DDG Afghanistan Program Manager

The Danish Refugee Council / Danish Demining Group (DRC/DDG) are looking for a highly qualified manager, who can assist the Country Director of the Danish Refugee Council / Danish Demining Group (DRC/DDG) in running and monitoring the DDG program / portfolio in Afghanistan. It is equally important this person has strong experience working with mine action program management and mine action operations, ideally in challenging and complex security environments.   

 Who are we?

The Danish Demining Group (DDG) has operated in Afghanistan since 1998, focusing on mine action programming including risk education, survey, clearance, and national capacity building.  The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) opened an office in Afghanistan in 2011, and delivers programming related to the protection of displaced persons and refugee returnees, emergency assistance, livelihoods programming, and capacity building of government and civil society. In 2016, DDG and DRC merged all support functions in order to improve efficiency, and complementary programming is now implemented in order to add value to both DDG and DRC’s projects, and to ensure a holistic approach at the community level. 

Duties

The DDG Program Manager (DDG PM) will have the overall responsibility of the DDG portfolio in Afghanistan. Currently, this consists of integrated MRE, survey, and clearance projects which are implemented from DDG Afghanistan’s Head Office in Kabul city, as well as DDG’s secondary office in Mazar-i-Sharif. This role requires strong liaison with international donors, as well as with the national authorities in charge of mine action in Afghanistan (including both the Directorate for Mine Action, DMAC, and the United Nations Mine Action Center, UNMACA).  The role also requires close cooperation and collaboration with DRC on joint/complementary programming, and an understanding of mine action’s wider role in contributing to humanitarian assistance and development.

Specific duties will include:

• In close coordination with the Country Director (CD) and the DDG Programme & Operations Coordinator (POC), ensuring efficient and accountable project / programme implementation of the DDG portfolio in Afghanistan.

• Keep the CD informed at all times around programmatic updates and potential fundraising / project ideas and initiatives.

• Plan, implement and monitor activities in regard to the current mine action projects.

• Manage the roll-out of future mine action activities throughout DRC/DDG offices nationwide, including the recruitment and technical supervision of local project staff.

• In coordination with the CD and POC, take the lead on the process of securing funds for future projects through liaison with donors at the embassies in Kabul. This includes any liaison and contact with the donor and national stakeholders.

• Ensure effective and responsive action in regard to proposal and report writing.

• Conduct meetings on behalf of DDG and DRC when required.

• Supervising staff in their duties.

• Support the CD on monitoring and evaluation when required.

• Support on high-level liaison work with stakeholders, including government authorities and the UN when required.

• Management of the offices in Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif (and any future project locations).

• Ensuring safety and security of all DDG staff, in cooperation with the Safety and Security Team.

• Manage and monitor the DDG budgets closely and report to CD, Head of Finance and Administration (HoFA) and POC of any discrepancies or issues.

• Strategic planning and development of future DDG projects.

• Support training and capacity building for DRC/DDG and other NGO staff.

• Assist the CD and the POC on any potential requests.

The DDG PM reports to the DRC/DDG Country Director in Afghanistan, and is supported by a dedicated DDG POC from HQ in regards to mine action issues. The DDG PM is based in Kabul city at DDG/DRC’s Head Office, but is expected to conduct regular visits to program and field offices, security permitting.

 About you

Essential Qualifications

• Proven experience with program management (planning, implementation and monitoring) from a complex and fragile environment, preferably in challenging security situations.

• Proven experience with the management of large mine action programs and the implementation of mine action operations.

• Experience working with or coordinating with other humanitarian actors.

• Successful experience with fundraising and managing large grants.

• Experience in liaison with donors and other external stakeholders, e.g. through meetings at embassies or with national and local authorities.

• Excellent in verbal and written communication skills in English (in particular regarding writing reports and proposals).

• Proven ability to mentor and coach others. Staff management is important in this position.

• Prior M&E experience is an advantage and the capability of working with data collection, analysis and report writing.

• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy.

• The capacity and willingness to be flexible and accommodating in difficult and insecure circumstances.

• A minimum of IMAS Explosive Ordnance Disposal Level 3 Qualification.

• Relevant university degree from an internationally recognized university, or sufficient proven experience within chosen field.

• Flexibility - in getting the job done.

• Respect – in regards to your colleagues and their field of expertise and work day.

• Openness and transparency – when working with national and local partners.

• A mindset of collaboration and coordination - in regard to working with related partners and institutions such as other NGOs and the UN.

• Trust building, respect and collaboration towards beneficiaries.

We offer

An interesting job in one of the best NGOs in the world. DDG/DDG will offer the successful applicant a 6-12 months contract. We expect start date of this employment to be latest 1 July 2015.

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies. The successful applicant’s salary level will be decided based on their background and experience.

Need further information?

For more details on this position please contact Barry Jolly at cd.ddg.afghanistan@drc.dk, or Megan Latimer at megan.latimer@drc.dk.

Commitments

DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability commitments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework. (http://www.drc.dk/HAF.4265.0.html).

Application process

Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the apply button or go to www.drc.dk and find Current Vacancies.  All applicants should send a cover letter and an updated CV no longer than four pages, both in the same language as the vacancy note. Your CV should also include contact details of three professional referees.

Applications close 3 June, 2016. Please note that DDG reserves the right to recruit a qualified candidate should one be identified before this closing date.