Colombia – Field Coordinator in Bucaramanga

Starting Date : ASAP

Location : Bucaramanga, Colombia

Duration of Mission : 6 months

Première Urgence Internationale (PUI) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-political and non-religious international aid organization. Our teams are committed to supporting civilians’ victims of marginalization and exclusion, or hit by natural disasters, wars and economic collapses, by answering their fundamental needs. Our aim is to provide emergency relief to uprooted people in order to help them recover their dignity and regain self-sufficiency.

The association leads in average 190 projects by year in the following sectors of intervention: food security, health, nutrition, construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures, water, sanitation, hygiene and economic recovery. PUI is providing assistance to around 5 million people in 20 countries – in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe and France.

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General Context

Since 2013, Venezuela is enduring a socio-economic crisis triggered by the fall of oil prices, contested economic measures, and ambitious social policies that fueled insecurity and a decline in the previously richest economy in Latin America. The political and humanitarian crisis worsened in 2018, with UNHCR estimating that thousands of Venezuelans were leaving their country each day to reach and remain in various destinations in Colombia. According the 2020 Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RMRP), Colombia remains the country most impacted and largest host of arrivals from Venezuela, with an estimated 1,630,903 Venezuelans in the country as of December 2019 (52% male and 48% female, with only 641,825 having legal status), and the return of approximately 500,000 Colombians.

However, it is important to recognize that the data on Venezuelans is potentially underestimated, because it is believed that thousands are not registered due to crossing into the country informally, and it only reflects disaggregated data for people who have been assessed in need of humanitarian assistance in Colombia. This influx has put considerable strain on the Colombian system, meaning that those arriving now are facing harsher conditions than those of the past, as well as those arriving being generally poorer than those who were able to travel earlier.

Beginning in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread quickly and exponentially throughout the world, and entered Colombia in March 2020. The Colombian government has since taken continually increasing measures to contain the virus, including shutting down the border (including that with Venezuela), installing curfews and travel restrictions, and imposing social distancing rules on gatherings. The general situation and conditions has significant impact on Venezuelan migrants and vulnerable Colombians, drastically increasing vulnerability throughout the country.

PUI’s Position/ Strategy in the Country

PUI has been operational in Colombia since 2019, and launched the first programs in partnership with Solidarités International. In 2020, PUI will launch humanitarian projects in North Santander/Santander and Arauca covering health, MHPSS, and protection. In North Santander/Santander, PUI aims to support Venezuelan migrant and refuges, particularly PWSN, on the dangerous migration route from the border, while in Arauca PUI will operate several clinics supporting primary healthcare and MHPSS. PUI will also be seeking to expand its humanitarian program into 2021, with a new country wide strategy taking into consideration the current and impending challenges related to the COVID-19 crisis.

As part of our activities in Colombia, we are looking for a Field Coordinator in Bucaramanga.

Overall Objective

The Field Coordinator is responsible for the proper opening and functioning of the base, the proper implementation of programs developed on that base, representation, and the safety and security of personnel.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Safety and security: In collaboration with the Head of Mission, with the support of the logistic coordinator, he/she is responsible for the safety and security of the base.
• Program: He/She is accountable for an adequate definition and efficient implementation of the projects. S/he ensures the coordination between the support team (Admin and Log), and Head of Mission in order to timely and qualitatively guarantee that the objectives and results of all projects are reached. He/She preventively identifies issues, gaps and delays that may impede the correct implementation of the projects and proposes mitigation plan to the HoM.
• Human Resources: He/She supervises all the teams at the base, composed of national and international staff and participates to recruitment, briefing and follow up.
• Logistical, administrative and financial support: He/She oversees the logistical, administrative and financial components of the base for the purpose of program implementation, and ensures compliance with the relevant procedures, with substantive support from the Logistics and Administrative/Fin Coordinators based in the capital and of their counterparts at base level.
• Representation: In the area of responsibility and by delegation of the HoM, He/She represents PUI with the stakeholders (such as donors, authorities, International/Local NGOs, Clusters).
• Coordination: He/She centralizes and disseminates information from/to the site, and consolidates the internal and external reporting activities implemented in his/her field of operations before submitting them to the Head of Mission and relevant Coordinators.
• Assessment/Strategy: He/She participates in strategy development and proposes new interventions in function of needs identified in his/her field of operations.

