North East Syria (NES) NGO Forum Deputy Director - Syria
Job Details
Full Job Description
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Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and advert could be
closed before the application closing date.
About Mercy Corps
About The NES NGO Forum
The Northeast Syria (NES) NGO Forum is an independent and
neutral coordination body, representative of its members, and is
hosted by Mercy Corps. The NES NGO Forum was established in July 2016
as the primary coordination body for NGOs operating cross-border into,
and from within, Northeast Syria – as part of formalized coordination
arrangements under the Whole of Syria (WoS) architecture. The Forum is
currently comprised of 40 members, and continues to grow, with
responsibility for several core functions, including operational
response coordination, representation with external stakeholders,
engagement with authorities including access negotiations, information
management and policy development and advocacy. The NES Forum
coordinates the inter-sector working group, consisting of sectoral
working group coordinators, which are hosted by various NGOs in
Northeast Syria. The NES Forum is an independent and neutral
coordination body which is governed by its Steering Committee (SC) and
accountable to both the SC and its NGO membership. The NES Forum is
hosted by Mercy Corps.
Summary of the position
Detailed Explanation of the Position
Representation and leading key
workstreams
The NES Forum under the leadership
of the NES Forum Director acts as the key operational coordination
body for NGOs operating in Northeast Syria. The Deputy Director
position will support oversight of the coordination structure for NGOs
in Northeast Syria and interact as a secondary focal point with the
NES Forum Steering Committee , an elected body.
Operational leadership
Operational responsibilities will include oversight of key areas
of interaction with the Host Agency (Mercy Corps)
including but not limited to logistics, and human-resource, internal
system strengthening, and accountability of the Forum. This includes
line management of the Operations Officer who represents the Forum
within the Host Agency’s operations team. The Deputy Director will be
responsible for reporting deliverables and engaging in the operational
systems.
Further to this, the Deputy-Director will be expected to support with NES Forum Operations (independent of Host Agency), leading on internal systems strengthening including knowledge management, data protection and informational security, IT systems, organizational capacity building and overall business continuity for the Forum, as well as any other area of operational oversight identified by the Director as integral to NES Forum independence, neutrality and continuity.
It is imperative that the Deputy Director understands the importance of neutrality and independence of NES Forum.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Lead on High-Level Strategic Workstreams
- Responsible for current high-level key workstreams such as development and implementation of localization strategy in Northeast Syria, advise on strategic donor engagement, design and lead on stabilization actor engagement strategy, coordination of joint positions on key humanitarian issues across the membership, training on humanitarian norms for local stakeholders, etc.
- Ensure that existing and forthcoming emergency and resilience response mechanisms and sectoral/partner planning are harmonized with The Northeast Syria Strategy.
Support to key Thematic Workstreams
- Support as necessary any key thematic workstreams carried out under the leadership of the Forum’s coordinators, including but not limited to principled negotiations with relevant local authorities in the interest of unimpeded humanitarian access, delivering of principled advocacy messages to relevant stakeholders, improve the accountability and effectiveness of the NES coordination structures through engagement with host agencies and the ISWG, identify and support enhancements to the current operational response, etc.
- Support ISWG Coordinator and AAWG Coordinator as OIC for Director as necessary.
- Line Management of NES Forum Operations Officer
- Authorize purchases on behalf of NES Forum
- Represent NES Forum in procurement committees
- Responsible for all NES Forum inputs into Host Agency Procurement Planning
- Accountable for tracking all NES Forum assets in Host Agency Stock as per donor budgets
Responsible for Human Resource (Host Agency compliance)
- Responsible for all national NES Forum staff hiring, contract extension and resignation, in coordination with direct line-management and with Director approval
- Responsible for ensuring NES Forum staff adherence to Host Agency guidelines as per NES Forum/Host Agency MoU
Responsible for Host Agency Reporting Requirements (Financial and
Donor)
- Responsible for donor budget (BVA) reporting though Host Agency systems
- Responsible for donor narrative reporting through Host Agency reporting systems
- Responsible for NES Forum Operations (Elements which are independent of Host Agency)
- Responsible for management and updating of NES Forum’s key communication mechanisms ▪ Responsible for tracking of NES Forum assets
- Responsible for the establishment and maintenance of appropriate IT software for Forum communications, storage, operations, archive, website etc.
