VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Position: Country Lead, ActionAid Myanmar

Location: Yangon, Myanmar as preferred location

Contract period: 2 years

Application deadline: 5PM GMT  on 30th  April 2023

Role overview

The Country Lead provides vision, leadership, management and effective high-level national representation for ActionAid Myanmar (AAM) in line with the established policies, principles and operating practices of ActionAid International, as well as good management practice in the political, social, cultural and economic context of the country.

The Country Lead is responsible for shaping and overseeing the implementation of the ActionAid Myanmar Country Strategy Paper (CSP), ensuring resources are in place to achieve budgeted performance targets and monitoring overall performance against these targets. The Country Lead role requires great understanding of political context of Myanmar and Asia region in order to achieve its CSP ambitions to be in Myanmar that influences policies at national, regional and global level.

The Country Lead role requires leadership, organisational change management experience, competencies to manage large teams as well as deep knowledge on the context and development sector to enable the role holder to make significant improvements to policies and processes that lead to mid to long-term success of ActionAid operations in Myanmar.

The Country Lead will embrace the dual citizenship of an organisation that is strongly rooted in the country operation but also part of an international federation.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

1. Organisational Representation

·       Implement and further develop AAI’s vision, mission, philosophy and principles in Myanmar in line with agreed AAI’s strategies and organisational priorities

·       Represent AAM in a variety of forums and maintain external relationships within a diverse range of stakeholders in the sector including national government, key national and international NGOs, donors, academic, social movements, CBO’s, media and other relevant institutions in Myanmar

·       Actively contribute to ActionAid International’s development as an international federation.

·       Maintain regular communication with AAI Global Secretariat and other Members of AAI federation.

·       Ensure that ActionAid Myanmar lives up to its dual citizenship role as part of an international federation.

·       Provide inputs to AAI’s activities as and when required, including participation on task forces, training courses and conferences

2.Strategy Development and Implementation

·       Shape and define AA  Myanmar’s CSP in the current context with a clear operational plan to guide the CSP .

·       Ensures the delivery of AA Myanmar’s CSP and leads/oversees the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the CSP priorities.

·       Lead the AA Myanmar work in strategizing and implementing the country operating model and the transformation agenda; also steering the operationalisation of the transition road map at the country level.

·       Lead and direct the work of AA Myanmar in accordance with the sound management practices and ActionAid’s policies and accountability systems in light of the external and internal context.

·       Ensure all programme activities are sensitive to and responsive to changes in the political, social, and economic environments.

·       Develop and maintain appropriate contingency plans for all kinds of emergencies and humanitarian responses and such plans to be presented for cross-functional discussion and approval of the Director Asia and Humanitarian, for inclusion in AAI’s humanitarian response mechanisms.

3. Fundraising

·       Develop a funding strategy and plan to mobilise and diversify AA Myanmar’s resource base to support the change we seek to achieve as specified in the CSP.

·       Establish and develop working relationships with key donors in Myanmar and in the region and actively develop and enhance relevant  funding sources as appropriate.

·       Ensure a regular flow of information is available to ActionAid funding departments and to donors and official funders as required by the various funding mechanisms.\

·       Work closely with regional and global team on fundraising approach and strategy for Myanmar.

·       Constant and close communication with donors about donor compliance in the current context

4. Communications and Campaign

·       Develop a clear and targeted communication strategy that will deepen the impact of communication work, identify key priorities, channels, audiences, and messages to establish an appropriate public image for ActionAid operations in Myanmar in line with ActionAid International values and culture.

·       Encourage the development of appropriate research with a view to improving the quality of field work and influencing change in policy to improve the quality of life for the poor of Myanmar.

·       Conduct campaigns (where appropriate) to create connections between poor and excluded people to increase the public’s awareness of, and support for their cause and grow our supporter base in Myanmar.

5. People Management

·       Maintain effective and appropriate staff recruitment, induction, appraisal, and remuneration and development policies and practices at all levels to ensure the optimum utilisation and development of AA Myanmar’s human resources.

·       Appoint, develop and manage all senior staff. Ensure a high calibre of staff is recruited while promoting a gender balance in the organisation, and that optimum investments are made in their development.

·       Develop a qualified and valued ActionAid team for  AA Myanmar, based on equality and diversity, and provide this team with an empowering and enabling environment conducive to quality programming by fostering innovation, ongoing learning and team work.

·       Actively promote staff exchange, secondment and development schemes, where these contribute to the meeting of ActionAid’s programme objectives and priorities.

6. Operations & Finance

·       Ensure mutual accountability between ActionAid and related stakeholders with the establishment of all organisational processes, systems and policy to ensure the effectiveness of AA Myanmar.