Specific objectives and linked activities

ENSURE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF PROPERTY AND PEOPLE AT THE SITE

• He/She ensures that the safety and security plans for the site is up-to-date, and that everyone knows and understands it (both expatriates and locals).
• He/She participate in the validation process for the access letter and the assessment process in case of new intervention areas closely with the Head of Mission.
• He/She ensures data collection relative to the safety and security on his/her field of operations, provides analyses, and disseminates them to his/her immediate supervisor regularly or on an ad-hoc basis if urgent.
• He/She verifies that the material and human resource means at his/her disposal are adequate to ensure the optimal safety and security of teams, materials and beneficiaries.
• He/She alerts his/her immediate supervisor without delay in case of impending danger of teams or beneficiaries.
• In the event of a security incident, (regardless of whether it took place or was avoided), he/she ensures that the information is transmitted to his/her immediate supervisor without delay, and reported upon in accordance with PUI guidelines.

SUPERVISE TEAMS OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL STAFF AT THE SITE

• He/She supervises all national and international staff members on the site.
• He/She guides the work of the managers/heads of departments at the site, tracks the realization of their objectives, and leads the mid-term and final evaluation exercises.
• He/She participates in the recruitment process, when needed. He/She ensures compliance with the Internal Rules of Procedure of PUI on the site.
• He/She makes sure that all local employees are subject to a written evaluation at least once per contract period.
• He/She assumes or delegates responsibility for the integration of any new employee on the site, and ensures, in particular, that the context of program implementation, safety rules, logistical, administrative, HR and financial procedures, as well as procedures for the use of communication and transportation are explained and understood.
• With support from Head of Mission he/she updates training needs for local and international staff and share it with the Admin/Fin Coordinator.
• He/She prepares the job profiles of staff under his/her immediate supervision, endorses job profiles of staff at his/her site, and forwards them for endorsement to the Admin/Fin Coordinator, and to any other potentially relevant party.
• He/She updates the organizational chart of the base, and has it endorsed by his/her immediate supervisor and the Adim/Fin Coordinator.
• He/She handles the management of interpersonal conflicts that arise on his/her site, and refers the matter to his/her immediate supervisor in the event that he/she is not able to resolve dispute.
• He/She is the guardian of the image of PUI in his/her area of operation, and in that capacity ensures that the entire staff under his/her authority displays behavior consistent with the values upheld by the organization, and with full respect for the local culture.

ENSURE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMMES AND PROPOSE NEW INTERVENTIONS

• He/She ensures the smooth running of ongoing programs on the site (meeting of objectives, respecting time-lines, budgetary monitoring, contractual reporting…) and reports to his/her immediate supervisor.
• He/She sets up a formal coordination system, follows it up (meetings, written reports…), and reports to his/her immediate supervisor.
• He/She ensures proper filing of all documents produced in the context of the project(s), and ensures the availability of the verification sources mentioned in the proposals.
• He/She proposes new interventions and discusses them with his/her immediate supervisor.
• He/She is involved in identifying needs on the basis of needs assessment’s terms of references.
• When defining new operational activities, he/she coordinates the work of the relevant technical departments and of the administrative and logistical support teams, with a view to preparing project proposals that are complete, and in line with the donors’ formats and internal rules of PUI’.
• He/She participates in the Strategy development exercise of the mission.

