Country Representative Zimbabwe & Eswatini 217 views0 applications

Position Description

Job Profile

This role has overall responsibility for CAFOD’s work in Zimbabwe and Eswatini across a complex and diverse array of programmes and partners. Responsible for leading and developing programme strategy, overseeing large budgets and programmes and managing a large team as well as holding relations with internal and external stakeholders, including authorities, Church and donors. This is a senior leadership position requiring a strategic thinker who can work independently with strong analytical and communication skills and significant experience in the sector. The postholder must have existing right to work in Zimbabwe.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and Programme Development and Management (30%)

• Provide vision and direction for the development and implementation of CAFOD’s strategy in Zimbabwe and Eswatini, ensuring shared vision with staff and partners, and in line with CAFOD’s vision, mission and values, specifically ‘Our Common Home’ and Integral Ecology approaches.
• Ensure all programmes (humanitarian, development and advocacy) and projects meet CAFOD’s quality standards and are appraised, monitored and evaluated according to procedures and partnership values.
• Initiate the appraisal and funding of new programmes of work in line with CAFOD’s strategic priorities, bringing in best practice and innovation, and ensure appropriate response to requests for humanitarian and development support.
• Hold oversight of programme risk and ensure appropriate mitigation measures, adaptive management and problem solving.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of CAFOD’s work, inputting into regional and thematic processes and policies, and provide ideas, initiatives and information for development education, fundraising, campaigning and advocacy work.

Team management (20%):

• Overall leadership and oversight of Harare office team, ensuring adherence to human resource policies, CAFOD’s management standards, values and working culture.
• Line management and support of direct reports, including performance management, coaching and individual development.
• Lead wider cross organisational teams/initiatives relating to the programme, such as media and communications work, advocacy, co-financing initiatives, humanitarian response.
• Ensure regular Country Management Team meetings and decisions appropriately disseminated to staff.

Financial and funding accountability (15%)

• Overall budget responsibility and oversight, including plan, manage, and regularly review budgets (staffing, office, programme, donor) in line with CAFOD’s financial policies and procedures.
• Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting in accordance with CAFOD’s financial management standards.
• Ensure implementation and regular review of CAFOD’s funding strategy, including horizon scanning, networking and ensuring the country team is accessing and managing institutional funding in accordance with CAFOD’s strategic objectives, policies and procedures.
• Ensure optimal cost recovery, based on sound systems of budgeting, monitoring and compliance reporting and that CAFOD and back-donor funds are used in the most effective and prudent way, demonstrating good stewardship and compliance with CAFOD’s financial management standards as well full compliance with donor requirements in relation to institutional funding secured.

Representation and relationships (20%)

• Effective representation of CAFOD in-country in relationships with the Catholic Church, Caritas and CIDSE sister agencies, respecting CAFOD’s partnership values and ethos.
• Effective representation in the country with NGOs, UN agencies, other international organisations and Government authorities, including participation in relevant coordination fora.
• Liaise with the country offices of institutional donors in order to raise the profile of CAFOD’s work.
• Maximise opportunities for collaboration with sister agencies and other faith-based organisations, for integration into country-based Church networks and for engagement in local advocacy work.
• Oversee partner relations, ensuring alignment with CAFOD’s partnership values, holding senior relationships.

Country office management (10%)

• Ensure compliance with relevant in-country legislation and requirements including registration, labour law etc., ensure documentation is up-to-date and secure.
• Ensure the country security plan is accessible and up-to-date, and provide effective security management, including staff security and risk mapping.
• Oversee, maintain and protect office assets and support systems including computer software and hardware, vehicles, casual staff, bank accounts and procurement.
• Ensure that all necessary policies and procedures are in place and followed by staff in terms of security, procurement, safeguarding, use of equipment, medical and insurance cover, local terms and conditions – including salary scales. Provide for training of staff in such policies as necessary.

Communication & Learning (5%)

• Act as spokesperson for CAFOD in country and with external stakeholders, including media where appropriate.
• Increase awareness about the work of CAFOD’s partners with CAFOD’s constituency in England and Wale and strengthen our corporate education, fundraising, campaigning and communications work.
• Facilitate partner involvement in CAFOD’s campaigning work and, vice versa, to increase CAFOD’s engagement with partners’ campaigns.
• Ensure that staff are properly informed and appropriately consulted on key issues relevant to the country programme.
• Ensure that staff are properly informed and appropriately consulted on relevant key organisational issues.

This list of duties and responsibilities is by no means exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other relevant and appropriate duties as required. This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification.

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Understanding our context

• Understanding Catholic identity; requires sympathy with and understanding of Catholic values and teachings. Able to work within faith based networks and structures
• Understanding CAFOD; commitment to CAFOD’s vision, mission and values; knowledge and understanding of CAFOD’s approach to development and humanitarian emergencies.
• Understanding international development; sophisticated understanding of current issues and trends in international development including best practice approaches.

Working together

• Managing ourselves; able to work independently, self-motivated, ability to prioritise and work under pressure. Sets an example and models organisational values.
• Working with others; strong commitment to and experience of partnership working, manages conflict appropriately; can operate in complex structures.
• Communicating; outstanding written and spoken communication skills in English, ability to articulate complex ideas to different audiences, ability to represent the organisation at senior level with diverse interlocutors.
• Looking outwards; in-depth knowledge of Southern Africa context, excellent analytical skills and judgement, experience of risk and security management.

Making change happen

• Managing resources; proven experience overseeing and managing large complex budgets, assets and office
• Achieving results; can provide a vision and clear sense of priorities for the team, demonstrated ability to develop and manage complex programmes across advocacy, development and humanitarian areas.
• Managing our performance good leadership and people management practices, ability to lead and manage change, experience leading and managing diverse teams
• Taking the lead; can provide vision and strategic leadership including developing and implementing strategies and managing change

Job-specific competencies

1. Knowledge of and demonstrated ability to utilise and oversee project cycle management approaches, including programme development, monitoring, accountability and learning.
2. Experience of working and liaising with international bodies and consortia (Caritas, FCDO, EU, UN and NGOs) and demonstrated success with fund-raising approaches;
3. Experience or knowledge of managing humanitarian response in complex emergencies
4. Ability and willingness to travel, often at short notice and in difficult conditions
5. Must have existing right to work in Zimbabwe

Desirable Criteria

1. Expertise in one or more relevant programme area; resilient livelihoods, justice, peace and women’s empowerment
2. Experience of applying programme quality approaches including safeguarding, dignity and inclusion, and integration
3. Understanding and experience of approaches to ensure accountability in humanitarian and development work

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities.

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults