Africa Regional Deployment Unit (ARDU) Coordinator- International Hire 84 views0 applications

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Position Title: Africa Regional Deployment Unit Coordinator

Reports To: CWS RSC Africa Director

Division: Programs

Department: Programs, ARDU

Job Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Grade Level: Grade 9, Coordinator, International

Introduction: Church World Service (CWS) is a not-for-profit, faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable solutions to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. CWS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity, genetic information, age, disability or veteran status in employment or in the provision of services.

Primary Purpose:

This position is responsible for the management of the Africa Regional Deployment Unit (ARDU). This includes coordination with RSC Africa Programs division, BPRM Regional Refugee Coordinators and UNHCR to determine strategic use of deployments to increase referrals to the USRAP and address deferrals in Africa, as well as the management of staff assigned.

This also includes collaborating with other program departments within RSC Africa. This position ensures that RSC Africa processing priorities and targets are met and that policies are strictly followed. The position is a member of the RSC Africa Leadership Team and Senior Programs Team. This position works closely with the Associate Director of Refugee Processing to position ARDU within CWS’ overall programmatic strategies.

Essential Duties:

Compliance:

1. Ensures all deployment functions within the ARDU Department strictly adhere to the DOS/BPRM, CWS RSC Africa policies, guidelines and procedures.
2. Maintains regular communication with the UNHCR Division for International Protection to ensure CWS RSC Africa deployments to UNHCR offices are compliant with all UNHCR policies.
3. Oversees the development, implementation, dissemination and monitoring of departmental standard operating procedures (SOPs) for deployments in sub-Saharan Africa.
4. Leads regular departmental process reviews to compare requirements vs. current outputs.
5. Monitors policy changes including UNHCR, identifies effects of such changes on the department’s internal SOPs and ensures effective implementation of policy updates.
6. Conducts job function observations of ARDU staff to ensure compliance is met and identifies areas of improvement or training needs.
7. Oversees effective planning, coordination, execution, and monitoring of ARDU deployments, including timely communication to external and internal partners, updating of ARDU reports and tools and timely dissemination of deployment reports.

Data Management and Analysis

1. Ensures that all ARDU activities are completed in an efficient and effective manner and reflect USRAP priorities for Sub-Saharan Africa.
2. Oversees the development and maintenance of departmental reports and quality control (QC) checks.
3. Develops annual/quarterly projections to inform Programs Division priorities, with a focus on ARDU Department activity.
4. Develops and implements department-specific pipeline analysis reports to inform workload and staffing projections, and to anticipate future workloads.
5. Coordinates with other Programs departments, as needed, to efficiently allocate staff resources;
6. Establishes and maintains effective communication systems regarding data within the department and other program departments.
7. Reviews and distributes departmental reports on schedule.

Representation

1. Maintains effective relationships with RSC Africa/USRAP partners, including PRM, UNHCR Regional Bureau and country operations.
2. Ensures partner communication from the ARDU Department is professional, timely and proactive.
3. Champions CWS policy, procedures, and organizational culture to Programs staff, and contribute to Programs Division strategies for ensuring staff fully understand and abide by CWS policies.
4. Ensures ARDU staff are professional when representing CWS/RSC Africa to refugees, partners, the funder and colleagues.

Performance Management

1. Provides direct supervision and leadership to Senior ARDU staff, including yearly performance evaluations, monitoring professional development, and coordinating leave.
2. Ensures coaching, mentoring, feedback and corrective action plans are being carried out across the department.
3. Ensures establishment of performance expectations and communication, on-boarding and training.
4. Develops departmental performance management systems, in coordination with Programs Management, that support consistency in work outputs.
5. Maintains accurate and current job descriptions for the ARDU Department.

Staff Care

1. Ensures a safe, healthy and professional work environment.
2. Oversees the process of ensuring staff’s well-being while in the field.
3. Ensures direct reports are accessing and using their benefits appropriately including leave.
4. Actively supports staff by promoting safe space, open-door and the escalation policy.
5. Establishes and communicates clear expectations to staff to foster a predictable and consistent work environment.

