Latin America Projects Manager

Contract

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

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, working in more than 40 countries to provide adequate assistance with a rights-based approach to refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, returnees and migrants. In Latin America, DRC is currently working in Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and implements regional initiatives.

To be able to assist refugees and the displaced, protect their rights and empower them towards a better future, DRC is currently transitioning its worldwide structure into four regions of similar size, structure and turnover (Asia & Europe, Middle East, East Africa & Great Lakes and West-North Africa & Latin America) – ensuring that DRC, at all times, is optimally equipped and able to provide the same high-level support to all countries. Within the new structure, DRC is currently establishing a regional capacity in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) headed by a Regional Operations Director (ROD) as of May 1st 2022.

Within this new structure, a department of multi-country grants and operations will be created with multi-country and cross-border projects, as well as regionally held grants. The position named LAC Projects Manager is a new position. The Projects Manager’s portfolio will be composed of multi-country and muti-year programmes (including in consortia) that operationalize triple nexus in strategic partnerships with local/international actors and integrate multiple sectors (economic recovery, protection, shelter and resettlements).

About the job

The LAC Projects Manager is overall responsible for ensuring the timely and compliant delivery of DRC’s programme activities in the field for multi-country and cross-border projects as outlined in programme documents and sector strategies, and in line with the programme technical guidelines.

A key member of DRC LAC regional capacity, the Projects Manager works collaboratively with technical experts of the regional capacity office to ensure sufficient technical guidance and support is available to implement regional projects effectively (Protection, Emergency and Early Recovery). The Regional Projects Manager also works collaboratively with the Support Services team to ensure that processes to enable smooth delivery of operations in the field are being consistently applied and improved (e.g. HR, Admin, IT, Finance, Supply Chain, etc.).

Country offices, Area Managers and Project Managers are primarily responsible for the timely and quality implementation of multi-country operations in their countries and regions. The LAC Projects Manager works in support of Country Programmes, and Area Managers where regional and/or multi-country grants are implemented. The Projects Manager ensures technical support in grant management and project cycle management to Area Managers, and S/he supervise the timely implementation of activities in these areas.

Role and Responsibilities

Management:

• Supervise, monitor, and evaluate multi-country projects implementation by Country operations and partners.
• Manage the LAC projects team (14 people) including one protection unit, one 4MI team, one support services unit and one MEAL staff.
• Develop multi-country project management tools between countries and LAC regional capacity.
• Support Country teams in planning operations and activities, contribute to their training plan and capacity building, and develop toolboxes to improve operations planning and monitoring.
• Ensure close cooperation with technical and support teams in the regional office and in countries.

Partnerships:

• Supervise and develop strategic partnerships for LAC projects.
• Support Country teams in managing partnerships at local level.
• Develop tools for partnership management in the region.

Accountability:

• Champion a positive approach to gender and diversity mainstreaming in DRC’s LAC projects.
• Support the roll out of accountability processes in LAC Projects.

Representation:

• Represent DRC LAC in relevant forums at regional and Country level as requested by the Regional Operation Director or Country Directors when LAC activities are concerned.
• Assist the Regional Operations Director in representing DRC in meeting with regional projects financial partners and donors.

When manageable, the LAC Projects Manager may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Regional Operations Director.

As Manager the post-holder is responsible for the following:

• Accountable for achieving DRC strategic goals and objectives within the area of responsibility.
• Accountable for making significant decisions on what the unit does: its purpose, functions and role, and for making commitments and decisions that require the expenditure of significant unit resources; and accountable for ensuring DRC´s compliance procedures are in place at all levels.
• Accountable for people management of direct reports. This includes hiring & firing, objective setting, probation, performance appraisal, development of staff, managing performance, including poor performance, etc.
• Accountable for making sound decisions based on DRC policies, MOPs, standards, and the advice of technical experts in DRC.

Roles reporting to this position: LAC protection Manager, 4Mi Team Leader, MEAL and support services team leader.

Reports to: Regional Operation Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have minimum ten years’ management experience in emergency/development contexts as country director/senior manager of a humanitarian or development organization or similar, moreover, we also expect the following:

Mandatory:

• Relevant university degree (Master or Postgraduate) in international relations and/or development, political science or similar field
• Min. 5 years’ experience overseas in complex humanitarian emergencies and development, preferably with refugees and/or IDPs
• Substantial project management experience in NGO, including in consortia and leading strategic programming and planning, implementation, monitoring, and learning
• Substantial experience in managing and developing partnerships with local and international organizations.
• Experience in managing HR, administration, finance, grants, and donor relations.
• Ability to transversal management with multidisciplinary teams, large workload and multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.
• Good understanding of displacement issues and related international standards/frameworks
• Team player with excellent communication and strong participatory leadership skills
• Excellent written and spoken Spanish and English
• Excellent Computer Skills (MS Office, Internet)

Desirable :

• Previous experience in LAC

Required Skills & Qualities

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly

Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment

• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment
• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills
• Team-oriented & good sense of humor

We offer

Contract length: 10 months renewable depending on performance and funding

Level: Band F for Expatriates

Designation of Duty Station: Bogotá, Family duty station - Accompanied

Start date: 01/06/2022

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.ngo under Vacancies. For questions regarding the vacancy please contact: yann.cornic@drc.ngo . Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications**: 20/04/2022 at 23.59 GMT-5**

The screening process for this position is on rolling basis, so early submission of applications is encouraged. DRC remains a right to close the vacancy once a suitable candidate is identified.