Summary
Date Posted: Tuesday, October 11, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Country Director

Key Responsibilities
In collaboration with the Regional Director:
Leadership
Internal:
• Establishes and remains faithful to a shared vision for the organization’s activities
• Cultivates positive working relationships and environments
• Ensures staff motivation through mutual respect, professional development opportunities and inclusion in project planning
• Ensures appropriate levels of communication with staff at all levels
• Ensures that staff can properly represent the organization by equipping them with knowledge about JRS’ vision, mission and the region’s strategic plan
• Creating an environment of continuous learning, where staff are encouraged and supported to grow and develop and are willing to be held accountable for their commitments

External:
• Cultivates positive working relationships and develops partnerships with other NGOs, UNHCR and other UN agencies and host governments etc. for better coordination at programmatic level
• Cultivates positive and collaborative relations with bilateral and multilateral donors, the Catholic Church and other main stakeholders to ensure the financial stability of the Country Office
• Ensures positive perceptions of JRS’ presence in Kenya
• Development of partnerships and collaborations with external actors, including National NGOs, the private sector and academic institution

Strategic planning:
In full accordance with Humanitarian Guidelines of the country, JRS Strategic Framework and Programmatic policies and procedures.
• Leads in the development and execution of the country strategy
• Ensure the strategic vision and direction of the country program is aligned with JRS’ Global and Regional strategies, and secure the resources necessary for realization
• Ensure effective strategic collaboration with all stakeholders including beneficiaries, other NGOs and donors at national and sub-national level to ensure mutual learning and influencing for greater impact of programme investments
• Maintains strategic supervision on needs of people served, opening/closing and scaling up/down projects accordingly

Staff management:
• Oversee the management, coaching and development of national and international staff to build a team of skilled, committed and motivated staff
• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and constructive performance feedback
• Ensures that human resources needs are fully identified, assessed, described and communicated
• When required, recruits key positions with the assistance of the Country HR Officer and the HR Department of the International Office
• Ensures HR guidelines and policies are implemented
• Ensures that staff have adequate rest, relaxation and that wellbeing is addressed
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices
• Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff
• Ensures that Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan and Security Guidelines are regularly updated and implemented in all field locations
• Ensures that HR issues are tackled and taken in serious consideration

Financial Supervision:
• Proposes a yearly budget to the Regional Director and ensures a timely monitoring of resources and expenses according to related control mechanisms
• Ensures high-quality, efficient and transparent planning, utilization and reporting of financial tools made available for JRS programs
• Provides support for yearly accounting audits, for quarterly revision and yearly accounting audits
• Ensures procurement policy is in place and followed
• Actively monitor and report on business risk profiles, ensuring alignment with Finance and Logistics policies, processes and procedures

Raising funds sourced in-country
• Seeks and exploits funding opportunities at country level to expand project operations
• In coordination with the Regional Director and the Director of Programmes and Innovation and Director of Communications and Development in the International Office, engage in fundraising activities for projects in country

Advocating for people served and Communication
• Ensures appropriate degree of information-sharing at all levels
• Maintains positive working relationships with all JRS partners and humanitarian actors, and particularly with the Catholic Church and the Jesuit provinces
• Ensures public awareness of JRS’ contributions to their communities. Ensure country level advocacy and with international organizations, national/local authorities, donors and all other stakeholders
• Develop and share learning on the implementation of the CRRF for the country programme and the wider organization/sector

Project-Related activities
The JRS Country Director is responsible for:
• Coordinating all the Programmes and providing strategic direction. Leading the Country Office team and ensuring responsive and high-quality performance of staff
• In close collaboration with the Country team, frequently traveling to the Projects to evaluate and assess the programmes
• Liaise with JRS’s bordering COs programmes to optimise cross border collaboration
• Lead teams in ensuring programmes are designed and able to deliver in Hard to Reach areas
• Oversee the development of appropriate new strategies that will ensure new routes to impact at scale, including the incorporation of technology, media and institution building

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
• An advanced accredited university degree in Management, Political Sciences, Law, International Development or another related discipline.
• An undergraduate degree with strong relevant field experience will be considered in lieu of an advanced degree
• Minimum of seven (7) years’ experience of increasing responsibilities in human service organizations, ideally in humanitarian or development organizations with a strong human rights and/or faith background
• Experience in project development and management, work with refugees, and/or advocacy with forcibly displaced people is a particular advantage
• Minimum 4 years’ experience in leadership roles. Employment or collaboration with the Catholic Church (parish, diocesan or bishops’ conference level) in a leadership role is an additional asset
• Demonstrated evidence of leadership in a professional setting/humanitarian response with the ability to think strategically, motivate others, create new projects, solve problems and be part of a multi-cultural and multi-faith team
• Proven performance in organizational management, budget development and management, and general office coordination
• Demonstrated ability to fundraise
• Demonstrated evidence of an entrepreneurial spirit
• A proven ability to capture impact and learning from operations and feed it into new programmes
• Knowledge of and/or familiarity with key concepts and current trends in forced migration and challenges faced by forcibly displaced people
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to listen, effectively communicate, negotiate and work creatively with stakeholders of varying backgrounds: beneficiaries, government representatives, church leaders and refugee groups among them
• Proven results in improving the working context of an organisation or the wider sector through deliberate influencing strategies
• Experience of representing an organisation or humanitarian context with the press and/or media as well as incorporating the use of new and traditional media in delivering impact
• Demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure

Languages
• Excellent proficiency in written and verbal English; a professional working knowledge of a language spoken in the region is desirable

Required Skills and Competencies
• Very good pastoral sense and listening abilities and communication/inter-personal skills
• Excellent communication and presentation capacities, able to persuasively articulate JRS’ message and impact to external audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a multi-cultural, international, high-energy professional environment
• Demonstrated experience and commitment to working with marginalized communities
• Strong analytical, strategic-thinking and planning capabilities
• Ability to innovate in a changing environment, promote creativity and innovation within the organization
• Ability to work under pressure, independently and with only remote supervision
• Decision-making and problem-solving skills
• Experience in Handling insecure environments


Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 84

Level of Education: Associate Degree

Job application procedure

Interested and qualified? Go to Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) on www.impactpool.org to apply


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