Technical Coordinator Job Vacancy at Action Against Hunger, Uganda

Job Title:    Technical Coordinator
Job Location:    Kampala, Uganda with frequent travels up-country (25%)
Employer:    Action Against Hunger - ACF International
Department:     Field
Type:         Contracted
Starting date in-country:  1-June-2014
Direct Line Manager:   Country Director
Technical Supervisor:  FSL Advisor, WASH advisor, Nutrition Advisor
Job Overview:
The Technical Coordinator directly reports to the Country Director and leads the program team in Kampala and in the field (project managers).

S/he is a key member of the Mission Coordination Team responsible for the identification, development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of projects and that they are consistent with the Country Strategy with focus on integration amongst sectors and gradual transition toward long-term development interventions. The TechCo is responsible for overall technical strategy development and follow up, contextual surveillance and assessments, field-based research and partnerships.

Objective 1: Contextual analysis of humanitarian, Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), Nutrition, DRR and WASH in Uganda.

•     Support the ongoing analysis of the broad humanitarian and development context in Uganda, malnutrition causal factors and linkages through regular high quality field assessments, consultation with stakeholders and collection of secondary data
•     Lead on regular market price surveillance activities in the operational areas and if relevant, integrated nutrition surveillance activities through provision of strategic direction on development of tools, methodology, analysis and interpretation, etc.
•     Provide the coordination team with information related to humanitarian and developmental events in the country
•     Identify humanitarian needs, provide relevant future propositions for geographic and sector interventions throughout the country to CD in a timely fashion.

Objective 2: Representation and liaison for operational program related issues to donors, authorities, UN, NGOs

•     Ensure that the mission has up-to-date knowledge of donor strategies and frameworks, funding mechanisms and regional strategy and that these are fed into the coordination and country strategy planning process.
•     Ensure ACF program related interests are guarded within the international community
•     Liaise with stakeholders for program related issues if a senior level involvement is required
•     Coordinate with stakeholders on ACF activities and ensure required program documentation is provided (pro-actively and upon request) by the Program Managers.
•     Strengthen field and capital level information-sharing with IOs, INGOs and government.
•     Ensure ACF technical staff regularly attend all relevant humanitarian coordination meetings and take a leading role in the drafting of future technical development strategies.
•     Facilitate a 'trickle-down' of information towards the field stemming from cluster/sectoral information in the capital.
•     Advance and disseminate ACF's strategic positioning to donors and other stakeholders as this relates to humanitarian analysis and future financial planning.

Objective 3:   Programmatic and Strategic Leadership

•     Contribute to implementation of a strategy adapted to the local situation with gradual evolution toward long-term development interventions, partnership with local and international NGOs and research institutions and integrations of sectors.
•     Identify, propose and develop new program orientations, strategies and activities.
•     Lead, in strict collaboration with the CD and TAs, the process of identification and design of concept papers/proposals and responsible for timely and qualitative submission.
•     Collaborate with other departments (LOG, ADM, HR) for the identification of logistic and financial needs of new proposals.
•     Increase programmatic integration through combined assessment, design, implementation, and evaluation of FSL, nutrition, DRR and WASH.
•     Identify opportunities for deeper assessment, applied research, or publication related to past/ ongoing/proposed programs that aid policy advocacy.
•     Identify programme implementation modalities that include participant targeting criteria, mobilization approaches, local partnerships, seasonality of input support, participant training, monitoring and reporting systems, cash projections, procurement plans, etc.
•     Identify partnerships with NGOs and research / technical institutions for new programs and researches.

Objective 4:   Project coordination and operations management
A) Coherence and relevance.

•     Ensure programs are coherent with the operational country strategy and with ACF mandate.
•     Ensure program design and implementation is coordinated with all stakeholders.

