This position will be for East Africa and Great Lakes and the duty station is Narobi, Kenya.

To be able to assist refugees and the displaced, protect their rights and empower them towards a better future, we must ensure that our Country Operations are at the center of what we do, with clear, standardized and efficient support structures around them. For this reason, DRC is, throughout 2022, transitioning into four regions of similar size, structure and turnover (Asia & Europe, Middle East, East Africa & Great Lakes and West-North Africa & Latin America) – ensuring that we, at all times, are optimally equipped and able to provide the same high-level support to all countries.

The four Executive Directors will join the Executive Management Team, ensuring that DRC’s strategic decisions are better informed with on-the-ground operational insight. The Executive Directors will support the continued transformation of the organization, further develop our global operations while providing overall regional and global leadership.

ABOUT THE JOB

The Executive Directors will be part of the global Executive Management Team (EMT) together with the Secretary General, the Executive Director of Operations, the Executive Director of Programme, Partnerships & External Relations – as well as the Executive Directors for People & Organization, and Finance, Risk & Supply Chain. Your role will be to drive the development and execution of DRC’s strategy globally and represent DRC across the region on country, regional and global topics. You will be overall responsible for creating the vision and setting the strategic direction for the region in alignment with DRC’s global strategy and in response to the humanitarian needs and displacements challenges in the region. You will, together with the regional team, provide strategic and programmatic support to the country operations within your region. The Executive Directors will represent DRC externally towards stakeholders and duty bearers in the region and lead the pursual of new partnerships and funding opportunities.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

• Strategy & Leadership
  • In close collaboration with the Secretary General and other Executive Management Team members, develop, implement and follow up on the global DRC strategy on short and long term
  • Spearhead and inspire DRC leadership based on the DRC leadership principle: Freedom of action with responsibility.
  • Lead, represent, develop and consolidate DRC in the region and globally, while contributing to One DRC by strengthening the cooperation and synergies across regions, countries and HQ departments.
  • Keep the wider organization abreast of major programmatic, operational, advocacy and fundraising trends within the region.
  • Identify synergies and opportunities across the region, while supporting and guiding programme development and innovation.
  • Inspire, set direction, and frame the vision, strategies and plans within the region, guided by DRC’s organizational profile and priorities, and in close cooperation with Country Directors.
  • Approval of strategic plans across the region, overseeing compliance by ensuring that processes, principles and tools are consistently applied.
  • Leadership of the Regional Senior Management Team: provide support, guidance and clear direction
  • Ensure that the Regional Office is appropriately resourced and structured in order to provide countries within the region the required support related to Programme and Support Services (jointly with the Regional Head of Programme and Regional Head of Support Services).
• Financial Management
  • Accountable for Financial Management of the Regional Office, including budgeting & reporting, revenue & cost management, accounting standards and assets & liabilities.
  • Accountable for the consolidated annual financial targets and results for the region, as well as the regional contribution to the overall organizational budget.
  • Accountable for regional grants and ensuring appropriate country-level contributions to the Regional Office.
  •  In collaboration with finance, ensure that countries operate in accordance with DRC financial management standards & practices, while ensuring that countries receive the required support and guidance from the Regional Office following globally agreed accountabilities.
• Representation & Fundraising
  • Key regional representative on advocacy, donor relations and fundraising. Cross-regional representation as required.
  • Represent DRC externally towards stakeholders and duty bearers in the region and pursuing new partnerships and funding opportunities
  • Continuously assess DRC’s regional presence and operational profile in the region and expanding to new geographic and programmatic areas as required.
  • Accountable for fundraising and donor relations on behalf of the region while supporting global fundraising efforts and events.
  • Lead advocacy efforts across the region and contributes to global advocacy efforts.
• Risk & Duty of Care
  •  Accountable for Risk Management across the region. Agree on mitigation measures for high and very high operational risks jointly with the relevant EMT member(s).
  • Accountable for Safety & Duty of Care across the region.
• Other
  • Ensure that effective learning is facilitated across the region, ensuring that it informs global learning.

ABOUT YOU

To be successful in this role we expect you to have extensive experience with developing and implementing programme responses and operational structures in displacement contexts. Accountability to affected populations is the driver of your engagement and you have a comprehensive humanitarian experience both operationally and from a policy perspective.
You thrive in dealing with programmatic and technical complexity and master the balancing act of finding the right approach and decisions relevant for DRC’s mandate. You are an excellent advocate, firmly rooted in the rights-based approach, and can explain the business case to potential new partners. You have comprehensive understanding and experience working within the humanitarian coordination architecture.

Moreover, we also expect the following:

1.  At least 10 years’ experience as a senior manager (managing other managers) within the humanitarian sector. Extensive leadership experience in complex organizational environments; used to leading change processes and building and leading strong teams and other leaders within highly technical expertise areas.
2. At least 5 years’ experience as overall budget responsible for an operational unit with successful track record of setting up, monitoring, communicating and delivering on financial targets.
3. Good at setting and maintaining direction with a strategic mindset and demonstrated experience in planning, coordinating and leading processes that include multiple stakeholders.
4. Inclusive, inspiring and facilitating leadership style, always striving to empower, motivate, and develop your team while also seeking inspiration from others and consulting with colleagues.
5. Extensive experience with developing and implementing programme responses in displacement contexts and with programme innovation.
6. Ability to deal with programmatic and operational complexity and master the balancing act of finding the right approach and decisions relevant for DRC’s mandate.
7. Experience with translating technical requirements and programmatic complexity into programming that is efficient, delivers results and convenes locally driven and sustainable solutions.
8. Excellent advocate, firmly rooted in the rights-based approach, and ability to explain the business case to potential new partners.
9. Comprehensive humanitarian experience both operationally and from a policy perspective, and with a strong network within the sector. Understanding and experience working within the humanitarian coordination architecture.
10. Practical experience with several of DRC’s five core sectors and believe in the value of reaching results through multi sector integrated programming and via multi stakeholder engagement.
11. Strong in triple nexus programming, the Core Humanitarian Standard, and the normative and legal frameworks relevant for our displacement mandate.
12. Strong communicator capable of communicating technical complexity in an easy-to-understand way. Fluent in English; fluency in French is an add advantage.
13. In this position, you are also expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:
14. Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
15. Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
16. Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
17. Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
18. Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

CONDITIONS

Contract:    4 years with possibility of extension ,

Salary & Conditions :In accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for either National or Expatriate staff .

Availability:       May 2022

Duty station:        This position is based in Nairobi – Kenya.

Providing equal opportunities    We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, age, ability, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other factor. At DRC we celebrate diversity and appreciate our employees for the people they are and their unique skills, backgrounds, and perspectives. We encourage all interested candidates to apply.

Promoting high standards : DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process.