Country Coordinator, based in Yaoundé, Cameroon at GIZ Cameroon

IMPACT AND REACH

REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two international NGOs (IMPACT Initiatives and ACTED) and the United Nations Program for Operational Satellite Applications (UNOSAT). The objective of REACH is to promote and facilitate the development of information products that improve the decision-making and planning capacity of the humanitarian community in emergency, reconstruction and development contexts. REACH facilitates information management for aid actors through three complementary services: (a) assessment of needs and the situation facilitated by REACH teams; b) situation analysis using satellite imagery; (c) provision of databases and (web) mapping facilities and related expertise.

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization manages several initiatives, including the REACH initiative. The IMPACT team is made up of specialists in data collection, management and analysis and GIS. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of ACTED, an international NGO whose headquarters is based in Paris and is present in around thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, allowing IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support in its areas of intervention.

COUNTRY PROFILE

Cameroon is facing 3 complex and simultaneous humanitarian crises: (i) in the far north of the country (near Lake Chad and Nigeria), (ii) in the north-west and south-west regions (where armed groups oppose the government), and (iii) in the neighboring Central African Republic. Violence and insecurity have uprooted thousands of people. Cameroon now hosts more than 502,000 refugees and asylum seekers. These three humanitarian crises also affect host communities in Cameroon, who must share their already limited resources and shaken basic services with the displaced people. In this context, IMPACT Initiatives plans to open its office to support the humanitarian community with assessments such as the Multi-Sector Needs Assessment, and the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative.

We are currently looking for a Country Coordinator to supervise our team in Cameroon.

Department : IMPACT

Title : Coordinator / Country Representative

Contract duration : 12 months

Place of work : Yaoundé

Start date : February 15, 2024, or as soon as possible

FUNCTIONS

Under the direction of the Executive Director of IMPACT in Geneva, the Country Coordinator (CP) is responsible for representing IMPACT, managing and developing IMPACT programs in Cameroon. She or he leads the IMPACT team to achieve program excellence and ensure the highest level of impact and accountability, while ensuring compliance with IMPACT guidelines, policies and standards across the mission. The PI is in regular contact with headquarters, ensuring that organizational risks are promptly and clearly communicated to the Director General, Director of Programs and Country Operations, and other relevant managers at headquarters. She or he will promote the organizational vision and core values across the mission and actively partner with headquarters to contribute to the implementation of IMPACT’s global strategies.

In its mission, the CP will be hosted by ACTED and will report directly to the responsibility and management of the ACTED Country Director and his delegates for all administrative, security, logistics and financial matters. He or she will therefore fully respect ACTED’s rules and regulations regarding security, human resources, administration and logistics and, in coordination with ACTED, will ensure that all IMPACT staff respect them.

RESPONSIBILITIES

DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY

Analyze the socio-economic situation of the country, the impact of a crisis and the aid/humanitarian situation;
Understand humanitarian coordination mechanisms, as well as the main actors
Develop and supervise the implementation of a country strategy in line with headquarters priorities:
Consolidate and strengthen current programming and operations;
Ensure that IMPACT activities are relevant and have an impact on the humanitarian response;
Identify new areas where IMPACT can add value to the humanitarian response;

FUND RAISING

Approach donors to identify funding to support IMPACT programs
Supervise the conceptualization of the project proposal in line with the national strategy;
Oversee the design of the budget, in close consultation with ACTED, and IMPACT HQ;
Negotiate proposals and/or contracts with donors.

PROGRAM PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

Ensure that all IMPACT programs contribute to better aid planning;
Ensure the required level of coordination with partners in planning and implementation;
Maintain regular link with ACTED to facilitate the provision of logistical, administrative and security support to facilitate program implementation;
Ensure that synergies are established and implemented between the different IMPACT program units in the country, and establish links with other IMPACT countries where appropriate;
Keep track of progress and delays of any program implementation. Ensure that delays or issues identified for specific programs are reported to headquarters.

PROJECT CYCLE MANAGEMENT

Grant and project management
- Ensure timely organization of project launch, review/update and end-of-project meetings;
- Provide ad hoc support to project implementation through troubleshooting and eliminating blockages;
- Ensure that contractual obligations are respected in terms of deliverables as well as narrative and financial reporting requirements;
Financial management
- Anticipate financial risks and financing gaps;
- Control project budgets to avoid insufficient/excessive spending, in conjunction with the Finance departments of IMPACT HQ and (if applicable) ACTED;
- Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, in relation to IMPACT HQ and (if applicable) ACTED finance;
- Ensure accurate monitoring and budgetary forecasts of expenses, in conjunction with and IMPACT HQ Finance (if applicable) with ACTED finance;
Follow-up of the external audit
- Support the preparation of external audits in close collaboration with HQ Finance.

