Back A DEPUTY COUNTRY DIRECTOR - SUPPORT YEMEN

Action Against Hunger has been operating in Yemen since 2012, upscaling its emergency activities in 2016 due to the conflict between Al Houthi and the Saudi-led coalition. Yemen is currently facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with 80% of the population in need of humanitarian aid. Action Against Hunger has responded to multiple large-scale and interconnected emergencies: conflict, famine and a cholera epidemic, using a multisectoral approach (Nutrition & Health, Food Security, WASH and Mental Health programming) and by piloting the country’s first Rapid Response Mechanism alongside UNICEF.

Donors supporting these programs are the EU through ECHO and DEVCO, UN agencies (UNICEF, WFP, UNOCHA, UNFPA), GAC, DFID, SIDA and private foundations. Focus is now on providing life-saving quality health and nutrition services, addressing the causes of hunger and undernutrition and promoting evidence-based programming through surveillance, analysis, and advocacy.

Due to the major crisis and frequently changing security context in Yemen, security rules are regularly updated.

ACF is operationally working in 2 bases: Hodeida and Aden, with its coordination team located in Sana’a.

Sana'a is located at 2300 meters/7500 feet altitude, so temperatures can be quite low in winter. Office and guesthouse are in the same compound. The rooms are private and personal. The building is supplied with public electricity and a generator is also available. Due to the current security situation, social options are very limited, not only for ACF but for all organizations.

Responsabilities

As a key member of the coordination team, you will provide leadership and strategic oversight of all support functions (Finance, HR and Logistics). You will also manage internal control and compliance for the mission and ensure the coordination of all activities linked to Risk Management.

Your main responsibilities are:

Provide Strategic Direction to the Mission on Support and Internal Controls

• Ensure the allocation of resources (funds, skill, time, efforts etc.) is consistent with the Mission’s five-year Strategic Objectives as well as the Strategic Investment Priorities.
• Identify and analyze HR, Finance and Logistics constraints and opportunities of the potential responses to humanitarian needs, and brief the Country Director (CD), Heads of Department (HoDs) and HQ Advisors accordingly.
• Facilitate inter and intra-departmental coordination to ensure Finance, Logistics and HR functions are providing relevant, effective, timely and high quality inputs and support to program teams.
• Provide strategic support and guidance to the program team, in close collaboration with the DCD Program in all areas related to support functions.

Manage the support team (HR, Finance and Logistics)

• Supervise the HoDs for support functions (HR, Finance and Logistics, Internal Control)
• Provide guidance and develop capacity of the team in order to provide high-level and consistent support to program teams.
• Follow-up on the risk analysis identified for the nationalization of positions; and adapt team composition and structures accordingly.
• Ensure briefings on support issues for all new Management-level employees.
• Encourage strong collaboration and promote a team spirit between support and program teams.

Ensure Management of Risk and Compliance

• Develop a transversal risk management strategy that matches the mission’s ambitions and Programmatic Strategy.
• Run risk management activities at mission level (risk identification, evaluation and assessment, risk mitigation and monitoring) and guarantee the overall risk management strategy is in line with mission’s strategic and budget planning
• Define an effective governance model for major risks management and compliance that allows the mission to reach its Strategic Objectives while remaining coherent with the mission’s risk appetite and ACF global risk management plan.
• Build internal awareness and capacity on Risk Management to ensure inclusion of risk into decision-making processes
• Contribute to cultural change toward risk management and acceptance by promoting ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) best practices and training mission’s key actors.

Contribute to Program Development, Cycle Management and Proposal Writing

• Promote inter and intra-departmental coordination to ensure Finance, Logistics and HR functions are providing relevant, effective, timely and high quality support to program teams across the mission.
• Empower support functions to be fully implicated in Program Cycle Management
• Support the Finance HoD and liaise with internal actors to develop proposal budgets that are reflective of program design, donor-compliant and designed in a manner that clearly presents the mission’s governance structure and objectives.

Liaise with Donors, Consortium Partners, NGOs, UN and Authorities, for support, contractual and compliance issues

• Apply partnership guidelines using existing tools for internal controls and help develop sound contractual frameworks (MOUs, Teaming Agreements, and Partnership Contracts etc.) that enable ACF to effectively manage partnerships and lead Consortiums
• Ensure that systems and controls are in place to ensure compliance with applicable policies

Requested profile

You have at least five years of experience as a member of a management team in the humanitarian sector with a strong background in finance, HR and logistics (management and coordination skills).

You must have an expertise in current safety and security practices and issues affecting aid work globally.

You have experience working in a multi-cultural environment with comprehensive knowledge of the context and challenges of operating in Yemen.

You are known for your diplomatic and sensitive to cross cultural issues, your capacity to work under pressure and your creativity. You are an excellent communicator and have specifics negotiation skills.

You have a good understanding of risk management, a strong analytical and practical problem-solving skill, and a strong supervisory ability.

You are well organized, you work autonomously and you are able to take decisions and/ or conclusions with minimal guidance.

You are fluent (written and spoken) in English – this is mandatory.

Having a training in safety and security management will be a plus.

Specific conditions / Salary

Length of contract: 9 months

Starting date: asap

Status: unaccompanied – the position is based in Sanaa

Contract: fixed term contract under French legislation

Remuneration and benefits :

• Monthly gross salary from 2735 to 3185 € upon experience
• Per diem and living allowance: 616 € (cf eurocost) net, field paid
• 450€ as country allowance
• 16% of monthly gross for non-French citizen for retrocession of retirement and unemployment insurance
• child allowance

Medical coverage: 100% coverage of medical expenses + repatriation insurance.

Leaves and RnR:

• 25 days of paid leaves per year
• 20 RnR per year
• 215 € at each RnR period (averagely every 6 weeks)
• Support for transport tickets to the reference recovery area.

Training :

• Free and unlimited access to the certifying e-learning platform Crossknowledge ©.
• Participation to external trainings costs upon eligibility of the request.