FORUM Director (FONGIM) 197 views0 applications

Context

The Mali INGO forum (FONGIM) is an association recognized by the authorities and currently has 95 international NGO members. The FONGIM aims to ensure/strengthen, in an independent manner, coordination between member INGOs, local and national authorities, the United Nations, donors, diplomatic representations and external partners.

It facilitates better sharing of information and expertise, the establishment of common guidelines among member INGOs, and the respect of fundamental principles for a more coordinated, efficient, and effective use of humanitarian, recovery, and development resources in response to the needs of the Mali population.

The FONGIM’s activities are statutorily developed around 5 pillars:

1. Information / exchange platform
2. Coordination / representation / relationship with partners
3. Advocacy
4. Communication
5. Access
6. Capacity building

Role and responsibilities

The FONGIM Director is overall responsible for facilitating, leading and quality managing the work of the INGO Forum ensuring it remains relevant to the needs of its members and is appropriate to the context.

The FONGIM Director will have purview of INGO engagement across Mali and engage predominantly at the high level elevating operational concerns in strategic decision-making mechanisms and processes and also engaging in regional and global platforms to raise the profile of the Mali context.

Generic responsibilities:

• Compliance with FOGIM approved strategy and instructions given by the Steering Committee
• Compliance with and adherence to the HA policies and procedures and to and donor policies, guidance and procedures
• Proactive agenda setting; facilitating a space for INGO collaboration; enabling sharing of information and analysis for effective decision-making
• High-level representation of INGO interests in external meetings and planning efforts nationally and globally; and strategically guide and encourage common advocacy and policy engagement.
• Manages the Executive Directorate staff, which includes FONGIM’s national and international staff
• Supervise office operations in Bamako and in regions.
• Provide operational, strategic and day-to-day management of the permanent office (personnel, budget, security, etc.);
• Provides leadership to the office by encouraging delegation, accountability and teamwork;
• Ensures the development of and compliance with procedures for the operation of the FONGIM office
• Supervise the budgeting, budget management and accountability;
• Be responsive to staff, ready to support them as needed.

Specific responsibilities:

Launching the new FONGIM

• Integrating the different working Groups (GTH, GTD, etc.) in the new architecture of the FONGIM
• Hiring new national staff and integrating the international staff from the GTH
• Holding the ED accountable to the FONGIM Steering Committee and the General assembly
• Submitting an annual action plan to the FONGIM Steering Committee
• With the support of and in accordance with the HA, progressively build administrative capacities of the ED in order to insure its autonomy at the end of 2022: HR (registration, internal regulations, code of conduct), Finances (admin and finance handbook and procedures), Procurement, etc.
• Building an organizational identity for the ED of the FONGIM.

Strategic Coordination

• Contribute to build and maintain a strong INGO-forum encompassing both development, nexus, and emergency response
• Ensure transparent coordination mechanisms and regular information sharing between INGOs and other stakeholders.
• Enable INGOs to coordinate at strategic and operational level in Mali by facilitating high quality, regular meetings of Country Directors, Senior Field Managers, thematic working groups, representatives of the INGO Forum and other mechanisms that maximizes the impact of INGO action in Mali. Ensuring information flows, feedback, drafting of relevant agenda and timely follow up on action points.
• Encourage active and open dialogue between the HA Country Director, and INGO forum members.
• Help maintain high quality countrywide coordination within humanitarian actors and between humanitarian and conflict mitigation/peacebuilding, recovery and development/governance actors.
• Coordinate visits related to the Forum from high-level evaluation missions, UN and INGO missions, researchers, donors, diplomats as required
• Increase and enhance INGO engagement with national NGOs and civil society groups to create potential coalitions around key thematic areas.
• Identify opportunities and strategies for coordination among peacebuilding development and humanitarians actors in Mali in line with the Nexus approach
• Provide a regular and reliable conduit for the UN, Government, donor representatives and other stakeholders to communicate and coordinate with national and INGOs

