Bangladesh program coordinator

Mission and functions

Solidarités International is a French humanitarian organization which provides aid and assistance to victims of war or natural disaster. For over 30 years the association has focused on meeting three vital needs - water, food and shelter - by carrying out emergency programmes followed by longer-term reconstruction projects. Whilst fully respecting the assisted populations’ customs and culture, Solidarités International’s programmes are implemented through the joint expertise of around 180 expatriates and 1500 local managerial staff and employees. Solidarités International is currently present in Africa (Central African Republic, South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire), in Asia (Afghanistan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan) and in Haiti. Goal/purpose: The program coordinator contributes to the development of Solidarités International strategy in Bangladesh. He/she if the guarantor of the quality and suitability of proposed programs and ensures the appropriateness between SI’s activities and general objectives and needs of the population. He/she coordinates the project cycle and more particularly the operational monitoring of programs implemented in Bangladesh. He/she contributes to the capitalization process and the improvement of Solidarités International methods and techniques in Bangladesh and at regional level through the regional technical week.

Functions

Strategic orientation

• Propose and develop in collaboration with the other coordinators SI’s policies, priorities and strategy in Bangladesh.
• Propose and organize assessment missions.
• Support the head of mission in the monitoring and analysis of SI intervention sectors and the analysis of the donors’ strategies for the organization’s activities.
• Be the driving force for putting new activities into place.
• Participate actively in programming work
• Participate actively to technical coordinators week Relevance and quality of projects
• Validate the quality of the assessments carried out • Propose and organize evaluation missions
• Support the program supervisor/s in setting up a technical approach and assessing the financial, human, and logistical elements of programs to be implemented.
• Approve the technical approaches and aspects of projects.
• Ensure that all programs are implemented respecting Solidarités International annual operational strategy, technical requirements, and the criteria stipulated by donors.
• Ensure the relevance and consistency of all programs vis-à-vis the needs of the populations.
• Ensure that the programs implemented on the mission reach the expected results and number of beneficiaries
• Ensure that work meets sustainability requirements and that established norms and standards are respected
• Develop team capacities with techniques and new methodologies

Coordination, technical support and operational monitoring

• Ensure that resources from the Tool Box are used correctly in the management of the project cycle.
• Ensure that the planning and monitoring timetable is consolidated / validated
• Approve the quality criteria and performance indicators of the programs proposed by the program managers
• Ensure that monitoring indicators are in place and relevant
• With the coordination team, take part in the monthly review of programs (budgetary, operational, logistical…)
• Provide support and advice to the logistical service for the purchase of specific materials.
• Provide a technical and methodological support to program managers for the planning and implementation of programs
• Supervise and support the program managers, monitor and evaluate activities implemented
• Anticipate difficulties relating to how his/her tasks are carried out and facilitate the resolution of problems
• Propose the reorientation of activities according to changing context and indicators Capitalization
• Ensure that SI’s capitalization tools are correctly used and disseminated throughout the headquarters (technical unit and desks)
• Participate in the centralization and dissemination of procedures, guides and tools linked to activities
• Propose improvements to existing tools
• Form a network of experts, develop technical partnerships with others actors in the intervention zone and regularly keep the technical unit informed
• In coordination with the technical unit, capitalize on the intervention methods and techniques, and on the experiences acquired by SI and others actors in the field.
• Ensure that handover reports are written by all program managers before the end of their contract and that these are sent to headquarters Personnel management
• In collaboration with the HoM, define the prerequisites for technical position openings and adapt existing criteria if necessary.
• Brief all the manager on the programs carried out in Bangladesh
• Identify training requirements within the programs’ teams and the resources available locally
• Implement technical training in line with operational needs and the training requirements identified
• Lead workshops, coordination meetings and/or technical exchange programs
• Evaluate and assess the performance of collaborators under his/her direct supervision
• Actively participate in the organization of regional technical weeks and compiling reports on these work sessions
• Supervise adherence to security regulations by personnel under his/her supervision Reporting / communication / representation
• Is in charge of the donors relation for all issues related to on-going program, apart from security issues linked to on-going programs
• Report to the HoM all security matters or any event having a possible consequence on SI activities and the security of the teams.
• Consolidate activity reports and supervise the preparation of reports and/or amendments for the projects implemented in Bangladesh
• Ensure that all reports are delivered on time, within the proper template and in well written English
• Validate technical expertise reports
• In collaboration with the HoM, establish and maintain a communication network and good relations with local/government authorities, donors representatives, UN agencies and other international agencies for all issues related with on-going program apart from security related issues
• Ensure that SI is represented at all meetings or forums regarding SI programs
• Represent SI when asked to do so
• Reply to HQ requests regarding specific needs

Profil

Qualification :

• Post graduate level in development, WASH or agronomy studies (desirable but can be balanced by experience)

Experience :

• Substantial experience in a senior management position in an overseas NGO environment, ideally in both emergency and developmental contexts
• Experience of program implementation in different fields: WaSH and/or food security – livelihood and/or DRR –Climate change adaptation, and / or community mobilization
• Experience of managing large teams in multiple locations with various problematics
• Experience of budget management
• Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures Technical skill and competence:
• Extensive knowledge about project cycle management and monitoring tools
• An ability to reflect on and learn from own performance and the performance of the program; and to act upon that learning
• A good understanding of DRR and climate change issues
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office, Excel and (optional) Sphynx
• Extensive report writing skills in English
• Capacity to deal with many different issues, programs, sectors, to self- update and learn very quickly from a highly and constantly evolving environment
• Strong representation / public relation skills
• An ability to analyse information quickly and accurately
• Good problem solving skills in day to day and crisis situations
• A flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks with tight deadlines

Personnal quality:

• Ability to take decisions and work in autonomy
• As functional manager, the candidate must display diplomatic and smooth leadership skills
• An understanding of and commitment to SI’s mission and values

Language :

Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English

Other :

Desirable:

• Previous experience in South Asia (recommended)
• Previous experience with SI

Statute

Salaried post: from 1700 Euros gross per month, according to experience, plus 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly, and a monthly Per Diem of 450 USD Solidarités International will cover accommodation and travel expenses from the expatriate’s home country to the site of the assignment.

- Social and medical cover: Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which reimburses all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded. During the assignment, the expatriate is entitled to R&R every three months: one week at three and nine months (with a 500 euro allowance) and two weeks at six months (with a plane ticket back home covered by Solidarités).