Country Director - Syria Response / Middle East Region

Position: Country Director

Location: Syria Response / Middle East region

Responsible to: Head of Emergencies

Responsible for: All Merlin in-country staff

Duration: 3 months (with possible extension of up to 12 months)

Salary: £36,480- £37,230 per annum (dependant on relevant experience),

Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, annual leave entitlement of 24 days per annum rising to 30 days at the completion of 12 months of continuous employment with Merlin.

Please note that:

• Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.
• This is an unaccompanied position.
• For security reason, certain nationalities will not be considered for the role.
• Recruitment of this position is subject to funding.

Merlin

Merlin is an international health charity, saving lives in the world's toughest places. Merlin responds with healthcare, when people are overwhelmed by natural disaster, conflict or disease and in need of immediate help. We focus on treating those who are beyond the reach of existing health services. After the immediate crisis, Merlin stays on to assist recovery. Using our expertise, we support health workers and strengthen existing health services. We build resilience by helping those at risk of future health disasters, to be better prepared.

We think everyone should have access to lasting healthcare. We believe good health is fundamental to transforming people's lives, that's why Merlin is A Force for Health

Context and Background

After almost two years of conflict in Syria, the United Nations estimate around 60,000 casualties and 4 million people in need or urgent humanitarian assistance, including 2 million IDPs. The health sector in Syria has been severely affected, with health infrastructure damaged or destroyed, and a worsening insecurity making access basic services increasingly difficult. Medical services are being provided very often under very dangerous and inadequate conditions, and the drug stock shortages are having serious impact on the provision of appropriate medical care.

Merlin has been assessing and following up the health situation in Syria since November 2012, and has been present in the region since then. An intervention to respond to urgent unmet health needs in Syria was defined together with a local partner and is currently pending on funding.

Main purpose of the role

Responsible for the set up and oversight of Merlin's Syria Response programme. It includes providing the overall leadership and strategic direction for Merlin's operations in Syria, and be responsible for the overall programme development and implementation, staff management, logistics, security, finance, human resource and administration management, and representation to external actors.

Overall Objectives (scope)

• To establish Merlin's presence in the country of assignment.
• To plan and implement Merlin's response to the unmet health needs, in line with the approved proposals and budgets and in close coordination with the other members of the Country Team and the local partner.
• To address the feasibility of Merlin's current intervention proposal and realign it in light of situation on the ground.
• To oversee and coordinate Merlin's team in-country.
• To lead a plan for Merlin's future interventions in the area in the short / medium term and to develop programme concept paper(s).
• To scope out, and establish a collaborative and open working relationship with relevant future partners and beneficiaries.
• To represent Merlin extensively to relevant stakeholders.
• To secure funding for continuation of Merlin programming the country of assignment.
• To be responsible for all financial management related to the budget provided.
• To be responsible for the safety and security of all in country Merlin staff and adheres to standard operating procedures set
• To lead on the liaison and management of expectations with Merlin implementing partner
• To represent Merlin extensively to relevant stakeholders in existing and new coordination platforms and through bilateral networking

Responsibilities

Leadership of the Country Programme

• To establish, maintain and develop Merlin's presence in the country of assignment.
• To establish, coordinate and manage the overall planning and direction of Merlin's operations.
• To develop and maintain a coherent strategy that contributes to Merlin's global objectives.
• To ensure good communication, collaboration and team spirit within the teams managed.
• To monitor the health and humanitarian situation in the region and advise HO on the appropriate course of action.

• To assess and respond as necessary to changes in the external environment ensuring these changes are reflected in the country strategy and project plans.To ensure regular communication and monitoring of Merlin partner's activities, security adherence, and media communication

Programme Development

• To oversee relevant field assessments and develop the strategy for Merlin's Syria response.
• To address the feasibility of Merlin's current proposals and realign them in light of the field assessment findings and the situation on the ground.
• To continue the on-going reorientation and expansion of the programme, in line with the developing situation.
• To develop and maintain Merlin's emergency preparedness capacity and conduct needs assessment if and when appropriate.
• To oversee the scale up of the emergency response, and subsequent transition from emergency response to recovery and resilience.

• To create and advance appropriate partnerships with other INGOs, UN agencies, NNGOs and local partners.
• To assess the donor environment and opportunities for funding, and ensure concept notes and proposals are submitted in coordination with HO.

• To ensure effective and timely coordination of technical inputs (e.g. health, logistics, etc.) in proposal development within country programme and HO.

Programme Management

• To manage the implementation of all aspects of the Syria response programme, and review and suggest amendments where necessary.
• To act as the budget holder of the Merlin Syria response programme.
• To plan and monitor project activities and outputs against project logframes, timeframes and budgets. This includes grant opening, grant closing and monthly grant monitoring meetings with all departments, as well as activity, procurement and financial planning and reviews.
• Establish systems and standards for assessment and monitoring/evaluation of programmes against their strategic aims.
• Internal and external reporting (financial and narrative) for Merlin and donors.
• To regularly analyse the context, risks, operational access issues and availability of resources, in relation to the programme objectives, and define these programme support requirements in order to ensure effective potential service delivery.
• Support field sites in the fulfilment of their duties according to programme design.
• To ensure regular meetings are held between Merlin team and Merlin partner teams
• To ensure Merlin partner is trained on Merlin code of conduct and mandate

• Ensure compliance of operations with local law including NGO law, tax, employment, Health & Safety, Insurance and any other applicable law.