- Responsible for systems strengthening within NES Forum i.e., the creation and updating of joint positions relevant to the NES Forum membership
- Responsible for knowledge management, management of archives
Supervisory Responsibility
NES Forum Operations Officer, and as OIC for Director
Accountability
Reports Directly
to: NES Forum Director and the NES Forum Steering Committee
Accountable to: NES Forum membership and NES Forum
Steering Committee (comprised of 7 representatives from NGOs)
Works Directly with: NES Forum Team, Northeast
Syria Team Leaders; Northeast Syria Country Directors; Whole of Syria
Coordination counterparts; United Nations; NES Local Authorities;
KRIbased stakeholders.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO
BENEFICIARIES
Mercy Corps team members are expected to
support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our
beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international
relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary
communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation
of our field projects.
Minimum Qualifications and Transferrable Skills
Significant INGO-specific experience is essential for this role. Can be combined 5-7 years of programmatic /operational field experience in INGOs and/or UN (OCHA),
Preference for previous NES experience. Familiarity with WoS structure preferred.
Demonstrated success working effectively and respectfully with host country government, INGO, NGO partners, UN, Civ-Mil, and other stakeholders in complex, ongoing, chronic and acute conflict environments.
Operational experience preferred, with IT systems, budget and reporting experience Positive management experience in fast-paced, high-stress environments is essential.
Proven understanding of the international humanitarian response architecture, including cluster/coordination mechanisms, humanitarian reform and action, and funding mechanisms
Dedication to the core humanitarian standard and clear understanding of the application of humanitarian principles in conflict settings.
Understanding of International Humanitarian Law is essential. With experience interpreting/explaining international humanitarian law to non-humanitarian partners.
Experience with remote program management/coordination contexts is important.
Demonstrated experience in coordination and/or lead advocacy roles, preferably within formal coordination structures and/or advocacy consortia.
Successful and proven negotiation, communication and organizational skills.
Successful track record of leading medium-sized teams to success, effective budget management, and success working with dual supervisory groups.
Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse stakeholder base in a sensitive environment.
HEAT training or similar is an advantage.
Advanced speaking and writing in English; knowledge of Kurdish an asset, knowledge of Arabic an advantage.
Success Factors
The successful candidate will have the ability to network
effectively, influence, and inspire others.
They will have
excellent communication and interpersonal skills, will be highly
motivated and possess the ability to work independently. They will
have the ability to undertake strategic analysis and translate
thinking into practice. They will be an excellent advocate and
influencer of principled humanitarian action in complex environments.
The candidate should have strong negotiation skills to liaise with
authorities and support in maintaining humanitarian space for
partners, advocating for principled humanitarian action, and ensuring
the rights of program participants and beneficiaries. They will work
with sensitive issues in a multi-cultural environment and with virtual
or/and dispersed teams and will have the ability to build confidence
and to find creative and constructive solutions to difficult issues.
The successful candidate will build trust and alliances and will
empower others. They should like traveling, possess a good sense of
humor, must be fond of coordination and understand its critical role
for efficient and effective principled humanitarian response.
Preferably, you are intensely passionate about advocating for those
who have been displaced by conflict and have a solid grasp of IHL.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
Ongoing Learning
In
support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective,
efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all
team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that
further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving
our mission begins with how we build our team and work together.
Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of
different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are
better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve
the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust
and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and
authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams,
and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal
Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal
opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any
basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and
skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained
global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into
contact with through our work, whether team members, community
members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and
dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention
of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General
and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation,
abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our
commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are
expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local
laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct
Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to
complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on
an annual basis.