National Project Coordinator Mexico – Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Projects

Reporting Line

The National Project Coordinator reports to the Country Director and Programme Manager at Americas Bureau.

S/he supervises the Project Officers and projects teams in accordance with contractual engagement with the donor(s)

Place of Work

S/he is based in RET Intervention Area, located in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico with frequent missions to the field.

General Responsibilities

· Implement RET’s programmes and projects in Mexico focus on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in a timely, effective and efficient manner;

• Produce all required projects operations follow up internal and/or donors quality reports, based on data collected in the field by the team s/he manages, including the identification and management of risks, needs and gaps;
• To ensure the coherence and effective coordination of the programmes and projects;

· Ensure compliance with all RET International and donors Policies and Procedures;

· Contribute to write project proposals (narrative and financial) to address the identified needs;

Specific Responsibilities

Projects Implementation

· At the beginning of each project organize and plan meetings with project staffs and key partners to develop the first draft of the Work-Plan with clearly stated milestones corresponding to the respective project’s outputs, in compliance with RET and donors’ expectations;

· Design and implement timely the activities agreed within the Work-Plans;

· Update the Work-Plans when it is necessary;

· Once each Work-Plan is finalized and validated by the hierarchy, organize periodic planning meetings with the projects staff to distribute the roles and make sure that the projects, way forward, and the activities are well understood by all parts;

· Establish and maintain high-level relationships with the National Civil Protection Department, General Directorate of Civil Protection, National Center for Disaster Provincial Governments, Municipal Governments, National Council for the Development and Inclusion of People with Disabilities and State University for Civil Protection and Firefighters of Jalisco (UEPCB Jalisco) among other partners and stakeholders;

· Facilitate and guide the development and pilot implementation of a tool to assess the structural effects caused by earthquakes, along with the needed protocol for its implementation;

· Carry out the development and validation of a curricular proposal for a technical training program on Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), according to the local needs and within the framework of national and regional regulations.

· Lead the organization of national and/or regional forums for the exchange of good practices in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) focus on Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) among other matters;

· Under the supervision of the Country Director and Americas Bureau Programme Manager, lead the identification of main local actors and build relationship with them;

· Guarantee the timely implementation of the activities agreed within the Work-Plans;

· Provide supervision and guidance to the projects staff and follow up on a daily basis on the activities implemented;

· Manage the risks associated with projects implementation. If necessary, develop contingency measures to achieve the goals. Inform the Country Director and Americas Bureau Programme Manager in a timely manner, about the challenges and gaps to fulfil the work plans.

· Ensure compliance with activities and allocated budgets efficiently and effectively.

· Follow up projects progress against annual, quarterly and monthly Work-Plans, Procurement Plans and budgets;

· Follow up the work of the different field project staff in the different locations of the projects;

· Organize workshops and training events, as contractually agreed;

· Develop and maintain projects records such as databases, reports and records of decisions;

· Maintain close communication over all operational issues as well as strategic opportunities arising from projects implementation;

· Undertake frequent visit to the field activities, ensuring that their implementation complies with the contractual expectations;

• When required, participate to the HR procedures (recruitment, performance management, field staff development, etc.). This will include ensuring that staff under his/her supervision have performances objectives and are fairly managed according to performance;

• Ensure that all field staff submit their periodic reports on time, in line with the requirements and timeline(s) set forth in the M&E and Work Plans, and in accordance with internal deadlines fixed by the Programme Manager LAC;

• Review all submitted field reports, ensuring that information is consistent with Work Plan.

• Prepare monthly consolidated project report(s) and situational reports capturing all activities conducted during the reporting period, sharing it with M&E Officer and Finance & Administration.

• Closely coordinate with the different work areas, namely M&E, Technical, Finances, Administration, Human Resources (HR), and Logistics, to ensure the proper and timely allocation of the necessary resources for an efficient and effective implementation of each project(s) in the country;

· Undertake frequent field missions, ensuring that the projects activities are effectively implemented in line with work plan requirements, and as described in the progress reports, in compliance with the internal policies and procedures and contract(s) signed with the donor(s);

Security

• Ensure compliance and controls environment is effectively managed by the project teams;
• Take the necessary measures to ensure, as much as possible, the safety of all staff and implement emergency security evacuation plans as appropriate;
• Regularly report to line manager, and security Focal points on safety and security issues;
• Develop and maintain management risk register, and regularly report to line manger on it; proactively put in place risk mitigation measures against potential high-risk areas (e.g., staff security, theft, etc.)

Secondary Responsibilities

• Participate in the elaboration of project proposals (narrative, operational and financial);
• If requested by the Country Director and/or Programme Manager, participate in coordination meetings with the authorities and/or partners;
• Complete any additional task, as requested by the Country Director and/or Programme Manager.

In addition, like all RET Staff

• Comply with internal policies, ensuring that activities and their performance comply with what is established in RET’s Code of Conduct and other Manuals;
• Work as a team to achieve RET’s goals;
• Manage in a transparent way RET’s resources, fulfilling effectively and efficiently the tasks entrusted;
• Propose, constructively, alternative solutions to problems that arise in the work area.

Qualifications and requirements

· University degree in social sciences or a related field, with a Master’s degree in Project Management, Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management (CDRM), Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) or other related discipline. Certified studies in Urban Risk and/or Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) in Collapsed Structures is considered an asset.

• 5-7 years of progressive experience in humanitarian and development project management linked to Disaster Risk Management (DRM), Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) in Collapsed Structures; develop of CDRM training programs; or another related field. Previous experience in USAR Groups, UN agencies or NGOs is considered an asset.
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in leadership of project management teams.
• Oral and written fluency in English and Spanish (both) is required.
• Immediate availability is required.
• Solid knowledge of data analysis, programmatic reporting, budgeting, strategic planning, internal controls and risk management.
• Leader who ensures a productive and confident work environment trains and motivates local teams to achieve organizational goals.
• Ability to effectively prioritize multiple responsibilities.
• Results-oriented, with a track record of meeting objectives in a complex environment
• Flexibility to manage different tasks effectively and willingness to put in extra hours when needed.
• Availability to travel internationally, as needed.
• Mastery of Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, Outlook).