Position Title: Consortium Coordinator
Supervised by: Country Director
Responding to: Country Director
Duty Station: Yaounde
Area of Operation: Cameroon and CAR (entire territory)
Period considered: 18 months
Contract type: Expatriate contract
Salary & Benefits: Management E, level 2
Introduction
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) assists refugees and displaced people worldwide: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights and strengthen their opportunities for a better future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along displacement routes and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive to achieve responsible and sustainable solutions. We work for the successful integration of vulnerable communities and, where possible, their wish to return home.
The Danish Refugee Council (hereinafter: DRC ) was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown into an international humanitarian organisation with over 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Headquartered in Copenhagen and present in 40 countries, the DRC is a non-governmental, non-profit, politically neutral and independent non-denominational aid organisation.
Our vision is a life with dignity for all displaced people in the world. All our efforts are based on our moral compass: humanity, respect, independence, neutrality, participation, honesty and transparency.
- Context
Led by the regional office in Dakar and closely linked to interventions in neighboring Central African Republic (CAR), DRC began operations in Cameroon in 2018, responding to the humanitarian needs of CAR refugees and vulnerable Cameroonians in the Adamawa region. Currently, DRC operates a regional office in Meiganga and two sub-offices in Djohong (Adamaoua region) and Garoua-Boulai (East region). Interventions focus on finding durable solutions for the most vulnerable, using the holistic graduation approach to improve both protection and economic recovery. Interventions include identifying key protection risks and conflicts between populations in order to identify social cohesion and conflict resolution projects that will bring communities together. The Emergency Mobile Team (EMPACT) established DRC’s program presence in the South West region in late 2018 to address the needs of forcibly displaced people in the context of the Anglophone crisis, commencing humanitarian activities in January 2019. DRC operates in Meme and Fako Divisions, with an office in Buea. Programming focuses on rural and hard-to-reach areas to address populations’ basic needs for food, shelter and NFI, while improving the protection environment and providing income generation opportunities. DRC is finally present in the Far North Region with a sub-office in Kousseri since 2023 to address the needs of people affected by flooding and inter-communal conflicts with a regional office in Maroua (operational since September 2024) including responding to the needs of Nigerian refugees and host communities.
2. Purpose
DRC is seeking an experienced Consortium Coordinator to oversee the SOLID consortium between DRC, NRC, ACF and CARE to promote participatory sustainable solutions to displacement situations in the border areas of Cameroon and CAR. The SOLID Consortium Coordinator, a programme funded by the European Union, will oversee the implementation of the programme whose objective is to contribute directly to sustainable, diversified and localised solutions to displacement situations in Cameroon and CAR, drawing on community and local governance mechanisms that are sensitive to environmental protection and conflict. The SOLID Consortium Coordinator provides programmatic and operational leadership to the programme management unit of this 42-month initiative and is able to ensure effective monitoring of the programme, measuring its overall results and demonstrating its scalability. He/she is also responsible for relations with donors and the two governments, advocacy among others. This programme has already been launched and the foundations are already laid. It has been implemented since January 2023 and runs until June 30, 2026. It directly supervises two teams (1 in Cameroon and 1 in the CAR).
3. Responsibilities
Program, monitoring, surveillance and quality assurance
- Provide overall leadership and management, as well as general technical direction, for the implementation and development of project activities
- Ensure that the robust monitoring and evaluation framework put in place to support lessons learned, identify and navigate real-time context changes remains operational, promote scalability where possible, and measure program results
- Effectively manage the consortium management unit, including leading the professional development and evaluation process, ensuring the achievement of project results by setting specific objectives and providing ongoing feedback on performance.
- Responsible for managing the timely and quality completion of all technical, administrative and financial deliverables and reports of the program, in accordance with donor guidelines and DRC operational directives.
- Ensure a shared vision of the project and the “theory of change” among the consortium partners.
- Oversee the establishment of effective reporting, financial management, personnel management and procurement mechanisms for the project.
- Promote sustainability of project activities through effective networking, linkages with other programs, ensuring participatory approaches and community empowerment in the project approach.
- Carry out team support and supervision visits to the intervention areas of both countries on a regular basis (travel approximately 30-40% of the time)
Coordination, advocacy and external relations
- Plan and prepare meetings of the consortium steering committee, technical committee and quarterly/semi-annual project reviews (development of the agenda, reference documents, presentation of progress), and oversee the implementation of recommendations.
