Who are we?

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private, independent, humanitarian organization working on all aspects of the refugee cause in more than thirty countries throughout the world. The aim of DRC is to protect refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) against persecution and to promote durable solutions to the problems of forced migration on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC works in accordance with the UN Conventions on Refugees and the Code of Conduct for the ICRC and NGOs in Disaster Relief.

As part of its global mixed migration strategy, DRC has set up a unit that manages mixed migration grants covering West and North Africa. These grants were established through two consortia with a route-based approach designed for migration to be safer and more orderly, along the Central Mediterranean routes with the goal of limiting suffering and reducing deaths en route. As part of the unit, DRC currently leads a DFID-funded consortium in partnership with IRC and the Start Network, covering West and North Africa with a particular focus on Mali, Niger and Libya. The head of CCU will be responsible for managing the unit that implements this grant as well as any other grants that may come in the future.

About the job

This role provides oversight and direction of the Consortium Coordination Unit (CCU) and its staff acting as the liaison between the Steering Committee and the implementing organisations. While not directly managing project implementation staff, the Head of CCU is responsible for ensuring coordination of approaches for impactful and efficient programmes. This will be accomplished through coordination and allocation of resources from the implementing agencies. The role will also involve high level representation with key policy making stakeholders and donors.

The Head of CCU will be based in Tunis but will cover activities throughout West and North Africa implemented by consortia member agencies and national implementing partners; with activities in Tripoli (Libya), on the route from Bamako to Gao (Mali) and in Agadez and Arlit (Niger).
The Head of CCU will report to DRC Regional Director North Africa and will have the CCU Grants Officer, MEAL Specialist and MEAL Coordinator as reportees.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Strategy and business development

  • Provide technical expertise to shape and guide the consortium and its members on the elaboration of a routes-based mixed migration strategy focusing on the specificities of people on the move;
  • Manage directly the CCU team and liaise with the extended CCU (partner representatives) to provide them with technical guidance.
  • Lead on the strategic development of the CCU as a unit including potential business development opportunities;
  • Lead on CCU governance, reporting to the Steering Committee and leading the meetings;
  • Support DRC in developing and implementing its Mixed Migration strategy and initiatives across the continent;
  • Maintain an overview of migration-related developments affecting people on the move, monitoring trends and policy changes in the countries;
  • Contribute to the development of operational guidelines for delivering mixed migration programming with a rights-based and do no harm approach;
  • Represent the consortium in technical communities of practice, and with external partners.
  • Develop partnerships with relevant NA and WA regional institutions, organisations & donors for funding, learning and advocacy.

Support to Programme Implementation

  • Provide technical expertise and advice to support the development of routes-based programming, ensuring that robust situational analyses inform its further development;
  • Ensure interventions are evidence based, meet quality standards (including on gender, participation and accountability), and are consistent with established best practices and international and national standards, policies and strategies;
  • Ensure that new projects and/or programme components include monitoring and evaluation systems that are robust, adequately resourced and capable of generating cutting-edge evidence;
  • Assess and where possible ensure that operational research is factored into the design to ensure high-quality and relevant data is generated when the project is implemented;
  • Support and provide guidance on building strategic partnerships in country, regionally and globally, to promote quality programming, innovative approaches, evidence generation and sustainable impact at scale.
  • Ensure successful close out of programmes with consortium partners and CCU team.

Evidence and learning

  • Coordinate the generation of learning on the dynamics/complexities of migration programming in the regions covered and how they impact on vulnerable individuals;
  • Develop the final learning package for the end of the CCU grants implementation period (March 2021) that will include technical recommendation to protection programming in a mixed migration context, tools on evidence based programming, recommendations to donors for flexible and adaptive mixed migration programmes, documentation on the routes-based approach, etc.
  • Identify and document appropriate programme operational models and best practices on migration to building DRC and other consortium partners’ expertise on Mixed Migration (trainings, developing DRC’s knowledge base on MM, supporting DRC’s overall MM strategy, developing a MM response framework, etc.);
  • Strengthen coordination (including information/experience sharing) between all consortium members – country offices, regional offices, HQ based teams and the CCU;
  • Support ongoing monitoring and evaluation systems through capacity building for collecting and disseminating evidence to improve programming and cross country learning;
  • Support the generation of evidence and learning at country, regional and global level to feed into publications, policy papers, research reports and external events (e.g. conferences).

About you

The successful candidate is expected to have at least 5 years’ experience in a senior management role (Country Director, Chief of Party or similar) with international NGOs, preferably working in complex emergencies in West Africa or North Africa. The candidate will also hold a post-graduate degree in migration, international relations, development studies, or other related field.

Required

  • Preferably a Master degree (Bachelor degree as a minimum) in international development, project management, social work or other relevant field from a recognised institution; studies related to migration would be of particular interest.
  • Proven experience in strategic development and programme design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
  • Demonstrated technical expertise in protection, mixed migration and/or resilience programming
  • Experience with a range of donors, with specific experience and knowledge of DFID
  • Experience working with national NGO partners and local/government authorities
  • Strong MEAL experience, including in complex programmes with high-profile evaluations
  • Experience in organisational representation, coordination and liaison
  • Experience in managing and leading projects within partner networks or consortia
  • Experience in managing teams
  • Experience in strategy development and resource mobilisation plans
  • Networking, influencing, and representation skills and ability to develop effective relationships with a range of actors
  • Excellent conceptual, planning, organisational, and leadership skills
  • Excellent communication, negotiation and problem-solving capacities
  • Willingness to travel to and work in insecure environments
  • Ability to manage stress, multi-task and take decisions

Desired

  • Ability to converse and work in French language will be an advantage but not required

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

We offer

Contract length: 7 months (with possibility of extension, depending on funding)
Designation of Duty Station: Accompanied Family - Tunis, Tunisia
Level: Band E
Start date: 15 August 2020

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to drc.ngo under Vacancies. For questions regarding the vacancy please contact Patrick Phillips, patrick.phillips@drc.ngo.

DRC as an employer
By working in DRC, you will be joining a global workforce of around 8000 employees in 40 countries. We pride ourselves on our:

  • Professionalism, impact & expertise
  • Humanitarian approach & the work we do
  • Purpose, meaningfulness & own contribution
  • Culture, values & strong leadership
  • Fair compensation & continuous development
    Read more here about what our employees say about working in DRC.

DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process. Visit drc.ngo to read more about what we do to secure robust safeguarding mechanisms.

This vacancy is archived.

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