Location:  North _ Tigray

Required No: 1

Employment Category:  G

Reporting To: Director/Steering Committee

Start of Contract & Duration:  six Months  

INTRODUCTION

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC promotes and supports solutions to the problems faced by refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and migrants. The organization has offices across the region, and has been operational in Ethiopia since 2009.  With funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, DRC is currently implementing a range of activities across Ethiopia and Djibouti, including WASH and shelter provision, child and youth protection, Gender based violence response, awareness-raising of migration risks, protection monitoring of migration routes, and livelihoods support for returning migrants or those at-risk of migration.

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE: 

Through DRC as hosting agency, the HINGO forum is recruiting an administrative officer who will be responsible for office administration, and support to operations processes in the DRC team in Ethiopia. The IMO will support the HINGO Forum members and humanitarian efforts through high quality information exchange, coordination, facilitating effective INGO collective representation, engagement and advocacy. Additionally, the IMO will contribute to providing a better understanding of the various actors and their efforts with a view to supporting operational planning and implementation of humanitarian assistance, as well as promoting community acceptance and accountability to affected population. The post holder will report directly to the HINGO Director and the Steering Committee on invitation. The HINGO IMO will provide inputs to briefings, analysis, advisories, actions, approvals and messages through information products and up to date knowledge on the realities of the humanitarian response.

Overall purpose of the role:

Through DRC as hosting agency, the HINGO forum is recruiting a highly qualified Civ/Mil Safety Coordinator who will be responsible for supporting operational and information safety and security management and analysis in the Northern region. The Coordinator will support and share directives given by the humanitarian INGOs and NGOs for access needs that support access and acceptance related strategies in these environments. The post holder will report directly to the HINGO Director and the Steering Committee on invitation.

There are currently 24 INGOs and NGOs operating in Tigray in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis with an estimated 4.5 million people in need. The humanitarian NGOs operational in Ethiopia recognise the need for this role who will support the humanitarian partners in Tigray to systematically collect, monitor, analyze and disseminate information on access and constraints. He/ she will also help determine the access’ priorities in regards to information management, advocacy and field support.

The position will undertake humanitarian negotiations, advocacy, and some elements of humanitarian civil-military coordination and protection analysis. The primary goal is to support the safety and business continuity of the hosting agency, INGOs and NGOs through ensuring access to the rapidly changing context.

This role will provide inputs to advisories, actions, approvals and messages through critical analysis and predictions based on the conflict, demographics and historical context, results of enquiries and collection plans directed by the HINGO Director and the Steering Committee for the HINGOs. They will support training programs, input to frequent briefings and provide critical analysis to program staff, and give technical advice and support for improved assessments and planning

Coordination between all actors actively engaged in this response is essential including the UN and interim Government agencies to provide an holistic overview of issues, analysis and recommendations enabling an informed, predicted and safe intervention for all involved

 RESPONSIBILITIES

In their capacity as the civil-military coordinator (CMC), the CMC will be:

Civil-Military Coordination:

• Liaise with humanitarian partners to promote and encourage systematic reporting of access constraints. Monitor analyze and report security incidents impacting humanitarian operations.
• Serve as the primary focal point for all matters (including policy) related to civil-military coordination within Tigray in close consultation with the HINGO Director and steering committee.
• Attend the Access Working Group (AWG) in Mekelle/Shire and the Tigray NGO Forum meetings to identify key access challenges.
• Assist the HINGO Director in building synergies and facilitating collective understanding and analysis around access impediments among humanitarian partners, especially among NGOs.
• Engage with relevant actors (e.g. government, armed groups, communities, etc.) on humanitarian access issues, bringing expertise of local culture and dynamics, including traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms.

Policy and Advocacy:

• Monitors current media and context. Ensure an information flow is maintained with the capacity to develop context analysis documentation for external bodies such as donors or peer agencies. Lead, if applicable, the development of Tigray-specific guidelines on civil-military relations. Provide updates to risk assessment for each location and partner and with an understanding of program activities. Engage in the maintenance and securing of access in all areas of operation with relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs) across each. Promote and ensure adherence to the above guidelines within the HINGO members and advise on potential consequences if these principles are compromised. Engage in the process of briefing and orienting all new humanitarian NGO staff focusing on access and analysis functions Engage in resolving all critical incidents through access functions as and when requested by humanitarian NGO partners. Additionally, act as an advocate for the promulgation of civ-mil concepts, principles and activities, the promotion and protection of humanitarian principles. Support the necessity of donor-reporting requirements for losses of commodities or incidents to ensure all are documented, investigated and reported to the required standard, as requested by humanitarian agencies.

Establish and maintain civil-military network:

• Maintain a contact list of relevant stakeholders and access influencers.
• Maintain logs of all incidents affecting NGOs operating in Tigray mapping and analysing their contributing factors and impact. Verify access incidents together with partners and UN agencies.
• Develop a network of local contacts among key stakeholders, including authorities and the humanitarian community to identify, monitor and analyse key access constraints in collaboration with Tigray NGO partners and UN agencies.
• In this context, establish and maintain dialogue and coordination with the military and security forces in the area of responsibility. Identify, establish and maintain contact with the appropriate military counterparts and ensure mutual exchange of information about ongoing humanitarian activities and issues.
• Establish and maintain contact with all humanitarian actors in the area of responsibility and serve as an information channel and advocate for their issues with relevant military/paramilitary organizations.
• Lead or participate in working groups, meetings and consultations with HINGO members; organize meetings on civil-military matters with the UN and/or other appropriate entities.

Risk Management:

• Identify actual, perceived and foreseeable risks and define risk thresholds in order to maintain programme continuity while enhancing operational resilience through robust security and risk management.
• Lead the development and production of contextualized risk management measures policy, protocols and procedures in close collaboration with field teams and management.

Other duties:

• Performs other duties as required.

Experience and Technical Competencies: (include years of experience)

• Minimum 5 years as Civ/Mil/Safety and Security Coordinator for an INGO or equivalent in an emergency context.
• Proven experience in context/security analysis and advising humanitarian personnel.
• Experience in developing and updating SOPs, contingency plans, and other risk assessment and management documents and tools.
• Proven in-country experience liaising with UN missions or agencies.
• Proven experience in incident/crisis management.
• Experience in conducting safety training for international and national staff, and experience of capacity building.
• Fluent English, and strong interpersonal, communication, and networking skills.
• Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines under pressure.
• Computer literate, able to use common software packages.
• Be able to diffuse tension and remain calm at all times and particularly following an incident.
• Be able to encourage, motivate, and guide team members to approach safety and security issues with confidence especially during crises.
• Be flexible to travel at short notice to difficult and risky areas.
• Proven ability to work effectively with minimal supervision.

Education (include certificates, licenses etc.):

• A degree in a relevant field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 3 years’ experience working with INGOs and/or international agencies on similar duties.
• Other security management related qualifications (desirable)

Languages: (indicate fluency level)

• English

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Acting in line with DRC’s vision and values