Senior humanitarian programme advisor for the Caribbean, Cash and markets

Conflict and natural disasters devastate lives. All too often it’s the lives of the world’s poorest people. You’ll help us and our partners in the Caribbean and around the world to deliver and ultimately save lives and reduce human suffering.

When disaster strikes we’re quick to respond working with our partners to deliver vital emergency relief. But to do so we need to be well prepared. You will be part of our global humanitarian team and with others you will develop innovative and effective relief, rehabilitation, recovery and mitigation programmes and help vulnerable communities become more resilient to disasters. You will also provide the necessary support so Christian Aid partners understand and follow best practice in humanitarian response and will have particular expertise and experience of cash and market-based disaster management tools.

Geographically the focus of your work will be the Caribbean, particularly Haiti and the Dominican Republic. However, in times of crisis you will be part of our emergency response teams supporting our work in the field in other parts of the world too. You will help to develop and deliver humanitarian relief programmes, ensuring accountability and maximum benefit to disaster affected communities. You may have to travel at short notice and for up to a maximum of three months, though deployments are more typically between two and four weeks.

It’s important that you have strong experience in emergency programme and relief work and a good understanding of disaster risk reduction and humanitarian accountability. You will have worked in overseas humanitarian crises and be the kind of person who knows what’s required to deliver in tough environments. You will have a track record of developing projects and securing donor funding and will be familiar with international humanitarian standards. A knowledge and understanding of cash based programme approaches and markets is essential, and experience of developing emergency preparedness strategies would be an advantage. You are likely to have worked in the NGO sector or with an international organisation for several years. Whatever your background, you’ll be able to interact with a wide cross section of people, including disaster affected individuals and government officials. As well as fluency in English, your ability to work in French is essential. Knowledge of Spanish would also be an advantage in this role.

More than half the world lives in poverty. We aim to put a stop to that. So we campaign against the inequalities that keep people poor and we work with local organisations to give people strength to find their own solutions to the problems they face, irrespective of their religion. If you’re as determined as we are to end poverty and injustice across the world, work with us to make change happen.

In the application form you will be asked to show your suitability for this post by giving answers to the following questions, using examples of your own experience. Using this Advice on completing your applicationmay help you formulate your answers.

Innovation and creativity

Tell us about a time you have developed a new project in a humanitarian setting.

Effectiveness and accountability

Tell us about an example where you managed to include the views of people affected by disaster in a project you were managing.

Communication and interaction, Coordination

Tell us about how you communicated and interacted with different stakeholders to improve an emergency response or recovery project.

We value the contribution each person makes to the success of our organisation. That’s why you can expect a wide range of rewards and benefits, including a generous holiday allowance and flexibility that will ensure you enjoy a good work/life balance.

This post is preferably based in Haiti, but appropriately qualified candidates could also be based in the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo) or Spain (Madrid), assuming you have current and valid permission to work in these locations.

Download the role profile (153 KB pdf)

To apply for this post, please download an application pack and email your completed International application form to:  recruitment@christian-aid.org (quoting the reference number. Alternatively, your completed application form can be printed out and posted to us at:

Christian Aid 
35 Lower Marsh 
Waterloo 
London 
SE1 7RT

Please note that CVs will not be accepted.

For more information about the role please contact Adrian Ouvry in the Humanitarian Division: aouvry@christian-aid.org

Job reference: 425/OK/International

Closing date: 9am, Friday 19 April 2013

Tentative interview date: 25 April 2013

Christian Aid values diversity and aspires to reflect this in our workforce. We welcome applications from people from all sections of the community, irrespective of race, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief.