CARE International in Kenya Director for Refugee Operations Job Vacancy in Dadaab ( Re-Advertisement)

Job Title: Director Refugee Operations
Department / Location: Dadaab
Grade: J

Job Summary
Based in Dadaab at CARE’s main office compound, The Director for Refugee Operations in Dadaab (DRO) is the officer–in-charge of all operations implemented in the Dadaab refugee complex and adjoining host community by CARE International in Kenya.

The DRO is the CARE’s most senior management position in Dadaab, representing CARE International in Kenya in the refugee complex on behalf of the Country Director.

The DRO’s key function is to ensure quality humanitarian assistance is provided to refugees/beneficiaries.

To support the sustainability of CARE International in Kenya’s refugee operations, the DRO will lead strategic planning in accordance with CARE Kenya’s guidelines.

S/he is responsible for managing relations with key stakeholders at the Dadaab level; promoting positive relations with UN agencies, implementing partners, local government, members of the host community and refugees; and fostering knowledge and support for CARE by representatives of donors, government authorities, private sector, vendors, community leaders and beneficiaries.

The DRO will promote a positive image with all stakeholders, provide leadership and a role model to all CARE staff, and promote staff compliance with laws, rules and regulations and adherence to CARE’s policies and procedures and standards of conduct.

The DRO works closely with managers, coordinators, and field staff to provide stakeholders with accurate, meaningful, timely information about our mission, objectives, ongoing activities, and plans, and ensure CARE’s adherence to the humanitarian accountability framework in Dadaab.

At the Dadaab level, the DRO will be the point person overseeing safety and security issues, disciplinary procedures and complaints.

The Director for Refugee Operations in Dadaab is responsible for directing all programming and administration of Dadaab refugee operations for CARE Kenya.

The right candidate must be a self-starter with strong skills in multidisciplinary programming. With an annual operational budget of up to $10 million from 5 or more different donors, the Director for Refugee Operations must be astute in financial management and planning.

S/he must be able to foster teamwork and to provide leadership to teams of highly talented national staff of over 250, as well as ‘refugee incentive workers.

The human resources aspect of the position requires constant and equitable application to ensure fairness and maintain morale.

The Incumbent will work very closely with the Senior Sector Manager based in Nairobi to ensure coordination, communication, and adequate support for the operations in Dadaab.

The responsibilities of the Director for Refugee Operations include:
• Overall direction to the various support units; Monitoring and Evaluation, Finance, Human Resources, IT, Procurement, Mechanical Support Unit/Fleet, and administration to ensure optimum support to projects within the policies of CARE and the laws of Kenya.
• Direct supervision of programme and support unit managers. Provision of training, mentoring and coaching to support managers as they mature in their roles to ensure that project teams receive the quality and quantity of services required in a timely manner.
• Establishment of a staff development programme to improve the financial management capacity of program

Senior Management Team (SMT);
• Oversight of performance management, ensure HR policies are followed by all staff working in Dadaab;
• Ensure proper succession management in camps through leDROership development
• Ensure appropriate workplace policies including to ensure fairness and equity are developed and used (e.g. policies related to HIV/AIDS, sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation, etc.)
• Actively promote staff wellness by monitoring CO climate and staff morale and taking corrective actions as needed.
• Ensure that qualified staff and appropriate policies, procedures and systems for finance and other strategic support functions (e.g. procurement, transport, inventory, etc.) are in place and functioning in the sub-office.
• Direct the management and accounting of financial, commodity and other resources in line with CARE policies and donor requirements.
• Apply rigorous personnel, cash, asset, inventory management and control systems and supervision of managers to ensure compliance with these systems.
• Ensure strong commodity management, and accountability
• Oversight responsibility the implementation of activities in WASH, Logistics, Food Aid and Non-Food Item distribution; gender and community development, and education.
• Ensuring quality control and best practices through appropriate project monitoring and evaluation;
• Direction and oversight of project activities and ensuring contract deliverables are met, donor and management reports are completed accurately and on time.
• Oversight of interdependent, multi-donor, multi-million dollar annual budgets, and responsible for financial accountability and ensuring effective utilisation of budgets and compliance to CARE and donor reporting procedures, deadlines and requirements.
• Monitor the financial position of the ongoing projects, and ensure the best use of available resources.
• In a complex and changing humanitarian context, provide leadership and vision in strategic planning within the framework of CARE Kenya’s strategy and in keeping with the strategic directions established by UNHCR.
• Monitor the situation in Somalia and develop contingency plans for potential influxes into the camps in collaboration with other partners.
• Lead the development and implementation of an Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and longer term strategic plan, revising as necessary;
• Identify and secure adequate funding for ongoing and future program activities on a timely basis.
• In consultation and coordination with the senior camp management team, in each sector, the DRO will coordinate the development of new proposals, budgets with inputs from UNHCR, WFP, donors and implementing agencies and ensure timely submission to CARE Nairobi and CARE members for approval.
• Development and supervision of budgets to CARE and donor standards;
• Represent CARE in various stakeholder forums
• Represent CARE Kenya in meetings with UNHCR, WFP, other partners, Department of Refugee Affairs, local and district representatives at Dadaab level;
• Create an interface between the refugee community and the local community;
• Liaise with other CARE programs in North Eastern Province;
• Responsible for Safety and Security, as officer in charge of Dadaab operations, ensure that the Dadaab sub-office updates the security plan and follows security procedures.
• Provide leadership and guidance in problem resolution to the Safety and Security Manager and Officers in the 3 camps, provide information and analysis to the CD and senior management in Kenya and to the Director of Safety and Security in Canada in decision making on issues that affect the safety and security of staff, programme implementation, CARE’s relations with stakeholders, and CARE’s image.

