The IRC is working in Libya since 2016, targeting the most vulnerable non-displaced, IDPs, refugees and migrants in hard-to-reach areas. According to assessments, healthcare is considered the priority need in Libya, most urgently in terms of quality health staff, medicines and supplies. There are significant gaps in the response, according to Libya’s Ministry of Health (MoH), the Libyan Red Crescent, UN agencies, and international NGOs. IRC’s team in Libya has the specific goal of reaching those in the hardest hit areas to beneficiaries of all ages and gender, both Libyans and third-country nationals. The emergency health activities will be focused on supporting essential primary health care. The reproductive health activities will specifically target women and girls. IRC’s emergency team is engaging local communities and empowering them to ensure they have equal access to health services while mobilizing outreach medical teams to maintain proximity to the people in need.
The Libya INGO Forum (INGOF) is an independent network of 23 international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) implementing humanitarian programs to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable population living in Libya. The INGOF provides a platform to facilitate the work of its members and support them to address key issues of common interest efficiently and effectively.
Job Overview/Summary
The purpose of libya INGO forum DIRECTOR (LIF 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 INGO Forum Director will have purview of INGO engagement across Libya and engage at country level authorities, elevating operational concerns in strategic decision-making mechanisms and processes and engaging in regional and global platforms to raise the profile of the Libya context.
The LIF Director is responsible for:
• Proactive agenda setting; facilitating a space for NGO-NGO 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 Secretariat team, which includes national and international staff
• Manages LIF secretariat team rotating in offices between Tunis, Tripoli and Benghazi and provides strategic oversight of activities of the forum in Libya.
Major Responsibilities:
1. Strategic Coordination and Representation
• Ensure transparent coordination mechanisms and regular information sharing between INGOs and other stakeholders.
• Enable INGOs to coordinate at strategic and operational level in Libya by facilitating high quality, regular meetings of Country Directors, thematic working groups, representatives of the INGO Forum and other mechanisms that maximizes the impact of INGO action in Libya. Ensuring information flows, feedback, drafting of relevant agenda and timely follow up on action points.
• Encourage active and open dialogue between the INGO Secretariat, NGO Steering Committee and Country Director Group.
• 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.
• Provide a regular and reliable conduit for the UN, Government, donor representatives and other stakeholders to communicate and coordinate with NGOs
• Help strengthen high quality countrywide coordination within humanitarian actors and between humanitarian and conflict mitigation/peacebuilding, recovery and development/governance actors.
• Support the coordination of visits of high-level evaluation missions, UN and NGO 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 with peace-building and development actors and humanitarians in Libya
2. Senior Level Representation
• Actively represent INGO Forum members in senior humanitarian and development platforms e.g. HCT, ISCG, Humanitarian-Donor Group, Humanitarian access Group, strategic cross-cutting thematic taskforces, 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 including outside of Libya at capital level.
• 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.
3. Advocacy and Policy Leadership
• Lead in implementation of Advocacy Strategy while mobilizing and leveraging support from member organizations.
• Work with INGO Advocacy Working Group to regularly draft policy and positioning papers and briefs in line with collective views of INGO Forum members on topics of concern.
• Actively engage high profile targets and allies within UN, authorities, donor and diplomatic communities in Libya and externally to further advocacy objectives. This includes leveraging global opportunities in Geneva, brussels, Wahsington DC, New York, etc.
• 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 members and external stakeholders, often with the goal of influencing policies and improving operational or protection space.
4. Information Sharing, Analysis and Best Practice
• Acting as focal point for information/experience sharing with and among NGOs on relevant issues including managing NGO Forum and NGO SC membership, contact lists and mailing lists
• Offer regular analysis on key thematic and operational issues impacting humanitarian, recovery and development responses and affected populations.
• Ensure timely response to requests for help and information from member organizations, non-member organizations and other stakeholders, such as donors, governments and UN agencies. Often this requires a high degree of coordination and the collection of sensitive information.
• Create feedback mechanisms, open learning channels, support pilot efforts for knowledge management, and ensure information flow between NGOs.
• Conduct active and continued research into prevailing humanitarian, socio-economic, geo-political, security situation in Libya, providing the Forum with regular updates.
• Identify gaps in research and analysis that could be used by large numbers of the membership and hire and manage consultants as needed to assist with and complement this task.
• Provide oversight on the development of the Forum Web site and rebranding of the Forum including development of a toolbox of branded materials and templates
5. Project Management and Human Resources
• Ensure high quality INGO Forum donor reporting and proposal development, as well as donor liaison on key areas of progress in collaboration with the Steering Committee and Host Agency.
• Report back to Steering Committee and Country Director Group on project activity progress, expenditure and plans.
• Build and maintain a productive relationship with the Host Agency.
• Manage consultants, researchers and other external support.
• Provide leadership and direction, promote professional working relationships, and encourage staff.
• Conduct regular performance appraisals identifying capacity building needs and further career objectives; follow-up, and maintain updated job descriptions
• Update the INGO Forum Strategy on an annual basis
• Ensure smooth running of the governance model of the INGO Forum and where required make recommendations for changes.
6. Accountability to Beneficiaries
• Secretariat team members and NGO constituents are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to : Steering Committee of 5 Country Directors
The position directly supervises: LIF advocacy Advisor, LIF Safety Advisor, LIF National NGO.
Internal and External:
• Relevant interfaces for this position are:
• INGO Forum Steering Committee: reporting, information, collaboration, cooperation
• INGO Country Directors: coordination, collaboration, information
• INGO Technical departments/Sectors: information, collaboration, coordination
• Government Ministries/Agencies/Departments: Liaison, lobbying, representation, advocacy, information, collaboration, cooperation
• UN agencies: lobbying, representation, information, collaboration
• Donors: Lobbying, information, collaboration
• Other INGO Forum staff, INGO Directors and managers,
• IRC Libya Country director, finance, logistics, HR, grants, M&E and security team members.
Job Requirements
• 7+ 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.
• Familiarity with humanitarian principles and response architecture (such as UN or INGO-led coordination mechanisms) and key humanitarian policy issues.
• Strong understanding of conflict sensitivity and protection
• Knowledge of the Libya context or previous experience working in Libya, North Africa or Middle East
• Experience in administration and coordination of coalition or secretariat functions a plus.
• Strong communication, inter-personal, facilitation and diplomatic skills.
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal, with strong writing and editing skills. Knowledge of Arabic is a plus.
• Excellent computer skills
• Strategic thinking
• Initiating action and change
• Influencing
• Handling insecure environments
The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
More Information
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