Country Director, Afghanistan
WAR CHILD CANADA JOB POSTING
Country Director, Afghanistan
War Child Canada (WCC), a registered Canadian charity based in Toronto, Canada works with children and communities to reduce poverty, provide an education and to defend and promote child rights.
WCC is currently operational in Afghanistan, Sudan, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Haiti. Our three core programming areas are as follows:
1) Education: school reconstruction; teacher training; literacy; numeracy; accelerated learning; physical safe spaces for learning.
2) Access to Legal Justice: direct legal representation; training and sensitization on rights of women and children.
3) Livelihoods: vocational skills training; food security; micro-finance including small business management and small loans.
A strong component in WCC’s overseas programming is the development of strong, respectful partnerships with local communities and organizations. By building sustainable projects through participatory methodologies and through building the capacity of local partners, WCC is able to ensure the delivery of appropriate and effective humanitarian and development projects.
WCC is currently looking for a qualified individual to fill the full-time position of Country Director - Afghanistan. This individual, based in Kabul, is responsible for leading and developing all aspects of War Child Canada’s Afghanistan country program including the development, management and implementation of War Child Canada’s Afghanistan program activities. WCC has been established in Kabul since early 2009. At present, WCC is providing capacity building support to their local partner who is implementing a comprehensive livelihoods program for women in Kabul and Jalalabad.
Objectives of the job
The Country Director:
o Develops and leads the implementation of a WCC country strategy, ensuring all programs and activities are consistent with that strategy, to grow and expand WCC’s Afghanistan program;
o Ensures all programs are implemented, monitored and evaluated appropriately, efficiently and effectively;
o Oversees the capacity building of local partners to establish sustainability of the program.
Position in the Organisation
The Country Director reports to the Program Manager at War Child Canada Headquarters (Toronto, Canada) on all result areas.
Result areas
1. Realisation of War Child Canada’s country program
o Final and overall responsibility for the country program
o Develop and update the Country Strategy in close collaboration with the Director of International Programs and other relevant HQ staff
o Develop Country Program and project proposals
o Develop tools and formats for planning, monitoring and evaluation, and support partner organisations in application of these tools
o Monitor and evaluate the Country Program's implementation
o Responsible for the oversight of all WCC staff in Afghanistan
o Ensure that appropriate local (implementing) partners are identified and that capacity building of local partners takes place
o Produce annual plans and reports
o Actively look to expand program and find donors
o Overall responsibility for budget and finances of project and implementation of country programmes
o Ensure that all actions taken as representative of WCC are with the full knowledge and approval of WCC Director of International Programs at WCC headquarters in Canada.
2. Capacity building of staff and local partners
o Assess the needs of the partner(s) in terms of capacity building
o Ensure adequate means are organized (for example, trainings) to meet identified needs
o Evaluate the effect of trainings and other support (follow-up) and ensure that capacity building needs are met
o Recruit local staff, as necessary, in consultation with HQ
3. Maintain network of contacts/ representation
o Ensure appropriate communications, information exchange and sharing with local partners and with headquarters
o Share project 'lessons learned' with HQ and other NGOs, support communication activities, field visits, etc
o Develop and maintain productive relationships with local and national governments, other agencies, donors and media
o Represent WCC at coordination and cluster meetings, and with local government, donors, UN and other NGOs.
4. Fundraising
o Direct responsibility for pro-actively developing in-country fundraising with institutional donors
o Actively develop and maintain donor relations
o Ensure that proposals and reports for donors are written according to the requirements of the donor
5. Security Management
o Final and direct responsibility for security management
o Maintain internal and external contacts with relevant parties and authorities related to security in order to be well informed about security developments at all times
o Monitor the security context of the country to manage and mitigate security risks
o Regularly update and implement War Child Canada's Country Security Plan
6. Logistics Management
o Final responsibility for office management and logistics, including reporting to headquarters
7. Finance Management
o Final in-country financial responsibility, including reporting to headquarters
o Maintain efficient financial control (of cash flows, local payments, etc), accountability standards, procedures and records
o Prepare budget and monitor budget-spending; take appropriate action concerning budget/spending deficiencies or surpluses
QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS
Knowledge
o Relevant academic background (For example, Masters degree or equivalent experience in International Development, Community Development, Social Sciences, International Relations, etc.)
o Sound knowledge of Financial Management.
