Country Director at Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)

SUMMARY:

The Country Director is responsible for providing strategic leadership and effective management of the country office so that it fulfils its mission as the humanitarian development agency of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Country Director ensures that the quality of community development programming is participatory, innovative, and results in positive impact in the lives of beneficiaries. The County Director is responsible for the following areas:

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Governance and Administration

• Operate in accordance with the ADRA mission, vision, and values.
• Ensure operation is in accordance with ADRA network policies, relevant procedures and within all relevant legislation associated with the country operations.
• Ensure the office is operating appropriately under an up-to-date constitution as reviewed and approved by the regional office and governing board.
• Draft, update and implement key policies and procedures for the office.
• Brief the Chair of the board regularly on performance activities, strategic alignment, and industry trends.
• Provide quarterly reports and yearly audits to the governing board.
• Keep abreast of changing standards and industry trends.

Strategic Planning

• Create, monitor, and review the country strategic plan ensuring alignment with regional and ADRA network plans through adequate consultation with country office leadership and the regional director.
• Consult with the relevant church leadership to explore strategies for alignment of ADRA and church mission.

Financial Oversight

• In consultation with the finance director (if applicable), ensure that the country office operates within the established budget.
• In consultation with the finance director (if applicable), ensure the country office achieves long term sustainable operations and practice good financial management.
• In consultation with the finance director (if applicable), safeguard the financial stability and income streams through donor management, corporate partnerships, and entrepreneurial strategies.

Church Relations

• Build appropriate synergies and active consultation between the Church and ADRA’s programs.
• Be available for speaking engagements at camp meetings and churches and to meet with those who have special concerns or interests.

Human Resource Management

• Ensure all staff have relevant and up-to-date job descriptions with key competencies and clear responsibilities.
• Implement a process for regular performance assessments of all staff against agreed outcomes and responsibilities as required.
• Provide opportunity for all staff to develop and maintain professional capacity and currency within their assigned fields of responsibilities and expertise.
• Affirm and support staff through personal and professional growth.
• Coordinate the recruitment of country office staff through standardized ADRA network recruitment procedures and within relevant employment legislation.
• In consultation with the regional office, provide opportunity for education and training of members of the country office governing board/committee in the areas of governance, accreditation, and development practice.
• Identify and train/mentor potential individuals for country office leadership.

Programmatic Planning and Emergency Coordination

• In consultation with the Program Director (if applicable), oversee community development programming that is in-line with the country office strategic plan and with activities in-line with accepted industry standards and best-practice.
• In consultation with the Program Director (if applicable), lead and support the development and submission of grant proposals for funds from private foundations, corporations, and government agencies.
• In consultation with the regional office, facilitate effective disaster response and recovery activities.
• Implement emergency planning and preparedness.
• Strengthen the capacity of the office to develop and implement successful programs.
• Facilitate information exchange and partnerships between/among other ADRA country offices to strengthen program implementation across the network.
• Strengthen the monitoring and evaluation capacity of the country office.

Communication and Advocacy

• Communicate regularly with all staff to ensure consistency of message and alignment of operations.
• Engages in all appropriate communication mediums to spread the message and work of ADRA in the country.
• Conduct cultural and church appropriate advocacy where possible.
• Seek opportunities for advocacy campaigns.

Network Development

• Actively engage with the ADRA network, through collaborative and coordinated strategies and partnerships.
• Contribute resources (human, financial, knowledge etc.) as available and appropriate, to other ADRA offices to build the quality of coordinated programs, humanitarian response, strategy, and management processes.

Leadership

• Represent ADRA in all contacts with agents of government of the host country, authorities in the field, local donor agencies and missions, ADRA network, as well as visiting representatives.
• Develop positive image of ADRA through promotions.
• Initiate fund-raising activities
• Develop and coordinate strategy in consultation with local constituency
• Facilitate approval process of strategic plans through ADRA Board

Other

• Act as Secretary to the ADRA  Board
• Act as Chairman to the ADCOM
• Responsible for performance appraisals for Finance Director, Program Director, Human Resource Manager.

Qualifications/Experience

• Master degree in the relevant field.
•  Minimum 10 years working experience with at least 5 in a Senior Management level in INGO.
• Training in security administration.
• Knowledge of procurement regulations for donors like EC, DFID, UN, USAID, SIDA and Norad regulations strongly preferred.
• Be proficient in computers.
• Be proficient in English.