Post on 23-Mar-2018
Candidate Brief
Project Coordinator – Syria Resilience Project -
3 year fixed term contract
November 2016
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Dear Candidate,
Thank you for your interest you have shown in the role of Project Coordinator for the CARE
Syria Resilience Project, funded by UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).
This is a really exciting time to join CARE International UK and the Humanitarian
Programmes Team. Throughout the past year we have been supporting CARE country
offices in chronic, ongoing and rapid onset humanitarian emergencies. We have built strong
partnerships with other humanitarian actors and donors who believe that CARE can provide
quality assistance to those who need it most. We have managed to secure multimillion
grants and we are ambitious to grow even more. We respond in all major emergencies
across the globe, but we put additional resources and focus to the millions of people
affected by the conflict in Syria and in the MENA region.
We want you to bring your expertise in humanitarian programme management and
knowledge of DFID funded projects, your passion to support the ones who need it most and
your innovative ideas on how to do this in the most effective way. You will also contribute
with your knowledge of the region, and your skills in managing several stakeholders and
large and complex projects, cultivating fruitful relationships.
You will be provided with the resources to deliver and I can guarantee that every day you
will further develop your skills. You will work in a dynamic and successful team with
experienced staff from different backgrounds, as well as with expert teams across CARE.
You will be empowered to take true leadership of the project and tasked to deliver solid
results.
We believe strongly that people are key to our organisation and we want each one to thrive
within a highly successful and motivated team, while delivering results for the people that
CARE is accountable to assist.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Christos Papaioannou
Humanitarian Programme Manager
CARE International UK
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1. Background Information
CARE International – a global organisation fighting global poverty
CARE International operates in more than 90 countries around the world. We run poverty-fighting programmes and deliver life-saving aid in 79 developing countries. This work is supported by global policy and advocacy work, fundraising, and programme management provided by CARE offices in countries like the USA and the UK.
CARE International UK
CARE International UK was founded in 1985 and we are one of 14 full members of the global CARE International federation. We employ 120 staff and generate around £50 million a year for CARE’s poverty-fighting work.
As well as supporting CARE’s humanitarian and development work around the world, CARE International UK provides specific expertise in the areas of women’s economic empowerment, inclusive governance, humanitarian response (particularly shelter, and gender in emergencies), and engaging with the private sector. We also play a key role in CARE’s work engaging with and influencing policy-makers and decision-makers to tackle the structural causes of poverty and social injustice.
CARE’s programmes are implemented through CARE country offices which are supported with technical assistance and programme management by CARE members (including CARE International UK). We work in partnership with local organisations to deliver many of our programmes.
CARE is non-religious and non-political, allowing us to deliver humanitarian and development assistance to anyone in need regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, political view or sexual orientation.
You can find out more about our current strategy here
Humanitarian and Emergencies work
Every year, CARE responds to approximately 30 crises that affect the lives of around 12
million people around the world.
Before Disaster strikes
For poor, vulnerable communities, the impact of any emergency can destroy hard-won gains
in the fight against poverty. Good planning and preparation can save lives, reduce the
impact of disasters and help people recover more quickly.
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That’s why we help communities to plan for emergencies and reduce the risks of harmful
impacts from future disasters – such as by advising on how to build safer housing, or
supporting farmers to grow drought-resistant crops.
During an emergency
CARE’s dedicated resources for emergency response allow us to provide fast, effective relief
to communities in need as soon as a disaster strikes. With ongoing programmes in many of
the world’s most disaster-prone countries, CARE has emergency response experts already
on the ground, and additional emergency specialists ready to immediately deploy from
around the world.
We provide emergency food and other supplies, provide shelter, and ensure people have
access to water, sanitation and health care. We place special emphasis on meeting the
needs of women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by disasters.
After an emergency
After the emergency phase has passed, CARE works with communities to recover in the long
term. Our goal is to move as quickly as possible from emergency response to recovery and
sustained development. Instead of providing long-term handouts, we help people help
themselves, for example by supporting people to rebuild businesses, and farmers to
rehabilitate their farms.
We also provide psychosocial support, helping communities recover from trauma by re-
establishing communal activities and structures and promoting better coping mechanisms
through community activities.
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The job and the team
Within the Programme management team, the Humanitarian Programme Team (HPT)
manages CIUK’s Humanitarian project portfolio in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Caribbean
and the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA). The MENA region, with particular
humanitarian focus on the Syria regional response and Yemen, is key to the HPT and our
MENA programmes have been growing significantly, especially in Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon,
Yemen and in Syria itself.