B) Integration of sectors of intervention (FSL, NUTRITION, WASH, DRR)

•     Ensure quality and integrity of program implementation, including adherence to technical guidelines, administrative systems, established information needs, and deadlines.
•     Facilitate ongoing ACF analysis of programme participant vulnerability and priorities as they relate to FSL, Nutrition, DRR and WASH.
•     Data analysis and use of secondary information to predict program priority.

C) Monitoring, Evaluation, Documentation and Learning to promote organizational learning and ensure high standard of quality.

•     Ensure the appropriate development and application of high quality technical monitoring systems, indicators and supporting tools to monitor the impact and outcome of programs; ensure their harmonization across bases and build capacity of field teams on their implementation and regular timely use
•     Provide direct support to program managers on program planning and monitoring (procurement planning, budget forecast and follow-up, monthly reports, technical reports, etc.)
•     Ensure high quality technical and donor reporting across all program activities to ACF and donor standards
•     Support internal and external evaluations, learning events, applied research and application of innovative approaches at field level in collaboration with external partners, where applicable
•     Ensure documentation and capitalization of lessons learnt and good practices; and contribute to the preparation of publications, where applicable
•     Conduct regular programme monitoring to see if the planned activities are on track and implementation meet quality standards. Visit ACF field activities regularly and report on problems, discrepancies between field reports and actual implementation, challenges and obstacles while building an intimate knowledge of fieldwork realities. Propose corrective measure and recommendation with field visit reports.
•     Ensure the coordination of planning and following up of donor field visits.
•     Ensure program objectives are met and timelines, budgets, donor guidelines are respected by the Program Managers and Coordinators
•     Monitoring the budget and targets achieved with reference to the project submission, and making any necessary adjustments in consultation with the finance teams.

D) Provide technical back-up, coordination and guidance to on-going programs.

•     Ensure that all programs are managed on the basis of agreed frameworks, including, the logical frameworks, and budget and procurement procedures.
•     Ensure the development and implementation of proper systems to reduce the risk of corruption and conflict of interest by programme staff and local authorities; and increase accountability and transparency of operations.
•     Prepare internal and external reports for ACF and donors, including case studies and success stories.

Objective 5: Overall management of program budgets

•     Ensure forecasts are produced and respected.
•     In collaboration with Finance Coordinator ensure that program budgets are respected.
•     Alert on over- or under spending of budgets and ensure programs are adjusted.
•     In collaboration with Admin and Logs coordinator, consolidating budget & procurement procedures.
•     In consultation with CD, timely propose and develop amendments to contract with donors in order to adapt projects to changing situations and beneficiaries` needs.

Objective 6: Human Resources Management - Programming
A) Recruitment and staff retention.
    Lead in the recruitment of staff under his supervision in collaboration with the administration and Assistant Country Director.

•     Revise job descriptions for technical positions in collaboration ACD and TA.
•     Help team members to clearly understand their Job description.
•     Induction of all incoming staff on projects' status and background country programme strategy.
•     Set objectives for and facilitate the development of individual action plans by staff members with corresponding indicators, against which he/she will be evaluated.
• Performance appraisal and career development.
•  

•     Carry out performance review of staff under his direct supervision and ensure that all staff under the department is regularly assessed.
•     Identifying the teams' training and career growth needs on the basis of needs assessments, feedbacks and observation.
•     Organizing and carrying out capacity building for technical teams taking into consideration their profiles, the cultural context and the on the basis of the finding of the needs assessment.
•     Facilitate cross programme learning through joint review and planning meeting with other departments.
•     Assess the impact of the training on staff capacity and programme performance.
•     Critically assess the pertinence and quality of the training programs.
•     Coaching and mentoring of team members in leadership and management skills.
•     Identify training opportunities and help team members to participate.
•     Availing of learning materials, reports, lessons learn and case studies.