Program Administration

1. Coordinates with the Director, Deputy Director for Operations, and other Program divisions as well as the US Refugee Coordinator and UNHCR to determine appropriate locations for deployments. Develops strategic and annual plans for ARDU and closely monitors and tracks progress towards achievements of established annual goals and objectives.
2. Determines annual departmental staff modelling, and deployment projections, which contribute to Programs annual budget.
3. Manages Programs Division inputs to human resources activities for all ARDU staff, including hiring, evaluations, leave management, and disciplinary actions.
4. Oversees the use of the budget as it relates to ARDU and monitors effective and appropriate use of resources across the department.
5. Ensures effective deployment coordination with logistics, finance, and security including deployment projections, security updates, news from the field, expense reports and financial management.

Qualifications:

Experience:

• 10 years’ work experience is required.
• 5 years of direct supervisory experience with responsibility for hiring, evaluating performance, administering corrective action and directing day to day work is required.
• Demonstrated management experience with a refugee serving/processing agency(s) preferred.
• Previous experience at UNHCR and/or RSC preferred.

Skills:

• Thorough knowledge and comprehensive understanding of the US Refugee Admissions Program and refugee situations throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Advanced computer knowledge, specifically with MS Access, MS Outlook, MS Excel and other statistical analysis programs.
• Strong English communication skills, both oral and written.
• Strong analytical skills and excellent report-generation skills with the ability to understand, process and document information for a variety of audiences.
• Strong supervisory skills and understanding of performance management systems.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Proposal development skills

Education & Certifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field required.
• Master’s Degree preferred.

Abilities:

• Work and make decisions independently and contribute to overall operations at management levels
• Exercise good judgment and seek guidance as appropriate when confronted with unanticipated problems in the field;
• Maintain a high performance standard with attention to detail, completing tasks within set timeframes;
• Exercise good judgement and seek guidance as appropriate when confronted with unanticipated problems;
• Deal effectively and courteously with a large number of associates, outside agencies, refugees and members of the general public;
• Manage large and diverse workload under pressure with competing priorities.
• Maintain the integrity of official records;
• Analyze and solve complex problems and make sound decisions;
• Work with minimal supervision
• Maintain a high performance standard with attention to detail;
• Work independently and contribute to overall operations of RSC Africa;
• Actively participate in the implementation of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).

Important Requirements:

• Strong English communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment required.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and willingness to support CWS’ Platform on Racial Justice as a CWS employee required.COVID Vaccination is strongly recommended for all successful candidates
• The candidate should be of good health, willing and able to travel extensively in often difficult conditions, and have a high degree of flexibility. Must have proof of Yellow Fever vaccination before traveling for RSC Africa
• This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya
• This position requires use of laptops at all time, competence in Microsoft office packages is required.
• This position may require travel in sub-Saharan Africa on short notice and under sometimes difficult conditions to meet demands of a dynamic operational program
• Background check which includes references and an educational and criminal check is required before the start of employment for International applicants.
• A valid passport and the ability to maintain a valid passport throughout the entire appointment is required, which includes having enough passport pages for travel.
• International applicants must be legally eligible to work and obtain a work permit in Kenya OR A valid U.S. passport and the ability to maintain a valid U.S. passport throughout the entire appointment is required, which includes having enough passport pages for travel
• Physical: This position requires bending, squatting, crawling, climbing, kneeling, sitting, standing, walking, pushing/pulling, handling objects (manual dexterity), reaching above shoulder level, using fine finger movements and lifting/carrying heavy loads.
• Environmental: Incumbents in this position will be exposed to excessive noise, marked changes in temperature and/or humidity, dust and infectious diseases, harsh weather climates, long work hours, bumpy roads, extended travel, excessive sun exposure, and non-ventilated spaces.
• The US Embassy rates Kenya as both HIGH in crime and HIGH in terrorism. Incumbents should fully understand the insecurities present within (Kenya and the region).
• Full time
• All employees should be prepared to work from the CWS office within their location of hire. Remote work arrangements may vary depending on location and the governing rulings regarding the COVID-19 pandemic