Experience
o Substantial experience in an international/humanitarian context with a non-governmental organization
o Two or more years experience working with local partners
o Demonstrated track record in financial management and HR management, including mentoring of national and international staff
o Previous experience in Afghanistan preferred
Skills
o Social and communicative skills for advising and coaching local partners and frequent internal and external contacts
o Ability to manage finances, logistics, and operations
o Strong advisory skills to deliver clear and well-considered advice
o Written expressions skills to be able to write strategy, proposals, budgets and reports
o Excellent verbal and written skills in English
o Knowledge of Dari or Pashtu desirable
o Capability to decide operational, tactical and strategic issues
o Planning and organisational skills
o Able to assess social/political situations and able to act in a diplomatic way in delicate situations
o Capacity building and training skills
Attitude
o Affinity with War Child Canada’s mandate;
o Result-focused and persistent to achieve goals
o Creative and flexible
o Stress-resilient to be able to cope with deadlines and complex problems
o Culturally sensitive
o Willingness to travel in-country
o Able to work independently
BENEFITS
Medical benefits as per War Child Canada policy for overseas staff
VACATION
As per War Child Canada contractual standards
SALARY
Commensurate with experience and qualifications
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Tuesday February 15th, 2011 (midnight EDT)
EMPLOYMENT START DATE
March 2011 preferred; determined by visa arrangements
INTERESTED APPLICANTS ARE INVITED TO SEND A CURRICULUM VITAE AND
AN ACCOMPANYING COVER LETTER TO:
War Child Canada
489 College St, Suite 500
Toronto, ON M6G 1A5
f: 416.971.7946
www.warchild.ca
Or electronically, to:
jobs@warchild.ca
Subject: “Afghanistan Country Director, APPLICANT NAME” IMPORTANT – ONLY THOSE APPLICATIONS WRITING NAME AND POSITION IN EMAIL SUBJECT HEADING WILL BE CONSIDERED
Queries should be sent by email only to: jobs@warchild.ca
Only those applicants selected for an interview will be notified. No phone calls please.
For more information about War Child Canada, please visit www.warchild.ca.
Country Director, Afghanistan
War Child Canada (WCC), a registered Canadian charity based in Toronto, Canada works with children and communities to reduce poverty, provide an education and to defend and promote child rights.
WCC is currently operational in Afghanistan, Sudan, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Haiti. Our three core programming areas are as follows:
1) Education: school reconstruction; teacher training; literacy; numeracy; accelerated learning; physical safe spaces for learning.
2) Access to Legal Justice: direct legal representation; training and sensitization on rights of women and children.
3) Livelihoods: vocational skills training; food security; micro-finance including small business management and small loans.
A strong component in WCC’s overseas programming is the development of strong, respectful partnerships with local communities and organizations. By building sustainable projects through participatory methodologies and through building the capacity of local partners, WCC is able to ensure the delivery of appropriate and effective humanitarian and development projects.
WCC is currently looking for a qualified individual to fill the full-time position of Country Director - Afghanistan. This individual, based in Kabul, is responsible for leading and developing all aspects of War Child Canada’s Afghanistan country program including the development, management and implementation of War Child Canada’s Afghanistan program activities. WCC has been established in Kabul since early 2009. At present, WCC is providing capacity building support to their local partner who is implementing a comprehensive livelihoods program for women in Kabul and Jalalabad.
Objectives of the job
The Country Director:
o Develops and leads the implementation of a WCC country strategy, ensuring all programs and activities are consistent with that strategy, to grow and expand WCC’s Afghanistan program;
o Ensures all programs are implemented, monitored and evaluated appropriately, efficiently and effectively;
o Oversees the capacity building of local partners to establish sustainability of the program.
Position in the Organisation
The Country Director reports to the Program Manager at War Child Canada Headquarters (Toronto, Canada) on all result areas.
