Country Director - North Caucasus Danish Refugee Council (DRC)

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is looking for a Country Director to head our activities in the North Caucasus, Russian Federation.

BACKGROUND

During the last decade, DRC has assisted people affected by the many conflicts in the North Caucasus region. The work has included distribution of food aid, reconstruction of houses and infrastructure, support to self-reliance and local economic development as well as social activities for women, children and youth and conflict-affected communities.

As one of the largest actors of humanitarian assistance in the region, DRC once provided more than 300.000 recipients with emergency food aid on a monthly basis. Today, as the situation has stabilised and people are returning to more normal life conditions, DRC continues its efforts to assist the conflict-affected communities and populations in restoring life and rebuild their communities. DRC continues to be an important player for humanitarian assistance in the region.

DUTIES

The Country Director will have the overall responsibility for the management, programming, implementation, fundraising and continued development of DRC’s programme. The Country Director represents DRC in-country before authorities and ensures the necessary link and representation of DRC before the in-country international donor community. The Country Director reports to DRC’s HQ in Copenhagen.

In addition, the Country Director has the following responsibilities:

Management

• Overall management of the operation and direct manager for staff members. This includes coaching, ensuring co-ordination between managers, recruiting, and development of staff.

Programme development

• Be a driving force for the development of DRC programmes within the DRC programme objectives.

Finance and administration

• Provide overall budget monitoring, financial management and expenses control including compliance with minimum DRC and donor requirements and ensuring that the necessary systems are in place.

Security

• Overall responsible for security including development and ensuring adherence to security procedures, monitoring the development in the security situation, analysing and provision of recommendations.

Fundraising

• The Country Director leads and supervises the process of applying for funding and broadening the fundraising basis.

Accountability

• Guided by the DRC Programme Handbook, continuously monitor and develop relevant accountability initiatives in the field as well as strengthening the effort to document the impact of activities and our presence.

QUALIFICATIONS

The qualified candidate is a strong and visible manager. Qualified applicants have experience in operating in a very volatile security environment, have extensive management experience, are very familiar with humanitarian principles and practices, are used to represent an international organisation to external partners and authorities and furthermore match the requirements listed below.

• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience (including 3 years at senior management level) in international emergency and/or post-conflict settings, preferably with refugees and/or IDPs

• University degree in management, public administration, international development, social science or the equivalent

• Experience in finance management

• Experience in negotiating and advocating with government authorities and donors for solutions that serve the needs of beneficiaries, pursuing values of internationally recognised and universal character in a post-soviet, post-conflict culture with a strong local culture and tradition

• Experiences of strategic programming and planning, field implementation, monitoring and evaluation

• Experience in organisational development and implementation of policies regarding staff, code of conduct, anti-corruption measures and transparent management

• Excellent written and spoken English. It is also desired that the candidate has the ability to communicate verbally in Russian and to read Russian on a daily life/work level. Knowledge of the post-soviet society/Russian history and politics is necessary.

CONDITIONS

Availability: Mid-January 2012

Duty station: Grozny, Chechnya with ability to travel and work all across the North Caucasus. Grozny is a non-family duty station.

Contract: 1 year with the possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. The position is placed at Level A1. Salary and other conditions are in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates and can be found on www.drc.dk under Vacancies.

FURTHER INFORMATION

You are welcome to contact Ms. Shanna Jensen, Head of Europe and Asia Section (+45 3373 5016) for additional information.

We only accept applications sent via our online recruitment system on www.drc.dk under Vacancies/Current vacancies/Country Director – North Caucasus. Applications sent directly to Ms. Jensen WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.dk.

ABOUT DRC

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private, independent, humanitarian organization working on all aspects of the refugee cause in more than twenty five 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.

The protection and assistance to conflict affected population is provided within a long-term, regional and rights-based approach in order to constitute a coherent and effective response to the challenges posed by today’s conflicts. Assistance consists of relief and other humanitarian aid, rehabilitation, support to return and repatriation as well as promotion of long-term solutions to displacement and its causes. In addition, support and capacity building of local and national authorities and NGOs form an integral part of DRC’s work.

How to apply:

APPLICATION AND CV

Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications sent together with a CV will be considered. Please provide references, but do not attach any written recommendations.

Please forward the application and CV, in English and marked “Country Director – North Caucasus”, no later than 7. December 2011.

CV-only applications will NOT be considered.

We only accept applications sent via our online-application form on www.drc.dk under Vacancies/Current vacancies/Country Director – North Caucasus. Please remember to include a letter of application and your CV.

Please contact Anne Oxholm, job@drc.dk, if you have questions to the application process or experience problems with your on-line application.