World Vision is an international Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation working in almost 100 countries world-wide to create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.

SUMMARY

The Response Director – RD (Country Program Director) has primary responsibility for leading and directing the response from strategy to implementation, inclusive of performance and oversight of all aspects of the response.  She/he should develop and maintain an efficient, cohesive team, whilst ensuring effective coordination and relationships with the other agencies, officials, beneficiaries, donors and all areas of the Partnership to ensure Response is adequately funded.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop and Monitor implementation of response strategy that addresses WV strategic goals to meet humanitarian needs

• Lead response strategy development with RHEAD, SDO, RL, PRO Team and other senior stakeholders.
• Ensure primary and secondary information on needs and context analysis inform strategy formulation/development and transition planning.
• Consult with RL to ensure strategy and plans (including Child Wellbeing Objectives) are taken into account in response.
• Monitor appropriateness of strategy implementation and take adaptive measures to ensure impact on CWB.
• Ensure Advocacy staff are empowered to integrate advocacy across sectors and to develop child-focused advocacy positions which are aligned with strategy and organizational priorities.
• Facilitate the signing of MOUs and contracts, with donors, Support Offices and other relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure appropriate waivers are in place to facilitate timely response implementation.

Ensure Response is staffed and empowered to meet response needs

• Conduct high-level workforce planning with P&C and mobilize surge functions as required and oversee the recruitment of direct reports. Appointments of direct reports to be approved by RL
• Ensure defined accountabilities under the EMS are clear for each function including JD, TOR objectives and quality criteria.
• Ensure P&C develops performance planning and review processes that include quality criteria and capacity building planning.
• Ensure P&C establishes a staff care function and mechanisms that support staff well-being.
• Ensure adequate internal communications mechanisms are in place to ensure policies, information and decisions are shared with staff as appropriate.
• Ensure that staff have access to appropriate office space/equipment, ICT systems/equipment and other facilities which enable them to carry out their responsibilities.
• Where necessary, ensure that relevant staff have access to appropriate accommodation.

Ensure Response is funded & maintain effective working relationships with humanitarian actors, government representatives, World Vision stakeholders, the media and general public for resource mobilization and advocacy

• Represent the response in internal coordination mechanisms such as Partnership Response Overview Team, Partnership Coordination Team (where activated), Advocacy Response Group, Response Directors Forum,  etc.
• Establish and maintain relationships with strategic and operational partner organizations and churches for grant mobilization
• Create an enabling environment for dialogue, information sharing, coordination and sharing of resources to reach sustainable impact on CWB.
• In conjunction with partners, effectively advocate for adequate financing of the response, protection of civilians, changes in standards, policies and legislations based on insights and demands from targeted communities.
• Create and maintain collaborative relations with government, other NGOs, UN agencies, civil society, churches, bi-lateral missions and donors for resource mobilization.
• Participate in the INGO forum and other consortium meetings and response related national coordination meetings
• Ensure WV is represented at relevant technical and coordination mechanisms in-country
• Serve as an organizational spokesperson for media interviews, advocacy initiatives and other public events

Initiates resourcing mechanisms and ensure financial and material (in-kind) resources are managed according to WV standards, donor and SO agreements

• Provide oversight to funding acquisition and allocation to ensure alignment with strategy and address humanitarian needs.
• Initiate response funding mechanisms with support of RL & RHEAD.
• Ensure that funding is managed and accounted for in compliance with donors and Support Offices agreements and WV standards
• Ensure that program and projects audits are planned and conducted as per WV audit regulations and donor government requirements
• Ensure that audit reports are responded to and recommendations implemented
• Ensure that supply chain management system (including international and local purchasing and contracting) and meeting WV quality standards, accountability and transparency.
• Ensure that logistics capacity assessment tools are updated

Ensure quality operations and internal and external reporting requirements are met

• Liaise with Programs and Info Management to ensure internal and external reporting requirements are planned for and reports are prepared that showcase output, outcomes and results
• Review and submit partnership program reports
• Prepare and submit monthly management reports
• Ensure internal response coordination & information sharing mechanisms are functioning.