- Provide primary liaison with Technical Committee members and establish effective working relationships with them.
- Develop partnerships in the humanitarian and development community and coordinate with authorities at the regional and/or prefectural and municipal levels.
- Lead advocacy efforts with partners, donors, clusters, sectors, UN Agencies, etc. where possible and relevant.
- Serve as the primary liaison and establish effective working relationships with all internal and external stakeholders on sustainable solutions and resilience on behalf of the consortium.
In addition, the Consortium Coordinator may be asked to take on other tasks and work, at the request of the Country Director within the scope covered for this position.
4. Required qualifications
The success of this mission requires that you listen to your teams, that you are able to provide remote technical management and that you know how to demonstrate leadership to successfully achieve the objectives of the departments concerned but also to support local and international partners in charge of numerous governance, protection and resilience activities. In addition, you must be (or have):
Relevant university degree (Master or Postgraduate), in social sciences, international development, international relations, law or other relevant field.
- At least 5 years of professional experience in the design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of consortia programmes (large consortium of at least 3 international partners with volumes exceeding EUR 5 million);
- At least 2 years of professional experience in a project team management position;
- Proven experience in livelihoods, resilience, protection, conflict prevention, climate change and/or related areas;
- Proven practical experience of strong donor relations, particularly with the European Union;
- Experience and proven technical skills in complex budget management;
- Proven experience in reporting, quality of analysis, monitoring of a large and complex financing contract and synthesis capacity;
- Proven experience/understanding of humanitarian and development work and how solutions and resilience work can bring them together;
- Team spirit, highly organized, proactive and having demonstrated a strong capacity for personal initiative and decision-making;
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
- Excellent written and verbal skills in English are required.
Desired skills
- Previous experience in a Central African context
- Experience in remote management
- Very good level of English
- Experience in multi-country project management/coordination
- Experience on themes related to migration and refugee rights
5. General regulations
- The employee must follow DRC’s instructions regarding security, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Responsibility Framework
- The employee must not carry out any other paid activity during the duration of the DRC contract without prior authorization.
- The Employee shall not engage in any activity that may be detrimental to DRC or the implementation of any project during the term of the DRC contract.
- The employee must not give interviews to the media or publish photos related to DRC programs or share other materials without receiving prior authorization.
- The employee must return all equipment loaned by DRC to perform the work after the end of the contract period or upon request by DRC.
6. Skills and qualities required
- In this role, you must demonstrate the five essential DRC skills, namely:
- Striving for Excellence: You focus on achieving results while ensuring an efficient process. You strive to produce accurate, thorough and professional work with optimal use of time and effort.
- Collaborate: You cooperate with and engage stakeholders, actively seeking their opinions and sharing key information with them. You support and trust others, while encouraging feedback.
- Taking the Lead: You take responsibility and prioritize your work based on DRC’s overall vision and goals. You take the initiative when faced with a challenge or opportunity and seek innovative solutions.
- Communicate: You write and speak effectively and honestly while adapting your style and tone to the situation. You actively listen to others and involve them in dialogue.
- Demonstrate Integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and code of conduct, including protection from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.
- Ability to work in a multicultural and cosmopolitan environment
- Proactivity, with a cooperative and collaborative approach
- Excellent communication skills (including attention and patience) are required
- Good organizational skills are required
- Exemplary sense of ethics
- Ability to work in a team and good sense of humor
How to apply
7. Application process
If you are interested, then apply online by going to this website: www.drc.dk/about-drc/vacancies/current-vacancies
Applications can only be made online, on the website indicated above. You must upload your CV (3 pages maximum) and a cover letter online. The CV and cover letter can be in French or English.
Applications submitted by post, email or physical file will not be considered.
Applications will close on October 5, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Cameroon time. Applications received after this date will not be considered.
DRC provides equal employment opportunities and prohibits any practice of discrimination based on race, sex, color, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, age, marital status or any situation of disability. DRC does not practice any discrimination in its recruitment processes.
However, candidates must take into consideration that the DRC cannot employ, under an international contract, a national of the country in which he/she will have to work (in this case, the Republic of Cameroon and the Central African Republic).
For more information about the Danish Refugee Council, please visit the organisation’s website: www.drc.ngo
However, it is possible for the DRC to begin the recruitment process before the end of the publication of the offer if an application meets the expectations and requirements of the position.
