Head Of Mission Drc

Head of Mission – Democratic Republic of Congo

INTERSOS is an independent non-profit humanitarian organization committed to assist the victims of natural disasters and armed conflicts. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, and respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable and unprotected people.

Terms of reference

Job title: Head of Mission (HoM)

Location: Bunia – Oriental Province, North East of Congo

Reporting to: Regional Director

Starting date: July 2015

Duration of contract: 1 year

Dependents: No

General context of the mission

For years, INTERSOS has studied and evaluated the possibility of intervening in the DRC to provide assistance to a population which is affected by armed conflicts. As a result of several assessments and information gathering the organization decided to enter the North Eastern part of the country. INTERSOS’ first commitment started in the area around Doruma (Haut-Uélé district, in the Province Orientale) at the end of 2010 with a protection project funded by UNHCR. The main problem in this region is a consequence of violence (abduction, looting, blackmailing, physical harm…) committed by armed groups or individuals in general, and by the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) in particular causing repeatedly population movements. Other main armed groups or militia are currently devastating the Oriental province forcing thousands of people to flee their villages.

Within the last four years we have been able to enlarge our commitment in the North Eastern province of the DRC in terms of areas and sectors of intervention. Since February 2013, the organization entered the Southern provincial district of Ituri, and since January 2015 the Western district of Tshopo. Beyond protection (protection monitoring, Sexual Gender Based Violence – SGBV, peaceful co-existence) – INTERSOS is key protection partner for the whole province since 2013 in terms of protection monitoring activities – INTERSOS carries out activities in education in emergencies (rehabilitation/construction of schools, capacity building of educational stakeholders, school reintegration of children of armed violence and returned teachers), in logistics (rehabilitation of bridges), and since 2014 in food security & livelihood (food distribution through commodity vouchers, agricultural activities through working group approach). All commitment aims at providing basic assistance to survivors of violence committed by armed identified or non-identified, indigenous or exogenous groups.

INTERSOS is currently concentrating its efforts in the Dungu, Faradje, Niangara Territories (Haut-Uele district), in the Bondo and Ango Territories (Bas-Uele district), in all territories of the Ituri district by having a large presence in the crisis area of South Irumu, and finally in the Bajwasende territory (Tshopo district). It is planed within the next two years to start running programme activities even in the North Kivu province which remains besides Katanga province the hot spot of humanitarian action in the DRC.

The programme coordination is done from the main office in Bunia (Ituri district) and through field offices in Ango (Ango territory) and Dungu (Dungu territory).

Tasks and responsibilities

The general purpose of the post is to represent INTERSOS in the country and act in accordance with specific directions from and supervision of the Regional Director in Rome.

The HoM manages and coordinates the operations and human resources in the country and is responsible to:

Establish and maintain relations with local institutions, donors, NGOs, international agencies and other stakeholders;
Define country priorities based on context and needs analyses. Monitor donor intervention strategies and priorities in the country and evaluate, promote and elaborate new projects;
Establish, guarantee and monitor government recognition procedures for the organization and the host country formalities;
Plan mission activities and check their implementation;
Check monthly mission expenditures and guarantee accordance with the financial planning;
Ensure the respect of INTERSOS procedures for the procurement of goods, works and services (e.g.: forwarding all tender notices and results to the head quarter for publication on the organization’s website);
Supervise, monitor and evaluate projects’ implementation also by periodic visits to areas of operation;
Define the mission economic and financial planning, guaranteeing self-sufficiency and consistency of expenses;
Assume responsibility for funds management of the mission (including bank accounts);
Approve projects’ reports and intermediate and final financial reports and assume responsibility for the presentation to donors;
Write monthly reports on country operations for the Regional Director;
Apply all procedures defined by INTERSOS and donors.

Required profile/experience

At least 5 years of experience as HoM or other coordination and management position in humanitarian/development contexts
Experience in implementation of activities funded by UN donors or ECHO
Experience in people management and leadership skills
Ability to take initiative and work autonomously
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Fluent English written and spoken
Capacity to work in volatile security environment and to adapt to basic living conditions

Qualified applicants are requested to submit their curriculum vitae, motivation letter and 2 references to: [email protected], specifying in the subject ‘HoM DRC’

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the first interview