Country Director Concern Universal Dabola, (Conakry),

Country Director, Guinea

Location: Based in Dabola, Guinea (Conakry), with regular travel to Conakry, Kankan, Kissidougou, Dinguiraye and Labe

Responsible to: Advocacy and Learning Manager (UK Programmes Team)

Responsible for: Programmes Staff; Finance and Administration staff; Support and Office staff (approximately ten staff and others as recruited) all based in Guinea

Personal Profile:

CU’s programme in Guinea has a solid foundation and we are looking for an energetic individual to further develop the work and implement the 2011-15 strategy. The emphasis of the post at this stage is on developing new programmes and seeking new sources of funding and the postholder will need to have significant proven experience in project development and donor fundraising. Working within a motivated team of staff and alongside local partners, the candidate will have several years representational and project management experience, ideally with a livelihoods focus. Given the rural location of this post a can-do attitude and experience in hardship or emergency posts will be a definite advantage.

Background

Concern Universal's vision is a world where justice, dignity and respect prevail for all. Working in partnership, Concern Universal challenges poverty and inequality by supporting practical actions that enable people to improve their lives and shape their own futures. Founded in 1976, Concern Universal currently works in 10 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. By working directly with partners and communities to identify real opportunities for lasting and positive change, we facilitate a variety of projects that promote a number of issues, including food security, access to safe water and improved sanitation, microfinance, and respect for human rights.

Concern Universal is committed to working alongside communities and our partner organisations to support local initiatives that improve the lives of people living in some of the world’s poorest countries. Strengthening the ability of local communities to establish and sustain development initiatives is a central theme of our work. Concern Universal works in partnership with organisations that share our commitment to accountability and service within a community-based approach: in all our work we aim to maintain a cost-effective, professional and practical approach while also attaining best-practice standards. Concern Universal is responsive to community needs. In each country we target the sectors where we can make the greatest difference. Distinctive country strategies, developed with the participation of partners, communities, and other key stakeholders, emerge from this.

Concern Universal’s engagement in Guinea started in 1995, when it set up a small office in Guéckédou Prefecture in the Forest Region to support Sierra Leonean refugees fleeing their country’s civil war, to support the Kenema Diocesan Development Office (KDDO), one of CU’s local partner organisations in Sierra Leone. For more than seven years CU Guinea played a pivotal role in supporting the refugees in Guinea in humanitarian and emergency assistance. During this time CU Guinea initiated partnerships with local Guinean organisations to extend its operations to support local Guinean host communities in the Forest Region. In 1997 CU Guinea started working with the Organisation Catholique pour la Promotion Humaine (OCPH), the development and humanitarian wing of the Diocese of Kankan, and Secours Rapide Rural (SRR) (initially set up as Community Action Against Deforestation – CAAD), both of whom are now CU Guinea’s longest-running partners.

In 2002 CU Guinea significantly scaled up activities and started to turn its emphasis away from humanitarian response to rehabilitation and sustainable development. From this time programme intervention zones extended to the poorest and most vulnerable communities in Upper and Middle Guinea, while CU Guinea’s portfolio of partners also expanded; in 2002 partnerships were initiated with Association Sauvons les Enfants Déshérités (ASED) in Dabola and Association de Développement Economique et Social de Dinguiraye (ADES-D) in Dinguiraye, and in 2003 with Ballal Guinée, based in Middle Guinea.

Concern Universal now works in three natural regions (Middle Guinea; Upper Guinea and the Forest Region).

JOB PURPOSE

The Country Director will provide strategic leadership and management in developing the Concern Universal programme in Guinea. S/he will have responsibility for ensuring that all aspects of the programme are managed effectively, to ensure that Concern Universal plays a valuable and influential role in the fight against poverty and the strengthening of civil society. The Country Director will also have proven experience in programme development and fundraising from institutional sources, as this will be the lifeblood of the programme. Given the country context, and the provincial location of the office, this requires a highly capable and solid ‘can do’ type of person.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy

· Proactive contribution to the overall organisational strategy: enabling community-led development by working together with people living in poverty to enable them to improve the quality of their lives (Strategic Objective 1) and influencing and inspiring others through amplifying the voices of people living in poverty, enabling them to advocate for a fairer and more environmentally sustainable world (Strategic Objective 2)

· Leadership and proactive contribution to the current Concern Universal Guinea Country Strategy (2011-15)

Programme Direction, Management and Development

• To develop the programme based on the existing country strategy and Organisational and to carry out structured strategic reviews to respond to changing circumstances.

• To proactively seek new opportunities for funding of projects through in-country and external relationship building with donors and the submission of programme initiatives.

• To ensure continued funding for the programme through well-researched proposal preparation and clear operational plans.

• To ensure that adequate assessments are carried out in accordance with good working practice.

• To ensure systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating impact of programme activities.

• To prepare reports for donors, both financial and narrative, in accordance with donor requirements.

• To write regular reports as required - including monthly reports for the UK office (e.g. Project Status Summary Reports, Situation Reports).

• To actively communicate and work with local partners and communities on programme development, proposal articulation and report writing.

• To build and maintain positive and professional relationships with existing and possible new partners and to identify areas for capacity building with partners, such as project cycle management, strategy development, organisational development, human resource management, financial management, governance, etc.

