Job Purpose
Reporting to the Director of International Programmes, the primary function of the Head of Emergency Response is to provide leadership to GOAL’s emergency response programming. Specifically, the Head of Emergency Response will manage and develop GOAL’s capacity to respond to emergencies in new and existing GOAL country programmes and to ensure appropriate preparedness strategies are in place at a global and country level to mitigate against the impact of humanitarian crises. The successful candidate will also be contributing to the global strategy of the organisation and act as a first responder. This role has a global focus and will involve engagement with other Department Managers and members of GOAL’s Senior Management Team.
Main activities
To lead the effective planning, design, management and monitoring of GOAL’s emergency programmes; specifically:
- Position GOAL as one of the pre-eminent global emergency response agencies through refining, overseeing and being accountable for GOAL’s emergency response strategy.
- Support new programming in chronic or sudden onset humanitarian crises; lead GOAL’s response as required on sectoral assessments, programme design, budget development, programme implementation and external coordination. Ensuring that there is strong engagement of GOAL’s programme, logistics, HR and finance functions.
- Manage GOAL’s Global Humanitarian Unit including budget responsibility and resource prioritisation and allocation. Negotiates other resources as required from other functional leads.
- Travel to GOAL’s current and protracted humanitarian programmes in a learning and support function.
- Ensure that crisis response programme planning and implementation is in line with GOAL’s standards, ensuring donor compliance and accountability to beneficiaries, donors and other stakeholders.
- Support global contextual analysis and anticipatory humanitarian positioning.
- Work with existing country programmes to ensure emergency preparedness plans are in place, are contextually appropriate and adequately resourced.
- Lead the capacity building of GOAL’s global response personnel and country programme staff who may be deployed to respond to crises within their countries or seconded to other responses.
- Contribute to the evaluation of humanitarian programmes, developing lessons learnt for internal and external knowledge sharing and future programming
- Working with the Strategic Partnerships Department, develop and implement funding strategies for new humanitarian responses.
- Provide technical guidance on Emergency Response programme approaches, undertaking as required research and development of internal policy and guidelines.
- Support GOAL’s country programmes and Desk Officers through reviewing and providing feedback on humanitarian programme proposals and reports (interim and final) prior to submission to donors.
- Undertake external coordination at national and international forums, including actively engaging with appropriate NGO and Humanitarian networks, ensuring GOAL stays current on relevant sector trends.
- Support the development of appropriate strategic partnerships with local, national and international NGOs, networks and alliances, etc. with the aim of deepening the reach and effectiveness of GOAL’s emergency response function.
- Provide senior level donor liaison representation as required and in coordination with the Strategic Partnerships Team, specifically with Irish Aid, DFID, FFP, OFDA, BPRM, ECHO and UN agencies.
- Engage with HO media teams to plan and implement engagement strategies for emergency responses.
- Work closely with the SMT to develop humanitarian programming in line with GOAL global strategic plan
- Undertake from time to time certain other tasks relating to GOAL activities as requested, including support to broader initiatives within the GOAL’s Strategic Partnership and Programmes Departments.
Person specification
- Not less than 10 years overseas experience (six of which in a managerial capacity) in implementing and managing humanitarian programmes, particularly programmes funded by OFDA, ECHO and UN agencies;
- Demonstrated leadership in establishing new emergency response and humanitarian programming;
- Demonstrated experience in representation with Institutional Donors e.g. OFDA, FFP, ECHO, UN Agencies etc;
- Experience supporting proposal development and internal and external reporting;
- Experience engaging with Cluster coordination systems;
- Experience of Contingency Planning;
- Experience working with Complaints and Response Mechanism and in relation to Stakeholder Information;
- Experience of negotiation and working with local partners;
- Evidence of good interpersonal and communication skill;
- Budgetary and financial management skills;
- Proven ability to work as part of a team and under pressure; and
- Fluency in English and ideally in either French or Arabic.
Important information about working with GOAL:
Safeguarding
Children and vulnerable adults who come into contact with GOAL as a result of our activities must be safeguarded to the maximum possible extent from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury and any other harm. One of the ways that GOAL shows this on-going commitment to safeguarding is to include rigorous background and reference checks in the selection process for all candidates.
Accountability within GOAL
Alongside our safeguarding policy, GOAL is an equal opportunities employer and has a set of integrity policies. Any candidate offered a job with GOAL will be expected to adhere to the following key areas of accountability:
· Comply with GOAL’s policies and procedures with respect to safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, confidentiality, do no harm principles and unacceptable behaviour protocols.
· Report any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult or any wrongdoings within our programming area.
· Report any concerns about inappropriate behaviour of a GOAL staff or partner.
General Terms and Conditions
Our package includes a competitive salary, 22 days annual leave and the possibility to join our Health care scheme. Additional benefits are available after 12 months of service. Candidates must be entitled to work in Ireland at the time of application.
This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available. GOAL reserves the right to change this document. Any published closing dates are estimated. Due to the nature of GOAL’s work we aim to fill vacancies as quickly as possible. This means that we will close adverts as soon as we have found the right candidate and this may be before the published closing date. We would therefore advise interested applicants to submit an application as early as possible.