Area Manager

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.

Together we save, protect and rebuild lives. And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can defeat poverty or any type of inequality or discrimination.

We are an international confederation of 19 organizations (affiliates) working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development, and campaigning, in more than 90 countries.

All our work is led by three core values: Empowerment, Accountability, Inclusiveness. To read more about our values please click here.

The Country Office in Somalia/Somaliland is currently recruiting a:

Area Manager

Fulltime / 40 hours a week

Contract length: 1 Year with possibility of extension

Location: Mogadishu, Somalia (with frequent travel to operational locations in the country and Somaliland)  

OXFAM PURPOSE:

To work with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering.

CONTEXT:

Somalia faces some of the most severe humanitarian and development challenges in the world, exacerbated by ongoing armed conflict in parts of the country and intense, recurrent droughts. Oxfam has been working in Somalia for over 40 years with local communities, civil society and local authorities, delivering humanitarian assistance and longer-term development initiatives.

JOB PURPOSE:     

To contribute and implement Oxfam’s Somalia/Somaliland Strategy, by providing vision and strategic direction to all of Oxfam’s work in the South-Central regions. The Area Manager will be responsible and accountable for the effective management of the programme, ensuring development, continued improvement in quality and impact of programmes, robust policy advocacy and effective financial, logistics, safety and security and human resource management in line with Oxfam Policy and applicable national and local legal compliance requirements.

Dimensions

• Required to develop a long-term vision and strategic planning to achieve significant impact.
• Represents Oxfam in South Sentral Regions corporately and manage and influence significant and high-profile external relationships in specific programme units.
• Helps shape objectives in specific programme units or teams/regions.
• Provides leadership of specific major program units including setting and leading the delivery of specified programme units and/or team objectives.
• Plans and manages human and financial resources and processes related to specific programme units and/or areas of expertise.
• Manages a broad spectrum of programmes or geographies, requiring a variety of competencies and skills of the jobholder. Management tasks and problems are diverse and complex and involve a significant degree of risk (financial, security, brand).
• Produces, assimilates, analyses and uses programme information from varied and diverse sources to provide in-depth analysis in the specific programme units or policy area.
• Decision-making is strategic and operational with a high degree of judgement based on specific problem-solving experience, drawing on a range of external and internal factors.
• Works autonomously with significant financial, human resource, security and representational responsibility.
• Is the key decision maker/responsible person for Oxfam in South Central
• Assists the CD in the formulation, organisation and delivery of high-level lobbying and advocacy as well as active participation in lobbying and advocacy.  Leads the alignment of programmes with Oxfam priority campaigns and ensures effective harmonisation of planning and management with Oxfam.
• Provides necessary support for the formulation of fundraising plans and ensures proper reporting and accountability internally and externally to multilateral and bilateral funders as per guidelines.

Key Areas of Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Leadership and Area Management

• Be a member of the Extended Senior Management Team (ESMT) to develop strong matrix links with other country programme teams, relevant HECA regional staff, Global Humanitarian Team (GHT) and relevant International Department staff in order to develop and deliver the Oxfam country strategy.
• Compliance with and uphold all Oxfam policies, Country Strategic Plan, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidance and procedures.
• Maintain situational awareness, assessment and analyses including needs, gaps, priority areas, socio-economic and political developments, risks, challenges and opportunities.
• Oversee and coordinate the safe and effective operations and administration of the Area Office.
• Ensure applicable legal and compliance requirements are met to operate in South Central regions.
• Facilitate engagement and cooperation between the country office and Mogadishu Office.
• In close coordination with Business Support Manager, ensure effective functioning of support units (People & Culture, Logistics, Finance, Security and IT)  in the Area Office in compliance with Oxfam’s policies, guidelines, local applicable laws, contractual commitments and donor regulations.

Programme Management

• Provide area-specific input on sector strategies, sectoral integration, convergence, project designs and proposals, country office strategies and activity plans.
• Effective programme and risk management in the area, in compliance with contractual commitments and Oxfam’s policies and guidelines.
• Lead high-quality management of projects in the area through the effective management of project work plans, budgets, performance management, contract management, reporting and any other tools as required and optimal use of budgets.
• Ensure Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) support throughout the programme and project cycle.

Partnerships Management and External Relations

• Maintain and strengthen working relationships with relevant Government ministries, agencies and departments, local governance and administration.
• Represent Oxfam and actively contribute to the Humanitarian Coordination system – including but not limited to Clusters, Inter-Cluster Coordination, NGO Consortium, and Government led Coordination mechanisms.
• Manage local (NGOs, Academic institutions, Civil Society Organizations etc.) partners in South Central regions, ensure partners’ engagement in joint assessment, program/project design, proposal development, implementation and MEAL.
• Support Oxfam’s partners in organizational capacity strengthening and development.
• Strengthen private sector engagement in programmes/projects.

Required Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge

Essential

• Interest in and commitment to the aims, values and objectives of Oxfam
• Master or equivalent Degree in a relevant discipline, including humanitarian, development or conflict studies, program/operations management, social/political science etc.
• At least 5 years of international experience in managing and coordinating humanitarian/development programmes and projects (standalone and in consortia), in collaboration with partners (local and international). In Africa, or similar context as Somalia.
• At least 5 years of experience with an international NGO
• At least 3 years’ experience in managing Area/Field office.
• Ability to provide a clear sense of direction leads by example and demonstrates the ability to carry out Oxfam’s vision; assist others to realize and develop their potential.
• Proven track record of leading and motivating multi-disciplinary, geographically remote teams and operations across several locations, often in fragile and complex contexts.
• Evidence of high-level financial and asset management skills to steer the operational budget across a number of locations.
• Commitment to and knowledge of creating a partner-led operational environment, with an ability to create an internal Oxfam approach that is focussed on developing and supporting partner organisations to achieve direct impact and results relating to Oxfam’s objectives
• Commitment to humanitarian principles and action, and relevant codes of conduct including CHS, the NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct, and Oxfam International procedures and other regulatory codes.
• A clear understanding of the Grand Bargain, Charter for Change, the localization agenda and CHS; nuanced understanding of partnerships which encourages participation, and articulates the rights of partners, alongside managing relational issues.
• Critical understanding of the Humanitarian-Peace-Development nexus, Do No Harm and Conflict Sensitivity.
• Effective communication internally and externally towards government and NGOs, donors, Consortia, media/journalists and within matrix management: superiors, managers, and technical experts.

• Demonstrated experience in integrated multi-sectoral programmes and mainstreaming of cross-cutting themes.

• Effective communication skills – including writing in the English language
• Efficient user of relevant IT equipment and programmes.
• Understanding of security risks and applications of risk management.

Desirable

• Working experience in Somalia.
• Working experience with Oxfam

Application Procedure:

Please send your application of the position by clicking Apply Deadline on  11.04.2023 and include your motivation letter and cv quoting “Application of Area Manager” as the subject heading. Application Deadline on  11 of April 2023, However, Applications will be shortlisted as we receive them, and interviews will be carried out if necessary, before the end date. Therefore, qualified candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible and before the deadline.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

JOB PURPOSE

To contribute Application 

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organization. Therefore, people of all gender identities, sexes, sexual orientations, races, colors, religions, cultures, abilities, etc. are eligible for this position.

Oxfam aims to attract great talent that not only fits the job but also Oxfam’s high standard of values and principles, who shares and demonstrates Oxfam’s commitment to prevent and eradicate any type of misconduct including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, any other type of misuse of power or lack of integrity and financial misconduct. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

Note: All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and may be subject to appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks, or integrity screenings/references relating to misconduct and disciplinary actions in prior employment.