Armenia – A Head of Mission in Yerevan

Starting Date: March 2021

Duration of Mission: 6 months

Localisation: Armenia in Yerevan

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

Find out about our history and values.

Crisis Context

On 27 September 2020, heavy fighting broke out along the border in and around the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh —the most serious escalation since 2016. Civilian casualties have been reported on both sides, while many houses and public infrastructures in the conflict zone, such as schools, roads and communication networks, were also damaged. According to official statements, around 90.000 people – equivalent to two-thirds of the Nagorno-Karabakh population – have been displaced as a direct result of the conflict. Nearly 90% of the spontaneous arrivals were women and children, and the majority of them fled to the capital Yerevan as well as to the cities of Goris and Sisian. Following heavy clashes, the President of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, and the President of Russia signed a 9-point statement on cessation of hostilities on 9 November 2020.

The massive influx of displaced persons is adding pressure on already limited resources in cities and localities where they seek safety. Moreover, the pandemic of COVID-19 and the post-conflict situation affect the capacity of the hosting communities to provide sustained support. While the health care system is stretched, MHPSS needs increased significantly.

Our actions in the field

Première Urgence Internationale is an NGO resulting from the merger of Aide Médicale Internationale (AMI) and Première Urgence (PU) in 2011. Following the conflict escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh at the end of September 2020, PUI decided in October to organize a first exploratory mission in order to meet state authorities and humanitarian actors in Armenia, and thus evaluate the support that the organization would bring to this response. In light of the fast evolution of the context and the ceasefire signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, PUI decided to organize a second needs-assessment in December, in particular in MHPSS. Indeed, the conflict’s escalation is part of long-term tensions that had already impacted the mental and psychological health of Armenians, but the war has definitely exacerbated pre-existing MHPSS needs. Considering the results of these two assessments, PUI wants to contribute to the reduction of the suffering of host communities, spontaneous arrivals and returnees affected by the conflict both in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh through a MHPSS approach at first. Thus, PUI recently submitted a proposal to an institutional donor. The funding of this project should be confirmed soon.

For 2021, the major objective of PUI is to bring about strong sectoral improvements in MHPSS in Armenia and look into new PUI sectors to include in our mission strategy over 2021. In this context PUI is looking for a strong and experienced head of mission.

We are looking for a Head of Mission in Yerevan.

Overall Objective

The Head of Mission is responsible for the opening of the mission, the registration of the NGO, the launch of the activities and the smooth run of the mission in general. Considering it is an opennning mission, it is expected that the HoM will have a major role to play regarding support (registration of the NGOs, purchases, choice of guest/office, national recruitment, pay scale etc.)

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Safety & Security: S/he is responsible for the safety & security of the mission.
• Programmes: S/he coordinates the teams and ensures that the programmes implemented on the mission are properly carried out. S/he also monitors needs and suggests new operations and development tracks for the mission.
• Human Resources: S/he ensures that the mission is adequately staffed and supervises the teams (defining objectives, follow-up).
• Logistical, administrative and financial monitoring: S/he ensures that logistical and administrative practices in place respect PUI procedures and formats and are in compliance with donors’ rules and regulations.
• Medical and technical monitoring: S/he ensures that medical and technical practices respect PUI’s procedures and formats and are in compliance with PUI’s operational framework and policy.
• Representation: S/he represents the association in its relations with partners, donors,the media and different authorities.
• Relations with Headquarters: S/he ensures that information is properly circulated between Headquarters and the field and ensures that due dates are respected.

Specific Goals and Activities

ENSURING THE SAFETY & SECURITY OF GOODS AND PEOPLE

• S/he ensures the PUI’s safety & security management procedures and formats are in place throughout the mission.
• S/he ensures that safety & security plans for each base and the mission are up-to-date, known to and understood by everyone (expatriates and nationals).
• S/he ensures that material and personnel resources are sufficient to ensure the optimal safety of the teams, the material and the beneficiaries.
• S/he ensures that in case of a security incident, the information concerning the incident is communicated, without delay, to the Emergency Officer and in accordance with the existing format.
• S/he ensures that safety & security information is properly collected, analysed and that alerts or important information is effectively communicated (to the Headquarters and the field).

