Program Coordinator in DPRK (for IFRC through Swedish Red Cross)

Title: Program Coordinator for IFRC in DPRK
Place of assignment: Based remotely in Beijing until borders open up and access into DPRK is allowed.**
Type of posting: International Delegate
Desired starting date: asap
Contract period: **12 months, with the possibility of extension

Organisational context

DPRK Country Delegation is one of IFRC Country Delegations in the Asia Pacific Region. Led by the Head of Country Delegation (HoCD), DPRK, it is composed of 10 staff including 2 delegates and 1 finance support officer operating from Beijing due to DPRK anti-epidemic lockdown, as well as 7 national staff that operate in IFRC delegation in Pyongyang as technical support and liaison team.

Your role in the organisation

Reporting to the HoCD, the Programme Coordinator is one of the two delegates operating from Beijing, as management and technical support platform, until conditions are met to return to DPRK. You are expected to support the Head of Delegation in overall management and support of the operations as well as coordinate with IFRC team in Pyongyang, DPRK Red Cross Society (DPRK RCS) and Movement partners in the design, development, implementation and reporting of programmes and operations in DPRK in compliance with IFRC procedures, policies and standards. For this position, it is important that you are able to work in a restricted environment, is a positive character and problem solver with strong inter-personal skills and culturally sensitive.

In this role, you would provide high level expertise and support to DPRK RCS across the full spectrum of preparedness, response and development activities as well as tailored technical support and materials for National Society operational development and capacity enhancement. You take a lead role in ensuring full readiness of operational support services, including for the supply chain and information management while ensuring effective remote monitoring and accountability to partners.

Key duties and responsibilities

Programme coordination, support and accountability

• Serves as the conduit for technical support and capacity enhancement in a variety of programme areas including disaster risk management, climate-smart community resilience, health and water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as in National Society development.

• Closely coordinates with Red Cross Red Crescent partners in the co-creation, design, development, implementation and reporting for programmes and operations, in close liaison with IFRC team in DPRK and the National Society.

• Manages resources channelled through the IFRC and corresponding budgets for programme and operations and facilitates effective planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting functions with due consideration with specificities of DPRK context.

• Establishes a tailored supply chain in China to ensure rapid and effective support to DPRK RCS delivery mechanisms under agreed operations and programmes.

• Provides hands-on programme management support as required by the circumstances.

Resourcing and cooperation

• Ensures a collaborative and cooperative process with Red Cross Red Crescent and external partners across all the aspects of the (technical) support, assistance and advice provided.

• Contributes to the development of programme proposals or any emergency-related fundraising tools.

• Ensure constant relations with and quality reporting to partners on ongoing programmes and operations.

Advocacy and humanitarian diplomacy

• Leads and coordinates on any request for exemption to the UN Sanction Committee.
• Provides analysis on operational bottlenecks and actively contribute to problem-solving measures.
• Enable the provision of contextual analysis affecting humanitarian and development fields.

General management

• Report to and inform the HoCD of any outstanding issues while keeping abreast funding partners on a regular basis.
• Ensure support and supervision to technical focal points in IFRC team in Pyongyang in close liaison with the national programme coordinator.
• Perform any other related duties and responsibilities that might be assigned by the Regional Director.
• Deputise for the HoCD when requested during his/her absences.

Duties applicable to all staff

• Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals
• Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles
• Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager

Requirements for the position

Education

• University graduate degree in management or relevant field of humanitarian or development programmes
• Basic Training Course / IMPACT or equivalent knowledge

Experience

• 5 years of progressive experience in a similar role, programme or operation management and coordination
• 5 years of experience within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement or membership-based non-governmental organizations
• 5 years of experience working in resilience, risk reduction, climate change and development programmes
• Robust experience in organizational development and capacity building
• Experience in working in complex contexts and set-ups
• Robust experience in logistics and procurement
• Robust experience in coaching, skill transfer, training and staff development
• Robust experience in multidisciplinary project integration across sectors and holistic approaches
• Robust experience in PMER as well as strategic planning and analysis in complex socio-political environment
• Robust experience in coordination, negotiation, communication and humanitarian diplomacy

Knowledge and Skills

• Proficient in integrated programming, holistic and multidisciplinary approaches including needs assessment
• Able to work in a restricted environment, positive character and problem solver with strong inter-personal skills and cultural sensitivities
• Proficient in programme or operation development and management, including budget and resource management
• Proficient in proposal development and resource mobilisation
• Proficient in risk and benefit realisation management
• Proficient in coordination, cooperation and collaboration mechanisms, methodologies and approaches
• Proficient in computer literacy (Microsoft Office suite)
• Proficient in community engagement and accountability
• Proficient in gender and diversity in emergency and developmental programming
• Familiar with coaching and mentoring approaches

Languages

• Fluent in spoken and written English
• Preferably knowledge in French or Spanish or Arabic or other (regional) language