Reporting to the Regional Director, the jobholder will provide strategic and technical guidance for Islamic Relief’ humanitarian programmes in the East Africa region. The role involves contribution to policy development, leading disaster preparedness and response, capacity building for countries emergency response teams, and resource mobilisation and ensuring that IR humanitarian programmes are inclusive, relevant, and timely
Key Working Relationships
• Has regular contact with the Regional Director, Regional Finance Manager, Regional Desk Coordinators, Country Directors, Country Emergency Coordinators/Managers, and Disaster Risk Management Department of the International office.
• Communicates effectively and systematically across the organisation and wider IR family/partner offices in North America & Europe
• Engages and networks with the wider international humanitarian community by attending and representing Islamic Relief and meaningfully engaging with institutional donor agencies, IRW Partners, peer organisations, networks and other key stakeholders in East Africa countries
Technical Leadership and Strategy
▪ Develop and roll out Regional humanitarian strategy including a disaster risk reduction
▪ Support the country offices to develop Disaster Preparedness Plans (DPP) that provide frameworks for responding to the humanitarian needs of the people affected by disasters
▪ Support the country teams to integrate DRR into strategic planning and programme formulation.
▪ Work with IR regional offices and partners to advocate/strengthen/develop national and sub-national level policies, and plans with particular focus on ensuring the delivery of an effective, efficient, timely humanitarian response to natural and man-made disasters; and work with national government on preparedness initiatives that influence their social protection framework (such as safety nets).
▪ Ensure quality, transparent, inclusive and accountable programming to beneficiaries, Governments, Donors and IR, with established mechanisms for complaints and feedback.
▪ Contribute to IRW’s global surge capacity
Programme Implementation and Management
• Oversee the implementation of the humanitarian/emergency response projects in in East Africa countries, ensuring that they are delivered according to the Core Humanitarian Standards and Sphere guidelines
• Lead disaster response team in the absence Country Humanitarian Manager ensuring that IR delivers the humanitarian assistance to the affected populations.
• Lead regional response interventions. This include developing, reviewing high quality proposals, and monitoring budgets
• Assure full compliance of operations with IRW’s principles, rules, regulations and policies, operational strategies and relevant reference documents and policies (Sphere, Do no harm).
Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Accountability
• Undertake need assessments, baseline surveys, feasibility studies ensuring that sound methodologies are employed and that the findings inform the formulation of winning grant applications.
• Conduct real-time evaluation, post distribution monitoring and impact assessment in relation to humanitarian response in conjunction with the Country Programme M&E Coordinators and Global Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability and Learning unit
• Produce monthly and periodical regional humanitarian updates
• Introduce innovations in the field climate change adaptations including introducing technologies and new ways of working in order to deliver lasting impact on the people the organisation serves.
• Ensure that IR humanitarian response fully complies with the CHS and other pertinent principles and regulations
• Create a culture of cross-learning among the country offices and with peer organisations
Fundraising, Representation and Networking
• Actively participate in the Humanitarian Response Planning process and the cluster system
• ensure excellent relations with traditional and non-traditional donors are
developed and maintained and that the teams meet all donor compliance requirements.
• Represent IR to regional and global relevant networks, high level meetings and working groups
• Ensure excellent internal and external communication, coordination and collaboration.
• Work with Regional Director to manage the formulation, organisation and delivery of high-level lobbying, and advocacy as part of the programme
• Contribute to research, policy development and advocacy at a regional and global level
Capacity Development
• Provide leadership, coaching and mentoring to staff under indirect management, ensuring that they have clear objectives and receive meaningful feedback on their performance and development.
• Develop skills and capacity of IR staff thereby establishing a team of competent disaster response personnel
• Develop and maintain a regional surge roster
To be successful in this role you will have strong specific technical/professional knowledge from formal training and/or work experience in managing complex emergencies. You should have an in-depth understanding of DRR and Climate Change Adaptation, and knowledge of cash and market related methods of delivering assistance to disaster affected people. You will need to demonstrate ability to work creatively, innovatively and effectively. Good communication skills and demonstrated skills in training and mentoring others are a must for this position. Experience as a team worker and demonstrable inter-personal skills are highly valued for this position,
Essentials
• Masters degree in Disaster Management, Environment, Agricultural economics
• A minimum of 5 years hands-on experience in similar roles at Regional and country level managing complex humanitarian emergencies. Knowledge of cash-based interventions highly preferred
• In-depth understanding of climate change frameworks, theory of change and logical frameworks/intervention logic of some of the major institutional donors and foundations
• Proven skills in survey tools, hazard and vulnerability mapping and previous experience of conducting needs assessment and baseline surveys
• Robust training skills and capacity development for disaster response team
• Proven resource mobilisation and proposal writing skills
• Experience in working in the humanitarian cluster system at senior level contributing to the country Humanitarian Response Planning process
• Proven programme & project cycle management skills – proposal and report writing skills; monitoring and evaluation skills and experience
• Commitment to ICRC Code of conduct, Sphere Standards, CHS, Child protection and Safeguarding
Desirable
• Knowledge of national language spoken in the Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia would be an asset
• Interpersonal skills and team player
How to Apply
• Please send us your cover letter and detailed CV, including your qualifications, experience, names and addresses of three referees, a working e-mail address and daytime telephone contacts. The forwarding e-mail and cover letter must clearly indicate the position title on the subject line. Send your application to
• Recruitment.irk@islamic-relief.or.ke by Friday 25th December 2020.
• Please note that this is an urgent recruitment, shortlisting will be done on a rolling basis