·       Ensure financial integrity and accountability of ActionAid Myanmar in accordance with ActionAid finance decisions in response to the operating context that allows for smooth financial flows.

·       Manage the financial resources allocated to or raised by the country in compliance with approved AAI policies/ frameworks for Myanmar.

·       Document closely financial procedures and systems to communicate to donors and auditors. Facilitate preparing budget and financial plan to ensure that the control of expenditure and the disbursement of resources in accordance with the established procedures;

·       Provide progress and financial reports as required by ActionAid’s accountability procedures designed for the context of Myanmar and as required by other organisations/donors.

·       Maintain an efficient internal control framework to ensure that AA Myanmar has a well-balanced, well documented and cost effective programme

7. Partnership management and development

·       Manage and encourage the co-operative relationships established with various specialist institutions and partners in the country and ensure that these joint initiatives conform to programme objectives and strengthen the profile of AA Myanmar.

·       Lead the development and implementation of country-specific guidelines for the management of partnerships in line with the CSP and other relevant organizational policies

8.Safety and Security and Risk Management

·       Oversee the safety and Security of staff.

·       Ensure information linked to staff and partner safety is clearly and consistently shared with relevant individuals within AAM and the federation.

·       Manage and maintain risk register with the support of key SMT and regional and global teams

Others

·       Develop ActionAid Myanmar ‘s capacity to document, disseminate and learn from development work in and ensure all reporting meet the highest standard

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education & Certifications

·     University bachelor’s degree in social sciences, development study, economics or management, preferably supplemented by relevant post-graduate qualifications

Experience

·       At least 10 years proven track record with a minimum of 5 years in a top leadership position in development work and poverty alleviation programmes with proven initiative, flexibility and enthusiasm in managing complex activities in a changing environment. Experience working as country lead/director for similar organisation in Myanmar is an advantage.

·       Demonstrated senior management expertise, including proven ability to develop the capacities of multi-disciplinary professional teams undertaking comprehensive poverty alleviation strategy.

·       Proven experience on successful fundraising programmes with emphasis on regular giving and fundraising from bi/multi-laterals, corporates and other innovative funding streams.

·       Proven experience in managing complex financial control and management systems.

·       Demonstrated expertise in strategic and long-term planning and the ability to ensure that operational plans and activities meet targets and appropriately reflect longer term perspectives.

·       Proven experience of working and negotiating with Government officials and/or donors at all levels

Essential knowledge and skills

·       Sound and up-to-date knowledge of development concepts, methodologies and techniques including demonstrated expertise in at least one specialist development field.

·       Excellent negotiation and communication skills, including demonstrated ability to handle sensitive diplomatic and Government level negotiations on matters affecting ActionAid’s Myanmar country programmes.

·       Awareness of the political, social, economic and historic environment in which ActionAid’s poverty alleviation programmes are operating at both national and community levels.

·       Proficiency in English

·       Strong leadership and management skills

·       Strong analytical/Problem solving, and management of crisis, conflict and risk.

·       Fundraising skills with proven track record in contract management from bilateral and multilateral donors

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills

·       Fluency of local language is an advantage to the role.

·       In addition to the essential requirements, candidates with understanding of South-east Asia sub-region and Myanmar context, proven project management record  and experiences will have additional advantages

HOW TO APPY

Please click on the “apply” button to start the application process:

Applications close on 5PM GMT time on 30th April  2023 . Please upload an up-to-date curriculum vitae and a covering letter, clearly explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile.

Please check your application and make sure you meet all the essential criteria listed in the person specification. In addition, your application will be stronger if you meet at least some of the desirable criteria. If you do not meet at least all the essential criteria, please do not apply as we only consider candidates if they meet the essential criteria listed on the job description. We will only consider candidates who have the right to work in the specified locations.

Due to high volumes of applications received, we can only correspond with short listed applicants. Should you not have received feedback on your application within two weeks of the closing date, please consider your application as unsuccessful.

ActionAid International will not consider unsolicited candidates from recruitment agencies. We reserve the right to withdraw any of our vacancies at any time.

About us:

ActionAid is a global federation working for a world free from poverty and injustice.

ActionAid International welcomes applications from all sections of the community and promotes diversity.

ActionAid is committed to recruiting candidates who promote ActionAid’s SHEA and Safeguarding policies and values.

ActionAid will only recruit candidate who are committed to SHEA and Safeguarding and ActionAid’s values, thereby helping to create safer working cultures. As a deterrence measure ActionAid is also committed to deterring candidates who are intending to cause harm from joining ActionAid.

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