Oxfam Jobs Country Director Somalia

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

All Oxfam’s work in Somalia is supported and implemented by the two affiliates working in Somalia: Oxfam Novib and Oxfam Great Britain. Our work spans across all three territories of Somalia – South Central, Puntland and Somaliland – and across all types of interventions: humanitarian, long-term development, lobby  advocacy and media work.

Oxfam works primarily through local partners in Somalia.

Due to the instable and insecure situation in most of the country, Oxfam operates its programme from neighbouring Nairobi, plus from a small office in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Oxfam Novib is the Oxfam managing affiliate and has overall responsibility for ensuring delivery against the Oxfam country plan.

Main tasks

Provides strategic leadership of Oxfam’s programme in Somalia;

• Is accountable for the delivery, effective management and monitoring, evaluation and learning of the programme via consolidated annual plans and reports (annual budget of Oxfam in Somalia, estimated total of € 25 mln Euros);
• Holds the affiliates to account for delivery of their part of the programme strategy and annual operational plans. Chairs the Country Leadership Team covering all Oxfam operations;
• Takes the lead in representing Oxfam in Somalia, builds relationships and develops networks;
• Contributes to the overall management of the country programme with the relevant Government authorities and international (donor) community. Represents Oxfam in Somalia at regional, global level;
• Co-ordinates with the Country Leadership team to identify new funding sources and negotiate funding opportunities to support programme implementation;
• Oversees the management of a major grant portfolio as well as relationships with key international donors; leads and manages consortiums and other networks;
• Line manages Oxfam Novib’s work in Somalia, via the Associate Country Director of the implementing programme – staff, HR, funding of partner organisations, and the programme delivered by Oxfam Novib (including those funded by external donors);
• Works to ensure that the ongoing  complex change activity is implemented successfully;
• Works with the Oxfam Country Leadership Team to ensure that minimum standards are met in the country – for programme, programme management, HR, finance, security, health and safety etc;
• Ensures overall leadership of disaster preparedness, disaster risk reduction  mitigation and management, including humanitarian response activities for all Oxfam humanitarian emergencies;
• Supports/facilitates the implementation of Oxfam’s regional advocacy work in Somalia. Attends regional consultation meetings with the regional Oxfam staff;
• Proactively and constructively contributes to cross confederation thinking and working.

You have

• At least seven years senior management/leadership experience in a similar position, leading the development and ensuring the delivery of programme strategy, either through partners or directly, in one or more challenging locations;
• Experience with fundraising from diverse institutions, local, regional and international; Entrepreneurial skills in this area will be an important asset. Have good grants management and donors compliance skills;
• Proven analytical skills and ability to think strategically, including the ability to think beyond the country programme context and to act within a regional and global framework;
• Ability to manage the development of, and contribute to, the high level analysis of factors driving poverty  food insecurity, marginalisation and vulnerability in developing country contexts, including the ability to ‘think politically’ by understanding motivations, pressures and challenges faced by colleagues, partners and other actors;
• Experience in leading and motivating multi disciplinary, (and sometimes geographically remote teams); a high degree of self awareness and an understanding of how to drive and support excellent team performance and individual development;
• Mediation and conflict resolution skills and experience;
• Experience with managing complex change processes and relationships involving a wide range of both internal and external multicultural stakeholders across a variety of disciplines  geographical areas;
• Experience in representing an organisation with partners, government agencies, private sector organisations, and donors at senior level: locally, regionally and globally;
• An active commitment to promoting gender equity and the interests of marginalised people in all aspects of an organisation’s work;
• High level financial management and internal control skills to steer the operational budget;
• Understanding of managing security and risk within an INGO context;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to motivate, influence, and negotiate;
• Willingness and ability to travel to complex and insecure areas (but within the framework of the security policy);
• Ability to speak and write professional English; Somali language skills would be an advantage.

We offer

A competitive, fair and comprehensive pay and benefits package that is justifiable to our donors.

We offer a gross salary in the range of € 3,624,- to € 5,574,- on the basis of a fulltime position, plus an 8% holiday fee.

More information and application procedure

Are you interested?

Send your application in English in writing, including a motivation letter and curriculum vitae and mentioning reference number 5-6542 to jobs [at] oxfamnovib.nl to the attention of Patricia Vermeulen, International HR Advisor, no later than Sunday 17 November 2013.

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