Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe

Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe is the humanitarian assistance agency of the Protestant Churches in Germany with headquarters in Berlin. It has regional offices in Asia, Africa and Latin America, as well as country offices in our priority countries, which are responsible for the coordination of aid programmes. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe’s operating model is structured around implementing projects exclusively through a network of local partner organisations.

In the context of this vacancy announcement, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe programs in Somalia and DR Congo are of special relevance:

In Somalia, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe is active since 1992 with own offices in Nairobi and Mogadishu with currently 8 staff, responsible for the oversight and technical support for humanitarian and transitional aid activities implemented through local partner organisations. Project activities are located in several regions in South Central Somalia and interventions are covering several sectors like WASH, Livelihood, Education in Emergencies and Camp Management.

In DR Congo, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe has been implementing humanitarian projects with local partner organizations for over more than 20 years and is running a country office in Goma since 2010, with currently 9 staff. The main areas of intervention are North and South Kivu provinces as well as the Ituri province, with projects mostly applying a multi-sectoral approach, including WASH and epidemic prevention, Food Security/Nutrition, Shelter/NFI and Protection activities.

Program Description

For supporting local actors in strengthening their capacities in humanitarian response, preparedness, coordination and advocacy, four German humanitarian NGOs (Caritas Germany, Welthungerhilfe, Malteser International and Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe) have agreed to join for a Consortium and work together in a localization program. The program ToGETHER - Towards Greater Effectiveness and Timeliness in Humanitarian Emergency Response” aiming, that Local Humanitarian Partners (LHP) of the Program take responsibilities and actions in the humanitarian system of their countries for an effective and timely, accountable and principled humanitarian action. The program with funding from the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO-AA) is running from March 2020 to February 2023 in altogether eight countries. Each consortium member has the operational lead in two of the participating countries. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe is in the lead for DR Congo and Somalia.

For the coordination of the ToGETHER-program activities of Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe in the two countries (Somalia & DRC) and for its integration in the overall worldwide ToGETHER-consortium program, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe is recruiting a Regional Coordinator.

Your Main Tasks are

• Oversight and responsibility for timely and qualitative program implementation in compliance with the program proposal, donor strategy and regulations (here German Federal Foreign Office GFFO/ Auswärtiges Amt-AA) and Core Humanitarian Standards

• Ensure timely and high quality narrative and financial reporting is submitted to the overall coordinating body within the ToGETHER program, the Program Management Unit (PMU)

• Support the identification of Local Partner Organisations to participate in the program

• Ensure the programmatic and thematic priorities of the ToGETHER Program are understood and followed by the Country Program Units (CPU) in DR Congo and Somalia as well as the Local Humanitarian Partners (LHP)

• Compilation and coordination of narrative and financial reports from the Country Project Units (CPU) in DRC and in Somalia

• Ensure timely and donor compliant cash transfer flow to project holders (Local Humanitarian Partners) in the program

• Ensure regular communication about progress of projects and overall program with Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe offices in DRC and Somalia as well as Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe Headquarters in Berlin.

Specific Tasks

• Develop and operationalize a joint program work and MEAL plan for both countries

• Coordinate the Country Program Unit Teams (Project Coordinator, Process & Finance Administrator and MEAL Advisor) in both Somalia and DRC

• Communicate and exchange knowledge, experience and best practices with regional coordinators of other consortia members in respective countries

• Ensure regular communication about progress of projects and overall program with Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe HQ Berlin

• Seek thematic advice from Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe thematic advisors on discussions on localisation, grand bargain and charter for change (Humanitarian, DRR; CVA, Compliance/CRM) of all relevant project activities

• Strengthen the representation of local humanitarian partners in the humanitarian systems by supporting local partners to position and representation in clusters and networks

• Exchange on best practice approaches for the Country Programme Unit (CPU) in DR Congo and Somalia

• Ensure peer learning and review among Local Humanitarian Partners in all program countries

• Coordinate with public relations on communication and visibility plan

Reporting and Communication lines

The Regional Coordinator (RC) reports to the Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe Heads of Mission (HoM) of the country offices in DRC and Somalia as well as to the Program Officer Africa in Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe Headquarters in Berlin. The Regional Coordinator (RC) will communicate closely with the project officers DR Congo and Somalia, furthermore, he/she seeks advice from the Humanitarian, DRR and CVA advisors, all based on HQ level in Berlin. The RC will coordinate the members of the Country Program Units (CPU) both, in DRC and Somalia. The RC will be in close communication with the other ToGETHER Regional Coordinators of the other consortium partners as well as the ToGETHER Program Management Unit (PMU).

Requirements of the position

• Knowledge and working experience in humanitarian localization approaches, especially Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, and Core Humanitarian Standards
• Proven Experience in managing consortium and/or projects with several stakeholders as well as multi-year back donor programmes
• Proven experience in working with civil society organisations and with capacity enhancement as well as organizational development with local organizations, including technical aspects such as PCM, MEAL, Finance, Complaint Response Mechanisms (CRM), Digital Data Management, Quality and Accountability Methods
• Understanding and adherence to the humanitarian principles and Core Humanitarian Standards
• Proven working experience in Somalia and/or DRC or other conflict and fragile settings in Africa
• Hands on experience in financial management
• Experience in conceptualization and implementation of humanitarian projects (multisectoral and integrated approaches in WASH, Food Security, Protection…), with local organizations and in difficult environments and conflict settings

• Strong interpersonal and coordination skills

• Independence and responsibility in preparing problem solutions, also decision making (the work may include demanding responsibility for operations and finances)

• Ability to work independently and with minimum need of supervision

• Flexibility, robust personality with proven working experience in conflict and fragile settings

• Ability to network and lead

• Intercultural experience

• Excellent communication skills

• High resilience, improvisation skills and flexibility to adapt to local contexts.

Competencies needed

• Proficiency in French and English, oral and written (C1 level and higher).

• English report writing and compilation of French reports

• Willingness and ability to travel minimum 50% of working time (duty station t.b.d., ideally based in Goma, DRC, non-family)

• German, Kiswahili, Arabic or Somali are an asset.

What we offer:

• Interesting and challenging position in an innovative program approach in the field of the global localization agenda

• Strong support through Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe’s experienced, strong and vibrant teams in the country offices in Goma and Mogadishu as well as the Head Office in Berlin

• Remuneration in line with the international standards

• Consultancy (honorary) contract until February 2023