Result areas
1. Realisation of War Child Canada’s country program
o Final and overall responsibility for the country program
o Develop and update the Country Strategy in close collaboration with the Director of International Programs and other relevant HQ staff
o Develop Country Program and project proposals
o Develop tools and formats for planning, monitoring and evaluation, and support partner organisations in application of these tools
o Monitor and evaluate the Country Program's implementation
o Responsible for the oversight of all WCC staff in Afghanistan
o Ensure that appropriate local (implementing) partners are identified and that capacity building of local partners takes place
o Produce annual plans and reports
o Actively look to expand program and find donors
o Overall responsibility for budget and finances of project and implementation of country programmes
o Ensure that all actions taken as representative of WCC are with the full knowledge and approval of WCC Director of International Programs at WCC headquarters in Canada.
2. Capacity building of staff and local partners
o Assess the needs of the partner(s) in terms of capacity building
o Ensure adequate means are organized (for example, trainings) to meet identified needs
o Evaluate the effect of trainings and other support (follow-up) and ensure that capacity building needs are met
o Recruit local staff, as necessary, in consultation with HQ
3. Maintain network of contacts/ representation
o Ensure appropriate communications, information exchange and sharing with local partners and with headquarters
o Share project 'lessons learned' with HQ and other NGOs, support communication activities, field visits, etc
o Develop and maintain productive relationships with local and national governments, other agencies, donors and media
o Represent WCC at coordination and cluster meetings, and with local government, donors, UN and other NGOs.
4. Fundraising
o Direct responsibility for pro-actively developing in-country fundraising with institutional donors
o Actively develop and maintain donor relations
o Ensure that proposals and reports for donors are written according to the requirements of the donor
5. Security Management
o Final and direct responsibility for security management
o Maintain internal and external contacts with relevant parties and authorities related to security in order to be well informed about security developments at all times
o Monitor the security context of the country to manage and mitigate security risks
o Regularly update and implement War Child Canada's Country Security Plan
6. Logistics Management
o Final responsibility for office management and logistics, including reporting to headquarters
7. Finance Management
o Final in-country financial responsibility, including reporting to headquarters
o Maintain efficient financial control (of cash flows, local payments, etc), accountability standards, procedures and records
o Prepare budget and monitor budget-spending; take appropriate action concerning budget/spending deficiencies or surpluses
QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS
Knowledge
o Relevant academic background (For example, Masters degree or equivalent experience in International Development, Community Development, Social Sciences, International Relations, etc.)
o Sound knowledge of Financial Management.
Experience
o Substantial experience in an international/humanitarian context with a non-governmental organization
o Two or more years experience working with local partners
o Demonstrated track record in financial management and HR management, including mentoring of national and international staff
o Previous experience in Afghanistan preferred
Skills
o Social and communicative skills for advising and coaching local partners and frequent internal and external contacts
o Ability to manage finances, logistics, and operations
o Strong advisory skills to deliver clear and well-considered advice
o Written expressions skills to be able to write strategy, proposals, budgets and reports
o Excellent verbal and written skills in English
o Knowledge of Dari or Pashtu desirable
o Capability to decide operational, tactical and strategic issues
o Planning and organisational skills
o Able to assess social/political situations and able to act in a diplomatic way in delicate situations
o Capacity building and training skills
Attitude
o Affinity with War Child Canada’s mandate;
o Result-focused and persistent to achieve goals
o Creative and flexible
o Stress-resilient to be able to cope with deadlines and complex problems
o Culturally sensitive
o Willingness to travel in-country
o Able to work independently
BENEFITS
Medical benefits as per War Child Canada policy for overseas staff
VACATION
As per War Child Canada contractual standards
SALARY
Commensurate with experience and qualifications
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Tuesday February 15th, 2011 (midnight EDT)
EMPLOYMENT START DATE
March 2011 preferred; determined by visa arrangements
INTERESTED APPLICANTS ARE INVITED TO SEND A CURRICULUM VITAE AND
AN ACCOMPANYING COVER LETTER TO:
War Child Canada
489 College St, Suite 500
Toronto, ON M6G 1A5
f: 416.971.7946
www.warchild.ca
Or electronically, to:
jobs@warchild.ca
Subject: “Afghanistan Country Director, APPLICANT NAME” IMPORTANT – ONLY THOSE APPLICATIONS WRITING NAME AND POSITION IN EMAIL SUBJECT HEADING WILL BE CONSIDERED
Queries should be sent by email only to: jobs@warchild.ca
Only those applicants selected for an interview will be notified. No phone calls please.
For more information about War Child Canada, please visit www.warchild.ca.
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