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Sri Lanka National Country Director

Job Title: National Country Director (local)

Location: Sri Lanka

Reports to: Senior Vice President of Programs

About RI: Established in 1990, Relief International (RI) is a leading global humanitarian organization that transforms adversity into renewal for the world’s most vulnerable populations. Innovatively, RI bridges the gap between immediate relief and long-term community development.

Summary of Responsibilities: The Country Director (CD) is responsible for overall management and development of Relief International’s (RI) country programs in Sri Lanka, pursuing new funding/program opportunities and identifying gaps in services will be the highest priority. The CD is also responsible for ensuring that programming meets stated objectives, is in line with RI’s philosophy and strategy and meets the needs of beneficiaries. RI –Sri Lanka has a large focus on livelihoods, microfinance and post –conflict economic development, so a related professional and/or educational background is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities:

Program Planning and Development

  1. Pursue aggressive funding opportunity to support RI- Sri Lanka’s two tracks strategy 1.) Continued emergency assistance to IDPs Camps and resettled villages. 2.) Sustainable interventions in resettled villages via economic and social empowerment.

  2. Develop, in cooperation with other staff, short, medium and long-range strategic plans maintaining program focus in areas congruent with RI's program objectives

  3. Maintain effective communications with donors by tracking trends and anticipating the likelihood of funding opportunities

  4. Spot and aggressively pursue new opportunities for program growth and start-up which may include conducting full-scale assessments. This task will include the management of a program coordinator and liaison with HQ.

  5. Assess other implementing organization's activities using all available means to identify gap areas and overlap

  6. Identify and participate in forums and meetings for the NGO sector where a strategic benefit for the organization exists

  7. Negotiate contracts and agreements with donors ensuring both programmatic and financial requirements in conjunction with other RI senior staff

  8. Maintain effective communications with RI's HQ, regarding program development, funding agreements and staffing

  9. Provide oversight and strategic direction of a microfinance program(ARCS) for RI

  10. Assist in securing additional capital for ARCS through proposals and networking

  11. Work closely and provide support/materials for the HQ -Philanthropy/Communications team for media/public outreach and fund raising events/activists

  12. Identify, and where necessary, initiate and maintain program partnerships with external agencies.

Program Management

  1. Manage project implementation, including allocation of resources and ensuring that appropriate controls are maintained at all levels, by working with program managers

  2. Restructuring RI-Sri Lanka’s regional offices and national staff, quick implementation of the RI’ global SOP

  3. Effective liaison with Presidential Task Force (PTF), Ministry of Defence (MoD) and local government agencies, security forces to option necessary approval to implement project accoutring to the timeline

  4. Ensure that team members are effective and efficient and contribute the necessary work to ensure their programs are a success. Provide feedback to staff to ensure optimal performance.

  5. Ensure all programs are completed within time, on budget and achieve its objectives

  6. Provide adequate support to each program support including but not limited to strategic vision and technical input and advice

  7. Monitor project implementation, communication and report both internally and externally in particularly close attention and frequent visits highly recommended to the RI’s project locations in the Northern part of Sri Lanka,

  8. Serve as a link between RI and all project counterparts through sector coordination

  9. Ensure overall audit compliance, financial transparency though supervision and direction of financial and administrative staff.

Personnel Management

  1. Serve as national director overseeing the leadership and management of national and expatriate staff

  2. Consider and be familiar with the ethnic/political and conflict context in Sri Lanka when comes management of national staff

  3. Assess international personnel requirements for all projects and programs within Sri Lanka in conjunction with HQ and program managers

  4. Provide indoctrination briefings to all incoming expatriate staff covering RI goals and objectives, country and program background, vision and future plans, policies and procedures and security or delegate these topics

  5. Ensure that the hiring, promotion, firing and determination of compensation levels of Sri Lankan staff in accordance with local laws and practice

  6. Ensure the continued safety of all personnel and establish and implement emergency security evacuation plans as appropriate.

Security

  1. Serve as country security focal point or designate someone for that position

  2. Make security policy and recommendations based on all available information

  3. Ensure security guidelines are up to date and fully implemented

  4. Regularly report to HQ regarding safety and security

Reporting and Control

  1. Provide program reports and regular situation reports that are timely, meet information requirements and professionally written as needed by RI and as required by donors

  2. Evaluate and monitor all country programs to determine the extent to which they are meeting goals and determine action needed to improve achievements

  3. Ensure all programs are completed within time, on budget and achieve its objectives

External Representation

  1. Maintain a suitable image for RI in Sri Lanka and protect RI's interest and assets

  2. Effective liaison with donor governments, and other lead agency representatives

  3. Represent RI at high level and routine meetings with the CHA, Inter Agency Meeting, and sector meetings

  4. Initiate RI's response to disasters and emergencies when appropriate

  5. Facilitate donor visits to project sites as appropriate

Financial Management

  1. Budget preparation and monitoring

  2. Ensure that the national office and sub-offices maintain complete, up to date and accurate financial records and that records are adequately reported and stored

  3. Ensure equitable allocation of shared national office operating costs to the various projects and donors as per an agreed formula

  4. Ensure the timely preparation and accuracy of financial reports by working with financial accounting staff as required by RI and donors

  5. Other

  6. Act as the communication link between HQ and the field. Direct all communications up or down, as appropriate.

  7. Maintain organizational consistency through maintenance of strong, positive relations with field teams and HQ.

  8. Undertake additional activities as required by RI-HQ Minimal

Requirements:

• Higher education degree from an accredited institution of higher education in a relevant field of study

• Minimum of 10 years of field program experience including at least 5 years of senior management experience

• Strong verbal and written skills as well as ability to multi-task effectively

• Ability to travel to field locations and spend at least 40% of the time at field level

• Experience living overseas and ability to adapt and work comfortably in culturally unfamiliar environments

• Tamil and Sinhala language ability is a plus

• Outstanding interpersonal skills, particularly when dealing with national staff and multi-cultural teams

• Solid programmatic, financial, and organizational planning skill • Proven initiative and resourcefulness

• Excellent oral communication skills and writing ability • Knowledge of USAID, ECHO, EC and DFID grantee regulations

• Demonstrated record in collaborating with local governments, rural communities, other NGOs, and United Nations organizations

• Proven ability to work in a multicultural setting, experience in conflict zones preferred

• Ability to live, work, and travel under difficult environmental conditions and in politically complex areas

• Sound understanding of the political and conflict context in Sri Lanka required

To apply: For consideration please submit all of the following: a detailed CV, cover letter, salary history, and a list of 3 previous supervisors (including email address, mailing address, and telephone number) to Human Resources, Relief International. Email to: hrcd@ri.org. Subject line should include: National Country Director –Sri Lanka.

Expatriates based in Myanmar and local candidates preferred...Relocation benefits not covered

How to apply:

To apply: For consideration please submit all of the following: a detailed CV, cover letter, salary history, and a list of 3 previous supervisors (including email address, mailing address, and telephone number) to Human Resources, Relief International. Email to: hrcd@ri.org. Subject line should include: National Country Director –Sri Lanka.

Expatriates based in Myanmar and local candidates preferred...Relocation benefits not covered