Somalia: Regional Focal Point

Aug 14, 2014 | Somalia NGO Consortium

The NRC South Sudan programme was recently incorporated into the region. Prioritised activities focus on shelter and infrastructure construction; water, hygiene and sanitation; emergency education including youth education; protection; food security and livelihoods; and Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA). The Regional Office is situated in Kenya (Nairobi), with a country office in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Juba (South Sudan), Mogadishu (Somalia) and Sanaa (Yemen). NRC implements programmes in South Central Somalia, Somaliland and Puntland.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Line managed by the Director and supported through the Puntland member NGOs (functioning like a regional Advisory Board), the Regional Focal Point is responsible to:

  1. Fulfill the mandate of the Somalia NGO Consortium
  2. Represent the Consortium and its members regionally
  3. Coordinate regular meetings with members and stakeholders
  4. Facilitate information sharing between members and external stakeholders
  5. In coordination with Nairobi office, facilitate research and advocacy functions for the membership.
  6. Uphold professional close work relationship with key officials of the regional government, in particular the Minister of Planning.
  7. Cooperates with the NSP Area Manager in Garowe.
  8. First point of contact for regional questions.

Specific functions include:

Representation:

  • Responsible to respond in a timely manner to all queries received regarding the Consortium’s activities in Puntland, including induction for new members, or new staff of a member agency.
  • Responsible for representing the Consortium in Puntland, ensuring regular and broad consultation with members on current issues.
  • Responsible for holding regular monthly information sharing meetings in Garowe for the members, including compilation of agendas, preparation and dissemination of background materials, and reports and documents.
  • Responsible for organizing and physically attending quarterly information sharing meetings in other key locations for members there who are not represented in capitals, including identifying relevant members and all tasks as with meetings in capitals.
  • Attend relevant external stakeholders meetings, workshops, seminars, etc, and represent neutrally the position of the Consortium as a whole.
  • Identify action points after each meeting and follow up with the concerned parties to ensure that action is taken; liaising with relevant working committees, and task force groups chairs.

Information Management and Coordination:

  • Responsible for the organization of, and attendance to, ad hoc meetings, workshops and seminars for the Consortium, its various working committees, and task force groups including compilation of agendas, preparation and dissemination of background materials, and reports and documents, and confirmation of locations and times. Responsible for compiling minutes of meetings attended and sharing them with the membership, providing analysis.
  • Produce and disseminate feedback to the members following representation on behalf of the Consortium, including on formal coordination bodies and bilateral meetings.
  • Responsible to participate, via teleconference, and present the Puntland specific issues in the Head Quarter’s monthly meetings.

Advocacy:

  • Responsible to coordinate with Nairobi office on specific advocacy issues initiated either locally or in Nairobi. Responsible to take advocacy issues forward that have been identified by members.

Administration:

  • Prepare the regionally specific aspects of the Consortium Annual Workplan to include objectives, common issues, and expected output that is to be approved by the Advisory Board.
  • Maintain financial records of all financial transactions of the Consortium including bank accounts, petty cash accounts, issuing invoices and receipt for localized memberships and forward to Nairobi as stated in the financial SoP.
  • Prepare annual regional narrative and financial reports for members and the Nairobi office.
  • Responsible for screening applications of regional applicants and forwarding to the Director (registration is managed from Nairobi).
  • Responsible to update and maintain the e-mail addresses, mailing lists, telephone numbers and physical address of Consortium members on a semi annual basis feeding into the main Consortium member directory.
  • Prepare a 3W’s matrix of member agencies on an annual basis. Integrate this into Consortium www that is hosed online. The website is managed from the Nairobi office.
  • Responsible for updating and maintaining all files and data bases for the relevant activities of the Consortium, its various working committees, and task force groups.
  • Responsible for maintaining weekly briefings with the Nairobi Director via teleconference or in person.
  • Physically attending bi-annual Somalia NGO Consortium member senior management meetings in Nairobi focusing on policy, advocacy, and key issues.
  • Any other activities requested by members or the Advisory Board that will enhance the Focal Point’s ability to fulfil the Consortium’s mandate.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATIONS

Qualifications:

  • Minimum Bachelor degree, preferably Masters, in Political Sciences, Law Social sciences, Development studies or other related field or comparable other experience;
  • At least five (3) years of practical work experience in a senior position within NGOs in humanitarian work in developing countries. Knowledge of the Somalia NGO Consortium would be considered an added benefit.
  • Good knowledge of humanitarian principles, NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct. Strong willingness to work and adapt to the NGO sector in compliance with basic humanitarian principles.
  • Proven in depth and operational knowledge of Puntland federal state with a particular focus on NGO context in Puntland is required.
  • Excellent understanding of Puntland government, local councils and traditional governance structures. Well-developed networks within Puntland would be deemed an added benefit.
  • Proven experience in development and maintenance of multi-stakeholders networks and proactive coordination experience.
  • Proven experience in high quality production of reports and analysis.
  • Demonstrable experience with advocacy/lobbying (NGO or other stakeholder) within a complex humanitarian context.
  • Capacity to plan and monitor resources

Skills and competences:

  • Excellent communication, coordination and representational skills. Demonstrated leadership capacity and professional experience at a senior level.
  • Demonstrated ability to make clear and articulate presentations (orally and in writing) of complex information. Strong analytical skills.
  • Capacity to deliver in structured and timely manner within set deadlines
  • Demonstrated capacity to work with minimal supervision and maintain a high level of initiative and engagement. Demonstrated capacity to recognize when and where proactive action is required and to initiate timely and appropriate action.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective working relations with staff and other stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural team and to coordinate with diverse stakeholders.
  • Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Languages:

English and Somalia (working language): fluent with excellent writing capacities.

Posting details:

  • The position is based in Garowe, Puntland, Somalia with frequent travel to other places in Puntland and Nairobi Kenya. Somalia is a hazardous environment and the selected candidate must adhere to security precautions and contribute to the security of the team. He/she must be able to exercise a large degree of common sense and personal discipline.H e/she must also display a high degree of diplomacy and personal integrity and at all times abide to working principles including impartiality and neutrality in all actions and work towards fulfilling the Consortium Mandate.
  • The position requires the holder to be able to work effectively and efficiently, unsupervised and show a high degree of initiative. The selected candidate must be able to plan and manage their own time effectively and delegate efficiently. The holder must exercise a strong work ethic and take responsibility for his/her own actions.
  • The position requires the holder to be able to undertake tasking at short notice with due regard to the security environment. It requires a high degree of flexibility with respect to working hours.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

All candidates are expected to observe NRC’s code of conduct please refer to: www.nrc.noSalary and employment conditions:In accordance with Norwegian Refugee Council’s Terms of employment for national staff, general directions and salary grade.


How to apply:

The recruitment for this position is managed according to NRC recruitment procedures in cooperation with the Consortium Director, the NSP Program Director and the Consortium Steering Committee.

Please submit your application and CV by email to info@somaliangoconsortium.org with the subject heading “Consortium Focal Point Puntland”, no later than 29 August 2014. Applications will be reviewed as they are received.

Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications, sent together with a CV, will be considered. CV-only applications will not be considered. Please provide references, but do not attach any written recommendations. Applications sent disregarding this official application process will not be considered.

Further information

You are welcome to contact the NGO Consortium Director at director@somaliangoconsortium.org for more information about the position. Please note that applications are not to be sent to this email.

For general information about the Norwegian Refugee Council, please consult www.nrc.no, and for information about the NGO Consortium please consult www.somaliangoconsortium.org .

“We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, irrespective of sex, age, religion, ethnic origin or political affiliation”.