ENSURE LOGISTICAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE SITE

• He/She ensures that the needs of the site are met (support, programming) and makes the needs known to the Admin Coordinator each month, while making sure that all donors’ and internal procedures are respected, and that commitments are in line with available budgets.
• He/She ensures that the site is equipped with the minimum of infrastructure (offices and housing) necessary for execution of the work and accommodation of teams, in optimal conditions of safety and security.
• With the support of the Logistics Coordinator, He/She ensure proper management of the vehicle fleet, its proper functioning, as well as the maintenance of all equipment belonging to the site.
• With the support of the Logistics Coordinator, He/She ensure adequate storage arrangements for all property and equipment.
• With the support of the Logistics Coordinator, He/She ensure proper delivery of all purchases planned for the operational sites.
• With the support of the Logistics Coordinator, He/She ensure preparation and update of the inventory of supplies and equipment for the site.
• He/She is responsible for cost optimization; and uses budget tracking to achieve this; in coordination with Admin/Fin Coordinator he/she ensures adequate financial resources for the running of the site.
• As regards budgetary monitoring, he/she participates in team-based analysis and is responsible for detecting anomalies and proposing adjustments to the Admin/Fin Coordinator.
• With the support of the Admin/Fin Coordinator, He/She that accounting entries are completed in compliance with internal rules, and communicated to the Admin/Fin Coordinator according to the agreed calendar. He/she tracks the cash flow for his/her site, and oversees disbursements.
• Together with the Admin/Fin Coordinator, he/she ensures that a system of internal oversight is in place at the site.
• He/She ensures compliance with procedures for undertaking expenditure commitments, and participates in the process of endorsing purchase orders.

ENSURE THE REPRESENTATION OF PUI IN THE JURISDICTION COVERED BY HIS/HER SITE

• He/She represents the association before local actors, whether they are official or not, and ensures that good relations are maintained with each of them in compliance with PUI’s principles of neutrality and independence in collaboration with the Head of Mission.
• He/She participates in coordination meetings when they take place, and participates actively.
• In the event of visits from donors, he/she participates in the organization and implementation of the visit.

ENSURE REPORTING AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION

• He/She sends the internal and external reports to his/her immediate supervisor while meeting the internal deadlines for endorsement (situation report, incident report) and external contractual deadlines (project reports).
• He/She organizes the two-way dissemination of information: from the site to the field coordination and from the field coordination to the site (regular and ad-hoc Situation reporting).
• He/She attends internal coordination meetings and participates actively.

Profile

Training:

• Degree or equivalent in social science, politics science, program management, international development preferred;
• Financial Management
• Human resources
• Logistics Management
• Project Management
• Security and safety management

Professional Experience:

• Experience of being Field Coordinator in humanitarian programs
• Experience in Safety and Security Management
• At least 3 years of experience in projects development/implementation;
• Experience in Budget/Finance Management (cost-efficiency);
• Experience of managing logistical processes;
• Experience working with a variety of donors;

Knowledge and skills:

• Security management and context follow-up
• Excellent writing skills
• Team Management
• Project Management skills
• Ability to represent PUI as per the recommendations of the HoM and ensure an efficient and proactive coordination with other actors.

Languages: Professional fluency in written and spoken Spanish and English / French an asset

Required Personal Characteristics:

• Ability to work independently while taking initiatives and showing a sense of responsibility
• Ability to withstand pressure
• Sense of diplomacy
• Analytical skills
• Capacity to adapt and showing organizational flexibility
• Organization, rigor and ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to work and manage affairs professionally and with maturity
• Ability to represent the activities and the mandate of PUI before local authorities
• Ability to integrate the local environment into operations, in its political, economic and historical dimensions
• Ability to work with various partners, in a spirit of openness, and with adaptable communications strategies
• Commitment to humanitarian principles

Proposed Terms

• Employed with a Fixed-Term Contract
• Monthly gross income: from 2 200 up to 2 530 Euros depending on the experience in International Solidarity + 50 Euros per semester seniority with PUI
• Cost covered: Round-trip transportation to and from home / mission, visas, vaccines…
• Insurance including medical coverage and complementary healthcare, 24/24 assistance and repatriation
• Housing in hotels for now but in collective accommodation on the long run
• Daily living Expenses (« Per diem »)
• Break Policy: 5 working days at 3 and 9 months
• Paid Leaves Policy: 5 weeks of paid leaves per year + return ticket every 6 months