• Job number: SRH05510
• Area of expertise: Regional Coordination / Country Director
• Status: Employee
• Position: Missions
• Country: Myanmar (Burma)
• Contract Type: Short term contract

About us

Desired start date: 20/10/23
Duration of the mission: 6 months, potentially renewable
Location: Yangon

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly committed to the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the leading cause of death in the world, SI’s interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in some twenty countries, the SI teams – 2500 people in total, made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at HQ, and a few volunteers – intervene with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultural norms.

About the mission

SI has been in Myanmar since 2008, first responding to the devastating Nargis Cyclone. In 2011 and 2012, SI expanded to new regions focusing on Livelihoods, Food Security, Shelter, and WASH.

SI is currently mainly operating in Rakhine and in Kachin States with outreach emergency capacities through its local partners in Chin, Sagaing and Magway States. The operations are supported by the Coordination team based in Yangon.

While continuing to support the vulnerable communities suffering from a long-term protracted crisis, SI is also developing a stronger and more responsive Emergency component, either directly or through local partners, to tackle the growing needs spreading across the country.

In 2023, 14 international staff and more than 300 national staff are working with SI Myanmar to implement projects focusing on Wash, FSL and Emergency response. Projects range from immediate life-saving response (Water Scarcity in Rakhine, Emergency response to new displacements etc.) to the search for more sustainable solutions to protracted crisis (handover to communities and local organizations, capacity-building, community empowerment etc.) Projects are currently funded by FCDO, ECHO, CIAA, CDCS and UN agencies with potential for development in terms of geographical coverage and activities’ scope to address the emerging needs.

In 2022, the mission budget reached 7 million euros and around 8 to 10 million is expected in 2023. The main financial partners of the mission are ECHO, FCDO, CIAA, CDCS, AFD and UN agencies.

To learn more about the Myanmar mission, please click here.

About the job

The role:

The Field Coordinator is a newly created position that will replace the former Emergency Coordinator position. The Field Coordinator proposes a regional strategy according to the geopolitical and humanitarian context, and ensures its implementation once validated.

He/she checks and ensures that projects are carried out by SI’s local partners in accordance with the Solidarités International charter, respecting all internal (SI or local partners) and contractual procedures.

He/she mobilizes the material and financial resources necessary for programs to run smoothly and supervises resource management.

Main responsibilities:

• He/she proposes a regional strategy according to the geopolitical and humanitarian context and ensures its implementation once validated.
• He/she checks and ensures that projects are carried out in accordance with the Solidarités International charter, respecting all internal and contractual procedures.
• He/she mobilizes the material and financial resources necessary for programs to run smoothly and supervises resource management.
• He/she coordinates the teams in place and is responsible for their security in his/her assigned zone.
• He/she is the Country Director’s direct contact and representative.

Specific challenges:

• Remote management.
• Activities being implemented by local partners, with no direct SI presence.

Priorities for the first 2/3 months:

• Ensure continuity of the quality of the activities and opening of new projects.
• Support identification, design, and implementation of new projects.
• Structuration of the Base team and ensure a proper coordination with the Coordination Team.
• Lead the capacity building of SI’s partners through the mobilization of coordination teams as well as recruit/support the Partnership Development and Capacity Building Manager.
• Ensure monitoring of activities, considering remote management of partners.

Management:

The Field Coordinator is the direct line manager of the Deputy Program Coordinator, the FLER Program Manager, the MEAL Activity Manager, the Admin Manager (shared with SI Kachin Base), and potentially of the short term Basic Needs Program Manager.

Your profile

Education:

Post graduate level in related field.

Experience:

• Experience in a similar or senior management position in an overseas INGO environment, ideally in both emergency and longer-term contexts.
• Experience of strategic planning.
• Proven experience in managing teams notably in complex ethnic and/or religious contexts or sensitive environments.
• Proven experience in conflict/post-conflict contexts and insecure environments.
• Experience of managing security.
• Experience of budget management and donor compliance.
• Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues and partners from different functions and cultures, experience of external representation responsibilities (coordination and negotiation skills).

Technical skills and knowledge:

• Strong knowledge in team management.
• Capacity to deal with many different issues, to self- update and learn very quickly from a highly and constantly evolving environment.
• An ability to analyse information quickly and accurately.
• Ability to manage and prioritize a high workload and multiple tasks with tight deadlines.
• Good representational skills, Ability to liaise, INGOs, other agencies, authorities and donors.
• A good understanding of security management.
• A good understanding of humanitarian issues including IDPs, camp management protection, advocacy.
• Ability to write/edit quality reports in English.
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office.

Transferable skills:

• Diplomacy and strong communication skills (experience in Southeast Asia is an asset).
• Ability to take initiatives, decisions and work in autonomy is essential.
• Good problem-solving skills in day to day and crisis situations.
• As line manager, the candidate must display diplomatic and smooth leadership skills.
• An understanding of and commitment to SI’s mission and values.

Languages:

• Bilingual in English and capacity to work with non-native English speakers.
• Burmese or French are a plus.

SI will offer you

A salaried position
According to experience, starting from EUR 3080 gross / per month (EUR 2800 base salary, gross / month + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) + a monthly Per Diem of USD 700.

SI covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate’s country of origin and the place of assignment.

The Field Coordinator lives in a shared guesthouse with the other international colleagues.

Breaks:

During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every 3 months. For a one-year assignment, the expatriate will have a 7 working days break at 3, 6 and 9 months (with USD 850 allocated by SI). In addition to these, SI adds 1 additional rest day per month of work, i.e. 12 additional days off for a one-year contract.

Insurance package:
Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which covers all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system, including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.

Living conditions:

Due to access constraints for international staff and current inability to secure visa, the position is expected to be held remotely during minimum the first 6 months of the contract. As of now, there is no visibility on ability to secure visas from a middle-term perspective.

As such, the expatriate will be stationed outside of Myanmar, in a country in South-East Asia (possibly Thailand). Should visas be secured, the candidate will be based in Yangon.

Application process

Do you recognize yourself in this description? If yes, please send us your CV and cover letter!

Please note that CV-only applications will not be considered, and that the vacancy may close before the deadline.

Thank you for your understanding.

To learn more about Sl: www.solidarites.org