ENSURING PROGRAMMES ARE PROPERLY CARRIED OUT AND SUGGESTING NEW OPERATIONS

• S/he launches the project and ensures that programmes are properly carried out (targets, monitoring of indicators, respect of activity schedules, budgetary follow-up and contractual reports, etc).
• S/he alerts the Emergency Officer in cases where there is a delay associated with a programme and suggests changes which could be made (in terms of activities, operation area, budget, schedule by which the programme is carried out, etc).
• S/he establishes a formal coordination system on the field (inter-departmental meetings, reports, etc.) and ensures that this coordination system is implemented on each base.
• S/he suggests new operations and has them authorized by the Emergency Officer before submitting them to donors. The documents associated with these new operations should be complete, should respect PUI’s internal procedure, should follow the Donor’s template and shall be sent to the Headquarters for validation. S/he makes sure that the aforementioned documents subscribe to PUI’s mandate and to its operation policy and are in accordance with the strategy of the mission.
• When new operations are outlined, S/he ensures that operational means are well defined in order to allow for the programme and its subsequent monitoring to be well carried out.
• S/he initiates, organizes and ensures that the mission strategy is prepared, in coordination with expatriate and local teams as well as with the Headquarters.
• S/he ensures that departmental action plans are effectively carried out and monitored and are on track to achieve the results defined within the framework of the mission programming.

SUPERVISING LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL PERSONNEL TEAMS ON THE MISSION

• S/he supervises all local and international teams on the mission.
• S/he defines the mission organization chart and submits it for validation to the Desk Officier.
• S/he may be involved in the recruitment process of the members of his/her team. S/he is informed of every decision to end an employment contract.
• S/he defines the objectives of each expatriate at the beginning of the mission and checks them regularly during, and at the end of the mission.
• S/he ensures that each member of staff (local and international) is evaluated at least once during the mission by his/her direct superior.
• S/he briefs, or has someone else brief, each new member of staff, when they take on the job, on the context, the programmes and the strategies of the mission, as well as safety regulations, logistical and administrative procedures, financial management and human resources and the use of communication means.
• S/he participates in the training of expatriate or local staff (organizational, methodological and potentially technical support, organization of trainings, etc) and recommends internal or external training actions.
• S/he prepares, or has someone else prepare, the job descriptions of expatriates who need to be replaced or hired and communicates them in good time to the Headquarters (ideally at the time when a new project proposal is sent to the Headquarters or 3 months before the replacement of an expatriate).
• S/he is particularly sensitive to managing the team’s stress. S/he monitors and authorizes holidays and also mediates potential conflicts, seeking appropriate support in case of an incident.
• S/he ensures PUI’s Internal Regulations are respected.
• S/he protects PUI’s image in the country and thus makes sure the entirety of the staff behaves in a way which is in compliance with the values maintained by the organization and is respectful of the local culture.

ENSURING THE LOGISTICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MONITORING OF THE MISSION

• S/he gives his/her consent for local aid purchases and submits some purchase requests to the Emergnecy Officer for approval (in accordance with internal and donors rules).
• S/he ensures that the PUI’s logistical procedures (or those of the donor if they are stricter) are in place and monitored, especially for supplies, stock, management of the car park, etc.
• S/he ensures that a procurement plan (which respects the PUI’s and the donor’s format and rules) is prepared for each project and that it is updated as purchases are made.
• S/he supervises infrastructure and the entirety of the equipment on the mission (vehicles, IT equipment, office equipment, radio-communication and telecommunication equipment) and ensures they are properly utilized.
• S/he ensures that the PUI’s administrative procedures (finance, HR, etc.) are in place and monitored.
• S/he is responsible for general cost optimization and ensures the financial supply of the mission (transfer requests, mission fees and payment of suppliers).
• S/he ensures that the mission’s accounting is sent to the Headquarters within the agreed timeframe.
• S/he ensures that the administration produces budget follow-ups for each project, that these follow-ups are made available and analyzed with the logistics department, program managers and technical managers.
• S/he informs the Headquarters of donors’ transfers which are received on the field.
• S/he ensures that PUI respects national law (right to work, taxes, etc).
• S/he ensures that PUI is registered in the country of operation.