Recognising the extremely high levels of need in Syria and INGOs’ collective responsibility to
address them, CARE has been increasing our efforts to ensure that we reach as many people
as possible. This is done with a combination of programmes, addressing urgent needs, as
well as ensuring that resilience is built and livelihoods are protected. In our several projects
CARE works with local and international partners to improve both the scale and quality of
the response. We are also providing technical expertise as global leaders in developing best
practice, tools, and resources. Through our Syria Programme we aim to establish a long-
term, collaborative effort to use livelihoods programming for a holistic, multi-faceted, multi-
donor response programme.
CARE’s Syria project portfolio is increasing and we are now looking for an experienced and
passionate professional to lead our DFID-funded Syria project from an HQ perspective. The
Syria Resilience Project (SRP) will be implemented by CARE International and its local NGO
partners. It will be funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID)
and has duration of four years.
The SRP is implemented and managed on a day to day basis by the Project Management
structures in the region, but all overall programme, contract, financial and consortium
management responsibility lies with CIUK. The Project Coordinator (PC) will ensure that all
these aspects are properly managed, linking with the Chief of Party and other management
roles.
The PC will be held accountable for carrying out a range of quality management functions
using CARE tools and systems and sector standards in support of the country and regional
teams to ensure effective contract management. S/he will work with support from technical
colleagues in CIUK, globally and in the region, to ensure that projects are implemented in
ways that are consistent with humanitarian accountability standards, demonstrate results,
and generate knowledge to support CARE International’s commitment to multiplying
impact. In so doing, they will ensure that CIUK’s engagement with DFID is characterised by
high level performance in terms of financial and narrative reporting requirements, Value for
Money (VfM), as well as delivery of other project outputs such as research reports, Results
compact, etc.
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As the Syria programme has strategic importance for CARE International globally, apart from
the overall management, supporting the project learning activities in coordination with
relevant key CIUK staff will be part of this role. In addition, there are considerable linkages
and synergies with other CARE International projects in the region and the post holder will
be expected to ensure a coordinated collaboration which allows CARE to leverage greater
impact and learning through these different projects.
This is a three-year Fixed Term Contract.
2. Specific Areas of Responsibility
Project management
Overall project lead in line with CIUK’s agreed procedures, Project Management
Guidelines and Project key documentation (Project Narrative, Budget, LogFrame,
Risk Matrix, etc.)
Ensure effective and timely start-up of project to enable effective narrative and
financial reporting
Monitor project implementation against contractual requirements including through
periodic visits to ensure Country Offices achieve timely and appropriate delivery of
project outputs/outcomes, including ensuring Core standards are being consistently
applied, Global Impact Indicators used and monitored, markers are up to date and
VfM indicators are being tracked and learnt from. Provide updates to DFID through
formal and informal reports maintaining the oversight and ensuring quality of
monitoring, evaluation and reporting in coordination with the PMU.
Ensure regular deliverable and progress tracking to support programme
management by the PMU, CARE Regional and Country offices.
Escalate any major risks to the Regional Manager’s attention.
Ensure timely and complete closure of projects in line with contractual requirements
and in support of post project learning and influencing agenda. Project needs to be
fully closed on the internal database and final evaluation report uploaded to CI
portal.
Compliance and financial management
Financial management of the contract, including fund transfer procedures,
maintaining records and producing consolidated financial management information,
ensuring compliance with the DFID contractual requirements, in coordination with
the Contracts and Finance Officer (CFO).
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Scrutinise the project’s expenditure for quarterly re-forecasts, including CIUK’s direct
cost recovery, in coordination with the Senior CFO; raise risks to Programme
Manager, for reporting at Project Risk meetings
Lead on all grant revisions and extensions
Ensure timely follow up of audit findings required of CIUK
Internal reporting on progress, financial status and risk, escalating any major risks to
the MENA Humanitarian Programme Team Leader and the Humanitarian Programme
Manager
Programme Quality, Accountability, Impact reporting and Knowledge management
generation
Ensure that the SRP is compliant with the CI Gender, Governance and Resilience
Markers throughout the project cycle
Ensure consistent and quality oversight of the SRP in line with the Common
Humanitarian Standard, internal and external humanitarian technical standards and
the Humanitarian Principles
Support the development of a robust M&E systems during the start-up phase of the
project drawing on support and expertise from CIUK / technical teams/ country
office MEAL advisors. CIUK core MEAL standards need to be used, markers kept up
to date, GIIs measured.
