Country Representative DRC with Swedish Red Cross

Title: Country Representative, Swedish Red Cross**
Place of assignment:** Democratic Republic of Congo **
Type of posting:** International Delegate, non-family posting
Desired starting date: asap**
Contract period:** 12 months, with possibility for extension

Background

Swedish Red Cross (SRC) works in partnership with the Red Cross in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). After decades of engagement in DRC through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), SRC initiated its bilateral partnership with the DRC Red Cross of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC RC) and since). Since 2016 have, SRC has supported disaster risk reduction in Kinshasa province, and responded to humanitarian needs due to conflicts, disasters and epidemics., focusing on the eastern part of DRC. SRC has two international delegates present in country, one of which holds the position of Country Representative and the other as Programme Manager. The current programme portfolio focuses on working with water, sanitation and hygiene programmes, multi-sector integrated programming in eastern part of the country, and disaster risk management in vulnerable communities. SRC aims at systematically mainstreaming the cross-cutting issues of Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) and Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) into the programmes. The SRC supports its partner in several processes and collaborates with Red Cross and Red Crescent movement partners present in DRC, as well as other relevant actors.

Job summary and Your role in the organisation

The Country Representative (CR) will be responsible for developing and implementing the SRC long-term strategy in DRC and support DRC RC in providing timely, qualitative and effective interventions to crises affected people and vulnerable communities. The work involve maintaining and further developing the relationship with Red Cross/Red Crescent partners, donors and other stakeholders to strengthen the SRC strategy and programme portfolio, secure resources and capacity for the SRC engagement in DRC.

The role of the CR is overall responsible for management of the SRC supported programmes in DRC. The CR is not expected to implement project activities, but will engage in guiding, coaching and training of DRC RC staff to ensure sustainability and ownership. It will further involve support in recruitment processes and securing technical expertise for quality control of projects where needed, and ensuring compliance to SRC and back donor terms and conditions for programme funding.

The CR is responsible for reporting internally (SRC) and externally (partners, back donors, media, public) on SRC engagement in DRC, and will represent SRC in different fora.

The position is based in Kinshasa, but field trips to other parts of the country – especially the areas where SRC is implementing bilateral or multilateral programmes with Red Cross/ Red Crescent movement partners – will be required.

As the Country Representative in DRC for the Swedish Red Cross, you are part of the Africa Unit, and report to the Africa Head of Unit, based in Stockholm.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Manage the country programme following the operational cycle (planning and design, systematic monitoring and field visits, evaluation and reporting).
• Manage and monitor the country budget, including financial and audit reporting.
• Represent SRC in DRC, in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement (DRC RC, ICRC, IFRC and other Partner National Societies) and towards other strategic institutions and partners in the country.
• Manage the SRC in-country office including security management.
• Seek opportunities for collaboration and partnership for resource mobilization and programme development.
• Close collaboration with relevant technical and thematic advisors and support staff at the SRC headquarter, in accordance with SRC’s procedures and systems.

Your profile

The position demands that you have a strong organisational awareness, the ability to work seamlessly with several stakeholders, while taking responsibility for ensuring that SRC works towards our intended objectives in DRC. You need to be analytical and able to develop and assess project proposals and reports. You need to be systematic and structured, with the ability to handle high workloads. You meet deadlines and can work with an elevated level of independence.

As a successful candidate you have solid interpersonal, networking, and diplomatic skills and a high level of integrity. You have demonstrated experiences of holding similar responsibilities outlined above.

As an SRC employee, you share the Red Cross Red Crescent humanitarian values and principles, and actively work against all forms of discrimination and promote inclusiveness and diversity. You understand, respect and comply with the SRC Code of Conduct and security rules and regulations.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Relevant academic degree in international relations, development studies, business management or related field
• At least 5 years relevant working experience in multinational environments managing humanitarian or development programmes
• At least 5 years field experience, preferably with experience from working in similar contexts in Africa, and in complex and volatile contexts
• Experience in programme design and proposal writing, planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation including financial management & budget monitoring
• Experience in Organisational Development, Community Engagement and Accountability
• Relevant security training for work in high-risk environment (HEAT or equivalent)
• Proficient knowledge of written and spoken English and French

Desired Qualifications

• Experience of working within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement
• Experience of managing teams
• Experience of working with cross-cutting perspectives, such as gender, conflict sensitivity and environment/climate change
• Understanding of the current political, social and humanitarian situation of DRC and from the region

Other Requirements

• Excellent command of English and French – spoken and written. Good command of Swedish is an asset.
• In line with the principle of neutrality, SRC does not assign personnel to a country of which they are nationals
• Candidates must be in good health and are required to pass a medical check-up prior to departure to the duty station
• Candidates must hold a manual driving license and have experience in driving manual transmission vehicles