Emergency Coordinator (Northeast Syria NGO Forum)

About the role: This is a 12 month (renewable) new role with unaccompanied terms based in Northern Syria with intermittent travel to with a salary of Grade 4 (€44,133 to €49,038 per annum).

You will report to the Inter Sector Working Group Coordinator, sitting in the Northeast Syria Forum. You will line-manage the national Deputy Emergency Coordinator and Information Management. You will liaise with NES NGOs and the UN. You will also represent NES NGO led response externally and coordinate emergency response task forces.

We would like you to start asap.

Your purpose: You will be responsible for the NES response emergency preparedness, response management, contingency planning and capacity building with the Emergency Response team within the NES FORUM. Syria is defined as one of the most complex emergencies, with exposure to a significant number of man-made, natural and epidemiological emergencies. Annually there is a number of emergency situations with conflict or insecurity at a local level, regional or country level which causes displacement. The increasing unpredictability of weather patterns is causing alarming situations within the agriculture sector, flooding as well as sandstorms. The position holder will coordinate with the UN for the establishment of unified contingency plans, response plans and management of emergency response. The position holder will line manage two positions, the Deputy Emergency Coordinator and Information Management position, both national.

In this role you will:

Emergency Monitoring & Preparedness

• Establish and update NES Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) responding to a range of emergencies including but not limited to conflict displacement, natural disasters, critical and unexpected service failures, and others. Development of ERPs will require facilitating inter-departmental workshops, revising the context analysis, and defining clear response scenarios.
• Ensure ERPs are regularly updated and remains relevant and useful for the NES response, and in line and coordinated as much as possible with the WoS approach.
• Review the existing Sector Working response plans based on scenarios for NES and advise the ISWG on the necessary changes to the design and functions.
• Provide inductions, trainings, and refreshers training to Sector Working Coordinators on ERP.
• In line with localization, and strengthening local capacity, support with the capacity building of NGOs within NES, in line with the wider tools and systems based on ensuring emergency preparedness, monitoring and response.
• As applicable, participate in UN contingency planning and scenario planning and reviews for Syria, representing Northeast Syria, with a focus of prioritizing and integrating Emergency Preparedness actions for the NES response.
• Regularly monitor and report on emergency trends across Northeast Syria. Using both external and internal data, provide analysis on likely humanitarian needs and make recommendations to the ISWG Coordinator on the situation which may require responses or preparedness.
• Ensure ERPs maintain functional, context-appropriate, and user-friendly emergency alert system. Regularly assess utilization and accessibility of the alert system by a range of humanitarian and community-based actors and make adaptations as required.
• Develop a strategy to disseminate information on the availability and capacities of EPRs, how to report an alert, and how to request a response. Ensure alignment and coordination with the broader humanitarian system and other existing emergency response mechanisms.
• Under the guidance of the ISWG Coordinator and in collaboration with the NES FORUM, support the pre-positioning and operational readiness of a network of NGO partners as required.

Emergency Response Management

• Lead on coordination to enable rapid and effective emergency responses under the respective ‘Task Force’ based on the emergency, keeping the NES FORUM informed.
• Ensure all emergency alerts are quickly assessed and as appropriate the establishment of a response in support with the Sector Working Group Coordinators.
• Coordinate the inputs required to develop briefing papers, sitreps and context updates during the emergency response with support from sector Working Group Coordinator inputs.
• Establish a framework for mapping out the sector responses during a multi-sector response to ensure the coordination between all relevant sectors.
• Ensure harmonization of data collection during emergency responses, including the coordination of a rapid needs assessments of multiple partners and sectors.
• Oversee post-response reflections and evaluations in collaboration with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) department of partners, including analysis of client feedback.
• In collaboration with the Sector Working Group Coordinator, ensure productive coordination with the UN system, humanitarian forums, NGOs and local authorities.

Accountability

• Ensure the highest stands of accountability through ensuring good communication and information sharing within and outside the programme and enabling staff, beneficiary and other stakeholder participation at all stages of the project cycle.
• Adhere to and promote Concern’s Code of Conduct and Associated policies.

General

• Contribute to all aspects of emergency response as appropriate.
• Take on tasks delegated from the ISWG or the NES FORUM Director.

This position demands a highly organised and dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding environment.

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential

• Minimum of five years of experience managing emergency humanitarian programs in complex operating environments, including prior experience in situations of armed conflict.
• Previous experience leading multi-sector acute emergency responses required. Understanding of inter-agency rapid response mechanisms like the EPRM strongly preferred.
• Solid understanding of the humanitarian system and roles/responsibilities of key external actors.
• Experience working with national NGO and local partners on emergency management.
• Demonstrated experience in an inter-departmental coordination role and the ability to communicate with and balance the priorities of a range of stakeholders.
• Excellent project management and reporting skills.
• Strong financial management skills, including budget management, financial forecasting, and management of spending plans.
• Excellent written and spoken English required, proficiency in Arabic an advantage. Competencies
• Strong cross-cultural communication skills and comfortable working as part of a diverse team. Sensitive to interpersonal differences and a range of viewpoints.
• Highly diplomatic with excellent political awareness and advanced negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated advance planning and organizational skills. Able to effectively prioritize and follow multiple activities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Flexible and innovative. Able to adapt plans and pivot approaches in response to changes in context.
• Proactive, reliable, and able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong people management skills.