Relief Delegate

We help to strengthen resilience of vulnerable people exposed to hazards and crisis situations and we respond to disasters and conflicts to save lives and alleviate suffering. In the Netherlands with more than thirty thousand volunteers and internationally through technical assistance, supplies and money. Together we act before, during and after disasters to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people.

We do this without regards to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinion. Our seven principles guide our humanitarian work: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

The International Assistance department is responsible for all Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC) international support for victims of disasters and conflicts and for vulnerable people exposed to hazards.

The International Assistance department has opened a vacancy for two Relief Delegates, one in Aruba; one in Curacao.

Position title: Relief Delegate

Duty station: Aruba or Curacao

Time period: 4 months, with possibility of extension

Starting Date: October 2020

Status: Single posting

Purpose of the position

The Relief Delegate is responsible for providing technical and strategic support to the Red Cross in relief distributions either in Aruba or in Curacao to prevent and mitigate the humanitarian consequences caused by the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Red Cross COVID-19 Response Program (hereafter the “Program”) is focused on providing food and hygiene items to the most vulnerable people, according to the Red Cross principles and international standards. The program is a portfolio of three projects, one per country (Aruba, Curacao and Sint-Maarten), which share a common goal, intervention modalities and quality and accountability standards.

Background

The Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC) has branches on 6 Caribbean islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Sint Maarten, Saba, Sint Eustatius). These branches are part of the NLRC and focus on direct emergency aid after disasters and the provision of assistance to vulnerable groups on the island. Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten are independent countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In March 2020, these three islands experienced their first COVID-19 cases. The population of these islands is for its livelihoods very dependent on tourism, which has been heavily impacted by the current COVID-19 pandemic. Many people were already vulnerable and have now become even more vulnerable due to a loss of their source of income. In addition, in Curacao and Aruba an estimated 30.000+ migrants have arrived since 2017 due to the regional population movement in the Americas. According to estimations of the Red Cross and UNHCR, a large percentage of this group is in a vulnerable position.

To support the most vulnerable people in Aruba, Curacao and Sint-Maarten with their acute food & hygiene needs, NLRC started, in collaboration with local organizations, rolling out a relief operation (COVID-19 Response Program) in May 2020, funded by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. The main component of this relief operation is a Cash distribution to selected beneficiaries (through e-voucher modality). Distribution of food/hygiene parcels and ready-to-eat meals is also part of the operation, mainly through partnership with local organizations. For Aruba, the Cash distribution is done through Red Rose cards, while on Curacao the Cash distribution is done through the Kuario system. The beneficiary registration is managed through EspoCRM (locally hosted). The total number of beneficiaries in the three countries is targeted around 21,000 households. Current available funding allows for distributions to beneficiaries until mid-December.

In both Aruba and Curacao, a Cash delegate, a Cash IM delegate and several local staff members and volunteers of the branches prepared and started the cash based intervention (e-voucher) project for the country, including the Cash Feasibility Assessment. The new Relief Delegate is expected to continue the implementation of the cash based intervention, to scale-up where possible, and to make further improvements to the project, either in Curacao or Aruba. Although the initial focus of the Relief Delegate is to coordinate the implementation of the e-voucher project, implemented by NLRC, the Relief Delegate might also be called upon to provide advice to the other partners that are part of the programme regarding streamlining and/or improving interventions.

Position in the organization

The Relief Delegate in Aruba will report to the Livelihoods/Relief Delegate based in Aruba. The Relief Delegate in Curacao will report to the Regional Program Manager based in Curacao. In both countries, the Relief Delegate will work closely with and in support of the local Red Cross branch. The three Relief Delegates in Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten will liaise regularly with each other.

In Curacao, the Cash/Relief IM delegate will report to the Relief Delegate. In Aruba, the Cash/Relief IM delegate and the Relief Delegate will both report to the Livelihoods/Relief Delegate.