Maintain oversight of the roll out of M&E and the data it is generating in association
with M&E staff
Supporting the planning, generation and use of learning from the SRP to support the
multiplying impact work of CARE Syria, UK and other CI technical and advocacy.
Working in partnership with the project management trainee and communication
team, contribute one story/ blog per annum to be used externally.
Complete concise back to office reports within one week of returning from visits.
Deliver one brown bag lunch (internal CIUK information meeting) on programming /
lessons from the SRP per annum.
Relationship management - internal
Work collaboratively across the department particularly with other Programme
Coordinators for MENA. Work actively with the Humanitarian Programme Team
Lead – MENA and Humanitarian Programme Manager.
Invest in understanding the CARE in-country programming context (strategies) of
which the specific project is a part
Work closely with the colleagues from all any technical team as required: Gender in
Emergencies, Resilience, Women’s Economic Empowerment and Inclusive
Governance, etc. as well as colleagues working on humanitarian advocacy and
communications
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Liaise with colleagues from other CARE Member Partners working on similar in-
country programming
Relationship management - external
Focal point for ultimate relationship with the DFID Syria Programme team and
responsible for all contractual and official correspondence with them
Ensure good working relationships with DFID in the UK and in country in association
with the country offices involved
Support the development of strong working relationships by the CARE Country
Offices with national organisations and local partners (existing and new) involved in
the SRP
Be an effective team member
Contribute towards the development of the team’s annual operating plan and
develop an annual individual operating plan
Contribute to annual budget development and regular reviews of team income and
expenditure levels
Contribute to team and departmental meetings ensuring that information on Syria is
proactively shared and opportunities for greater CIUK engagement are known
Support and provide cover for fellow team members as and when needed
Take part in the Humanitarian Team out of hours roster
- Any additional duties as may be reasonably required by a senior manager within the
scope of the above.
- This document forms part of the post holder’s contractual terms and conditions of
employment.
- The document is not an exhaustive list of core elements of the role. This job
description is a working document and may be amended from time to time by mutual
agreement.
Data Protection
The post holder hereby agrees not to disclose any confidential or sensitive information to a
third party or outside organisation except where required to do so by law.
Health and Safety
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The post holder agrees to abide by CIUK’s Health and Safety principles and code of conduct
and to take all reasonable steps to ensure both their own safety in the work place as well as
that of their colleagues.
Equal Opportunities
The post holder agrees to promote and uphold the principles of equal opportunities in
accordance with CIUK’s Equal Opportunities Statement and all related policies.
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Person Specification
Essential Desirable
Education/
Qualifications
Relevant degree or equivalent alternative
levels of experience and training.
Experience of successful management of
complex grants and commercial contracts
Masters degree in
relevant subject.
Prince 2 or similar
project management
qualification
Skills / Abilities Experience of successfully managing
humanitarian/development DFID funded
projects in the MENA region and/or other
complex environments
Experience and proven understanding of
resilience and livelihoods programming and
gender issues, and ability to deliver gender
sensitive programming
Knowledge of CHS, SPHERE and other quality
and accountability tools, as well as
humanitarian principles
Proven experience of working with and through
local partners, focusing on capacity sharing and
development
Strong MEAL and Value for Money skills.
Excellent verbal and writing skills in English
Excellent networking, negotiations and
representation skills to different audiences
Ability to speak Arabic
Experience of remote
management
methodologies
Experience /
Understanding
Relevant, minimum five-years work experience
in agencies with humanitarian capacity
including some experience overseas
Experience in starting up and rolling out large
scale projects
Very good knowledge and experience of the
Syria regional or MENA context
Understanding and experience of risk
management in a complex, conflict context,
including counter-terrorism and anti-fraud and
corruption regulations
A strong understanding or experience of HQ -
based (remote) management of overseas
projects.
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Awareness of current debates and issues in
humanitarian response
Other Able and willing to undertake periodic
international travel (up to 30% of work time) to
the region
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Application Process
To apply please send your completed application form via email to
jobs@careinternational.org quoting C847 in the subject line
or
Via post to Human Resources Department, CARE International UK, 9th floor, 89 Albert
Embankment, London SE1 7TP.
Closing date: Wednesday 23 November 2016
Interview date: Week beginning 5 December 2016
For further information please visit
www.careinternational.org.uk
Twitter: @careintuk