Introduction

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfilment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit-making, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organization.

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

1. Background

DRC has been operating in West Africa since 1998 and in Latin America and the Caribbean since 2011. The DRC West-North Africa & Latin America (WANALA) Regional Office is based in Dakar, Senegal, and covers several countries. Led by the Regional Executive Director, the DRC WANALAC oversees, supports, and provides strategic directions for DRC’s Country Offices within the above-mentioned regions. From May 2022, it will include Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Colombia, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Tunisia, Venezuela. The Regional Program Team has a range of technical capacities, including the emergency coordinator.

2. Purpose

The Regional Emergency Coordinator assists in the development and strengthening of emergency preparedness and response within the region through the provision of technical support, operational guidance, trouble-shooting and quality assurance to all emergency programmes within the West, North Africa and Latin America Regional Office (WANALA) on a needs and request basis, both remotely and via regular field deployments to countries within the region. This position represents an excellent opportunity to provide technical leadership and capacity building in an exciting and challenging context, and to strategically develop the quality, impact and sectoral integration of DRC’s emergency responses. This position has a technical dotted reporting line to the Emergency Unit in DRC Headquarters to ensure global consistency and harmonisation of approaches, tools, coordination and learning.

The position is open for local and international applicants.

Geographical scope: This role has a regional focus and ensures compliance to DRC procedures and guidelines within DRC WANALA region and potential development in neighbouring areas covered by the regional office.

3. Responsibilities

Country and multi-country specific support for the areas covered by the position

The responsibilities listed in the JD are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Support all countries with emergency preparedness, including maintaining an Early Warning regional overview of country risk, and ensuring all Country Offices have up-to-date Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans (EPRP)
• Provide Emergency Capacity Building training to staff as requested by Regional and Country Offices
• Support Country Offices developing and undertaking ad-hoc Rapid Needs Assessments and emergency assessments where required following shocks / crises
• Support Country Offices in the design, planning and resource mobilisation for emergency activities, following a shock, and in protracted emergency contexts, including via deployments to affected countries In line with DRC global emergency guidance

Support existing/new operations in emergency response – including assist in staff recruitment, staff training, setting up systems, and planning and starting activities; and business development / proposal writing.

Provide remote technical review and input to Emergency Programme proposal design and development.

Quality Assurance

• Conduct humanitarian response capacity assessments in countries/areas as required;
• Provide trouble-shooting in existing operations facing bottlenecks in implementation;
• Ensure countries are using and able to use standardised DRC Emergency tools andemergency MEAL tools; Provide updated tools, technical guidance and training materials to Country Offices as requested and ensure coherence of emergency MEAL approaches across the Region in line with global procedure.
• In close coordination with RO and CO technical staff, ensure response activities are appropriate across all sectors.
• Provide significant input and advice to strategies to transition emergency operations to recovery, resilience and Durable Solutions approaches;
• Ensure all emergency response actions are adhering to standards and best practices including HAP/CHS standards, relevant Minimum Standards and SPHERE etc.
• Ensure that DRC mandate, policies and values in programming is upheld, and DRC’s accountability obligations are delegated and carried out in accordance with standard regulations and operational procedures e.g. Code of Conduct, DRC Programme Handbook, DRC Operations Handbook

Regional Strategy and Coordination

• Lead and coordinate regionally-led multi-country emergency responses as/where needed in the Region;
• Provide RO and CO Senior Management Teams with updated information on ongoing/emerging humanitarian crises and needs within the WANALA region;
• Lead the development of regional response plans or multi country response plans
• Participate as relevant in coordination mechanisms throughout the region and represent DRC as requested, including building relationships with other regional Emergency Coordinators (or equivalent) in NGOs, CSOs, donor agencies, UN etc.;
• Identification and prioritization (continuous) of geographical areas for assessment and response, both new and existing;
• In close coordination and collaboration with the Regional Security Coordinator, assist in assessing access possibilities to new areas, or areas with limited/no access, as needed;
• In close coordination and collaboration with the Regional Head of Support Services provide support and training with respect to the implementation of emergency derogations, as per the Operations Handbook
• Support link between CO and RO teams and HQ technical advisors to facilitate technical support and consistency in donor relations/fundraising efforts
• Support link between CO and RO teams and HQ technical advisors to facilitate technical support with regards to developing and strengthening hard to reach programming integrated into emergency responses.
• Participate in real time reviews or evaluations of emergency responses and ensure learning across responses

Other

The Emergency Coordinator, may, on temporary basis, be given overall responsibility for a specific DRC humanitarian response within the region with an updated ToR for specific areas of responsibility.

4. Required Qualifications

• At least five years of INGO or other agency emergency response experience in insecure environments, including at least two years of management experience;
• Essential experience in RRM implementation/coordination/emergency response planning in similar contexts
• Relevant technical expertise/experience in some sectors of humanitarian programming such as WASH, Food Security, CCCM, shelter/NFI, Protection, Education etc.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and management and leadership skills;
• Proven commitment to accountable practices and knowledgeable of quality assurance systems in an emergency response;
• Hands on experience in managing staff in insecure locations and strong human resource management skills in general. Solid experience in staff management in a cross-cultural environment required;
• Good communicator and proven diplomacy with all types of stakeholders;
• Experience of managing budgets and multiple donor contracts, particularly with OFDA, ECHO, SIDA and UN agencies;
• Fluent and articulate in spoken and written English and either French, Spanish or Arabic
• Ability to work independently, but also coordinate effectively as part of a team;
• Strong computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Outlook and Power Point); and
• Ability and willingness to work and live in diverse, challenging and potentially unstable environments.

Desirable:

• Previous experience the WANALA region or similar context with conflict/access analysis ability; and
• Previous experience in rapid-onset emergencies, and of working in protracted emergency contexts;

Strong working knowledge of access, negotiations and/or experience in implementing programming in hard to reach areas/areas with high access constraints

5. Required Skills & Qualities

• University degree with advanced training or technical qualification in relevant line of work/sector
• Fluency in written and spoken English and either French, Spanish or Arabic
• Strong working knowledge of French, Spanish and Arabic desirable
• Excellent communication skills for writing and presentation
• Strong personal resilience and self-care mechanism
• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment
• Team-oriented & good sense of humor
• 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
• Able to travel up to 70% of the time
• Able to operate in a physically demanding working environment
• 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

6. General Regulations

The employee shall follow :

• DRC regulations on safety, health, COVID-19 norms and hygiene
• The Code of Conduct and all ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework
• Rules for the use of the DRC guesthouse, which is a working accommodation

In addition :

• Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization
• Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period
• Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization
• Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request

7. Application Process

Are you interested? Then apply for this position online: www.drc.dk/about-drc/vacancies/current-vacancies. All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in English.

DRC encourages all applicants to apply and does not practice any discrimination in any recruitment process. 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.

Closing date for applications: 01/10/2024. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.

Due to the urgency of the position, DRC has the right to recruit a candidate who matches the required profile before the above deadline.