Desired start date: 27th of February 2025
Duration of the mission: 1 year
Location: Sittwe
SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI's interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in 26 countries, the SI teams – 3200 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers - intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.
SI has been in Myanmar since 2008, first responding to the devastating Cyclone Nargis. In 2011 and 2012, SI expanded to new regions focusing on Livelihoods, Food Security, Shelter, and WASH sectors. SI is currently mainly operating in Rakhine and in Kachin States with outreach emergency capacities through its local partners in other locations. The operations are supported by a Coordination team based in Yangon.
While continuing to support the vulnerable communities suffering from a long-term protracted crisis, SI is also developing a stronger and more responsive Emergency component, either directly or through local partners, to tackle the growing needs spreading across the country.
In 2024, 14 international staff and more than 300 national staff are working with SI Myanmar to implement projects focusing on Wash, FSL and Emergency response. Projects range from immediate life-saving response (Water Scarcity in Rakhine, Emergency response to new displacements etc.) to the search for more sustainable solutions to protracted crisis (handover to communities and local organizations, capacity-building, community empowerment etc.) Projects are currently funded by UNOPS, BHA, MHF, ECHO, CIAA, PV/AERMC, CDCS and UNICEFwith potential for development in terms of geographical coverage and activities’ scope to address the emerging needs.
SI currently has a coordination base in Yangon, with field bases in the Rakhine and Kachin States. Each office is operational with a Field Coordinator and between 36 (Kachin) and 228 (Rakhine) colleagues.
SI has 2 regional operational bases (with 2 Field Coordinators):
- In Rakhine State - Sittwe regional base with two areas of intervention in Pauktaw and Sittwe Townships. Sittwe State base is composed of 228 national staffs and 4 expatriates, supported by 56 community facilitators.
- In Kachin State - Bhamo regional base which is composed of 36 national staff and 1 expatriate.
Si has a third base based in YGN, with one expatriate field coordinator based in BKK, working exlusively through local aprtners for emergency response in Chin, Sagaing and Magway.
Each base is directly supported by a Coordination team in Yangon, composed of about 26 national staff and 9 internationals (CD, DCD-Program, Program Coordinators, Grants Team, Finance Coordinator, Logistics Coordinator).
In 2024, the mission budget reached 10 million euros, out of which two-thirds were from Rakhine, and a funding of approx. 8 million euros is expected in 2025. The main financial partners of the mission are ECHO, UNOPS, CIAA, BHA and UNICEF.
General objective:
The Program Deputy Field Coordinator (P-DFC) is in charge of supervising the implementation of programs in Rakhine State. In line with both SI annual country strategy and the evolution of the humanitarian needs in the area, the DFC-P will support designing and implementing new projects... She/He oversees the quality of project implementation through the direct management of Program Managers. She/he also supports the Field Coordinator (FC) in his representing tasks in external meetings under FC delegation.
Main responsabilties include coordiantion and programme monitoring, institutional and capacity building of managers in project cycle management and WASH technical skills (in support of the WASH Coordiantor), reporting/communication/external representation and team management.
The main challenges: Deterioating security, social, economic and political context in Rakhine
No more MoU leading to lack of official authorization to work preventing full implementation to the scale needed. No official INGO visas for expatriates. AA/MAF conflict in Rakhine on November 2023 - road/waterways totally blocked, lack of access to areas of interventions, not TAs for expatriates and extremely rarely for national staff and materials
Specificty : most of the workforce in Rakhine is composed of camp-based staffs which are both SI satff and beneficiaries.
Priorities for the 2/3 first months: .Understand the security, political, social and economic context of Rakhine
. Familiarise with SI's internal rules and regulations
'. Set up clear workplans with all managers under his/her line management according to the ongoing projects, priorities and capacities of each staff, as per guidance andhandover notes provided by exiting DFC-P.
. Organise work and regular meetings with the WASH Co
. Preparation of final reports with managers and FC
. External representatiion and meeting with key Rakhine partners (OCHA, UNDSS, MSF, OXFAM, DRC, NRC, CCCM cluster, WASH cluster, Health cluster)
Security constraints: SI internal security level : 3
The security context in Rakhine is currently stable but quite volatile since the reignition of clashes between MAF and AA on November 13th 2023.
No humanitarian staff or N/INGOs are threaten or at direct risk but clashes can be heard regularly from Sittwe office or Sittwe camps. The risk of being caught is cross-fire is light but not inexistent.. Deterioration of the security situation expected in 2025.
SI curfew from 8.30 pm until 7 am (official curfew 9 pm - 4 am)
No electricity (at office and GH with generators during limited hours)
No internet (not at all at the GH, during generator hours and a bit more with invertor at the office)
Extremely limited phone connection
Education / academic background:
Specific skills and experience:
Technical skills 1. Water and/or sanitation technical background 2. Excellent project management skills incl. Budget management 3. Experience in community mobilization/engagement, dialogue with community
Transversal skills 1. Autonomy 2. Good analytical skills and proactivity 3. Coordination and external communication skills 4. Excellent team managemnet and capacity building skills
Language: 1. English (mandatory) 2. Myanmar (an asset) 3. French (an asset)
A salaried position:
According to experience, starting from EUR 2475 gross per month (2250 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) and a monthly Per Diem of USD 500.
SI also covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate's country of origin and the place of assignment.
Breaks: During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every three months (with a USD 850 break allowance, allocated by Sl). To these breaks periods, SI grants one (1) additional rest day per month worked.
Insurance package: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which refunds all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.
LIVING CONDITIONS: Based in Sittwe
Guest House conditions
Very limited Internet and telephone network
Limited Restaurant & social life
Do you recognize yourself in this description? If yes, please send us your CV and cover letter!
Please note that CV-only applications will not be considered, and that the vacancy may close before the deadline.
Thank you for your understanding.
To learn more about Sl: www.solidarites.org
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Solidarités International (SI) est déterminé à prévenir et à combattre tout type d’abus – tout acte d’exploitation, d’abus et/ou de harcèlement sexuels (SEAH) à l’encontre des membres des communautés bénéficiaires ou de ses collaborateurs et collaboratrices, atteinte aux personnes et/ou aux biens, fraude, corruption, conflit d’intérêt non déclaré, financement d’activités portant atteinte aux droits de l’homme - qui pourrait être perpétré dans le cadre de ses interventions. SI applique une tolérance zéro à l’égard de tout type d’abus, particulièrement des actes de SEAH.
Solidarités International est un employeur équitable qui combat toute forme de discrimination. SI ne demandera jamais une rétribution quelconque en vue de participer à un processus de recrutement.
Solidarités International (SI) is determined to prevent and fight all type of abuse – all act of exploitation, abuse and/or sexual harassment (SEAH) against members of beneficiary communities or collaborators, fraud, corruption, violation of persons and/or property, funding of activities harmful to human rights – that could be perpetrated in the frame of its interventions. SI implements a zero-tolerance policy regarding acts of abuse, notably acts of SEAH.
Solidarités International is an equitable employer committed to find all forms of discrimination. SI will ever ask for any remuneration to take part in a recruitment process.