Summary statement and responsibilities

Support the RC Branch in Aruba/Curacao to:

· Guarantee the continuation of current assistance that beneficiaries receive through the different modalities (e-voucher, food parcels & hygiene kits and ready-to-eat meals) according to the standards of the Red Cross;

· Ensure the feedback and accountability mechanisms of the RC COVID-19 Response Program (e.g. Continuation of the helpline, conducting PDM and exit surveys);

· Stakeholder management of suppliers and amend the existing contracts with suppliers if necessary. Ensure the payments to the supermarkets and other suppliers are made on time and according to the NLRC’s regulations and the agreements;

· Suggest improvements and formulate recommendations to improve the different modalities based on own observations, reviews and input from the feedback system; Encourage referral between modalities;

· Contribute to a clear communication strategy to the public, the beneficiaries, to the Government, to the partners with our selection criteria, duration of the assistance etc.;

· Work closely with the IM team regarding database maintenance, beneficiary registration, data protection and project monitoring, and use of E-voucher platform;

· Depending on the donor and other partners, potentially increase the number of beneficiaries receiving assistance through the set-up of new distributions based on the needs;

· Liaise with local organizations relevant to food & hygiene items, to identify cooperation possibilities;

· Ensure programme delivery, and beneficiary selection and transfer mechanisms follow agreed NLRC procedures and SOPs (including for example signing of contracts with supermarkets, cashing of the vouchers);

· Develop and plan the exit strategy with the Red Cross, partners and the government;

· General capacity building of all branch staff and volunteers involved in the RC COVID-19 Response Program;

· Provide mentoring & coaching including on-job learning to staff/ volunteers and closely liaise with volunteers assigned to the RC COVID-19 Response Program to ensure coherent and coordinated implementation;

· Provide advice to implementing partners and the coordination platform upon request;

· Upon request of the RC Branch Project Manager and under his/her supervision, represent the NLRC in the coordination platform;

General responsibilities:

· Ensure that the RC COVID-19 Response Program and the activities under her/his responsibility comply with the Red Cross Principles and NLRC’s regulations;

· Prepare regular reports as agreed upon with the line manager;

· Coordinate with the other Relief delegates in Aruba/Curacao and Sint Maarten;

· Carry out any other duties related to the RC COVID-19 Response Program in Aruba/Curacao and the other countries part of the RC COVID-19 Response Program, as may be required by the Regional Programme Manager or RC Branch in Aruba/Curacao.

Requirements/Qualifications/Competencies

· University degree in relevant areas such as Disaster Management, Project Management, Business, Logistics, International Development, International Relations, Social Sciences or equivalent;

· A minimum of three years of Project Management experience;

· A minimum of two years of work experience in Cash and/or Relief Projects;

· Relevant management experience;

· International field experience in coordinating and managing the Cash component of disaster response operations is desirable;

• Experience in research, data collection and analysis, and reporting;
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills with independent decision making capacity;
• Proven skills in operational planning, budgeting and monitoring for an emergency response;
• Excellent coordination skills, including the ability to liaise with various organisations / individuals;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and coaching skills;
• Diplomacy and good interpersonal skills;
• Ability to remain calm under pressure, prioritize work and ensure a smooth flow of information;
• Fluency in English required, Spanish is a strong advantage;**
• Experience in working for the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement is a strong advantage;
• Experience with working in the Caribbean is an advantage;

· Experience in training national staff and volunteers is an advantage.

Key competencies

• Able to work in a team;
• High degree of integrity, discretion, and personal conduct;
• Flexible and adaptable to changing working conditions;
• Self-motivated, with good judgment and initiative;
• Ability to manage broad responsibilities with attention to detail;
• Good interpersonal skills and high degree of cultural sensitivity;
• Stress resistant;
• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines;
• Hands-on mentality and common sense;

We offer

§ An interesting role in an international working environment with the aim to help the vulnerable people of Aruba/Curacao.

§ A full time appointment (based on 40-hour work week) until the end of January 2021, with a possibility of extension depending on the final end-date of the project.

§ Well balanced employment conditions with space for initiative and development.