Job Title: Humanitarian Program Manager
Oxfam Novib is an international confederation of 17 affiliates networked together in more than 90 countries to end poverty. Oxfam is committed to ridding the world of poverty and injustice. We have a conviction that people are capable of building a livelihood without poverty on their own, once given the chance to do so. Which is why we support local projects in developing countries, why we lobby governments and companies to take into account the interests of the poorest people, and why we campaign to involve citizens in our work.
Oxfam’s country strategy for Uganda concentrates on the Greater North i.e West Nile, Acholi Lango, Teso and Karamoja Sub regions. This focus is informed by our country analysis which highlights the income inequity and non-income poverty especially in the North.
Four key program areas work in synergy to specifically target poverty and social exclusion in the North: Saving Lives Now and In the Future (SLNIF), Economic Rights, Pastoralist Rights and Social Rights programmes. We implement these four programmes by working with local NGO partners and civil society organizations and engaging with private sector and governments. .
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Oxfam Humanitarian Lead Role:
- Offer guidance and co-ordination of the entire Oxfam response (e.g. strategy, fundraising, information management), in co-ordination with the country leadership/management team.
- Offer technical guidance to the overall Oxfam humanitarian preparedness in-country, including co-ordinating the development, testing and regular updating of the Oxfam contingency plan in-country and ensuring timely decision-making by the country leadership team at the onset of an emergency.
- Provide leadership in Oxfam resilience programming agenda and ensure staff and partners are designing programmes and enhance resilience for communities and community organisations.
- Proactively co-ordinate Oxfam’s ongoing monitoring of the humanitarian situation and of (interim) results of humanitarian interventions and represent Oxfam internally and externally regarding humanitarian matters.
- Serve as the security focal point for Oxfam in country and assist the Country Director to update and maintain and security management plans.
- Monitor the security situation in country, prepare and disseminate security situation reports (SITREPS) regularly and as will have been determined by the Oxfam Country Director.
- Offer security briefing and relevant advice to Oxfam staff, visitors and partners in line with the approved Oxfam security plans and protocols.
2. Response Delivery and Preparedness:
- In the event of an Oxfam humanitarian response, manage effectively, Oxfam’s humanitarian response delivery and, in co-ordination with the Country Director, to offer guidance and direction to strategic and rapid decision-making about strategy, resources and staff deployment in a complex, stressful and changing environment. To ensure effective programme management, and financial and information management.
- Co-ordinate Oxfam’s ongoing monitoring of the humanitarian situation to ensure up-to-date knowledge and understanding of developments in-country which have (potentially) an effect on the humanitarian situation, as well as of interim results of ongoing humanitarian interventions.
- Develop, review and implement Oxfam’s humanitarian preparedness and resilience strategy and investment plan in-country in collaboration with Oxfam staff, and Oxfam partners.
- Co-ordinate the appraisal and monitoring of Oxfam’s and partners’ response capacity and co-ordinate capacity building activities for all parties involved in order to achieve the objectives set in the preparedness and resilience strategy.
- Develop Oxfam’s humanitarian profile and programme in-country and to identify opportunities for fundraising with funding agencies. To lead acquisition with (potential) donors of humanitarian response and preparedness in close co-ordination with the Country Funding Manager and the Saving Lives Now and In The Future program Team.
- Represent Oxfam Internally and externally regarding humanitarian matters, to generate exposure of Oxfam’s humanitarian profile and good practices; to increase Oxfam’s awareness of current humanitarian trends and ensure sound internal and external co-ordination during preparedness and response.
- Collect proactively all necessary information relevant for Oxfam humanitarian policy messaging and share this with the relevant Oxfam leads.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The ideal candidate must have at least 10 years’ experience in management and participatory strategy development, preferably in Africa.
- Extensive knowledge of, and recent working experience in the region is a prerequisite;
- Past exposure and experience with managing emergency response delivery and preparedness programming including in Emergency Food Security/Vulnerable Livelihoods, Climate Change and Water Sanitation and Hygiene promotion;
- Excellent analytical skills and strategic thinking, including the ability to think beyond the programme context and to act within a regional and continental perspective;
- Past exposure and experience in representing an organisation at the level of local partners, local administration, ministries and donors at senior level;
- Project management and financial management skills to monitor the (operational) budget;
- Detailed knowledge and understanding of humanitarian standards and principles.
- Past work experience or additional training on gender, accountability, disaster management, food security and/or pastoralism would be an advantage;
- Significant experience and ability to work with and support local civil society organizations;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills to report, motivate, influence, and negotiate;
- Excellent people management competencies
- Past exposure and experience in working in emergency contexts including on both preventive and responsive emergency interventions;
- Practical experience in security and risk management both in operations and in programmes.
- Excellent communication skills, written and spoken, in English;
- Willingness to travel to the field frequently and used to working and travelling in remote areas.
How to Apply for the job:
All qualified candidates who desire to join Oxfam in the aforementioned capacity should please send your application in writing, including a motivation letter and curriculum vitae to Country Human Resources Manager at oxfamuganda-jobs@oxfamnovn.nl.
Deadline: 11th May, 2014.
NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and interviews will conduct 15th -16th May 2014.
