Sri Lanka Country Director

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is looking for an experienced and capable Country Director to head our programme in Sri Lanka. DRC is a rights-based organisation and certified by the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP), and therefore committed to documenting our accountability to the beneficiary population and the impact of our activities.

DRC has been operational in Sri Lanka since 1998 and implements today an integrated protection and assistance program in the north-eastern part of the country. The programme includes early recovery, protection monitoring, legal aid and documentation, community mobilization, peer group support, training and awareness raising, advocacy, longer term livelihood and community infrastructure activities. All activities are implemented with the overall objective of promoting and supporting durable solutions to displacement affected populations.

DRC’s Main Office is in Vavuniya; district offices in Trincomalee, Killinochchi and Jaffna, and a small liaison office in Colombo.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Country Director is overall responsible for the DRC operation in Sri Lanka and planned activities for Tamil Nadu. The Country Director refers to and works in close co-ordination with the DRC Head of Desk in Copenhagen. Including the Country Director, DRC has 4 international staff members and approximately 70 national staff.

The Country Director is responsible for consolidating and at the same time developing the programme, continues the process of developing solid impact measurement mechanisms, strengthening accountability initiatives and ensuring that the financial management and organisational setup is adapted to the DRC Sri Lanka operation.

The more specific responsibilities include:

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

• Frequent travel to the field offices for direct operational support and representation

Programme development

• Be a driving force in terms of developing DRC programme within the DRC programme objectives

• Ensure that DRC standard regulations and operational procedures (Code of Conduct, DRC Management handbooks, HAP standards etc.) are followed

Finance and administration

• Together with the Head of 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

Reporting & Monitoring

• Ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements including procurement

Representation

• Act as representative for the DRC Sri Lanka programme to authorities, donors, partners, and in various co-ordination forums. Strengthen DRC’s position nationally and regionally

Fundraising

• As the majority of the fundraising is done locally, the Country Director will lead the process of applying for funding and broadening the funding basis

• The Country Director will take the lead in writing concept papers, project proposals and budgets in line with the DRC strategy

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

DRC invites qualified applicants – irrespective of nationality, race, gender or age – with extensive management experience, and who match the requirements listed above, to apply for the position.

In addition, applicants must have following qualifications:

• At least 5 years’ experience within humanitarian/development work, including strategic planning

• Experience in donor contact, fundraising and networking (experience with ECHO, EC and UNHCR would be preferable)

• Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines

• A good and operative insight in financial management and taking an active responsibility in budget and expenditure planning and control

• Fluency in written and spoken English with excellent drafting skills

• Relevant educational background at Master level (Political and Social Sciences, Management, International Development, or similar)

• Very familiar with humanitarian principles and practices, and used to represent an international organisation, both internally and to external partners and authorities

• Good negotiation, advocacy and communication skills.

PLEASE NOTE that due to the current rules of the Government of Sri Lanka expatriates are only allowed to work in Sri Lanka for an accumulated period of 3 years.

CONDITIONS

Availability: Mid May 2012 (please note that the time needed for obtaining a Sri Lankan visa and work permit is currently expected to be up to 4 months)

Duty station: Vavuniya with frequent trips to Colombo and field offices and project sites

Contract: 1 year with a possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance.

Salary and other conditions in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates, which can be found on our website www.drc.dk under Vacancies. The position is placed at Level A2.

FURTHER INFORMATION

You are welcome to contact Head of Desk for Sri Lanka, Mette Marie Honoré, tel +45 3373 5014 for additional information about the position.

Please note that applications are not to be sent to Ms. Honoré. We only accept application sent via our online system at www.drc.dk under Vacancies > Current vacancies > Country Director – Sri Lanka. Applications sent directly to Ms. Honoré WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

For information about our work and organisation, please visit our website www.drc.dk.

APPLICATION AND CV

Only applications with CV and application letter that address the stipulated duties and responsibilities and meet the required qualifications will be considered. CV-only applications will not be considered.

Please send application and CV, in English and marked “CD – Sri Lanka”, no later than 15. January 2012 via our online application system on www.drc.dk under Vacancies > Current vacancies > Country Director – Sri Lanka (click on the vacancy, then on "Apply" at the bottom of the window that opens).

Interviews with candidates are expected to be conducted in the beginning of February 2012.

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

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 people (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 applications with CV and application letter that address the stipulated duties and responsibilities and meet the required qualifications will be considered. CV-only applications will not be considered.

Please send application and CV, in English and marked “CD – Sri Lanka”, no later than 15. January 2012 via our online application system on www.drc.dk under Vacancies > Current vacancies > Country Director – Sri Lanka (click on the vacancy, then on "Apply" at the bottom of the window that opens).

Interviews with candidates are expected to be conducted in the beginning of February 2012.

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