Area Coordinator North Sindh

Department: Coordination
Position: Area coordinator Contract duration: 6 months Location: North Sindh, Pakistan Starting Date ASAP

I. Background on ACTED

ACTED is an independent international, private, non-partisan and non-profit organization that operates according to principles of strict neutrality, political and religious impartiality, and non discrimination.

ACTED was created in 1993 to support populations affected by the conflict in Afghanistan. Based in Paris, France, ACTED now operates in 30 countries worldwide, with over 200 international and 4000 national staff. ACTED has a 100 million € budget for over 350 projects spanning 8 sectors of intervention; including emergency relief, food security, health promotion, economic development, education & training, microfinance, local governance & institutional support, and cultural promotion. For more information, please visit our website at www.acted.org

II. Country Profile

Projects: 34 (2011) National staff: 827 (2011) International Staff: 16 (2011) Capital Office: Islamabad Total number of direct beneficiaries: 5,369,006 (2011) Budget: 29, 6 M Euros (2011)

ACTED has been present in Pakistan since 1993, when it registered its first office in Peshawar. Since, we have developed extensive experience in programmes focusing on emergency response, local governance and community mobilisation, on and off-farm livelihoods support, education and vocational training, community-based rehabilitation and construction, shelter, water and sanitation and health and hygiene. In addition, ACTED has been providing monitoring, evaluation, information management to a wide range of stakeholders in Pakistan to promote humanitarian coordination and effectiveness.

In recent years, ACTED has provided extensive emergency and early recovery assistance to disaster-affected families in Pakistan. This assistance has included shelter construction, food distributions, the provision of clean water and sanitation facilities, hygiene campaigns and support for the resumption of livelihoods activities through the distribution of seeds, livestock and farming tools, the promotion of home-based micro-businesses for women and cash for work schemes including the rehabilitation of community productive infrastructure.

In 2001-2002, the organisation provided assistance over 20,000 displaced Afghan refugee families in Pakistan. ACTED was a leading actor in responding to the massive 2005 earthquake, which took 75,000 lives and affected over 100,000 others in eastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). In 2009, following the displacement of over three million people in KPK, ACTED provided support to IDP populations throughout Swat, Nowshera, Buner, Lower Dir and Upper Dir districts. ACTED’s mission in Pakistan expanded into Punjab and Northern Sindh provinces following the unprecedented monsoon floods that swept across Pakistan in July 2010, claiming 1,700 lives, destroying close to 1.8 million homes and affecting a total of over 20 million people across the country. In 2011, as floods in lower Sindh affected a further 9.2 million people, destroying over 315,000 homes and leaving 43% of local populations severely food insecure, ACTED was able to immediately provide emergency relief to flood-affected families drawing upon its strong presence and experience of the local context.

Today, ACTED’s experienced team of 700 national staff and 11 international staff continues to support the relief, recovery and development needs of conflict- and flood-affected communities in four districts of KPK (Swat, Upper Dir, Lower Dir and Kohat), six districts of Sindh (Kashmore, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar and Umerkot), one district of Punjab (D.G. Khan) and two agencies of FATA (Orakzai and Bajaur), ensuring access to remote or complex areas and the relevance and effectiveness of our programmes.

III. Position Profile

1. Ensure ACTED Representation in the area of activity

• Representation vis-à-vis provincial authorities: Participate in official meetings to ensure maximum visibility vis-à-vis provincial authorities.
• Representation vis-à-vis Donors: Establish and update contact details of potential Donors active in the area of activity; Participate in Donor meetings at provincial level and communicate relevant information to the Country Director; Circulate the Annual Report.
• Representation amongst other international organisations: Participate in inter-NGO Coordination meetings and those of UN Agencies (OCHA, UNDP, UNICEF, FAO, etc.), and any other relevant inter-governmental institution at provincial level; Ensure maximum visibility of the Agency amongst the NGO community at provincial level; Lead the production of reports and ensure the timeliness and accuracy of information provided, as well ensuring confidentiality of sensitive information.

More generally, the project manager is expected to contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organisation, notably through the application of ACTED’s mandate, ethics, values and stand-point with regard to other actors.

1. Contribute to the development of a global intervention strategy and to support its implementation at provincial level

• Analyse the context and develop strategic plans, in consultation with the Country Director: Gather and analyse information regarding opportunities and risk; Define an operational strategy for finances and HR.
• Implement the financial strategy: Oversee drafting of projects and budget development; Lead fund-raising and negotiations with Donors in the area of intervention; Lead the application and adherence to contract terms and requirements; Supervise overall financial commitments and financial risk.
• Implement the operational strategy: Supervise Project Managers of the area of intervention in project implementation; Help the various teams in negotiations with provincial/local authorities and partners; Ensure global coordination and complementarity amongst projects within the area of intervention; Assess activities and ensure efficient use of resources.
• Oversee reporting procedures: Develop a reporting schedule with regard to Donor deadlines; Plan and supervise the development of narrative and financial reports; Ensure adherence to FLAT procedures.

More generally, communicate systematically to the Country Director the development of the area strategy and its implementation.

1. Oversee Staff and Security

• Guide and direct the staff of the area of intervention: Organise and lead coordination meetings; Prepare and follow work plans; Ensure a positive working environment and good team dynamics (solve out potential conflicts); Promote team working conditions in the limit of private life; Adapt the organigramme and ToRs of personnel according to the area development; Undertake regular appraisals of directly supervised colleagues and pass appraisal forms to the Country Administrator with recommendations (new position, changes to contract or salary etc.);
• Contribute to the recruitment of expatriate staff: Follow recruitment procedures: plan recruitment needs in advance; draft ToRs for open vacancies; if necessary undertake phone interviews with candidates; When requested by HQ, undertake interviews of expatriate candidates living in the area of intervention.
• Oversee staff security: In cooperation with the Area Security Officer, monitor the local security situation and inform both Country Security Officer and Country Director of developments through regular written reports; Update the security guidelines in the area of intervention; Ensure that security procedures are respected by the whole staff.

IV. Qualifications:

• Master Level education in a relevant field such as International Relations or Development • Project management experience (management, planning, staff development and training skills) in development programmes • 2-5 years previous work experience in a relevant position • Proven capabilities in leadership and management required • Excellent skills in written and spoken English • Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills, and flexibility in cultural and organizational terms • Ability to work well and punctually under pressure

V. Conditions:

• Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, • Additional monthly living allowance • Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse/or housing allowance (depending on contract length and country of assignment) • Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance • Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package

How to apply:

Please send, in English, your cover letter, CV, and three references to jobs@acted.org Ref : ACNS/PAK/SA

For more information, visit us at http://www.acted.org