arche noVa – initiative for people in need (AN) is an independent, non-religious, non-profit and non-governmental organisation (NGO) from Germany working in the fields of humanitarian aid, rehabilitation and development. The primary focus of our activities lies in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH).

Since more than 10 years, AN has been working in North of Syria, implementing humanitarian and transitional aid projects in the sectors of WaSH, Food Security & Livelihoods (FSL) and informal Education. The activities in North East Syria are managed through the North Syrian Response Office in Erbil (KRI, Iraq) in close collaboration with the arche noVa’s headquarters in Germany.

We are currently looking for a

Head of North Syrian Response (f/m/d)
Position to be filled: 15.04.2023
Location of duty station: Erbil, KRI, Iraq with frequent travels to the project locations inside North East Syria (NES)
Duration: initial 12 months contract (an extension is highly desired) with 6 probationary period

Role and Responsibilities: The responsibilities of the Head of North Syrian Response include the overall operational, human resources and financial management of the entire structure of the North Syrian Response. The responsibility also includes fundraising as well as communication and representation of arche noVa e.V. towards relevant authorities and other stakeholders.

General

• Coordinate the general management of the North Syrian Response office and, in close coordination with headquarters (HQ), the further development of the organizational structure in the perspective of harmonizing the North Syrian Response Office with the AN Iraqi mission in Erbil
• Ensure that all relevant reporting for Iraqi and KRI authorities is been sent timely to the AN Head of Mission Iraq
• Ensure and respect that all communication to the Iraqi and KRI authorities is done by the AN Iraqi mission
• Development and implementation of AN North Syrian Response strategy in collaboration with the HQ in Germany and Senior Management Team
• Ensure good collaboration with local and international partners, local authorities and all key stakeholders
• Ensure continuous conducive relations with donors and identification of new funding opportunities and occasions for technical partnerships
• Ensure AN is represented in technical working groups in relevant sector clusters, ensure meaningful participation in advisory boards, steering committees, NGO consortia and other relevant meetings for Syria if applicable
• Ensure quality and timely communication and reporting with all relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure safeguarding of AN’s assets and interests and protect from loss arising from fraud, waste, weak administration and poor value for money
• Guarantee the correct, efficient, and effective use of logistical, financial and human resources
• In collaboration with the Security Advisor based in Germany and the Security Focal points monitor the program implementation environment, including security, political, development and personnel issues that may affect implementation of the projects, and provide updates to the Desk Managers (DM) and Head of International Programs in a timely manner
• Close collaboration with and regular reporting to the different relevant departments at HQ level
• Conduct rapid assessments and monitoring of onset crises and disasters in North of Syria, when necessary
• Ensure promotion of arche noVa’s work through presentations, productions and dissemination of relevant visibility materials, tools and publications promoting arche noVa best practices
• Fostering a positive and accountable work environment, as well as empowering and encouraging staff to take initiative

Programs, Partner and Grants Management

• Oversee the quality management of all grants and programs for the response in North of Syria, in compliance to AN’s procedures and policies as well as donors’ requirements and in close cooperation with the Head of Programs
• Ensure innovative approaches are included in existing and future programs, in order to increase positive impact on projects in close cooperation with the Head of Programs
• Strengthen collaborations with partners and beneficiaries by providing input in terms of programming to the partners in close cooperation with the Head of Programs
• Create opportunities for networking with other NGOs aimed at identifying partnership opportunities
• Working closely with Head of Programs to achieve set project objectives, and ensure compliance, good financial management, and organizational strengthening
• Ensure adequacy of processes of external research, evaluations and audits
• Ensure mainstreaming of relevant themes and strategic thinking and planning
• Where appropriate and feasible visit project sites for monitoring purposes
• In close collaboration with the SMT guide and support the team to develop project ideas and formulate new project proposals in close collaboration with the Head of Programs
• Ensure mainstreaming of relevant themes and strategic thinking / planning

HR, Administration and Capacity Building

• Overseeing the HR management: development of program staff structures, recruitment, performance monitoring, capacity building (including being the lead for any disciplinary procedures of AN staff, i.e. issuance of warnings, terminations, suspensions, etc.)
• Supervise and provide overall support and guidance to AN staff, including on identifying capacity building, training and mentoring needs and opportunities together with HR
• Ensure & control overall finance, procurements, and administration procedures in accordance to the AN Authority Matrix, AN Procedures and Policies and donors’ requirements
• Ensure that HR, procurements and administrative procedures are harmonized with the AN Iraqi mission and for staff based in KRI in accordance with national laws
• Coordinate between partners in different countries or contexts in order to create synergies between structures, if applicable
• Ensure that internal review and exchange meetings are regularly conducted and documented
• Oversee knowledge management systems and respective documentation
• Direct line management and support for capacity strengthening and performance evaluations of SMT members: Head of Program, Head of Finance, Human Resource Manager

Financial Management and Compliance

• Overall controlling and monitoring of the North Syrian Response budget
• Ensuring that the AN authority matrix is implemented correctly
• Main approver/signatory for all bank and cash transactions (i.e. payments, transfers, removal/ adding of signatories, and other high level financial transactions)
• Signatory of all contracts (i.e. employment, consultancies, contractors, PAs, etc.).
• Ensure compliance with AN, donor and governmental rules and regulations
• In collaboration with HQ Senior Management Team (SMT), contribute to the development of policy, guidelines, templates, SOPs and other management documents

Ideal Profile[1]:

• Master’s Degree – or BA and additional experience – in one of the following: development and cooperation, humanitarian and international affairs, management of non-profits or other relevant fields
• Proven experiences in management, project leadership, implementing, and monitoring programs with considerable large budgets – at least 8 years of experiences
• Proven experience in the Middle East
• Firm understanding of donor compliance, reporting and proposal development (especially BMZ, German Federal Foreign Office, Europe Aid, ECHO, CBPF, UN Agencies)
• A broad understanding of roles and responsibilities of the international cooperation and humanitarian architecture including key actors, standards, clusters, donors
• Strong understanding and experience of security management in complex environments.
• Excellent team leader skills, guidance and support to the team
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English, German is highly recommended
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and the ability to work in a culturally diverse team
• High degree of intercultural competences and conflict-sensitivity, strong sense of integrity and sensitivity towards the needs of vulnerable groups
• Having the ability to work under pressure and changing project environment.
• Being flexible and pro-active in response to humanitarian crises

We offer:

• Competitive salary according to internal salary scale
• International health and hazard insurance
• Housing allowance
• 5 days leave per month (30 days per year) in addition to up to 20 public holidays.
• An international network and training sessions for your professional development
• A culturally-sensitive and up to date NGO and work culture on equal footing

Attention: this is no family duty station.

However, arche noVa is a family friendly employer and allows for flexibility regarding children or care work.

AN is an equal opportunity employer. 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 AN 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!

The office of the duty station is accessible for people with impairments.

Deadline for application: 15.03.2023

Please send your application documents (cover/ motivation letter, CV and references) as well as your salary expectations in one pdf-document to Ms. Richter: bewerbung@arche-nova.org

Subject of email: Head of North Syrian Response

Further information: www.arche-nova.org

[1] We want to encourage people with similar CVs, and especially women (WLINTA*) to apply, even when not all criteria are perfectly matched.