Country Director at Trocaire

Key responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
• Provide strategic vision and direction for the country programme.
• Create and maintain a shared vision among staff of Trócaire’s country and organisational objectives and their role in achieving these.
• Develop Trócaire’s Somalia Country Strategic Plan and review it annually against key country and organisational level objectives, indicators and targets with annual reports on programme, non-programme and financial management to the organisation, donors and other stakeholders.
• Model the behaviours and values expected of Trócaire staff and expressed in our Strategic Framework.
• Input into organisational strategy through strategic planning and planning for the new FCAS portfolio.
• Lead on localisation discussions in consultation with partners and other stakeholders.
• Lead on in-country networking and representation with government, donors, NGOs, INGOs, networks and Caritas.
• Provide leadership and foster collaboration with other actors (NGOs, INGOs, networks, host governments etc.) in order increase networking & opportunities for collaboration.
• Lead on advocacy at a country level and on defining advocacy messages for use internationally.
• Programme Development & Management (in collaboration with the Head of Programmes)
• Provide leadership and direction in the strategic development and implementation of programmes at country level, in line with Trócaire’s country and strategic objectives, strategies and policies.
• Ensure programme interventions are in line with technical best practice and emerging national policies on health, nutrition and education for Somalia.
• Ensure that organisational approaches to partnership, gender equality, vulnerability and targeting, accountability and protection are effectively incorporated across humanitarian programmes.
• Ensure that effective results-based monitoring and evaluation systems are implemented in line with Trócaire policies, systems and guidelines.
• Lead on ensuring that Trócaire Somalia regularly reviews, adapts and rolls out an Emergency Preparedness Plan and that we are in a position to respond to humanitarian crisis in Gedo as they occur.
• Ensure that programme learning is captured and feeds into programme development and sharing across programmes and the FCAS portfolio.  
• Ensure that internal and external reporting is carried out in a timely manner, to a high standard and in line with agreed objectives and targets (including annual Programme Reviews and Results Monitoring Frameworks).
• Ensure the Somalia team fully engages with and complies with Trócaire’s cloud-based Salesforce/Box software as the organisational platform for partner, project and grant management.
•  Business Development & Institutional Funding (in cooperation with the Business and Development Manager)
• Lead and oversee the business development process and the adaptation of the Somalia Institutional Funding Strategy to ensure the programme grows, is innovative and sufficiently funded.
• Lead on ensuring Trócaire visibility, representation and networking and engagement with donors.
• Ensure optimal cost recovery, based on sound systems for budgeting, monitoring and compliance reporting.
• Network actively and play a lead role in management level dialogue with donors and other INGOs on accessing and managing institutional funding.
• Ensure all donor grants are effectively managed and reported on to a high quality and in a timely manner.
• Human Resource Management (in collaboration with the People and Culture Business Partner)
• Ensure that Trócaire attracts and retains high calibre staff by providing: a sense of clear purpose to all staff, development opportunities and competitive packages, in line with Trócaire policy and in coordination with Trócaire’s Peole and Culture (P&C) Business Partner.
• Ensure effective adherence to and implementation of HR policies and procedures at the Somalia Office, in line with Trócaire’s P&C Policies, Procedures and Guidelines in coordination with P&C and with all local labour laws.
• Ensure consistent implementation of strong performance management systems throughout the country team, in line with organisational policy.
• Line manage key staff including the Finance and Adminstration Manager, Head of Programmes, and other staff as necessary.
• Ensure that there are regular staff forums and meetings for discussion and coordination of strategic, operational and administrative initiatives.
• Through inspiring and accountable leadership, create a working environment which is positive and inclusive, and continuously look for ways to maintain or improve this.
• Safeguarding Programme Participants & Complaints Management (in collaboration with the Global Safeguarding Advisor)
• Ensure that Trócaire’s commitment to Safeguarding Programme Participants is delivered through policies and practices that support the prevention of abuse and exploitation and create opportunities to raise and respond to concerns as outlined in Trócaire policies.
• Oversee the application of Trócaire’s Country Office and Programme Complaints Mechanisms and directly manage sensitive complaints (e.g. those relating to potential abuse or exploitation).
• Support Focal persons in communicating Trócaire’s commitment (on Safeguarding and Complaints Mechanisms) to Partner Organisations as included in Trócaire’s Grant agreement, supporting capacity building of Partner Organisation on minimum standards.
• Financial and Admin Management (in collaboration with the Finance/Admin Manager)
• Take responsibility for overall financial management of the Somalia programme and ensure that there is optimal use of financial resources, managed in a transparent and accountable manner in line with Trócaire’s systems and procedures.
• Support the FAM to ensure that budgets are prepared, reviewed and monitored regularly and that resources are strategically allocated as appropriate on the basis of need or programme quality.
• Ensure effective financial management systems, processes and controls are in place and are fully compliant with Trócaire’s operating standards and the relevant legal requirements in-country.
• Ensure supply chain and stock management processes are appropriate and are well managed
• Take responsibility for ensuring all staff are familiar with and comply with institutional processes and systems, e.g. Management of Information Systems, use of IT systems etc.
• Audit and Corporate Governance Compliance (in collaboration with the Global/Regional Internal Auditor)
• Ensure that all Somalia and Kenya government requirements in relation to registration, taxation, labour law, auditing, fraud etc., are complied with.
• Ensure that internal and external audits are fulfilled in a timely and efficient manner, in line with Trócaire policy and back donor and host government requirements.
• Ensure follow-up on recommendations arising out of audits of Trócaire’s operations and take appropriate actions where necessary.
• Ensure full compliance with Trócaire’s fraud policy and related back donor or host government requirements;
• Maintain direct links with the HQ and Africa based Internal Auditor, in coordination with the Finance and Admin Manager.
• Security Management (in collaboration with the Global Security Advisor)
• Develop, manage and review the Somalia Country programme security plans, procedures and contingency plans and ensure that the Somalia country team adhere to all Trócaire security policies.
• Take responsibility for the management of security at ar country level for the Somalia programme staff.
• Representation, Communications and Advocacy
• Represent Trócaire with the government, national NGO and INGO networks, UN, donors, the Catholic Church and its agencies, and other key strategic stakeholders in the region.
• Increase awareness of Trócaire’s work with Trócaire’s supporters and key stakeholders in Ireland, through the provision of communications material, facilitating internal and external visitors and carrying out media interviews upon request by the Communications Unit in HQ.
• Lead the team in contributing to the development and implementation of core communications, fundraising, development education and advocacy initiatives at global level.
• Any other duties as assigned by the Head of Portfolio.

Essential Requirements

Skills

• Excellent leadership skills;
• Ability to motivate staff to align behind a shared vision and objectives;
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and to develop and implement a clear country level strategy in the context of organisational strategy;
• Demonstrated ability to operate under pressure and in a volatile environment
• Demonstrated ability to manage security in challenging environments
• Ability to coach and help others develop in their professional lives;
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills and demonstrated ability in using these with internal stakeholders (Trócaire staff in different locations) and external stakeholders (partners, Church, donors, host government etc.);
• Demonstrated ability to meet corporate governance and accountability requirements of host governments, the organisation and donors;

Experience

• Knowledge of Somalia working environment.
• Significant representational experience at national government level.
• A minimum of 5-8 years’ experience in the management of humanitarian programmes of substantial scale;
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in running a country office (admin, finance, HR management, security management etc.);
• Sound and up to date knowledge of development concepts, methodologies and techniques, including results-based management, rights based approach and participatory methodologies;
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and financial systems on a significant scale, in humanitarian contexts.