Regional Representative - East and Southern Africa at Norwegian Refugee Council

TEAM PURPOSE

We are looking for a Regional Representative to lead forward CaLP’s work in East and Southern Africa. This is a job for someone who believes in what we do, who is a self-starter, who likes a challenge, who wants to influence humanitarian action, who likes making things happen, who has patience and determination. In summary, this is a great job in the world of cash and voucher assistance!

JOB PURPOSE

To work with humanitarian actors to promote and support the best use of CVA to meet the needs of people affected by crisis in East and Southern Africa. To support the continued development of a community of practice around CVA and build capacity of interested stakeholders and partners. To build evidence and promote the uptake of best practice in the region. To ensure that regional learning and experience is heard in global CVA debates and global discussions are reflected in regional dialogue.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Summary

• Lead the development and management of CaLP’s work in East and Southern Africa to achieve CaLP’s vision and mission.
• Represent CaLP and provide thought leadership in regional events and debates.
• Contribute to the development of CaLP as a global network. Building connections between global, regional and national debates, policy and practice.
• Engage with humanitarian leaders (strategic and technical) within the region to promote and support improvements in the coordination of CVA and the adoption of best practice.
• Lead the development of collective action among CaLP members and other actors with the aim of reducing CVA evidence gaps; improving practice and enhancing collaborative work.
• Lead the development of CaLP’s capacity building work in the region, promoting on-line and face-to face capacity building opportunities and building strategic relationships to achieve goals.
• Lead the development and management of an effective regional team, fostering opportunities for professional development and cross team working.
• Strategy and Planning
• Contribute to the development and implementation of CaLP’s global strategy.
• Be accountable for the development and implementation of regionally relevant strategies and plans.
• Develop strategic partnerships that contribute to the achievement of CaLP’s regional strategy.
• Coordination
  • Represent CaLP in relevant national and regional meetings and fora.
  • Engage with clusters, cash working groups and other actors to foster effective CVA coordination.
  • Facilitate dialogue between Cash Working Group leads to enable the sharing and use of best practice; provide peer support and encourage collective action.
  • Foster the creation or strengthening of national cash coordination mechanisms.
  • Network with agencies implementing CVA to be aware of new developments, innovations and needs.
  • Facilitate dialogue to support the development of effective CVA coordination during emerging crisis.
  • Ensure national and regional experiences are fed into global coordination discussions and vice versa.
  • Policy
  • Engage with humanitarian actors to understand policy concerns in the region.
  • Convene members and other actors to foster collective action on priority policy issues.
  • Develop and implement the regional dimensions of global policy engagement.
  • Ensure linkages between country, regional and global policy work.
  • Provide regular information to cash working group leads on relevant policy issues.
  • Knowledge Management, Research and Learning
  • Represent CaLP at regional and global events as relevant.
  • Lead the development a thematic area of work across CALP.
  • In collaboration with members and other actors, identify and address priority CVA evidence gaps.
  • Ensure ‘uptake’ plans are developed whenever any new resources are planned.
  • Lead the development of regionally relevant synthesis reports, case studies, briefing papers and the like.
  • Convene members and other actors to share knowledge through formal and informal learning events.
  • Accountable for any regional components of cross-organisational research and learning programmes.
• Capacity Building
  • Lead the development of a regionally relevant capacity building strategy, working in collaboration with training partner organisations and other stakeholders.
  • Ensure the effective planning, management and follow-up of CaLP training courses by the regional team.
  • Occasionally facilitate short courses e.g. for senior managers.
  • Respond to requests for technical support or training during emerging crisis situations.
  • Contribute to the on-going development of CaLP’s overall capacity building work by providing feedback on regional training needs and interests.
• Communications
  • Accountable for the development and implementation of a regional communications strategy.
  • Ensure high quality communications with members and other actors to promote good practice.
  • Write or initiate blogs, briefs and other materials to share CVA learning.
  • Actively promote the use of CaLP learning and capacity building resources.
  • Mobilise members to share CVA learning and contribute to the CaLP library and other digital platforms.
  • Ensure the regional office regularly contributes learning and information to CaLP’s global online platforms.
• Membership
  • Ensure the membership thinking is embedded in plans and ways of working.
  • Lead the strengthening of the network and ensure engagement with all members present in the region.
  • Explore opportunities for collective action and collaboration with and between members.
  • Lead the recruitment of new members in line with global membership strategy.
• Management and Funding
  • Lead and manage the CaLP regional team, fostering strong collaborative working within and across teams.
  • Support and encourage professional development, and manage individual performance.
  • Proactively engage with donors to attract funding for CaLP plans.
  • Lead the development of regional concept notes, proposals and reports.
  • Be accountable for grant and budget management at regional level.
  • Contribute to the effective development and management of CaLP overall.
  • Accountable for compliance with CaLP, host and donor policies.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCES:

Essential:

• Senior level experience in humanitarian or development programming.
• Post-graduate degree in a relevant discipline.
• Strong commitment to CaLP’s vision and mandate.
• Proven ability to represent, network, influence, negotiate and coordinate, with a track record in influencing multi-lateral organisations, governments or other significant institutions at senior levels.
• Proven ability to initiate and drive action.
• Proven diplomacy, judgement, negotiating and decision making skills.
• Proven ability to engage with donors and develop high quality concepts, proposals and reports.
• Broad understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the international humanitarian architecture including key actors, global clusters, systems and processes.
• Understanding the CVA project cycle.
• Excellent project management, planning and organisational skills and experience.
• Proven people management experience.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts.
• Ability to work independently and with a geographically dispersed team.
• Clear understanding of safeguarding, gender and equal opportunities in humanitarian work.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Willingness and ability to be administratively self-supporting.

Desirable:

• Direct experience of implementing CVA is an advantage but not essential if sufficient understanding of key issues, and dedication to improving knowledge, is demonstrated.
• French language skills.
• Experience of working with a network.