Representation

• Represent Merlin, coordinate and advocate on key health issues with local and national authorities, UN agencies, donors, INGOs and NNGOs.
• Undertake discussions with donors in-country and develop funding strategies and donor mapping analyses.
• Develop collaborative and open working relationships with partners and beneficiaries.
• Manage external communications in collaboration with the communications department in London. Act as the contact person with press and media.
• Maintain regular communications with head office using the established procedures, through emails, sitreps and telephone and skype calls.

Staff Management / Human Resources

• Provide leadership and management to the Syria Response team.
• Ensure that the level of both national and international staff is appropriate to the programme goals; and review staff levels as the situation evolves.
• Identify staffing requirement and recruit national staff as required to fulfil program goals.
• Line manage senior staff, including regular performance management and appraisals.
• Support national and international staff, ensuring that the individuals work effectively together as a team to achieve the programme objectives.
• Organise and supervise capacity building and development of national staff.
• Ensure that personnel are funded within the frame of programme budgets.

• Interpret, develop and apply Merlin's HR policies and terms and conditions, and national employment law, consistently and effectively, and ensure that all staff is aware of and comply with these.

Logistics

• Ensure that appropriate logistic structures and procedures are established and / or are maintained in accordance with the Merlin guidelines.
• Oversee the timely and efficient planning and implementation of procurement and supply of items in line with project needs.
• Ensure adequate management of warehousing, compounds, transportation, goods in kind, and assets according to Merlin procedures.
• To ensure Merlin partner is trained on Merlin logistics procedures and monitoring is regularly conducted

Safety and Security Management

• Responsible for the safety and security of all Merlin staff and visitors to the country of assignment.
• Ensure that a safety and security framework for Merlin operations in-country is developed, communicated, adhered to and regularly reviewed.
• Monitor the security context (including participating in local/national INGO/UN security meetings) and act on any deterioration in this that could affect operations and provide guidance to teams/sites as required.
• Facilitate the evacuation of field based teams if necessary.
• Ensure timely and accurate security / incident reports are sent to HO.
• Maintain regular contact with security key actors.
• To ensure Merlin partner is trained on Merlin safety and security procedures and monitoring is regularly conducted

Administration and Finance

• To be responsible for all financial management related to the budget provided.
• Ensure that appropriate administrative and financial guidelines and procedures are established, maintained / updated regularly and adhered to by the team as well as any basic systems required in country.
• Ensure that reports and articles are produced for both internal and external distribution as requested by HO and as stated in the operational contracts signed with donors, including monthly and quarterly reports.
• Oversee budget preparation, and analysis of actual expenditures vs. budget.
• Oversee the establishment and / or maintenance of Merlin field accounting systems.
• Oversee the completion and return to London of the monthly field accounts within the agreed deadlines.
• If necessary report and investigate fraud and misconduct.
• To ensure Merlin partner is trained on Merlin financial procedures and monitoring is regularly conducted

Person Specification

Essential

Qualifications, experience and competences

• Considerable overseas experience in leading assessments and establishing country programmes with an international NGO preferably in the health sector.

• Significant experience of leading emergency response programmes.
• Knowledge and understanding of project management tools (Logical Framework analysis, project cycle management, objectives and indicators etc.).
• Strong leadership skills and a supportive management style (experience managing national and expatriate staff).
• Proven problem solving and organisational skills, flexible and calm under pressure.
• Flexibility to operate in unpredictable and remote environments.
• Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English.
• Ability to understand the cultural and political environment and to work well with partners including local authorities.
• Experience of working within an insecure environment with responsibility for security planning, monitoring and management.
• Flexibility to operate in unpredictable and remote environments and ability to set up and manage a large programme remotely.
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office, especially Word and Excel.
• Good leadership skills and experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures.
• Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines.
• Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues.
• An understanding of and commitment to Merlin's mission and values.

• Substantial experience of strategic thinking, including identifying, analysing, problem solving and responding to opportunities and challenges and the ability to translate these into practical plans of action.
• Extensive experience of securing substantial external funding. Evidence of understanding the challenges of donor and contract management and the implications for programme management.
• Developed ability of raising the profile of an organisation, strategically networking with government agencies, donors and other international agencies, and using the media as appropriate.
• Extensive knowledge and experience of project planning and budget holding; proposal and report writing.
• Good understanding about logistics systems.

• Significant people management skills and proven ability to create an environment which encourages team-working and motivates and leads a team.

Desirable

Qualifications, experience and competences

• A qualification in public health.
• Experience of leading and / or managing organisations involved in implementing health programmes in emergency settings.
• Familiarity with the Middle East / Syria working context.
• Knowledge of Merlin systems and procedures.
• Knowledge of Arabic.