Starting Salary: £48,229 - £50,158 p.a.
Position Description
The Head of Humanitarian Technical and Partner Support (HHTPS) is a dynamic role which is central to the effective development, coordination and delivery of CAFOD’s humanitarian work. The post holder is a member of the International Programmes Leadership Group (IPLG) and the Emergency Response Group Management Team (ERGMT), working with these colleagues on the vision, direction and delivery of our humanitarian mandate, strategy and corporate strategy. A primary part of the role will be to ensure close and integrated working with the International Development Group (IDG) and Advocacy and Education Group (AEG).
The Head of Humanitarian Technical Response and Partner Support (HHTPS) will hold responsibility, along with other technical support functions within the International Programme, for the oversight and management of five key areas of integrated work: (a) Emergency Response Team; (b) Thematic Support (WASH, Protection, DRR) and humanitarian learning; (c) Humanitarian Capacity Strengthening (d) Programme Quality (e) Safe Accessible Dignified and Inclusive Programming (Protection).
Job Scope
The post holder along with other members of ERGMT will be expected to deputise for the Head of Emergency Response Group as needed. The HHTPS will prioritise relationships with the following functions within CAFOD:
- The Emergency Response Group (ERG) - particularly with the Humanitarian Programmes and Global Support Team, Humanitarian Policy Team, Humanitarian Funding and Cooperation Team and the Emergency Response Group Management Team (ERGMT).
- Members of the International Programme Leadership Group (IPLG)
- The International Development Group (IDG) and Advocacy and Education Group (AEG) - work closely with the relevant post holders to ensure humanitarian strategy is integrated across all programmes and to facilitate effective responses, support recovery and enable long-term sustainability. This includes the Heads of Region, and programme staff across regions.
- Organisational Performance and Governance Team, working on the implementation and measures for Our Common Home
- Safeguarding advisors.
Key Responsibilities
Emergency Response Team (ERT) and Management
- Manage the ERT global response capacity, ensuring capacities are effectively utilised and deployed across global programmes (this involves shared management during deployments of staff).
- Working closely with the Humanitarian Programmes and Global Support Team (HGT), to ensure: support to the Head of Regions and regional teams is provided; CAFOD has the necessary capacity to meet the management, logistical and technical requirements of any humanitarian programme undertaken; effective coordination of CAFOD's response in the immediate term. This will involve ensuring there are diverse skills within the team, a robust training programme is in place and possibly drawing on ad hoc external support if needed.
- Develop CAFOD’s corporate/cross organisation surge capacity, drawing on skills and capacities from across the organisation during times of major emergency.
- Deliver on a model of sharing joint capacities with Trocaire, Catholic Relief Services, Caritas Australia, Caritas Norway and other Caritas agencies as appropriate.
- Provide support to Caritas Internationalis and CI coordination mechanisms.
Thematic Support (WASH, Protection, DRR/Resilience, Cash) and humanitarian learning
- Working with International Development Group (IDG), provide leadership in further developing an integrated model of working in the areas of WASH, Protection and DRR.
- Oversee the development of the strategic lead in the area of WASH and linkage with Caritas Internationalis. Continue to help lead Caritas Working Group on WASH.
- Oversee the Caritas Interagency shared working model the areas of DRR and Protection.
- The post holder will provide support to the HHPS and across ERG to ensure that learning, knowledge of innovative models of programming and ways of working are captured and disseminated within CAFOD.
Humanitarian Capacity Strengthening
- Work with the Humanitarian Capacity Strengthening Manager and team to ensure the effective development and delivery of CAFOD’s capacity strengthening programme
- Work across groups and with Caritas sister agencies to develop and provide integrated support for strengthening partner capacity
- Oversee the strategic direction and long-term funding models for humanitarian capacity strengthening
- Ensure linkages with and liaise with core capacity strengthening networks and joint programmes
- Work with colleagues in further developing localisation models and representing southern capacity.
Programme Quality
- Work closely with International Programmes managers, the International Programme Accompanier and programme staff to develop and disseminate guidance and resources for programme quality
- Contribute to the development and adaptation of CAFOD systems and processes to support programme quality
- Collaboratively develop and disseminate MEAL guidance and to provide training and practical support to programmes to improve their MEAL
- Provide leadership in the delivery of and compliance with CHS, IATI and Caritas Internationalis Management Standards CIMS.