•     Creating a learning environment at ACF (participatory planning, review and programme development)
•     Providing leadership in program management, Human resources and financial management.
•     Organizing and leading meetings with the team and individual staff members, on both a regular and ad hoc basis.
•     Lending support to teams in the organizational and coordination skills.
•     Resolving problems arising in the teams with the support of CD, when necessary, in consultation with mission Human Resources
•     Soliciting and accepting feedback from team members (on technical matters relating to programs).
•     Ensure program staff is motivated and committed to ACF charter and programs
•     Organizing team building events (exchange visit and retreat)

Internal & External relationships
Internal

•     Country Director: hierarchical relationship – technical support – exchange of information and collaboration on strategic issues. 
•     Assistant Country Director (HR matters): Collaboration and exchange of information on staff recruitment, promotion, staff capacity, training and, if need be, on team management and problem solving development.
•     Assistant Country Director (Advocacy, Relations with Government Institutions): Collaboration and exchange of information on relations, reports, collaborations with Government Institutions at central and district level.
•     Head of Bases: Collaboration and exchange of information on relations with Government Institutions at district level, general situation, security.
•     FIN Coordinator: Collaboration and exchange of information on financial planning for new proposals, and expenditures reports.
•     LOG Coordinator: Procurement plan, procurement of inputs & delivery and documentation.
•     Technical Advisors in NY (WASH, FSL and NUT) : Technical advices, exchange of information and coordination (integrated approach) and harmonization of systems and procedures.
•     Program team in the capital (FSL, Nutrition, WASH): Direct managements.
•     Project managers: Direct management.

External

•     Local governmental and non-governmental partners: exchange of information, coordination, training, supervision, influence of choice of technical departments and projects approvals
•     Local representatives of international aid organizations: exchange of information, coordination and advocacy in relation to ACF activities in NU and Karamoja.
•     Donors: General coordination, reporting and negotiation.

Reporting Responsibilities:

•     Technical Monthly report, APR and Market Price report
•     Donor reports
•     Monthly contribution to mission SITREP
•     Maintain  and regular update of the online database institute by WFP (PROMIS)
•     Monitoring reports
•     Internal and external evaluation reports

Job Requirements:

•     Minimum Masters degree in International Development, Rural Development, International Humanitarian Assistance, any applied social or natural science
•     Minimum 5 years work experience in similar setting and responsibility

Essential:

•     Excellent communication, writing and analytical skills
•     Excellent management and representation competencies
•     Excellent influencing and negotiation skills
•     High attention for quality of the implementation of projects.
•     Experience in humanitarian settings, delivering humanitarian and development programming in DRM, FSL, Nutrition, WASH sectors, preferably in transitional settings
•     Experience with major institutional and UN donors and donor procedures (ECHO/EC, OFDA/USAID, DFID, etc.) and high capacity to identify and develop high quality and successful project proposals.
•     Familiarity with ACF and acceptance of ACF's principles
•     Knowledge of Uganda.

Job Responsibilities:

• Develop, update and review rational use of medicine reference materials such as Uganda Clinical Guidelines, Essential Medicines and Health Supplies List for Uganda and Practical Guidelines for Dispensing.
• Identify linkages between irrational medicine use and practices through studies on diagnosis, prescribing, dispensing, and patient use. Develop and implement relevant strategies to improve rational use of medicine practices.
• Work with central level coordination bodies such as Uganda Network for Appropriate Medicine Use (UNAMU) and Uganda Medicine and Therapeutic Committee (UMTAC) to promote rational use of medicine in Uganda and further establish their respective responsibilities to reach their goals.
• Work with academic centers and health professions organizations to review and revise, as appropriate, training materials and expand training opportunities. 
• Establish community involvement in prevention and treatment of communicable and non-communicable diseases focusing both on medicine use and storage and disease awareness in the community.
• Work with other partners including UNFPA to ensure reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health commodities are used appropriately by the Village Health Teams.
• Any other duties that may be assigned as need arises.

This position is subject to award and project funding.

Deadline Date: 30/04/2014

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