TEAM MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

Leadership
- Provide leadership across the mission, as well as within the country management team;
- Transmit the values and vision of IMPACT and their application at the national level, and help managers and all staff to do the same.
Staff management
- Ensure that all staff members have clear mandates, work plans and key performance indicators;
- Coach and support the team to build capacity, improve efficiency and performance, and monitor staff career management;
- Promote staff growth and development within the organization, actively liaising with HQ to provide feedback and support retention and internal mobility;
- Ensure that communication and liaison with headquarters are established immediately in the event of an HR problem;
Administration and human resources management
- Contribute to the recruitment of international and national staff;
- Develop and update the country organization chart and staff recruitment plan
- Ensure regular performance evaluation and career management;
- Regularly submit HR reports to IMPACT headquarters;
- Ensure timely attendance sheets, leave plans and exit forms

COORDINATION AND INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

Internal communication
- Facilitate internal communication within the team and the sharing of information;
- Ensure the establishment of regular internal team meetings;
- Submit regular reports to headquarters, including the monthly coordination report;
- Ensure that any risks to IMPACT programming, projects or staff are communicated to headquarters as early as possible.
Coordination with ACTED:
- Coordinate regularly with the ACTED Country Director through weekly meetings;
- Ensure regular coordination with ACTED project development, finance and other FLAT departments at all stages of project development and implementation,
- Ensure compliance of all IMPACT personnel with ACTED FLAT and safety procedures. Facilitate coordination between IMPACT programs and ACTED zone coordinators, where applicable;
- Ensure that all IMPACT staff are aware of and fully comply with ACTED regulations in terms of administration, logistics and security;

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

Establish, maintain and improve relationships with key partners;
Promote IMPACT and its programs in key decision-making forums;
Ensure IMPACT’s participation in the main humanitarian coordination forums;
Lead the dissemination of information and analysis products

REQUIRED CONDITIONS

Academic: Excellent academic qualifications, including a master’s degree in a relevant discipline (international relations, political science, social research, economics, development studies or similar)
Management Experience: Previous experience in a senior management role in an INGO in the field. Proven experience in successfully managing international and national teams in humanitarian contexts
Communication/Reporting Skills: Excellent communication and writing skills for effective reporting, including proven experience contributing to high-level presentations/briefings.
Years of professional experience: At least 5 years of relevant professional experience or proven progression within IMPACT. Previous experience in the region is desirable;
Research skills : Excellent research and analytical skills are an asset. Experience with evaluations. M&E, field research is an asset.
Computer skills : Proven knowledge of Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Knowledge of R, SPSS and/or STATA or other statistical analysis software is an asset
Multitasking skills: Ability to perform multiple tasks under tight deadlines, over numerous research cycles in a complex environment;
Degree of Independence: A self-starter with a proven ability to work independently.
Work environment: Ability to work in an intercultural environment requiring flexibility; Ability to operate in a complex security environment;
Language skills Fluency in French, proficiency in English is an asset;

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

IMPACT salaries are strictly determined by our salary scale based on position grade and staff education level. A location-dependent security and/or isolation adjustment is then applied to account for the fact that some staff must work in difficult locations where living and working conditions are much more difficult than elsewhere.
An additional monthly subsistence allowance of USD 500.
Accommodation and food in a guest house NB – IMPACT is hosted by ACTED in this country.
Membership in a Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approximately 9.975% of gross staff salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance
On a case-by-case basis, accompanied person status and corresponding benefits may apply (health insurance and plane tickets for dependents, study allowance for children)
Airfare every 6 months and visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and business expenses are fully covered)
Contribution to baggage transport: between 20 and 100 kg, depending on the duration of the contract (+ baggage and personal property insurance)
Annual leave of 36 days per year. Public holidays of the country of assignment. Leave for family or compassionate reasons, if applicable.
Pre-departure induction – 3 days at IMPACT Initiatives headquarters in Geneva + one week of pre-departure training at ACTED headquarters in Paris, including 4 days on-site security training;
IMPACT prioritizes the psychological safety of its staff and the health insurance provided covers, among other things, up to €1000 per year in psychosocial counseling costs.