ICLA Project Manager Syria Response Office -(AO6)

Role and responsibilities

This position aims to lead the implementation of all Information, Counselling, and Legal Assistance (ICLA) activities in our area of operations in Syria. They will be responsible for managing the overall NRC ICLA project portfolio and staffing, which are delivered through remotely managed NRC staff. They also contribute to broader country-level programme development in collaboration with the ICLA Specialist.

The position-holder will be duty-stationed in Amman, Jordan, but will be expected to travel to neighbouring counties for coordination.

Generic Responsibilities:

• Line management for project staff.
• Adherence to NRC policies, guidance and procedures.
• Contribute to the development of Country, Area and ICLA strategies, initiate and participate in the development of relevant ICLA projects.
• Coordinate and manage ICLA project implementation (activities, budget and project documentation) in line with proposals, strategies and donor requirements.
• Provide technical direction to ICLA team, and ensure high technical quality of projects.
• Provide regular progress reports to the Area Programme Manager and the ICLA Specialist.
• Ensure that projects target beneficiaries most in need of protection, explore and assess new and better ways to assist.
• Develop and manage project budget (in cooperation with Area Programme Manager) and coordinate across Core Competencies (CCs).
• Liaise and collaborate with relevant local authorities and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure capacity building of project staff and transfer key skills.
• Promote the rights of displaced persons in line with the advocacy strategy

Specific responsibilities:

Programme Development:

• Participate in relevant project start-up, progress review, and closing meetings.
• Design and develop programme approaches and activities together with ICLA Specialist that can be piloted and expanded to other project areas.
• Lead on assessments and contribute to evidence based programming and advocacy efforts.
• Ensure all relevant stakeholders are included in the planning and implementation of projects as appropriate.
• Drawing up plans, proposals, and budgets for new projects/extensions of projects in conjunction with the relevant team, both programme and support staff.
• Support multi-sectoral emergency preparedness and response as required by the context and management.
• Closely coordinate with all CCs in the Area Office to maximise on integrated programming.

Programme Management:

• Overall responsibility for effective and efficient management of the ICLA projects across our area office in Syria consistent with the project management cycle (including reporting to the desired quality and standard).
• Coordinate with Area Office management to ensure the provision of ICLA Programming as described in country strategy.
• Overall budget management for all the ICLA projects/portfolio implemented in the Area and ensure appropriate burn-rates are maintained and that solutions to over/under expenditure are applied.
• Responsible for providing technical and implementation support and guidance to field-based ICLA staff in implementing NRC project(s), including but not limited to providing instructions on work plans, approving expenses/procurement, recruitments, reporting, etc., in close coordination and collaboration with the sub-office teams in Syria.
• Responsible for providing timely and methodical updates regarding needs and trends specific to the responsible CC to the Area Programme Manager and CC Specialist.
• Ensure accurate and consistent implementation of ICLA case management and M&E tools.
• Ensure CC-specific M&E roles and responsibilities are adhered to.
• Accountable for the successful implementation of all ICLA projects throughout the full project cycle.
• Actively promote and operationalise synergies between ICLA and other NRC programmes.

Logistics, Finance, and Human Resource Management:

• Ensure appropriate Financial and Logistical NRC systems/ procedures are adhered to within the ICLA team (including supply chain management).
• Ensure timely and accurate development of procurement plans, recruitment plans, and spending plans per project and ensure the same is shared with relevant support colleagues.
• Responsible for ensuring timely submission of monthly CC-specific cash forecast to Finance and relevant Procurement Requests to Logistics.
• In line with project needs and funding availability, continuously and proactively plan CC-specific staff requirements and liaise with HR and Admin to ensure the same;
• Performance management of all direct reports, including regular one-on-one meetings and completion of work and development plans.
• Ensure all new team members are adequately briefed on arrival, and departing team members are debriefed.

Coordination and Representation:

• Responsible for attending relevant CC-specific meetings and coordination fora, representing NRC strictly within the limit set out by the Country Office;
• Responsible for representing NRC in ICLA related meetings at area level
• Conduct senior representation and promote strong working relationships with local authority counterparts;
• In line with NRC’s standards, ensure communication plans are implemented, stakeholders are informed on NRC’s activities, and the organisation is well accepted by communities;
• In charge of producing weekly and monthly CC-specific situation reports, flash reports and any other reports as requested by the Area Programme Manager and CC Specialist.

Critical interfaces:

By interfaces, NRC means processes and projects that are interlinked with other departments/units or persons. Relevant interfaces for this position are:

Strategy and Programme Development:

• Area Programme Manager, ICLA Specialist.

Implementation:

• Area Programme Manager, ICLA Project Coordinators.

Area Operations:

• Area Programme Manager, Area Project Management Team, Protection Coordinator, Partners.

Support Services:

• Area Office Support Team (logistics, finance, human resources, access, and Health, Safety and Security HSS)

Monitoring:

• Information Management Officer, Monitoring and Evaluation team.

Staff Capacity Building:

• ICLA Specialist, Human Resources, Partners.

Scale and scope of position

Staff:

• Project Coordinator x 3, Information Management Officer x 1 directly managed by the postholder, and 36 staff responsible for overall in the unit.

Stakeholders:

• UN agencies, Protection cluster, HLP working group, Shelter/NFIs cluster, INGOs, local NGOs, Local Authorities, Local Communities.

Budgets:

• Budget holder for all relevant project costs (DG NEAR, ECHO, OCHA, SIDA, NMFA, BHA, GFFO, etc.)

Information:

• Project databases, document archives, GORS, UNIT4, BOX, etc.

Legal or compliance:

• NRC Head Office, Syrian Response Office and Area Office Policies and Procedures, donor regulations.

Competencies

Competencies are important in order for the employee and the organisation to deliver desired results. They are relevant for all staff and are divided into the following two categories:

1. Professional competencies

These are skills, knowledge and experience that are important for effective performance.

Generic professional competencies:

• Relevant university degree, preferably law or social studies
• Minimum 3 years of experience from a senior level legal assistance project implementation position in a humanitarian/ recovery context
• ICLA technical expertise, including knowledge of Housing, Land & Property and/or civil documentation issues
• Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities
• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal

Context/ Specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Knowledge of the displacement context in Syria and the Middle East
• Experience with start-up or expansion of new programmes
• Advanced computer skills, especially in Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook;

• Knowledge of Arabic desirable

• Behavioural Competencies:

• These are personal qualities that influence how successful people are in their job. NRC’s Competency Framework states 12 behavioural competencies and the following are essential for this position:

• Managing resources to optimise results

• Managing performance and development

• Empowering and building trust

• Strategic thinking

• Handling insecure environments

Performance Management

The employee will be accountable for the responsibilities and the competencies, in accordance with the NRC Performance Management Manual. The following documents will be used for performance reviews:

• The Job Description
• The Work and Development Plan
• The NRC Competency Framework

What we can Offer:

• Contract period:12 months renewable (subject to funding and performance )
• Salary/benefits: According to NRC’s salary scale and terms and conditions
• The role is open to National &International candidates, with accompanied benefits
• Duty station: Amman Jordan
• Travel: possible, up to 20% (Areas of operations)