Myanmar: Field Coordinator

Requisition ID: req981

Job Title: Field Coordinator

Sector: Program Administration

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full-Time

Location: Myanmar-Rakhine State

BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world's leading agencies working in post-conflict and development contexts, supporting communities in over 40 fragile, failed and developing states. In this capacity, we work to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted, struggling to endure and wishing to advance on a path of development. The IRC began working in Myanmar in May 2008 with emergency response and early recovery interventions for communities affected by Cyclone Nargis. Since then, the IRC has broadened its portfolio with health, protection, livelihoods, and social development programs aiming to employ a holistic approach to meeting the needs of crisis affected and vulnerable communities to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. In conjunction with longer-term programs working in system strengthening, participatory community-driven development, and local stakeholder capacity development, the IRC works in emergency preparedness and response, supporting its staff and its partners to be able to become more resilient and responsive to shocks and respond quickly when they occur.

The IRC has been working in Rakhine State since 2013, and currently implements a diverse, multi-sector program portfolio including health, women's protection and empowerment, livelihoods and food security, and community-based early recovery interventions. The IRC's main donors for its Rakhine State program currently include ECHO, UNFPA, USAID, 3MDG, LIFT, SV, and SDC. The IRC is seeking a dynamic, highly qualified Field Coordinator for its Rakhine State operation. This position will serve as head of office for the IRC Sittwe field office, which also covers a sub-offices in Rathedaung. Minbya, Myebon, Paletwe.

SCOPE OF WORK: The Field Coordinator (FC) will supervise the overall implementation, management, and coordination of the IRC's Rakhine programming, including operational functions to ensure timely logistical/supply chain, HR, IT, and finance support for smooth program delivery. Key functions of the FC position also include representation, safety and security, and acting as the emergency preparedness and response focal point for the IRC in Rakhine State. The FC reports to the Country Director, and works and liaises closely with the Deputy Directors for Operations and Programs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Strategic Leadership:

• Supervises the roll out and implementation of all programmatic and operational initiatives and reporting needs, including those related to the IRC strategic priorities;
• In close consultation with senior management, as well as selected program and operational staff in Rakhine, lead the design and development of an IRC Rakhine specific strategy

Program Design:

• Ensure IRC's operation in Rakhine State is conflict sensitive in nature and appropriate for the narrative of Rakhine;
• Support the design process and the development of concept notes and proposals (technical narratives and budgets), in collaboration with the grants unit, sector coordinators and technical advisors based on the assessments and addressing the identified needs and concerns across the state that are aligned to the country Strategic Action Plan 2020.
• Lead the IRC response with the relevant technical coordinator during displacements (due to conflict or natural disasters), outbreaks, and other humanitarian emergencies as they arise, based on rapid needs assessments, government requests and under technical support from sector coordinators;
• Support any needs assessments and data collection and analysis to feed into project design, and evaluation.

Program and Operations Management:

• Conduct monthly field visits to ensure program quality and identify any operational needs and bottlenecks through supportive supervision and strategic direction
• In collaboration with the Grants Department and pertinent sector specific staff, ensure grants are well managed, spent and compliant assisted through the monthly Budget versus Actuals meetings and field level grant review meetings with finance and operations included.
• Provide leadership during any emergency response in coordination with the Emergency Preparedness and Response Coordinator in Yangon to ensure effective efficient responses can be supported along-side other actors and partners in the affected areas.
• In collaboration with country program security focal points, closely monitor the security context and any population movements, accessibility constraints, and natural or environmental phenomena, and advise the SMT on staff movement, immediate actions and support required.
• Work closely with the Deputy Field Coordinator and Senior Operation's Manager to support the operational running of the Sittwe office and the 4 (four) satellite offices (operations, supply chain, admin, finance & HR).
• Ensure compliance with IRC policy, procedures and practices throughout humanitarian response activities, including adherence to Do No Harm principles.

Coordination & Representation:

• Develop and foster strong working relationships with key stakeholders in Rakhine
• Represent IRC at the Rakhine Coordination Group, where key topics regarding Humanitarian, Development and advocacy are discussed
• Liaise and coordinate with other UN and NGO partners, ministry departments, local authorities, community leaders, and beneficiaries related to all programs with national counterpart
• Represent IRC and participate in coordination/cluster meetings
• Facilitate donor visits, IRC visits and ad hoc visits to the program sites providing key contextual information and advocacy points as 'take away'
• Liaise regularly and work closely with program, operations and finance staff in Yangon to coordinate program planning;
• Facilitate team building activities, regular meetings and trainings to strengthen the collaboration and coordination between programs, finance and operations in order to build a better communication among the teams in the working environment

Reporting & Documentation:

• Support the completion of donor and government reports from the field ensuring that the data collection is complete and analyzed accurately and any support needs are fed back to key staff in the main office as needed.
• Provide needs assessment reports and other internal reports as required by Senior Management
• Closely communicate issues, risks, opportunities, etc. with Yangon Senior Management
• Draft program briefing materials, and respond to requests for program information from IRC Regional Management, IRC HQ, donors, Myanmar Government and others;
• Work with the program and operations staff to ensure that field experiences are documented and used to advocate on behalf of the communities with which we work and for internal support to streamline and improve processes for efficient operations, i.e. ensure feedback loops on experience and lessons to key stakeholders.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Relevant degree (Bachelors) in development studies, social sciences, or other relevant field
• At least 2 years management experience in international humanitarian/emergency contexts with multiple sectors in changing contexts
• Excellent diplomacy skills, patience and clear communication skills
• Background in situation analysis, needs assessments and program implementation; experience working in/across operational functions is an asset.
• Experience with key institutional donors e.g. USAID, UNFPA/UNICEF, ECHO, DFID, and private funding sources preferable
• Ability to independently organize work and prioritize tasks.
• Exceptional team leadership, supportive supervision experience and mentoring skills
• Experience supervising a multi-national staff in a complex, insecure protracted emergency setting
• Proficient in MS Office, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint
• Experience in project design/proposal development, including budgets, and grant management and report writing.
• Demonstrated experience in external representation.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The position is based in Sittwe, Rakhine State, Myanmar with frequent travel required to project field site locations in rural areas of the country. This is an unaccompanied post and candidates will share group housing.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

Please follow this link to apply: http://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=a2F0cmluYS5taWxsZXIuMDQ2NDYuMzgzMEBpcmNjZC5hcGxpdHJhay5jb20