Regional Representative for Central America
Place of assignment: San Salvador
Position length and closing date
The closing date for applications is 23 June 2019
Contract duration: 3 years, with possibility for extension
Purpose
The LWF World Service is responsible for carrying out diaconal response to humanitarian emergencies and human needs on behalf of the LWF – a Communion of Churches.
In pursuance of its responsibility and based on its strategy, World Service:
- Operates together with and on behalf of the LWF member churches.
- Provides support to refugees, returnees, internally displaced people, their host communities and communities at risk, emphasizing livelihoods, quality services, protection and social cohesion.
- Establishes and runs country programs and emergency operations.
- Engages in cooperation and partnership with governmental and non-governmental organizations, the relevant United Nations agencies and other structures involved in humanitarian and development programs as they link to the mandate of the department.
- Represents the LWF in the ACT Alliance (Action by Churches Together).
The purpose of this position is to provide leadership, management and supervision of the LWF World Service Regional Program in Central America, including representation and networking with relevant stakeholders. The position-holder ensures implementation of projects, programs, policies and guidelines for the achievement of goals and objectives as outlined in the LWF Global Strategy and the Strategy for World Service.
Required Qualifications
- University degree in a relevant subject with strong expertise on issues related to human rights, sustainable development, and/or humanitarian response.
- Further training and expertise in the above issues and/or other relevant areas (e.g. strategic leadership, management, people management, advocacy, climate justice, finance, monitoring and evaluation)
- Fluency in Spanish, proficiency in English ; other languages an asset
- Conversant in Microsoft office suite
- A letter of recommendation/endorsement from a church to which they belong
Additional Study and Experience
Minimum 8 years of successful experience in a senior leadership/management position in the field of human rights, sustainable development, and/or humanitarian response
Proven ability to enable teams, to coach, nurture and motivate colleagues, creating a conducive working environment
Proven track record in enabling teams to deliver rigorous planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of programmatic work
Proven track record of close and successful engagement with financial management and compliance
Proven capacity to navigate strategic processes of collaboration between international agencies and actors
LWF core skills
- Analytical thinking Level confirmed
- Initiative Level confirmed
- Leadership Level high
- Achieving results Level confirmed
- Accountability Level high
- Working effectively with others Level high
Required skills
- Project Management Level confirmed
- Innovation Level confirmed
- Communication / Networking Level confirmed
- Facilitation / Negotiation Level high
- Resources management / fundraising Level confirmed
- Enabling management Level high
People Management Skills
- Proven ability to manage as a team builder, enabling, coaching and motivating team members to fulfil their mission, ensuring a conducive working environment.
Position Environment and Dimensions
- Internally, mainly interacts with the Geneva-based Regional Program Coordinator for LAC and other WS Geneva colleagues, LWF Regional Secretaries, the Regional Management Team (Program Coordinator, Finance and Administration Manager, Senior Finance Advisor), National Coordinators, other LWF team members in the regional program, and Related Agencies which are closely involved in the Central America program
- Externally, interacts and cooperates with member churches, donors and related agencies, ecumenical organizations, UN, INGOs and NGOs, and other LWF stakeholders. A notable feature of the LWF Central America program is the multi-agency collaboration in a joint program in Guatemala (‘Jotay’) based on the legal, financial and administrative mechanisms of the LWF Central America program. This is currently evolving towards greater autonomy, and strategic evolution of this will be a major feature of the position environment in the coming years.
Main duties
Leadership and Strategic Contribution
- Provides overall leadership to the LWF World Service program and its regional management team
- Ensures strong and positive relationships with relevant Related Agencies to ensure the on-going health of the LWF Central America program, playing a leading role in the strategic development and evolution of Jotay (Guatemala);
- Acts as representative for LWF World Service in Central America;
Finance, Fundraising, grant management
- Engages closely and successfully with finance mechanisms, enabling colleagues to deliver and strengthen the financial management and compliance of the program in line with donor, Related agency and LWF World Service expectations and internal control systems;
- Develops strategies and operational plans and actively engages in negotiations with key stakeholders to uphold and develop a viable portfolio of projects and programs;
- oversees the elaboration of high-quality project proposals;
Programmatic work
- Ensures that programmatic work is aligned with the LWF Global Strategy, the Strategy for LWF World Service and other LWF policies and guidelines;
- Ensures a consistent ‘local to global’ approach in programming, linking local rights-based programming to national, regional and international advocacy and action for change;
- Enables the team to deliver rigorous planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting (PMER) of programmatic work to the satisfaction of donors, Related agencies and LWF Geneva;
- Ensures good management of resources, operations and partnerships with special emphasis on capacity building and continued improvement;
- Undertakes monitoring of program/projects in the region;
Operational representation, Advocacy, Networking
- Takes a leading role in overall advocacy-related work to address issues relevant to LWF and our programming, acting as spokesperson on behalf of the LWF World Service Central America program;
- Maintains close communication and cooperation with LWF´s Related Agencies and their local and regional offices; the LWF Member Church, other LWF World Service Programs in the region, and appropriate ecumenical and/or faith-based partners through frequent informal coordination and collaboration;
- fosters and maintains close coordination and collaboration with international and bilateral cooperating and co-financing partners, particularly with UN, Governments and their agencies, diplomatic representations, and other international and national NGOs;
- plays an active role in the ACT;
People Management
- Enables the team through coaching, nurturing and motivating colleagues, creating a conducive working environment;
- Ensures that management values, systems and roles are strengthened to enable the smooth implementation of LWF programmatic work;
- Ensures effective mechanisms for individual and team capacity building, continuous learning and employee life cycle management;
- Ensures that recruitment is gender-sensitive and inclusive;
Accountability
- Ensures all interventions are undertaken in accordance with the LWF/WS policies and guidelines, specifically concerning the LWF Staff Code of Conduct, the Sphere Project and the Core Humanitarian Standard, as well as rights-based, gender responsive and climate sensitive programming;
Security Management
- Is responsible for security related to the LWF Central America program, ensuring that security matters are monitored and addressed;
- Ensures that a security plan is developed and employed for all levels of field staff and visitors to the program;
Major challenges
To navigate strategic processes of collaboration between international agencies and actors, notably Jotay, and to ensure rigorous compliance and reporting of programmatic and financial work, whilst ensuring a strong team spirit and conducive working environment.
To apply please click on the following link:
https://lutheranworld.recruiterbox.com/jobs/fk0jkej?cjb_hash=O_XHKT87&apply_now=true
