Country Director, Iraq | ReliefWeb 190 views

The Country Director is the leader-manager for LWR’s office in Iraq and the official representative for LWR in the country. Her/his primary responsibility is to grow the country portfolio, represent LWR in the country with relevant networks, peer organizations, local communities, the host government, and donor agencies; to develop a strategy to expand the country program both in scale and geographically; and to provide direction and vision to LWR operations and staff, in a manner that is consistent with LWR’s vision and values. The Country Director will be based in Erbil but is expected to travel frequently between Erbil and Baghdad, as required by the program and as security allows. S/he as the senior LWR employee in the country, has a mandate to build and expand LWR’s staffing, structures, and programs in the country based on successful fundraising efforts. This will be an unaccompanied post.

Responsibilities:

Representation

1. Initiate and strengthen relationships with host Govt. authorities, UN Agencies, Donors, community of international organizations, local partners and other local NGOs, community- based organizations, and grassroots organizations in Iraq.
2. Keep abreast of, and report on social, political, environmental, and economic trends in Iraq. Work with the Public Policy Department to guide and strengthen LWR’s advocacy work in the US by sharing timely information from partners and about developments in the country.
3. Identify and develop relationships with people, organizations and institutions that can enrich country programs and help achieve LWR’s strategy. Participate in relevant networks, forums and other coordination and learning spaces.
4. At direction of Senior Director for Asia & The Middle East, represent LWR to authorities, donors and other audiences in other countries of the Middle East, on an occasional basis

New Business Development

1. Work with the BD Manager, Regional Representative and Regional Director to develop a New Business Development strategic plan.
2. Build on and expand the country program portfolio. To this end, he/she will aggressively and strategically pursue new sources of donor funding and maintain adequate donor funding levels to sustain program activities. He/she is responsible for in country fundraising with institutional donors including U.S. Government or other bilateral or multilateral donors, foundations and corporate philanthropies.
3. Support and or lead the development of proposals to donors in coordination with the Regional Team and Business Development unit. Coordinate with External Relations Dept. on organization-wide fundraising efforts, constituent engagement efforts, and related information

Program Design & Oversight

1. Provide leadership in developing and managing a program that is consistent with LWR’s regional and country strategies.
2. Provide technical assistance and oversight in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs activities in the areas of humanitarian assistance, recovery and stabilization, including in sectors such as health, livelihoods, capacity strengthening, psych-social support, or others.
3. Monitor, evaluate, and distill lessons learned from project and program implementation. Report to the Regional Team at LWR HQ on lessons learned and use that information to improve practice and to inform the next planning cycle. Promote learning among LWR staff and partners in the country.
4. Work in close coordination with the Regional Team based in the US and other locations to ensure highest standard of program implementation and new business development and use of LWR resources and best practices.

Management:

1. Oversee the preparation and monitor implementation of the budget and cash flow for the office; ensure that generally accepted accounting principles are adhered to in areas including: (a) authority and approval, (b) proper documentation, and (c) physical security.
2. Ensure compliance with LWR policies and procedures. Oversee the development and/or updating of country program specific policies for personnel, finance, administration and security and assure compliance with local law.
3. Coordinate with Regional Finance and Administration Manager on country office financial and budget management and monitoring, and address audit findings.
4. Ensure that country operation is in compliance with host government rules and regulations regarding registration, taxation, payroll/human resources, and reporting. Ensure that staff comply with donor regulations for all projects funded by restricted grants.
5. Ensure compliance with LWR security protocols and policies.
6. Oversee and develop a strong office team, organized around operational outcomes and priorities. Ensure team learning and individual and team performance standards and accountability. Provide frequent feedback to, and support for, the country office team. Identify training needs, and plan training opportunities for team members to enhance their skills and expertise.

Qualifications:

1. Master level education in a relevant field
2. At least 8-10 years of progressively responsible professional experience with humanitarian assistance, livelihoods, gender & youth, post-conflict programs and/or peace building programs.
3. Fluency in English is required, knowledge of Kurdish and/or Arabic languages is preferred
4. Prior work experience in Iraq with multi-sector development and track record of donor funds acquisition is required to be successful in this position.
5. Familiarity and experience addressing key development and economic and social justice issues (including humanitarian assistance, minority support programming, long-term development that includes rights-based and gender programming) at a practical and policy level.
6. Demonstrated experience in the design, management, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of humanitarian assistance and long-term sustainable development programs.
7. Demonstrated ability to manage an office, program, and budget and to supervise staff.
8. Deep commitment to LWR’s core values and ability to model those values in relationships with colleagues and partners.
9. Excellent interpersonal skills.

Corus International is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). As such, Corus makes employment decisions and provides equal employment opportunity without regard to an applicant’s or employee’s race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state and local laws. If you need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please notify Corus’s Human Resources department.