Advocacy and policy leadership

• Participate in important policy and planning processes underway at the UN and government level that requires field level operational inputs from INGOs e.g. Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), multi-donor and UN longer-term recovery and development planning, CREDD review.
• Actively represent INGO Forum members in senior humanitarian and/or development platforms e.g. HCT, Humanitarian-Donor Group, CMCOORD, relevant technical groups and ensure engagement with and high profile external discussions and ensure the dissemination of high quality written feedback.
• Regularly network and represent the INGO community at high-level fora and bilateral meetings including with UN, Donors, Member States, military and government, and other representative bodies.
• Work effectively with delegated representatives of the INGO Forum and ensure accountability to members.
• Represent INGO Forum members at global meetings and conferences and raise members’ advocacy messages and key priorities by participating in high level panel discussions, round tables and closed-door meetings.
• Lead in implementation of Advocacy Strategy while mobilizing and leveraging support from member organizations.
• Work with Advocacy Working Group/platform in country to regularly draft policy and positioning papers and briefs in line with views of the FONGIM on topics of concern.

Membership mobilisation for coordination and information sharing

• Acting as focal point for information/experience sharing with and among the FONGIM members on relevant issues including managing memberships, contact lists and mailing lists
• Accompany and support the effective functioning of the FONGIM permanent and ad hoc working groups
• Offer regular analysis on key thematics and operational issues impacting country context, development matters, humanitarian responses and affected populations.
• Ensure timely response to requests for help and information from FONGIM member organizations, non-member organizations and other stakeholders, such as donors, governments and UN agencies.
• Identify gaps in research and analysis that could be used by large numbers of the membership and hire and manage staff/consultants as needed to assist with and complement this task.
• Provide oversight on the development and/or maintenance of the Forum Web site and rebranding of the Forum including development of a toolbox of branded materials and templates

Fundraising, networking and donor relations

• In collaboration with the Steering Committee, ensure high quality INGO Forum proposal development and donor reporting, as well as donor liaison on key areas of progress.
• Actively engage high profile targets and allies within UN, Government, donors and diplomatic communities in Mali and externally to further advocacy objectives.
• Stay informed on global, regional and national opportunities to further advocacy objectives by anticipating key dates and ensuring adequate time to contribute productively. Liaise with relevant consortia to this end.
• Collect, analyse and share information relevant to FONGIM members and external stakeholders, often with the goal of influencing policies and improving operational or protection space.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work.

Competencies

Generic professional competencies for this position:

• 5+ years of experience in a conflict or post-conflict setting with an INGO in a coordination or senior management role (e.g. Country Director or similar levels). Experience of working in complex humanitarian situations is preferred.
• Tertiary undergraduate/postgraduate qualifications in international relations, political science, development or other relevant field
• Proven high profile management, coordination and advocacy experience in humanitarian context.
• Demonstrated communication, leadership skills, interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Documented skills in developing proposals, budgets and reports
• Strong advocacy experience in conflict-affected countries
• Demonstrated knowledge of humanitarian architecture, the UN system (HCT, ICC, Clusters), in an integrated mission context
• Knowledge of international humanitarian law and humanitarian reform a plus
• Experience working in MLI would be an asset
• Strong understanding of conflict sensitivity and protection
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities.
• Knowledge of law/legal aspects would be a plus
• Computer literacy

Context/Specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Knowledge of the Mali context or previous experience working in Mali or West Africa
• Experience in administration and coordination of coalition or secretariat functions a plus.
• Strong communication, inter-personal, facilitation and diplomatic skills.
• Fluency in English & French, both written and verbal, with strong writing and editing skills.
• Excellent computer skills.

What We Offer

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to join our work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility. At NRC we think outside the box. We encourage ideas and give responsibility to all employees at all levels, to help solve the complex issues that we face. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.

• 12 months with possibility of extension
• Grade 11 in NRC scale
• Duty Station: Bamako with 15% travelling (Bamako is a family duty station however the expenses and the evacuation costs of the family members are not covered by the organization)
• An opportunity to match your career to a compelling cause
• A chance to meet and work with people who are the best in their fields