- Work with Organisational Performance and Governance in the delivery and evidencing of Our Common Home
Safe Accessible Dignified and Inclusive (SADI) Programming
- Promote and support the implementation of the SADI framework in CAFOD programmes
- Provide leadership and support to the Protection Mainstreaming Working Group Coordinator and ensure a streamlined approach for the PMWG and SADI
- Engage in protection mainstreaming, accountability and inclusion discussions and sector-wide initiatives and to disseminate within CAFOD
People Management
- Manage staff in the UK and various international locations, in accordance with CAFOD’s people framework, and support their continual learning to ensure CAFOD can respond effectively to emergencies.
- Provide leadership and support to those within direct line of responsibility; acting as a sounding board and holding them to account in areas under their responsibility, including their own line management responsibilities.
- Enable and empower managers and staff within the region to achieve the maximum possible with the available resources, ensuring CAFOD’s organisational outcomes and management standards are achieved.
Representation
- Work with Head of Emergency Response Group (HERG) and where necessary deputise on areas of external strategic engagement.
- Ensure that CAFOD’s distinctive approach, rooted in the Catholic Community in England and Wales, is represented externally. In particular, the post holder will pro-actively engage where appropriate with UK and European networks and manage key areas of engagement (e.g. Caritas, ALNAP, Start Network).
- Engage with counterparts in civil society organisations (particularly sister agencies), to promote humanitarian aid effectiveness, challenge models of working were appropriate, encourage consortia and multi-country approaches and prompt and support country/sub-regional-level initiatives.
- To prioritise working with strategic and new networks.
All posts in this department will be involved in providing emergency response capacity, usually in the form of short-term leadership, management, coordination or support to a wide range of new and ongoing humanitarian crises. These posts are likely to have contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults in communities in a humanitarian aid setting.
This list of duties and responsibilities is by no means exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other relevant and appropriate duties as required. This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification.
Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults
CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. This post involves contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, and has responsibility for people who will do, and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues. If based in the UK the post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service). If the post is based outside the UK the post holder will be subject to a different checking process.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
- Understanding Catholic identity: Demonstrates a sympathetic understanding of the beliefs and practices of the Catholic church.
- Understanding CAFOD: Actively supports CAFOD’s vision, mission and values and what we aim to achieve. Maintaining a commitment to CAFOD’s partnership approach; understands the complexities of delivering programmes through partnership.
- Understanding international development: Commitment to and significant experience of working with humanitarian standards and best practice (e.g. Humanitarian Charter, SPHERE, Red Cross and Red Crescent Code of Conduct, HAP); Considers diversity issues in humanitarian work; Experience of working and liaising with international bodies and consortium (Caritas, DFID, EU and UK NGOs).
- Managing ourselves: Sets an example in what can be achieved. Self-supporting IT skills.
- Working with others: Able to engage with and influence colleagues including cross departmentally.
- Communicating: Fluent in written and spoken English; can communicate complex ideas simply; seeks to motivate and inspire others; encourages team reflection and discussion; confronts conflict and disagreement to reach a satisfactory outcome.
- Looking outwards: Experience of working and liaising with international bodies and consortium (Donor organisations, Partner Organisations and NGO networks).
- Managing resources: Demonstrates good management practice; Proven financial management skills (financial controls, budgets, forecasts, audits etc).
- Achieving results: provides a clear sense of purpose and priorities to ensure focus on results; creates contingency plans in case problems are encountered.
- Managing our performance: Ensures downward accountability in humanitarian work; able to collate, analyse and disseminate programme results for learning.
- Taking the lead: Works collaboratively with other leaders in CAFOD; Able to motivate others to get things done.
Job-specific competencies
- Educated to degree level in a relevant area or equivalent thematic understanding through experience. Particular working knowledge of accountability, protection and capacity development would be an asset.
- Experience in strategy development, planning processes, implementation, reporting and contingency planning.
- Demonstrated experience of humanitarian response management in a range of contexts and knowledge of development practice.
- Able to travel for up to 2 weeks at a time several times a year sometimes at short notice.
- Experience of working in and developing networks, consortia and international teams/alliances.
Desirable Criteria
- Knowledge of other major language(s) such as French, Spanish, Portuguese or Arabic would be desirable.
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