Senior community development delegate

Purpose

In response to the January 12 earthquake in Haiti, the American Red Cross is developing an Integrated Neighborhood Reconstruction and Recovery Program to support local urban development in Carrefour Feuilles, Port au Prince. The program goal is to enhance community and household resiliency through sustainable and integrated interventions that provide cohesive, healthy, habitable, and secure living space/conditions. The program will focus primarily on the reconstruction and upgrading of two target neighborhoods in Carrefour Feuilles, Port-au-Prince, Campeche and Baillergeau.

The program goal is supported by three objectives: 1.To improve access to safe and healthy living environments that are sustainable. 2.To increase income and asset generation opportunities for neighborhood residents. 3.To strengthen the capacity of the Haitian Red Cross, communities, service providers and local stakeholders.

The program framework encompasses four key areas:

• Infrastructure rebuilding

Housing, community buildings repair and reconstruction, alley way repair. Facilitate access to essential public services, such as water, sanitation and waste management.

• Economic rebuilding

Contribute to strengthening the local economy through the restoration of livelihoods.

• Social rebuilding

Build social cohesion through the involvement of local stakeholders and communities.

• Institutional rebuilding

Contribute to capacity building of Haitian Red Cross, local government actors and partner institutions on Disaster Risk Reduction and health programs.

American Red Cross (ARC) seeks a senior level manager to lead the design, implementation and monitoring of the ARC’s community development strategy. The Senior Community Development Manager must have extensive experience in community development, capacity building and community mobilization, preferably in an urban setting. This is a full time position and the incumbent is expected to exercise a high degree of creativity and initiative.

Key Responsibilities

• Work in partnership with the community and key stakeholders to facilitate a participatory community reconstruction program which meets current community needs and facilitates long term development
• Lead the development and manage implementation of the ARC’s community development strategy and community participation framework
• Lead the design, implementation and monitoring of community development projects, including conducting capacity building and community stakeholder mapping, assessments and community training programs
• Create an instrument to assess community participation
• Build and manage ARC community development team
• Identify and develop partnerships and relationships, ensuring regular engagement and coordination, with key strategic partners in local government, civil society and international NGOs
• Support implementation of sectorial interventions (health, disaster risk reduction, WatSan and livelihoods) as part of the ARC’s Integrated Neighborhood Reconstruction and Recovery Program
• Promote internal lesson-learning to ensure effective knowledge management
• Prepare regular written reports and provide effective oversight of program budgets

Qualifications

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree required, master’s preferred.
• Minimum 5 years related experience.
• Demonstrated experience working with community organizations in international development settings
• Demonstrated management experience in community development
• Proven ability to develop and articulate clear strategies and undertake planning, programme development and evaluation
• Experience with organizational development and capacity building
• Knowledge of and proven experience with participatory tools, including assessment and community based programming in an (I)NGO
• Strong written and verbal communication skills including in cross-cultural settings
• Good analytical and problem solving skills with high level of initiative and adaptability
• Understanding of and capacity to address strong gender biases
• Working level French required
• High level of integrity and personal conduct

Preferred

• Previous experience in Haiti
• Experience in international community development in an urban setting