Head of Base, Potiskum at Cooperazione Internazionale

Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters. 

With more than 3,900 humanitarian workers employed, and an average of 180 projects per year across 25 countries throughout Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, COOPI is the biggest Italian NGO. During its 50 years of activity, COOPI has successfully completed over 1,600 projects in 63 countries, involving 55.000 local operators and ensuring direct benefits to approximately 100 Million people.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Head of Base, Potiskum
Job Location: Potiskum, Yobe

Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Mission and in link with the Coordination, he/she ensures COOPI intervention coordination in his/her area of intervention. He/She:

• Coordinates the implementation of the country strategy in his/her area of intervention
• Participate in the development and updating of the country strategy by providing information from the field
• Ensuring the implementation in the field of the part of the country strategy for which he/she is responsible in collaboration with the head of Mission, the Program Coordinator and the project Managers.
• Coordinates the implementation of programs in the field
• Coordinate and control the implementation of planned projects
• Coordinate in the field the development of new projects in collaboration with program coordinator and project managers.
• Supervise the support services activities at field level, in collaboration with the support department managers
• Guarantee synergy between technical and support teams at field level
• Ensure the implementation of recommendations from internal audits / departmental field visits / field assessments
• Manages the team in his/her area of intervention
• Supervise and manage the members of his/her team under his/her direct responsibility
• Participate in the recruitment of his/her direct team (for expatriate staff in his area of intervention at the request of the Head of Mission)
• Monitor the social climate in its area of intervention and alert the Head of Mission in case of difficulties or social demands
• Ensure the global management of training needs for his/her team
• Encourage compliance with the charter and the fight against fraud and abuse of power and alert the Head of Mission in case of fraud or abuse of power
• Facilitates good relationship with coordination team
• Keep the coordination team informed about program delivery
• Proactively solicit coordination team for any question that could jeopardize programs, funding; or the safety of teams and equipments
• Ensure that field teams clearly articulate requests for support to the coordination team to maximize operational effectiveness and programs’ impact
• In general, play a facilitating role between the “field” and the “coordination”
• Manage the follow-up of recommendations from the technical and support departments
• Represents COOPI and ensures relations with partners, authorities, UN agencies and NGOs in its area of intervention
• Coordinate and supervise all partnerships
• Participate in humanitarian coordination activities
• If necessary, implement at the local level the strategy and advocacy activities defined by the mission
• Ensures the reporting and the communication
• Coordinate the reporting activities with the Program Managers in the field in accordance with donors and the HQ requirements (type and quality of information)
• Coordinate the establishment of a program capitalization system to provide evidence to carry out advocacy activities
• Implementation good communication practices
• Manage the safety and security of his/her area of intervention
• Follow the evolution of the security environment (networking, gathering and analysis of information …)
• Maintain an effective network with local stakeholders on issues of context and security, collect and analyze information to establish context analysis and risk analysis
• Regularly Update the Local Security Plan with the support of the Logistics Manager and the security officer and send it to the Head of Mission
• Briefe teams on context and security
• Guarantee compliance with safety rules with the support of the Logistics Department
• Manage any security incidents and report to the Country Director
• Actively participate in audits and ensure implementation of recommendations

Requirements

• Advanced degree in International Education, International Development, Health and Nutrition or a related field or equivalent work.
• Minimum 3 years experience in the humanitarian field and in a similar position, with a track record of success and results achieved;
• Previous experience with an international humanitarian NGO is an advantage;
• Desirable experience of working on EU/ECHO, USAid/OFDA, UN and Italian Cooperation;
• Experience of working within an insecure environment with responsibility for security planning, monitoring and management.
• Strong analytical and practical problem-solving skills;
• Strong supervisory abilities, and demonstrated capacity of teamwork and of coordination with the relevant actors;
• Very good inter-personal and writing communication skills;
• Ability to organize work efficiently and deliver assignments in a timely manner often under time constraints;
• Proficiency in written and spoken English;
• Computer literacy, with high proficiency in the use of standard office software applications (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint);
• Valid driving license.