Authority
1. Spending Authority up to KES 4 Million
2. Supervision: Directly supervises the Program Manager, Finance and Admin Manager, HR Coordinator, Admin Manager,
3. Decision Making: Makes Important decisions

Key Relationships/Contacts
UNHCR, WFP, BPRM, other implementing agencies, GOK,CARE Canada, CARE Head Office

Work Conditions
The position is based at Dadaab Main Office (DMO) with frequent movements to Hagadera, Ifo and Dagahaley camps as well as any other extension camps and program sites.

This is a none-family working station. Hot weather is prevalent throughout the year with limited basic amenities. Road movement to and from work station to Garissa as well as inter-camp movement must be under police escort (Scheduled convoys). Strict adherence to security instructions all the time.

It is a six days work station with a compensatory time off according to CTO policy. The incumbent will be required to travel to Nairobi office and perform official responsibilities on need basis.

The incumbent shall reside in the CARE compound while executing official duties and shall obey and adhere to residential compound regulations.

Required competencies
• Strong time-management and multi-tasking competencies.
• Team building
• Managing relationships across units, country offices, and CI
• Self awareness
• Interpersonal skills
• Stress tolerance
• Customer orientation
• Planning and organizing
• Proactive problem solving
• Operational decision-making
• Resilience, adaptability and ability to self-manage
• Excellent written and spoken English communications skills.

Required experience
• Proven track record in design, planning and implementation of emergency/ refugee assistance programs.
• Financial management experience (preparation of multi-sectoral program budgets for various donors, strong financial tracking skills, experience in preparing budget realignments, cost and no cost extensions)
• Experience as leader of a large, multi-ethnic team
• Strong computer skills are essential.
• Past experience in situations of conflict, insecurity and emergency

Desired traits:
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of refugee issues, UN policy frameworks and UNHCR operating norms.
• Experience in negotiating with donors and Government especially UNHCR, Bureau of Populations, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) and WFP.
• Experience in managing large commodity stocks and preventing losses.

The DRO must be a pro-active, results-focused manager/leader.

The position reports to the Senior Sector Manager in Nairobi

Qualifications/Experience
• Degree or master’s level of education in development/relief related subject.
• Minimum 5 years experience working in emergency and humanitarian programs (preferably in refugee contexts) in developing countries, ideally within East Africa
• At least 3 years experience in management of multi-sectoral programs with a large and diverse donor portfolio (at least US$ 3 Million or above)

Qualified candidates are invited to send their application letters quoting reference number on the subject field together with detailed C.V with three professional referees and daytime telephone contacts by Friday 4th November, 2011 to

The Human Resources & Development Manager,
CARE International in Kenya.
Email: hrmanager@care.or.ke.

For further details on minimum requirements, please visit our website: www.care.or.ke.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.
Those that had applied earlier need not re-apply.
CARE is an equal opportunity employer and promotes gender equity.
Canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.

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