Program Manager II- IDP Return, Recovery & Reintegration Coordinator - I 08 067
Date Posted: 08 May 2008
Organization: Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
Country/Region: Timor
Apply By: 07 Jul 2008
Please reference the "Recruiting Center at DevelopmentEx.com" when you apply by email.

Job Level: Mid-Level Req. No.: I 08 067
Job Summary: Provide strategic direction, oversight and leadership to a team of national staff to manage CRS’ IDP Return, Recovery & Reintegration (RRR) program. Lead program coordination efforts with Government of East Timor, UNOCHA, and other (I)NGOs engaged in RRR. Serve as member of Senior Management Team. Hold overall responsibility for maintaining strict compliance to donor rules and regulations. Support CRS efforts to build capacity of local Church partners in their own efforts to promote RRR. Background On April 28, 2006 demonstrations in the capital of Dili turned violent. A series of events over the weekend followed by rampant rumors during the week led to a mass exodus from Dili, with an estimated 80% of the city population living somewhere outside their home. While the situation was expected to resolve itself quickly, displaced persons remain in camps in the urban areas of Dili and Baucau or with host communities in the districts due either to this insecurity and a fear that they will not be accepted back into their communities, or a lack of shelter due to the destruction of houses. As of April 2008, two years after the initial crisis, there are more than 50 make-shift IDP sites in existence in Dili and Baucau housing approximately 35,000 to 45,000 IDPs. Additional families remain displaced in the rural areas with extended family. CRS began responding to the emergency at the outset and has been involved in providing basic non-food items to the displaced, provision of support for camp management in urban areas, and the promotion of peace and reconciliation activities.
Currently, CRS is implementing an OFDA funded project which: 1. supports sixteen camps in Dili and Baucau (housing approximately 8,000 IDPs), to ensure IDPs are living in safety and dignity
2. provides health/hygiene materials to CRS, IOM and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) camps/transitional shelter sites
3. supports community reconciliation and reintegration efforts within the Comoro area of Dili The Government of East Timor launched its National Recovery Strategy (NRS) in early January 2008. This strategy aims to address the range of issues, including: social, physical, legal, economic, security and political that combine to create obstacles to the resettlement of those who have been displaced. The government’s Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS) is the lead ministry tasked with the NRS implementation. The IDP Return, Recovery & Reintegration Project Manager will actively coordinate with the MSS to support the MSS’ efforts to promote IDP Return, Recovery and Reintegration.
Job Responsibilities: Return, Recovery & Reintegration
1. Take the lead in developing follow-on proposals to assist IDP return, recovery, and reintegration.
2. Strengthen the coordination mechanisms and institutional capacity for the preparation, implementation and concrete follow-up of community dialogue in line with guidelines developed for the MSS. 3. Post-IDP return protection monitoring: design monitoring plans to ensure the safe return of IDPs to their homes of origin or other locations of their choice.
Ongoing Camp Management / Dialogues
1. Manage OFDA grant, oversee budget and carry out monthly expenditure analysis, prepare reports/grant amendments.
2. Provide support to 6 camps in Dili and 7 camps in Baucau, leading a team of 15 Timorese field staff, supervising 3 Team Leaders.
3. Develop monitoring check list for field staff, in order to track activities and necessary follow up for SLS, Health and Reintegration programs.
4. Liaise with camp management and partners, government representatives, UN agencies, and national and international NGOs to ensure that basic living conditions, health and safety standards within camps are met and in compliance with CRS mandate with the government of Timor Leste.
5. Develop and implement response to new IDP movements in Dili and Baucau Region as necessary, in coordination with appropriate local and central level government representatives. 6. Develop and implement plans for peacebuilding and reconciliation between IDPs and their previous communities of residence in the Comoro area of Dili, in coordination with all stakeholders including national and international security forces.
7. Liaise with government ministries, UN agencies, and national and international NGO partners involved in IDP response to develop long term, durable solutions for IDPs.
8. Participate in the development of cohesive, proposed assistance and/or policy for IDP return/reintegration.
9. Ensure project compliance with Sphere Minimum Standards in Disaster Response.
10. Identify bottlenecks and gaps in IDP assistance and/or policies in Dili and Baucau, undertaking advocacy with the appropriate national and international stakeholders.
11. Monitor, direct and advocate for emergency and non-emergency support to both the vulnerable and 2007 IDP communities in Region 1 (Baucau, Viqueque and Lautem Districts) as needed, coordinating efforts with district and central level government representatives, appropriate NGOs and security forces.
Program Quality/Management
1. Ensure support for project design and proposal writing. This will include working closely with partners and communities to do participatory needs assessment, project design and proposal writing.
2. Support partner program staff in the planning of project activities and the establishment of high quality performance targets, ensuring adherence to technical standards, best practices and donor guidelines.
3. Assist partner program staff to use appropriate project management tools to plan, review and track progress on project implementation as well as on the utilization of project resources.
4. Work alongside partner staff to build their capacity in program planning and design; program management; monitoring and evaluation
Coordination and Communication
1. Ensure transparent coordination mechanisms and regular information-sharing between partners and CRS
2. Coordinate efforts with other humanitarian partners and represent CRS in coordination meetings and sector working groups.
3. Coordinate visits of CRS, donors, partners, etc. 4. Support and guide the development of documents, good practices and other learning materials to ensure visibility of CRS and partner work 5. Maintain communication with regional technical advisors, deputy regional directors and headquarters staff as appropriate.
Outputs:
1. Weekly/bi-weekly + field reports/status in additional to monthly and final project reports.
2. Contributes to the development of any new proposals and to emergency response programming as required. 3. CRS contribution to national level policy on community reintegration, IDP returns and humanitarian response. Supervisory Responsibilities: Direct reports – La’o ba Oin Training Team Leader, La’o ba Oin Community Organizer, Site Liaison Support (SLS) Team Leader and SLS Health Team Leader. . Key Working Relationships: Internal: CRS Country Representative, CRS Head of Programming, CRS country program staff, CRS Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality, SEAPRO Emergency RTA. External: Host country government ministries, USAID, local/international NGO offices, UN agencies, and local Church partners.
Qualifications: 1. Masters degree in international development or related field.
2. Four to five years experience in USG grant management, including finance management.
3. Three years experience in organizing and managing IDP collective centers.
4. Working English, knowledge of Tetum, Bahasa Indonesian or Portuguese a plus.
5. Good communication and coordination skills (will be working closely with religious orders and Diocesan partners).
6. Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal and networking skills required.
7. Demonstrated experience with participatory approaches to development, including capacity building of local institutions.
8. Ability to represent the Agency in high-level meetings with donors, local Church and local government.
To apply for this position please visit the Catholic Relief Services website at www.crs.org/about/careers. Regrettably, email submissions can not be accepted.