• To ensure MOUs and funding-specific sub-contracts are in place with all partners.

• Drawing on staff and partner strengths to further deepen CU’s political, economic and social analysis of the Guinean and sub regional context and their impact on poverty.

Representation

• To ensure that relationships are developed with government and partner agencies at all levels to enable the appropriate development of the programme.

• To represent CU to government, Embassies/Delegations, the UN and other international agencies, donors and partners and other bodies including the media and the public.

• To be cognisant of advocacy opportunities and, following internal discussion and agreement, to develop these as appropriate through the media, government, the UN, international agencies, donors and diplomatic missions in consultation with the UK office.

• To contribute to the promotion of effective co-ordination between Concern Universal, Government, UN, NGO and where appropriate, other bodies.

Staff Management and Development

• To provide leadership and direct line management support to the Projects Coordinator, Finance and Administration Manager, Projects Officers, Administrator and other key staff that may be appointed.

• To encourage staff involvement and commitment to the running of the programme through regular meetings and visits and a participatory team approach to decision making.

• To assist in the design and implementation of the operational structure and staffing requirement for the effective implementation of CU’s activities.

• To recruit and induct staff according to in-country guidelines and CU policy, including equal opportunities.

• To ensure the Handbook for national staff is updated on a regular basis.

• To ensure that all staff have well defined and understood contracts and job descriptions.

• To ensure that all staff participate in annual appraisals.

• To identify the training needs of staff and ensure processes are in place to support and encourage appropriate personal and professional development of staff within the context of the organisational objectives.

• To conduct exit interviews for line managed staff before they leave CU.

Resources and Financial Management

• To outline the resource requirements for the programme and ensure that systems are in place for the effective management of resources in relation to finance, transport, supplies and capital assets, including maintenance of assets register and vehicle logbooks.

• To ensure that effective and secure budgetary control of the programme’s finances and expenditures are established and maintained, in line with CU’s financial procedures & guidelines.

• To monitor project finances on a monthly basis and liaise with donors if necessary regarding projected under or over-expenditure.

• To provide financial reports on a monthly basis to the UK office.

• To monitor the funds transferred to partner organisations and to ensure partners have adequate financial systems and controls.

• To prepare an annual budget for core costs and identify where funding will come from to cover these expenses in collaboration with the UK office (in regard to in-country, regional and international donors).

• To ensure anti-virus software is installed on all PCs and updated (at least monthly) and that data is systematically backed up (at least weekly).

Security and Health & Safety

• To maintain an overview of the political and security context, noting how developments may affect programme work. To ensure regular reporting to the UK Office on these matters and authorisation for travel to insecure areas.

• To ensure that robust and effective security and evacuation plans and procedures are in place and regularly reviewed and updated in order to secure the safety of all staff at all times.

• To ensure that the health and safety policy is regularly reviewed and all staff are aware of this policy and follow its guidelines.

• To ensure that security management is considered when selecting areas for programme work.

• To ensure all staff, volunteers and visitors are aware of and follow CU’s security procedures.

Other

• To comply with Concern Universal’s policies and practice with respect to protection of children and vulnerable adults and other relevant policies and procedures.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications

• Relevant Master’s level qualification or similar academic achievement.

Key skills and competencies

· Commitment to the fight against poverty and Concern Universal’s values and mission.

· Commitment to the capacity building of local institutions based on mutual respect and a partnership approach.

· Relevant sector experience in water and sanitation, agricultural livelihoods, and disaster risk reduction programming

· Positive outlook and stand-alone disposition.

· Determined hard worker, capable of rapid and quality turn around on a high workload and multiple tasks.

· Outgoing personality with solid interpersonal and diplomatic skills.

· Self-starter, capable of innovatively developing the programme.

· Adaptable and responsive disposition relative to the demands of the programme.

· Attention to detail and a flexible approach to work.

· Excellent communication and team-working skills, with the ability to build good relations, both internally and externally.

· Proven understanding of financial management.

· Excellent strategic judgement, planning, co-ordination and prioritisation skills.

Preferred experience

• Minimum of three years overseas experience, some in a project management capacity.

• Proven proposal writing and budget design experience.

• Experience of multiple donor grant management and reporting to major donors.

• Knowledge, experience and appreciation of the dynamics of local NGOs and community based development practices.

• Emergency and security management experience an added advantage.

• Experience in participatory planning and programme design.

Languages

• Fluency in spoken and written English.

• Fluency in written and spoken French.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Status: Unaccompanied.

Salary: Grade CD Salary Range £20,550 to £25,270 per year.

Benefits: Accommodation, insurance, flights, local allowance, annual medical examination, dependent’s and school fees allowances.

Duration of contract: Permanent.

All applicants must complete an application form. CVs will not be acknowledged or accepted. For an application form and other information about CU please visit our website www.concern-universal.org

Completed application forms should be submitted to: Olivia.Sawyer@concern-universal.org

Deadline for receipt of completed application forms is 26 March 2012

Initial telephone interviews for shortlisted candidates will take place the week of the 26 March 2012. Panel interviews will take place in April 2012

The successful candidate will ideally be expected to take up appointment within 1 month of offer of post.