Shelter and Settlement Officers

[Anbar]

In 2003, , DRC became one of the first organisations to provide humanitarian assistance in the country. Today, DRC continues to provide humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable displacement-affected families, including IDPs, returnees, and host communities in Basra, Baqubah, Jalawla, Gatoon, Baghdad, Muqdadiya, Balad, Aziz Balad, Samarra, Mosul, Duhok, Tel Afar, Baa’j, Sinjar, and Erbil.

Find more about DRC operations in Iraq here: Iraq | DRC Danish Refugee Council

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified [catcher/appetizer: use active ‘we/you’ language to reduce the distance between us as an organisation and the candidate]

Overall purpose of the role:

Under the supervision of the Shelter & Settlement Project Manager, the Shelter & Settlement Officer will act as the focal point for multiple projects within their assigned area. Responsibilities include planning, technical design, implementation, follow-up, documentation, and providing information to support the Project Manager in donor reporting. The Officer will lead vulnerability and needs assessments, focusing on shelter rehabilitation of substandard shelters in informal settlements and areas of displacement and new return, adhering to Sphere minimum standards. Additionally, the role involves upgrading and refurbishing public infrastructure, such as water supply projects, drainage interventions, and solid waste management facilities. These interventions may be executed through various modalities, including cash or voucher assistance or contractor-led approaches. The Officer will play a key role in undertaking and monitoring these interventions across the different modalities.

Responsibilities:

• Field Monitoring and Implementation: Conduct regular field/site visits under the supervision of the Project Manager to ensure proper monitoring of activities’ implementation in the area of operation.
• Beneficiary Identification and Assessment: Identify potential beneficiaries for shelter and settlement activities and conduct technical and vulnerability assessments, considering the specific needs of vulnerable individuals and persons of concern.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitate or undertake communication and liaison activities to actively consult and involve beneficiaries, key informants, actors, partners, and stakeholders in all stages of project design and implementation.
• Project Coordination: Act as the focal point for multiple project activities within the assigned areas, ensuring effective coordination and execution.
• Team Support and Development: Support, mentor, supervise, and contribute to the professional development of S&S assistants.
• Contractor Liaison: Liaise directly with the contractor focal point at the worksite to monitor the quality of works, alongside the relevant governorate directorate. Approve or reject works after consulting the Project Manager according to the agreed standards in the BoQ.
• Documentation and BoQ Development: Develop BoQs and follow up with contractor works on quantity measurement, develop as-built BoQ and punch-lists.
• CAD Drawings and Technical Documentation: Develop CAD drawings and other technical documents for shelter and settlement projects, ensuring precision and adherence to project specifications.
• Cash for Work (CfW) Activities: Organize the Cash for Work activities schedule, liaise directly with workers, and ensure all necessary documentation (attendance sheets, certificate of completion of works, etc.) is properly filled and filed.
• Procurement: Prepare and follow up on Procurement Request (PRs) forms for all materials or services needed to ensure proper continuation of works.
• Reporting and Updates: Provide daily and/or weekly updates to the Project Manager and contribute to regular reports on progress and activities.
• Inventory and Stock Management: Take responsibility for stock, inventories, materials, tools, and equipment, ensuring correct filing and documentation in close cooperation with the logistics department and notably the warehouse officer.
• Distribution Coordination: Serve as the focal point with the distribution team and logistics to organize and implement any distribution, whether cash or in-kind.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Collaborate with the MEAL team to ensure timely and high-quality Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) and other evaluation activities.
• Risk Management and Reporting: Ensure regular and timely reporting of problems, potential delays, or risks to project implementation to the relevant supervisor. Support in the development and execution of solutions and mitigating actions.
• Data Collection and Methodology: Contribute to refining data collection, monitoring, and reporting tools, and harmonizing shelter and settlement methodologies and tools across the areas of operation.
• Compliance and Code of Conduct: Ensure adherence to DRC’s Code of Conduct and zero-tolerance policy of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). Promote humanitarian principles and integrate Protection and Age, Gender, Diversity (AGD) mainstreaming into DRC programming.
• Other Duties: Undertake any other duties as assigned by the Line Manager (Project Manager).

Experience and technical competencies:

• Technical Engineering Knowledge: Comprehensive understanding of civil, structural, and/or water and sanitation engineering. Significant proven experience in designing and supervising Shelter, water infrastructure, and WASH construction projects.
• Implementation Modalities: Extensive experience implementing WASH/Shelter projects through various modalities, including:

– Cash modalities such as cash for shelter and cash for work. Experience with distribution is an asset.

– Participatory, community-led, and inclusive approaches, including developing, training, and working with community committees, gender and disability-sensitive programming, facilitating focused group discussions, and owner-led shelter modalities.

• INGO Experience: Previous experience working with international NGOs on Shelter/WASH/Settlement activities.
• Team Leadership: At least 1 year of experience leading small teams and handling basic project implementation and monitoring responsibilities, such as completing purchase requests and compiling beneficiary data.
• Report Writing: Proven experience in report writing in English and drafting official letters in both English and Arabic. Proficiency in spoken and written English and Arabic is essential.
• Computer Proficiency: Proficient in MS Excel, MS Word, and AutoCAD.
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong interpersonal skills with a proven ability to work effectively in a complex multicultural environment as a flexible and respectful team member.
• Field Work: Willingness and capacity to work in the field and travel frequently to project sites when needed.
• Sensitivity and Discretion: Ability to work sensitively with vulnerable populations, considering gender, age, and diversity. Capable of handling tense situations calmly, managing sensitive and confidential information with discretion, and acting with transparency and integrity.
• AGD and Humanitarian Principles: Strong commitment to humanitarian principles and values, including the integration of protection and AGD (Age, Gender, Diversity) mainstreaming into programming.

Education:

• Technical/Engineering Qualification: Engineering disciplines or qualification in technical (e.g. university degree).
• Field Experience: Significant proven field experience may be considered in lieu of formal education.

Languages:

• Professional proficiency in English
• Professional proficiency in Arabic
• Proficiency in Kurdish, Turkmen, and Assyrian languages is an asset.

Key stakeholders:

Internal

• Shelter and Settlement team (Project Manager, Officers, Assistants)
• Support Services Team (Support Service, Finance, Supply Chain, and Human Resources)
• MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning) and IM (Information Management) Teams

External

• People of Concern, government bodies.

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

WE OFFER

• Contract Length: 12 Months
• Salary Band: H
• Start Date: 01-September-2024
• Comprehensive health insurance for staff, spouse, and up to two children under 18.
• Personal Accident insurance coverage in the event of work-related accidents during working hours.
• Psychosocial support for staff and family members.
• Learning & Development opportunities for professional growth.

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for National Staff. Please refer to drc.ngo under Vacancies.

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: [08-July-2024]

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.