ENSURING THE TECHNICAL AND MEDICAL MONITORING OF THE MISSION

• S/he ensures the respect of medical and MHPSS and technical practices, in conformity with the mandate and operation policy of the association by guaranteeing a permanent connection between the different medical coordinator/officers and technical coordinator/officers with their counterparts at the Headquarters.
• S/he ensures that the strategy of the mission and the programmes respects MHPSS regulation of the association.

ENSURING THE REPRESENTATION OF PUI

• S/he represents the association locally amongst donors, NGOs, International Organizations and local authorities and reports representation action to the Desk Officer in his/her periodical report, or ad-hoc when necessary.
• S/he participates in important coordination meetings and is an active attendee of these meetings.
• S/he is responsible for external communication in general and for contacts with the media.
• S/he may be called to travel within the region to meet PUI’s partners.

ENSURING THE SUPERVISION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MISSION

• S/he keeps his/herself informed of changes in the humanitarian and political context of the country and the region.
• S/he participates in the development of the mission by securing close contact with bilateral and multilateral donors, of whom S/he knows the policy (operation strategy, financing policy and modalities, in compliance with the Associative Project of the PUI).
• S/he communicates the Mission Strategy (in external version) to the donors so that they know PUI’s activities and positioning.
• S/he is responsible for the development of the mission. Thus, S/he ensures humanitarian supervision and launches new assessments in accordance with needs.
• S/he may be called for ad-hoc support in the region.

ENSURING RELATIONS WITH THE HEADQUARTERS

• S/he is the main link between the Headquarters and the mission.
• S/he sends internal and external reports to the Headquarters, respecting internal validation timeframes (sitrep, accident report) and external contractual due dates (project reports).
• S/he has security plans validated by the Desk Officier and consults him/her for any decision concerning security.
• S/he regularly takes stock of each expatriate team member and defines his/her needs in terms of positions to fill (timing, profile, personality, etc.) with the HR manager.
• S/he ensures information from the Headquarters is circulated on the field and vice versa (monthly and ad-hoc sitrep).
• S/he participates annually to the Missions’ Week at the Headquarters, where s/he makes improvements and development suggestions for PUI.
• S/he ensures the link between the mission’s MHPSS coordinator and the MHPSS department at the Headquarters.

Profil Required

Training-Desirable:

• Project management
• Education in Public Health / Other
• Financial Management
• Human Resource Management
• Logistics and Security

Professional Experience:

• Minimum 3 years of humanitarian experience in project coordination.
• Successful experience in expatriate team management and multi-sector programmes.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent writing skills
• Team management
• Project management
• Detailed knowledge of the donors (OFDA, ECHO, UN agencies, EuropeAid, AAP…)

Languages:

• English mendatory
• Desirable: Russian (highly desirable) / Armenian / French

Personal Characteristics:

• Leadership skills and the ability to make decisions
• Trustworthiness and a sense of responsibility
• Charisma and the ability to awake enthusiasm for the work the project involves
• Ability to use authority, when necessary
• Analysis and synthesis abilities (discenrment, pragmatism)
• Ability to adapt
• Organisational skills, ability to be thorough and respect due dates
• Strong listening and negotiation skills
• Good people and communication skills
• Ability to remain calm and level-headed
• General ability to resist stress and particularly in unstable circumstances
• Respect of humanitarian principles

Proposed Terms

• Employed with a Fixed-Term Contract
• Monthly gross income: from 2 915 up to 3 245 Euros depending on your experience in International Solidarity + an additional €50 per semester of 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
• Housingin collective accommodation
• Daily living Expenses (« Per diem »)
• Break Policy: 5 working days at 3 and 9 months + break allowance
• Paid Leaves Policy: 5 weeks of paid leaves per year + return ticket every 6 months

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