Location: Washington DC
SUMMARY: The Desk Officer works in close collaboration with the Regional Coordinator and the Regional Team to effect a good management, development, supervision, and support of IMC¡¦s Country Programs within a Regional Desk portfolio
Working under the supervision of the Regional Coordinator (RC) and within the Regional Team assist to coordinate IMC¡¦s emergency relief and development activities and program design and development for the country programs within the regional portfolio, supports in-country teams and provides guidance to IMC field staff from its Washington, DC offices with frequent trips to the field. Additionally, the Desk Officer represents and advocates for IMC¡¦s programs to partners in the international development community, donors and government representatives.
Major Responsibilities
A. Regional team membership 1. Work within the Regional Team to assist the team members to provide financial, program development, fund raising, recruitment and technical oversight, input and supervision; 2. Work with members of other IMC departments who are not assigned to the Regional Team but who provide programming, logistical, legal, security, human resource and communication oversight, input and/or supervision, including IMC-UK.
B. Regional program management Working under the supervision of the Regional Coordinator and with the Regional Team:
1. Backstop the daily operations of the country programs to ensure continuance through appropriate response to context changes, mission, program, and beneficiary needs, donor positioning, lessons learned, and best practices; 2. Facilitate compliance with internal and external regulations, all applicable laws, and contractual obligations, in consultation with Legal; 3. Facilitate timely and adequate cooperation with Legal regarding review and approval of agreements (MOUs, contracts, etc.); 4. Manage timely and proper reports (internal, financial, donor, special and other) and their flow within and without IMC including IMC-UK including review, analysis, and compliance with deadlines; 5. Act as liaison for the country programs with IMC internal departments, advocating for the needs of the program within IMC; 6. Manage MOU and contract review and approval process; follow IMC legal procedures; 7. Perform regular program evaluation to ensure that objectives are being achieved and quality is maintained; 8. Assist in developing and implementing regional and country strategies; provide feedback on identified country program directions; 9. Perform problem solving and mitigation as needed; 10. Coordinate communications between all IMC departments, including headquarters offices and the field; maintain open lines of communication with field staff ensuring that country programs are properly briefed on IMC¡¦s mission, goals, and capacity; 11. Assist in new program and new mission start-up as appropriate.
C. Program design and development Working under the supervision of the Regional Coordinator and with the Regional Team:
1. Using the country strategies as a base, manage ongoing program development and design. This will include identification of needs; identification of donors, donor priorities, and donor opportunities; and program design; 2. Assist in the proposal process, which may include proposal writing, editing and proofreading, coordination of IMC departments, technical input, preparation for submission, submission, following through the approval process, and assisting in start-up activities; 3. Expand IMC horizons and ensure sustainability through the use of new funding mechanisms, new program concepts, and the adaptation of new program techniques using consultants as necessary; 4. Participate in exploratory missions/assessments both within and without current country missions.
D. Supervision Working under the supervision of the Regional Coordinator and with the Regional Team:
1. Facilitate human resource oversight of country teams including administration matters, mentoring, coaching and identification and resolution of problems, concerns, legal issues, and conflicts; 2. Assist in identify staffing needs, interviewing applicants, and orienting new country mission staff, including consultants following appropriate IMC procedures; 3. Visit the country missions regularly for management and operational assessment; Coordinate visits to the mission by Regional Team members and others; 4. Communicate regularly with mission staff, especially the country director; 5. Be accessible to mission staff; 6. Assist in the provision of applicable training of new and current staff through the identification of staff training needs and training opportunities and through ongoing training in IMC policies and procedures; 7. Provide leadership, guidance and promote professional working relationships with all IMC departments to IMC staff members.
E. Representation Working under the supervision of the Regional Coordinator and with the Regional Team:
1. Have a thorough understanding of the mission and regional contexts; 2. Maintain substantial relationships with donors and partners (governmental, NGO, and companies) both current and potential; 3. Raise the profile of IMC, its work and country missions through active participation in Interaction forum, conferences, workshops, outreach events, and communication opportunities; 4. Document all contacts; 5. Represent IMC as well to the field and mission; 6. Serve as advocate for the missions.
Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed above are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all inclusive. ¡§Donors¡¨, as used in this document, refers both to donors whose agreements are signed by IMC-US as well as those whose agreements are signed by IMC-UK.
Benchmarks A. Regional team leadership and management 1. Minutes of the team meetings distributed promptly.
B. Manage regional programs 1. Maintain up-to-date mission data ¡V site descriptions, maps, contact lists, security plans, organizational charts, etc.; 2. All reports submitted following donor regulations.
C. Program design and development 1. Proposals are submitted on time and following donor regulations.
D. Supervision 1. Job descriptions, staff requests, travel and other human resources procedures are followed correctly; 2. Each mission is visited at least once per year by the SDO or ADO.
E. Representation 1. Participate in at least one outreach event per quarter; 2. Mission communication materials are updated quarterly.
Personnel Qualifications: -Undergraduate degree in related field; graduate work preferred (Public Health, International Development, or related field) -Background in program design and development -Ability to read, analyze, and interpret data -Strong organizational skills -Excellent interpersonal skills -The capacity to define problems, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions -Proficiency with computers (Microsoft Office Suite) -Fluency in written and spoken English
