCD ensures the internal coherence between program activities, related grants management and is responsible for ensuring that programs are driven by needs, based on evidence, adaptable to contextual changes and conflict sensitive, monitored closely and resourced appropriately. The DCD is part of SI Senior Management Team and has direct line-management of the Technical Coordinators (WaSH, Food Security and Livelihoods and MEAL) and grant unit (Grants and Partnership Coordinator and Reporting and Communications Officer).

• Priorities for the 2/3 first months

• Coordinate and support the development of concept notes and proposals for the year 2023

• Support the development of sector-specific strategies, strengthening of MEAL department, and capitalization

• Actively engage in external coordination with humanitarian partners, and contribute to raising the profile of SI aligned with its three-fold strategy

• Support and overview partnerships (including the continued structuring of the Grants Unit, the development of a Donors ad Partnerships strategy)

Responsibilities and main activities:

• Strategic orientation
• Coordination and operational monitoring
• Capitalization
• Team management
• Reporting / communication / representation

Management

The Deputy Country Director will manage a team of 4 expatriates (1 WASH Coordinator, 1 Food Security and Livelihoods Coordinator, 1 MEAL Manager and 1 Grant & Partnership Coordinator).

Your profile

The applicant must demonstrate strong appetite for emergency programming, and significant prior experience in implementing or overseeing such projects in complex humanitarian environment.

Education and experience

• Post-graduate with at least 5 years’ experience as humanitarian worker
• Prior substantial experience in unstable environment (conflict / post conflict country)
• Experience in implementing/supervision emergency and/or early recovery projects
• Knowledge of the sub-region/prior experience in Yemen is an asset

Knowledge and technical skills

• Good and proven writing and spoken English are required
• Knowledge of emergency and/or early recovery programing
• Technical knowledge of Food Security and Livelihoods, WASH, and/or MEAL is an asset
• Knowledge of Arabic is an asset

Transferable skills

• Advanced leadership and management skills
• Advanced analytical and writing skills
• Advanced communication skills
• Ability to work under stress/pressure and meet tight deadlines

Qualities

• Skill transfer ability highly appreciated
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Anticipation and self-organization capacities
• Willingness to work in complex and volatile environments

Security and Living Conditions

The situation in terms of security remains volatile in Aden, linked to the political tensions and presence of several armed groups competing over the control of the city. In the context of Aden however, INGOs are not a direct target. Main risks for INGOs in Aden relate to crossfire (wrong location at the wrong moment), crowd mob and road accidents. To mitigate these risks, SI has developed strict security rules that the applicant needs to be ready to abide to.

Key information about living conditions

The coordination office in Aden is shared with the guesthouse (same building). Security rules in Aden are rather restrictive, with a curfew at 6pm, extended to 10.30pm in the area where most INGOs are located. Expatriates are allowed to go to the supermarket, to one gym, one restaurant, and two beaches (including one reachable by boat). Guesthouse is comfortable as per middle-east standards (large rooms with AC, good-standard bathrooms with running water). A gym and rest area have recently been built on the roof of the Guesthouse to improve expatriates’ living conditions.

Solidarités International will offer you:

A salaried position: starting from 2860 euros gross per month (2600 € + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly per diem of 750 USD a month. Please note that salary is not negotiable with SI.

Vacation: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time-off is implemented at the rate of one break after two months spent on the field. For a one-year assignment, the expatriate will have a 7-day break during the 2nd, 4th, 8th and 10th months (with 750 USD allocated by Solidarités).

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.