Global Localization Operationalization Advisor

Contract

This is a DRC - Expatriate or National contract. More about DRC - Expatriate or National contracts.

Are you passionate about a more inclusive humanitarian ecosystem and local leadership in humanitarian responses? Do you want to support one of the largest humanitarian NGOs in operationalizing its ambitions to support localization – to reinforce rather than replace or compete with existing local initiatives and capacities? Do you understand the challenges and opportunities of contexts characterized by conflict, displacement, fragility and political instability? And do you bring the seniority, expertise and personality necessary to contribute to the cultural change process needed for those ambitions to become reality? If so, you might be the right candidate for the role as DRC’s first global Localization Operationalization Advisor!

Who are we?

Danish Refugee Council (DRC), one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is seeking a highly qualified, experienced and committed Localization Operationalization Advisor to support DRC operations in developing and applying relevant and effective approaches to achieve DRC’s localization ambitions. Our aim is a more efficient, sustainable and impactful response to the needs of refugees and the displaced, which protects their rights and empowers them towards a better future.

This is an exciting time to join DRC, as we embark on a new four-year strategic period to 2025. In pursuit of the strategic vision of “a dignified life for all displaced”, one of the central strategic ambitions is to support the role and participation of local actors and structures in responding to the needs of people affected by conflict and displacement.

About the job

The position will be part of the Civil Society Engagement Unit (that also is the internal lead on DRC’s broader strategic localization ambitions) within the Program Division (PD). The PD’s role is to ensure the development of operational and programmatic policies and standards for DRC’s international work, based on the organization’s principles for quality and accountability; amongst others, PD supports individual DRC operations in meeting external and internal standards, has overall responsibility for facilitating strategy and policy development processes, and provides program-related technical advisory and support to DRC country and regional operations.

The objective for the position is to support the operationalization of DRC’s localization ambitions through technical support and strategic guidance to regional and country operations, with a view to developing programming that ensures a localized approach and enables DRC to shift some of its fundraising in support hereof.

While the focus of responsibilities lies in supporting DRC operations (70%), the position will also be part of and include commitments to the global localization team (30%), feeding into global learning and development processes related to localization ambitions based on regional/local experiences. The position will be based in the West Africa region during year one, but is projected shift focus to another region during year two (region TBD), which involves relocation of the position’s place of work.

The role includes the following main duties and responsibilities:

Strategy and policy

• Support with the strategic direction of localization ambitions, including but not limited to feeding into Regional and Country Strategic Plans.
• Lead on localization operationalization analysis in countries of excellence
• Participate in the development of DRC’s Global Localization Framework led by the global CSE unit

Technical advice and support to program development

• Provide technical program development and operational advice to mainstream a localized approach to programming in the region (with a specific focus on identified pilot countries/programmes of excellence)
• Support the development of regional/country-level structures that enable localization ambitions
• Contribute to scoping for new programmatic and funding opportunities to improve and increase localization efforts
• Collaborate closely with sector and platform Regional Technical Advisors to ensure localization is mainstreamed across DRC ‘s response framework

Resources, training and learning

• Participate in the development of global guidance, tools and resources led by the global unit, and lead on the roll out at the regional level.
• Be the go-to person for technical support with the use of global tool and resources, including adaptations to fit to specific contexts in the region.
• Support staff learning and development in the region, including providing induction for new staff in the region.
• Engage local networks, partners, stakeholders in systematic discussions and learning loops
• Collaborate closely with global unit to ensure uptake of learnings from local to regional and regional to global level, in support of global learning and development in support of localization ambitions.
• Engage in other regional and global tasks and collaborations in pursuit of Go Local ambitions.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 6 years demonstrable experience in similar advisory or operational roles in international humanitarian and/or development organisations, preferably in a mix of country and regional roles and at senior level. You should have demonstrable experience developing and overseeing programming that empowers local actors (local civil society, duty bearers, private sector); as well as experience developing tools and approaches to enable the implementation of localized programming. An excellent understanding on global discourse on the localization agenda is also required. Experience with rolling out organizational change processes and documenting learning is highly desirable.

All employees should master DRC's core competencies: Communicating, Taking the lead, Collaborating, Striving for excellence and Demonstrating integrity.

Moreover, we also expect the following:

Required

• Social science master’s degree in development or humanitarian studies, sociology, political science, human geography or similar
• Knowledge of engagement concepts, participatory techniques and methodologies applied by projects in humanitarian and/or development contexts
• Demonstrable skills with the design and facilitation of trainings and workshops
• Excellent communication skills for writing and presentation
• Demonstrable abilities in problem solving as well as taking a flexible and innovative approach to working
• Demonstrable skills with the design of programming concepts for fundraising
• Demonstrable ability to lead and support change processes at management level
• Demonstrable ability to form productive working relationships with colleagues from a diverse range of backgrounds, across offices and departments
• Highly motivated by the normative framework behind the localization agenda
• Fluent in written and spoken English and French
• Able to travel for 60 to 90 days per year and operate in a physically demanding working environment
• Able to relocate after the first year of employment.

We offer

Contract length: 1 year with possibility for extension subject to donor funding

Work place: Dakar, Senegal for the first year, with likely relocation to another region (TBD) in year two

Start date: October 1, 2022 or soonest hereafter

The position is temporary due to donor funding.

Employment band: F – non-management

Salary and conditions for the position will be on DRC terms.

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV in English. Apply online on our page Current Vacancies at www.drc.ngo.

DRC provides equal opportunity in employment and prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability. DRC encourages all applicants to apply and does not practice any discrimination in any recruitment process. However, applicants must be aware that DRC cannot employ, under an expatriate contract, a citizen of the country in which she/ he is going to be stationed (in such case, the Republic of Senegal).

Closing date for applications: August 21, 2022. We expect to conduct interviews the week of September 5.

Further information

For questions regarding the vacancy please contact Vassiliki Lembesis, vassiliki.lembesis@drc.ngo

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.