Ensure quality program implementation and that the response meets WV minimum quality standards and supports child well-being, program improvement, reflection, learning and innovation

• Ensure previous response learnings from Global learning are reviewed and used in program design.
• Encourage the incorporation of best practice and innovation in program design and implementation.
• Ensure all functions have quality planning sessions to meet quality CWB objectives and that they are monitored/reported monthly.
• Ensure mechanisms are established to identify, document, & share lessons learned with donors and partners
• Ensure that accessible and user-friendly community accountability mechanisms are established and functioning
• Ensure that all projects are implemented, monitored and evaluated according to set plans and that agreements with donors, SOs and other stakeholders are adhered to.

Establish and maintain relationships with people of other faiths, as an expression of our emphasis to live our faith and demonstrate its value to work with boldness and humility.

• Develop and maintain strategic and operational partnerships with faith leaders in Sudan
• Create an environment where staff live, articulate and celebrate their Christian faith in diverse, uniting and joyful ways, with deep respect for staff of other faiths and views as an expression of our Christian beliefs.
• Ensure that our Christian faith guides our response to the most vulnerable children in our ministry and organizational practices.
• Position World Vision as a thought leader and a compelling example of igniting positive and lasting change in Sudan

Provide Leadership to establish and maintain effective risk management (programmatic, security, financial, reputational and others) that is in line with World Vision’s policies and guidelines.

• Maintain close oversight on risks for timely correction and work towards their mitigation through effective relationship building, coordination and communication with peers, government and partners.
• Ensure Security Risk Assessments, Country Risk Ratings and Core Security Requirement standards, processes and procedures are completed in accordance with current Office of Corporate Security guidelines and training.
• Collaborate with P&C, F&D, Risk Management and other stakeholders to promote a culture of accountability, truth telling and transparency internally within the organization where all staff and affiliates protect children and adult beneficiaries from abuse, exploitation and violence.
• Ensure that all staff are trained, aware of, oriented on, sign and live by WVI safeguarding policy and protocols.
• Monitor and ensure full compliance with the partnership Safeguarding Standards & Policies and continually update EAR Leadership on emerging issues.
• Review, identify and recommend the adoption of locally appropriate new tools, solutions and assets and to enhance the quality of safeguarding prevention and response.
• Ensure that all incidents are reported in accordance with WV Policies.

TOTAL : 100%

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Minimum education, training and experience requirements to qualify for the position:

• A minimum of 10 years in leadership role in the humanitarian assistance, with a significant portion of this with International NGOs.
• A lower number of years’ experience may also be considered.
• Demonstrated understanding of key humanitarian principles, standards and best practices.
• University degree in Humanitarian Studies or relevant field.
• Master’s degree preferred
• Experience working in World Vision International responses preferable, but not a must Fluent in English (knowledge of Arabic is an advantage)

List additional work experience required as a minimum qualification for this position.

• Intensive experience in leading a multi-cultural team of professionals
• Experience working in a cross-cultural environment Experience working in war zones / fragile contexts
• Experience in engaging with governmental institutions and multilateral agencies
• Experience in managing humanitarian operations that facilitate innovation and calculated risk taking.
• Experience in serving as an organizational spokesperson to media and other external audiences
• Experience in serving in a context that is predominantly Muslim or other faith (other than Christian)

Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• Experience in program management and implementation of multi-sectoral emergency response projects
• Understanding of the international humanitarian system, particularly the systems, structures and key actors
• Understanding of the key accountabilities that must be maintained in a response (beneficiaries, donors, peers).
• Ability to lead strategic planning processes
• Strong communication skills (oral and written) with ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders
• Effective in written and verbal communication in English

Additional work experience preferred for this position.

• Ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders as well as staff
• Ability to work in coordination with other humanitarian organizations Ability to analyse and make decisions in challenging situations in the absence of specific guidance and/or full information
• Ability to communicate and model to staff positive behaviours which help them remain resilient and effective in dynamic and high pressure environments.

Work Environment:

• The position is temporarily based in Nairobi, Kenya because of the on-going war.  However the incumbent will be expected to relocate to Sudan as soon as it is safe to do so.
• The position requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 40% of the time.
• Work hours are often in excess of 12 hours per day during difficult periods of the response
• Responses are often mounted in insecure or natural disaster-prone contexts, which may disrupt normal work patterns and generate staff safety issues
• Work and housing environments may at times be well below normal standards in terms of facilities, equipment, food availability and hygiene.